The two biggest losers at the Trump-Harris debate

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As we sift through the aftershocks of Tuesday night’s presidential debate, one question stands out: Who "won"? While many will sing Vice President Kamala Harris’s praises and point fingers at alleged moderator bias against former President Donald Trump, the real question is—who gained more votes after the event?

That’s where we need to draw the line between effective messaging and a solid language strategy. Let’s face it: if good messaging doesn’t translate to results, it’s meaningless.

Unfortunately for both candidates, neither seemed to make much of an impact on undecided voters.

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What Kamala Harris Was Trying to Do

Harris walked onto that debate stage with a mission to articulate a clear vision for how the next four years would be better than the previous ones under Biden.

• Vision Did Not Shine: While she did lean on her youth as an advantage, her broader vision felt a bit flat.
• Turning the Tables: She did a great job putting Trump on the defensive, effectively exploiting his vulnerabilities. But did that mean she captured voter enthusiasm? Not quite.
• Style Points: With her composed delivery and a few standout lines, she definitely impressed, but let's be real—style alone doesn’t win votes.

Trump’s Challenge in the Spotlight

On the flip side, Trump had a big job: reassure voters about his stability. He needed to showcase the "fighter" side of him, but instead, we mostly saw the "unhinged" version.

• Duality of Trump: Fortunately for Trump, voters seem to have already factored in that erratic behavior, but it doesn’t mean it doesn’t matter.
• Missed Opportunities: He should have been emphasizing his