If there was any doubt leading up to the debate about the ability of Kamala Harris to lead the United States for the next four years, the answer we got was a resounding YES.
The vice president came prepared, not only to debate the issues, but to give battle. The contrast between the two candidates was so overwhelming that it is no surprise that most commentators gave her performance glowing marks, declaring her the outright winner.
Paraphrasing a phrase coined by Trump himself on the Apprentice, Harris declared “...you were fired by 81 million voters" -- the number that voted for President Joe Biden in 2020.
Trump failed to engage on the issues he considers his political strengths. Instead, he rambled about the entertainment value of his rallies, claimed the Biden administration was legally targeting him and, in a long, bizarre spell, insisted – against all available evidence, that migrants were eating Americans’ pets. When pressed on claims that crime was up in the U.S., a quick real-time fact-check by the moderators pointed out that this claim was false and in stark contrast to FBI records. Trump's responded that the FBI was "corrupt."
Get Ready to Leave Israel
Trump’s response to a question about Israel was not only vague, it was troubling. As Democrats, and as American Jews living in Israel, according to Trump, if we vote Democrat, we better settle our affairs, as in two years, Israel will cease to exist. Instead of explaining how he would end the war in Gaza, Trump’s answer was, "October 7th would have never occurred if I was in office." No plan, no idea, no clue.
However, what struck me the most was the section dealing with a woman's right to choose -- one of the top issues on the American electorate's mind along with the economy.
This section of the debate clearly marked the obvious difference between the two candidates. Trump repeated several arguments he made about abortion during his June debate with President Biden. He argued that “everyone” wanted the abortion issue returned to the states. He argued inaccurately that a former governor of West Virginia said that babies should be executed after birth. In the real world, this was a reference to comments former Virginia Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam -- a physician -- made about care for fetuses after nonviable pregnancies, such as miscarriages.
Trump repeated the false claim that some states allow abortions to be performed after a baby has been born, which again drew a live fact check from ABC News moderator Linsey Davis.
“There is no state in this country where it is legal to kill a baby after it’s born,” Davis said.
After the debate I hope that every woman, regardless of age, or political affiliation thinks twice before voting for Trump. Taylor Swift's endorsement of Harris after the debate immediately drew more than 350,000 to vote.gov through her Instagram account.
What Women Want
“You want to talk about what people wanted?” Harris said. “Pregnant women who want to carry a pregnancy to term, suffering from a miscarriage, being denied care in an emergency room because the health care providers are afraid they might go to jail, and she’s bleeding out in a car in the parking lot – she didn’t want that.”
Trump remained defensive about his legal problems, election denialism, opposition from former allies and incitement of an attack on the U.S. Capitol.
From the start, Harris was determined to rattle and bait Trump. She often succeeded, leading to defensive, angry and rambling responses, The vice president had the upper hand throughout much of the contest.
Though we Democrats consider the debate was success, we cannot rest for one second until the last ballot is cast and counted. This debate did not change the strong base of support for either party. It was designed to sway independents and undecideds, especially in swing states. According to data, 200,000 voters in each of those states could tip the balance one way or another.
It remains our mission, as American citizens living in Israel to register to vote, and more importantly cast our ballot. Every vote counts, even if you come from a staunch blue state (like my former home of Illinois).
American Democrats in Israel is here to assist anyone needing help registering, obtaining and sending ballots back to your local districts. This is not the time to relax. This is, as they say in the Navy, a “battle station” cry. To ensure that the Harris-Walz ticket wins in November takes our combined effort.
By Ethan Kushner, Chair, American Democrats in Israel
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