Roughly three weeks ago, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump faced off in their first and so far only debate. Across the metro Atlanta, Georgia voters packed into events to support their favorite candidate. Swing voters watched intently for deciding factors. In the end, nearly all were disappointed.
Republican Larry Charles of Stone Mountain felt confident, calling Donald Trump’s performance “a slam dunk” while Democrat Tim Gimbon of Cobb County said Harris was “the adult in the room.”
Each side was happy to declare their candidate the winner, but the undecided voters were not so confident in the results. “It was all disappointing,” Sharon Reed, a swing voter in rural Pennsylvania, told the New York Times.
Polling showed that, while pundits proclaimed Harris the winner, voters were largely left unconvinced. Polling done by CNN even showed that fewer voters trusted Harris with the economy after the debate than before.
Above all, it was the debate moderators whose performance was the most disappointing to the American public. While moderators live fact-checked the former President, Harris was left largely unbothered. News outlets quickly reported the errors made by ABC News moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis and pointed out the misconceptions perpetrated by Harris. ABC also drew criticism for giving Harris a special podium and favorable positioning in the debate.
As attention now turns to tonight’s face-off between the vice presidential candidates, both camps are eager for a decisive win. This debate could prove critical in swaying undecided voters before Election Day. While some may have been disappointed by the last round, the vice presidential showdown offers another opportunity for voters to assess the candidates and their policies.
