Vice President Kamala Harris is eager for the chance to face off against former President Donald Trump again and is happy to do so.acceptedCNN invites President Trump to second debate on October 23rdI refusedand goes on and on about reasons to avoid the next encounter.
Mr. Harris' motives are clear. There is strong consensus that she repeatedly won the first debate on ABC television on September 9th.seduce trump I lost my composure and started yelling incoherently.
It was a great strategy successfully executed by the formercourt prosecutorShe has successfully tried violent felonies, including murder and child sexual assault, in Oakland and San Francisco. As a longtime professor of trial advocacy at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, I admired Harris' approach.
that was expectedFor example, he said he would avoid shaking Trump's hand given Trump's history of racially and gender-based insults. Instead, Ms. Harris walked aggressively across the stage, holding out her hand and surprising Mr. Trump on the podium, showing that she was not intimidated by Mr. Trump's usual bullying.
I teach my students that commanding the courtroom, or in this case the stage, is an important opening move. It focuses attention and shows confidence in your case. For the same reason, I advise lawyers, if possible, to step down from the podium, which creates a barrier between the defense and the jury (or audience).
The ABC debate rules required participants to remain still for the cameras, so leaving, even briefly, was another good move on Harris' part.
Finally, I advise my students to display a sensible range of human emotion without being formal or histrionic. Harris did just that.
She spoke forcefully and frankly, varying her gestures, pace, and intensity for emphasis. She reacted to many of President Trump's answers with no audible laughter and clear skepticism. except in case He repeated a ridiculous story about pets being kidnapped and eaten by Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio.
In contrast, President Trump's performance was emotionally static, showing anger but little else.
Trump is incapable of self-reflection, much less admitting defeat. hehe claims he won Discussion while grumbling.“misbehaved” with him.
President Trump called ABC a “terrible network” and attacked hosts David Muir and Lindsay Davis, going “3-1” by fact-checking some of his answers. They complained that Harris' answers did not fact-check anything.
He has a point, but that doesn't mean the host was biased. In fact, TrumpAllowed more rebuttal time than Harris. He repeated it so it was fact-checked.fabricationAbout Haiti's pet eaters, immigrant crime rates, and the “execution” of infants after birth.
Mr. Harris may have exaggerated here and there, but he didn't make an equally blatant fuss.
The moderator's job, on the other hand, is to structure the discussion by introducing important issues, asking relevant questions, and maintaining order among the discussants.
Fact-checking is important in one-on-one interviews. However, in a debate, it is up to the other side to refute false claims. It's fine for the moderator to argue with the candidate's answers, but it's not helpful to argue with the candidate.
Still, Trump continues to boast of victory. “That was one of the better arguments for me,” he says.said“Probably my best argument.”
So why not accept CNN's invitation, as some Republican strategists have argued? That could give Trump more discipline and space to focus on policy, potentially making a difference in an extremely close race.
President Trump acknowledged that CNN hosts Dana Bash and Jake Tapper were neck and neck during his June 27 debate with Biden. “Jake and Dana, they treated me very fairly,” he said afterward.
“Our job is to make sure candidates are heard so voters can make informed decisions, and we're happy to do that,” said a CNN spokesperson. said.saidof discussion. CNN is announcedWe'll be following the same format again.
Trump's mainbasisRejecting the alternative argument is that it is “too late” because “the voting has already begun.” But the Oct. 23 debate is still two weeks away from the election, so if President Trump is truly concerned about keeping early voters informed, he may propose an earlier date.
Events in late October can always impact the election, even after voting begins.
playing cards enjoyed Senate confirmationOn October 26, 2020, Justice Amy Coney Barrett addressed the court just eight days before losing the election to Joe Biden. Needless to say, neither he nor Harris intend to stop campaigning two weeks before Election Day.
In reality, President Trump fears Harris as a formidable opponent with an outstanding ability as a trial lawyer. She has already defeated him once, and as of this writing, he is not willing to risk confronting her again.
playing cardsclaimHe said Harris' enthusiasm for debate was a sign of weakness.
“In the world of boxing and the UFC,” he says.PostedAt Truth Social, “When a fighter gets hit or knocked out, he stands up and yells, 'I demand a rematch, I demand a rematch!'” Well, it's no different in debate. ”
That was the right analogy, but the wrong conclusion. Like any good fighter, Harris knows when he's got his opponent on the ropes. She just wants to keep punching.
Stephen Lubet is Williams Memorial Professor Emeritus at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law.
