Who stole the show in the one and only debate between Senator Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence in 2020?
A fly.
Yes, yes, a fly. It had landed for a long time, a very long time on Mike Pence’s head. And Donald Trump’s right arm had not flinched.
The incident attracted attention because it was unprecedented, of course, but also – and above all – because the debate was free of dramatic twists, excesses, exploits or moments of grace.
In fact, watching this 90-minute debate today, it is clear that both Kamala Harris and Mike Pence, each in turn, managed to pull their weight.
The Democratic vice presidential nominee’s mission at the time was to attack Donald Trump and defend Joe Biden. She did so, for the most part, with aplomb and great effectiveness.
“I don’t think we can imagine that she would be put in difficulty, destabilized by Donald Trump,” says UQAM political scientist Julien Tourreille in light of Kamala Harris’ performance during this debate.
“She clearly has this ability to articulate a discourse that will expose values that are quite precise and very contrasting with what someone like Trump proposes, while managing to propose concrete measures that allow us to understand how these values can be operationalized in public policies,” he adds.
Julien Tourreille cites as an example the economic position defended by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris at the time.
“She says: we Democrats invest in the population.” She then explains that this would translate into free higher education for some American students and tax cuts for households earning less than $400,000 per year, while the tax burden for the richest would be revised upwards.
I continue the discussion with the political scientist by expanding on this theme. Because in my eyes, what Kamala Harris did best during this debate was to highlight the extent to which Joe Biden’s ideas were at odds with those of Donald Trump on many fundamental issues.
The fight against COVID-19, the economy, foreign policy, the environment, health care, etc.
She then cleverly presented these many differences as evidence that, when added together, demonstrates that Joe Biden’s leadership is what America needs.
Four years later, the big issues are relatively similar. So she should have no trouble repeating that exercise on Tuesday, as a presidential candidate, against Donald Trump.
However, I pointed out to Julien Tourreille that while Kamala Harris’ performance against Mike Pence in 2020 was solid in both form and substance, it was not dazzling.
The politician even found herself on the ropes when the vice president accused her of wanting to increase the number of judges on the country’s Supreme Court. She has more than once avoided answering the question clearly.
“It’s true, it was perhaps decided on points, there was no knockout. But there are few debates that end in a knockout or a very, very clear victory,” he said.
Donald Trump will probably not be able to knock Kamala Harris out in the next debate. But the Democratic candidate may not be able to outdo her Republican rival either.
In this context, what should be Kamala Harris’ goal?
Above all, she must reassure Americans about her, thinks the political scientist.
To prove to them that she “can run the country.”
Julien Tourreille mentions the comments of a Republican strategist, who recently said he believed that Kamala Harris’ mission during the debate against Donald Trump was similar to that of Barack Obama in 2008, when he faced the Republican John McCain.
That is to say, to demonstrate that she is not radical, that she does not completely break the mold, that she is not a communist and that she can exercise the function of president.
Julien Tourreille, political scientist
The big unknown in this equation is Donald Trump.
The debate between Kamala Harris and Mike Pence was civilized. The two candidates exchanged poisoned arrows, but with a smile, in courtesy.
Donald Trump is generally less polite, more unpredictable and more intimidating.
“My concern is how will she cope with such a different personality?” wonders Julien Tourreille.
Because even if he does not foresee a “mid-air explosion” or a moment when the Democratic candidate would be “completely paralyzed by the pressure”, it is possible that Donald Trump could prevent her “from achieving her objectives”.
But if Kamala Harris manages to achieve them, even if her Republican rival is not knocked out at the end of the debate, “it would bode well for the rest of the campaign.”
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