Early indications suggested that Kamala Harris prevailed in last night’s debate: Viewers gave her the nod in a poll and many commentators, even Republicans, concluded that Harris had succeeded in getting Donald Trump to veer off message.
Major Trump donors also expressed concern. One told The Times that it was “painful to watch.” Debates are pivotal to fund-raising, and his performance could exacerbate the widening financial gap that he faces with Harris.
The Harris campaign touted the positive reviews even though some undecided voters said they were disappointed that she repeatedly opted for sweeping statements rather than substance. The vice president’s team asked for another debate, but Trump said he wasn’t sure he wanted to.
It is possible that Harris will see an uptick in upcoming polls. But in a race that continues to appear neck and neck, the winning candidate will probably be the one who has a better read on the American psyche. As Trump made clear in the debate, he is betting that voters are just as angry as he is — about a nation he argues is in decline, awash in marauding immigrants and devastated economically.
Harris’s bet, as my colleague Peter Baker explained, is that Americans are exhausted by the Trump era and ready to move on.
Here’s what else to know:
Trump said that he won the debate, and that the real loser was ABC News, the host.
A grieving Ohio father told Trump to stop using his son “for political gain.”
Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Harris came as a surprise to the vice president. Trump said “she’ll probably pay a price for it in the marketplace.”
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