I don't recall ever seeing a Presidential debate like this, Kamala Harris vs. Donald Trump: a cool, passionate, articulate champion of democratic values and principles vs. well, a lunatic and fascist admirer.
One of Trump's lies which struck me most -- lies are too weak a word for it -- was Trump's claim that immigrants are eating dogs. One of the moderators, David Muir, quietly pointed out that the City Manager of one of the allegedly afflicted places said that dogs were not being eaten in his town. Among the plethora of Trump's lies, this one strikes me as one of the most indicative of Trump's mental maladjustment. It's far less serious, of course, than Trump's continuing charge that governors in Democratic states allow killing of newborn babies -- denounced as a lie by both Harris and the other moderator, Linsey Davis. That's an egregious lie about a crucial issue. But the claim about immigrants and dogs is somehow vivid evidence that the former President is not in his right mind.
As for his politics,what I found most significant and disturbing was Trump's citing the pride he takes in Viktor Orban's praise of him. A fascist, neo-Nazi, who has systematically put down and tried to pull down the press and democratic structures in his country, Hungary. I couldn't help thinking that if Hitler was alive, and said anything good about Trump. the former President would have cited him as an admiring ally too.
Kamala Harris aptly pointed out that the most important thing in Trump's book and psyche is flattery from others. Everything she said in the debate was astute and on target. In fact, I can't think of a single off-key thing she said. Sure, that's because I agree with everything she said, but I still think her performance was objectively excellent. That includes her facial reactions to Trump's lies and absurdities, which we've known since the 1960 JFK/Nixon debates are at least as important as what the candidates actually say.
As for the moderators, better than CNN's in the Biden-Trump debate in June, but that's faint praise. They did quietly point out a few of Trump's lies, but maybe I'm old fashioned thinking that they should have called out every single one of them. Loudly and clearly.
Big good news arrived shortly after the debate in Taylor Swift's ringing endorsement of Harris for President. I'm pulling for a landslide.
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