The New York Times is confused about Tuesday night’s debate. They ran an article titled “Pundits Said Harris won the debate. Undecided voters weren’t so sure.” Other members of our political elite are also surprised.

Because I am such a nice guy, let me help them to clear up their confusion. I will be building on the columns of my colleagues Bob Hoge and Nick Arama, who have tackled this subject well.

NEW POLL: Kamala Harris Won the Debate—yet It's Trump
Who Gained a Point in Voter Support

Debate Monitors Deliver Great News for Trump With Independents,
Devastating News for Harris

In Tuesday night’s debate, everyone was, on the surface, impressed with Vice President Kamala Harris’ performance. Despite her reputation for being a lightweight who was too lazy and entitled to prepare for her job or her campaigns, Harris had clearly buckled down for the debate and appeared rather poised and fluent with the issues. There were none of her usual word salads, blank looks, or nervous laughter (although once she did get close).  

However, while Harris was much better than anyone had ever seen her before, she still managed to say nothing while looking good. The political elite loved that, because they always compare and desire that every candidate follow in the footsteps of Bill Clinton, who could talk anyone’s ear off and impress them about absolutely nothing in particular. The political elite believes that the common folk are rubes, who are easily tricked into supporting candidates by flowery words.  Further, when Harris did say something substantial in this debate, it was on an issue that the swing voters couldn’t care less about – abortion and climate change – or she made her case with frequent lies or omissions about the important issues – the border surge; she didn’t do that, but Donald Trump did! – that were very noticeable.

Now, let’s jump to Donald Trump.

In my prior debate memo column, I wrote in the heart of that memo:

Remember that this debate should focus on: 1) the contrast between you, Donald Trump, and Kamala Harris, and your respective records as a leading figure in a Presidential administration; and 2) on Kamala Harris’ very left-wing record and statements. It is a waste of time to refer to another person, or issue, except to fit it into that comparison.

• Exception = see No. 5 about the moderators.

When in doubt, always try to focus on the big wedge issues, especially: 1) the economy and inflation; 2) the border and immigration; 3) the world chaos, the Gaza situation, and the rioting in the U.S.; and 4) Harris’ wacky left-wing positions.

This is actually exactly what Trump did. Although he did sometimes get derailed and baited into unimportant issues – like his rallies and January 6 – he always came back to tying Harris to the Biden administration and its failures, her left-wing record, and the economy, the border, and the world chaos. His final statement, while not what I prescribed, was particularly effective, as he made the point that Harris had had three and a half years to do everything she claims she wants to do, and still hasn’t managed to do it.  

This was very important. Contrary to the propaganda of the political elite, we are not having happy times in the U.S. The economy, especially inflation, is a yuge problem. The border is another problem, with frequent murders/rapes being committed by illegal aliens. And everyone can see the world chaos, as Americans are targeted throughout the world, and back home, the crazy antisemites are rioting on our streets, and nothing is being done to control or punish them. So, the political field is already tilted to the out-party, which is the Republican Party.  

And, making things worse for the Democrats, the out-party candidate is Donald Trump, who already served as president, and whose record as president (minus COVID, for which he is not blamed) is excellent. Under Trump, the U.S. was a much stronger nation, and everyone remembers that. It was only four years ago.

In the debate, Harris and the biased moderators did everything they could to attack Trump for being, as his opponents consistently claim, the devil. In other words, they continued to picture him as a man who is uniquely corrupt and crude, a barbarian crook who abuses women, hates minorities, and wants to overthrow America’s democratic society in favor of a dictatorship. But the problem with this strategy is that it only works with the Never Trump base; the swing voters have heard nine years of this BS so far, and they don’t believe it in the slightest.

The swing voters are people who really dislike the Biden administration’s record, but also don’t like Donald Trump as a person. They do think Trump is crude and loses his cool at the wrong times, and tweets way too much, but they don’t think he is another Hitler, or especially corrupt (compared to other politicians). They also believe that Trump’s record as president was pretty good.  

This is why they are undecided.  

To appeal to them, the Harris team needs to find a way to impugn Trump’s record on the economy, the border, and the world chaos. Good luck with that, in the few months remaining.

The New York Times and other members of the political elite are going to be surprised, again and again, by this campaign, because they haven’t yet grasped these important facts. And luckily, they won’t learn it from us, because they don’t read RedState, as they likely consider us, too, to be crude barbarian devils.