The media is proclaiming Harris the debate victor. But it’s not that simple.
Because Kamala Harris is being skewered by a key ally for making this critical debate mistake.
The parade for Kamala Harris after her debate against Donald Trump continues on with the majority of corporate media talking heads on CNN, MSNBC, and ABC. Anyone who is supportive of Kamala Harris has been quite joyous since the debate on Tuesday, but is it the “win” they are making it out to be? Apparently even some CNN hosts are a little skeptical. Mainly due to Kamala Harris’s inability to make her policies clear to American voters.
CNN News Central co-host Sara Sidner recently highlighted a significant gap in public knowledge regarding Vice President Kamala Harris’s policy proposals. This observation came in the wake of the debate between Harris and former President Donald Trump, moderated by ABC News hosts David Muir and Linsey Davis.
CNN Host Criticizes Kamala Harris For Failing To Share Any Policy Substance
During the debate, Harris notably avoided delving into detailed policy discussions. This lack of specificity prompted Sidner to question Politico reporter Meredith McGraw about whether Harris needs to provide more clarity on her policy positions.
“Does she, Kamala Harris, need to do more to explain to the public what her policies are?” Sidner asked. “Because that’s the thing that keeps coming up in polling as well, that people don’t really know what her policies are all about.”
McGraw acknowledged this as a significant issue for the Harris campaign. She pointed out that while many voters are familiar with Donald Trump, Harris faces the challenge of introducing herself and her policies to the public. McGraw stated, “What are her policies? How is she going to try to differentiate herself from President Biden? And who is Kamala Harris?”
The reporter noted that the Harris campaign has been focusing on sharing the Vice President’s personal story and background. However, McGraw emphasized the need for clearer articulation of policy points as Harris continues her campaign efforts.
“And we know from the campaign that she’s going to be doing more interviews, something we haven’t seen her do a lot of in the past weeks, and that she’s going to be really trying to expand on her outreach to voters that have questions about who she is and what her policies are,” McGraw added.
CNN Host Says Voters 'Don't Really Know' Kamala Harris' Policy Proposals pic.twitter.com/80pK7WJv2C
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) September 12, 2024
The debate did little to address Harris’s evolving positions on various issues, including energy policies, gun control, healthcare, and immigration. Her stance on these topics has shifted since her 2020 presidential campaign, yet these changes were not addressed during the recent debate.
It’s worth noting that Harris has been relatively scarce in terms of media appearances. Apart from an August 29 interview with CNN’s Dana Bash, she has not granted any sit-down interviews or press conferences since President Biden announced the end of his reelection bid on July 21.
Despite these challenges, recent polls show Harris maintaining a slight lead over Trump. The RealClearPolling average from August 22 to September 11 puts Harris 1.3% ahead of Trump, with her lead expanding to 1.9% when third-party candidates are included in the surveys.
Most experts agree, though, that a Harris 1-2 point national polling lead is unlikely to hand her a victory in November considering Donald Trump’s electoral college lead, especially with the likelihood that Donald Trump will carry Florida once again.
As the campaign progresses, it remains to be seen how Harris will address the public’s desire for more detailed policy information and how this will impact her standing in the polls.
Reuters Finds Some Independent Voters Were More Convinced By Trump Than Harris
After the debate, a Reuters editorial found that there were some swing state independent voters who shared with their reporters that they were more convinced by Donald Trump’s policies during the debate, even if they thought Kamala Harris “won” the debate.
Which just goes to show the nuance at hand here. You can “win” a debate, but not necessarily win over any support. This has been seen many times, like when the media claimed Ronald Reagan “lost” his debates in 1980 and 1984. Of course, everyone remembers those because of what Ronald Reagan, the “loser” of the debates had to say.
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
