Tasha Bohorad ‘26:
I think a lot of spectators were let down by the lack of policy, especially the lack of policy that affected them. There was no discernable policy proclamation on Trump’s side. He continuously defended himself against and attacked Harris. For people unhappy with Trump but historically conservative, Kamala did not play to Republican conservative values, which may have turned people off. She promoted benefits for new homeowners and people having children, but I don’t think the working class and older people saw what they wanted from her. She played to the image of moving forward, appealing to younger generations. Trump somewhat countered the discontentment of the older generations with policy by playing to people’s emotions. He pushed for more border security, a perceived weak point in Harris’s vice-presidential career. Many working-class people are concerned for their job security, which Trump promised would increase if the borders were tightened.
Sofia Lin ‘26
American politics has grown more and more disconnected from reality in recent years. One of the reasons I believe this is happening is because bipartisan politics is becoming increasingly polarized along party lines, which leads parties to swing towards extremes. What’s more, the Senate, House of Representatives, and White House are often in direct conflict with each other, which have essentially been holding progress hostage as they attack each other in order to advance their own agendas. Concessions are seemingly a thing of the past; politics has been, for the last few decades, about power rather than serving the people.
Furthermore, while people have gained the ability to become more informed about politics, with far greater coverage and access that available before, their ability to do things about it almost appears to be dwindling—the public is viewing more and more decisions as inevitable and throw away their votes, when we rely on them now more than ever.
Meara Wang ‘26:
I think the debate solidified most democrats faith in Harris to handle Trump and high pressure situations well. I’m not sure how effective it was at helping swing voters decide, especially people who are focused primarily on policy; then again, I’m not sure what the main motivator for swing states is. Specifically, I was let down by the candidates’ lacking responses to climate change. Personally, I was very entertained by Trump’s performance in the debate, but like Pete Buttigieg has put it, it forces the media to place attention on the latest wild claim instead of the record and agenda of their campaign.
