The Week: The Debate and Its Aftermath

• ABC should really report an in-kind contribution to the Harris campaign. Trump, too.

• Donald Trump didn’t have a great debate against Joe Biden, but it didn’t matter. He had a poor debate against Kamala Harris; will it matter? Trump’s lack of self-control was on full display as he took all bait offered, from letting Harris get his goat with taunts about people leaving his rallies to digging his heels in excusing January 6 rioters. But then, few minds were likely to be changed about Trump. While Trump may regret failing to define her, Harris did herself no favors by failing entirely to separate herself from Biden’s record even when both Trump and the moderators pressed her to do so. For their part, ABC’s moderators, David Muir and Linsey Davis, further discredited the notion that the networks can be trusted to be evenhanded. Muir and Davis repeatedly fact-checked Trump—even, sometimes, when he was right—while never doing so to Harris. It is not clear whether there will be another debate. Given the late entry of Harris into the race, voters deserve one, however unpleasant it would be to watch.

About the Author

NR Editors

NR Editors includes members of the editorial staff of our magazine and website.

• ABC should really report an in-kind contribution to the Harris campaign. Trump, too.

• Donald Trump didn’t have a great debate against Joe Biden, but it didn’t matter. He had a poor debate against Kamala Harris; will it matter? Trump’s lack of self-control was on full display as he took all bait offered, from letting Harris get his goat with taunts about people leaving his rallies to digging his heels in excusing January 6 rioters. But then, few minds were likely to be changed about Trump. While Trump may regret failing to define her, Harris did herself no favors by failing entirely to separate herself from Biden’s record even when both Trump and the moderators pressed her to do so. For their part, ABC’s moderators, David Muir and Linsey Davis, further discredited the notion that the networks can be trusted to be evenhanded. Muir and Davis repeatedly fact-checked Trump—even, sometimes, when he was right—while never doing so to Harris. It is not clear whether there will be another debate. Given the late entry of Harris into the race, voters deserve one, however unpleasant it would be to watch.