On Sept. 10, former President Donald Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris took the stage of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia for their first, and likely only, presidential debate. Around the nation, college students tuned in with their bingo cards ready and with both TikTok and X refreshing every two minutes to make sure they did not miss any of the show.
That is exactly what the nation considered this debate: a show, and that is how the candidates treated it, as well. Ignoring questions about policy and goals for the nation, the majority of the debate was back-and-forth bickering between Trump and Harris, as well as moments that seemed like they were right out of an SNL skit.
“All my social media platforms are filled with edits and memes about the debate rather than information regarding their policies and platforms,” Villanova junior Claire Gaza said.
From jokes about people eating dogs and cats to Trump rephrasing and using Harris’ famous, “I’m speaking” quote, the presidential debate captivated the attention of the nation, but was it for the right reasons?
“I felt less dread than I did watching the Trump-Biden debate in June,” an anonymous Villanova junior said. “Some wild things were said regarding transgender aliens, eating pets and post birth abortions. I wish there were more explicit discussions of policy on both sides, but that seems like a lot to ask for in this age of politics.”
The overall consciousness regarding the debate was that the majority of things said that were regarding policy and politics were not factually accurate. Throughout the debate, the moderators were seen fact checking Trump, yet both candidates shared information that was not completely true.
“I was not surprised, as some people were, by the use of explosive rhetoric and statements with little to no factual backing, because these tactics have been employed in every presidential election since I was old enough to follow politics,” junior Kara McGoldrick said. “Nevertheless, I was disappointed that harmful lies regarding immigrants, people of color and women were given a legitimate platform to be expressed. I would encourage everyone who watched the debate to fact check both candidates’ statements.”
While some facts were shared, and others twisted and inaccurate, it would not be a presidential debate without the nation choosing a “winner.” On Villanova’s campus, there was a high majority of students who believed Harris to be the winner.
“I would say Kamala won the debate because she appealed more to the American people and their needs and emotions,” an anonymous Villanova female sophomore student said. “Pathos, the emotional appeal, is a huge part of debating and appealing to your audience. Trump never gave full answers to his questions and got easily angered throughout the debate.”
However, there are individuals who believe Trump to have taken the victory.
“I believe that Trump won the debate,” an anonymous Villanova senior male student said. “Trump does a very good job at appealing to his party and his followers. By using Harris’s ‘I am speaking’ quote back against her, Trump made a good effort to show that he is still in this race, and that he is ready for another four years in office.”
The debates are meant to help citizens who do not know who to vote for make choices based on policy and beliefs. Yet, the majority of watchers do not think that this debate will help anyone make decisions one way or another.
“This debate did not help any of my undecided friends pick who to vote for, as they felt that no one made good enough points or opinions to sway them one way or another,” the senior male student said. “If anything, two of my friends have now decided they are not voting at all due to the candidates up for election. It is truly frightening that we are losing voters due to candidates not being able to have a conversation without blaming each other for the nation’s issues for two hours.”
“Personally, my opinions did not change after watching the debate, because I was already following both candidates and had formulated my opinions of each of them,” McGoldrick said. “On the one hand, everyone knows Trump, but I think some people have forgotten exactly what it was like to have him as our president. I believe that this debate is a reminder of what it is like to have a president who is unprofessional, uninformed and ineffectual. Many voters are still learning about Harris, on the other hand. Through this debate and future debates [if they are to occur], she has an opportunity to present her platform to people who might not know her yet.”
The presidential election is set to occur on Nov. 5, 2024. Around the nation, people will be gathered around waiting to see who will be the next President of the United States. Did this presidential debate help sway voters one way or another? The overall consensus is no, so it is up to the voters to educate themselves on the platforms these candidates are running on, and it is up to the voters to go to the voting polls on the 5th to cast their votes.
