Trump-Harris debate sums up policy-light US election

Harris did not give an answer when quizzed on why the Biden administration, which she has served in for almost four years, has kept in place a number of tariffs introduced by Trump. Nor did she describe how she would try to tackle inflation which consistently polls as a top concern for many voters.

But Trump’s attempt to capitalise on this clear and obvious weakness for Harris (he described his rival’s economic policies as Marxist) got lost as he veered into an answer about illegal migrants, saying “bad immigration” is the worst thing that can happen to the economy.

This exchange was illustrative of the night as a whole. There was no shortage of heat in this ill-tempered debate, but both sides shone very little light on policy.

Harris did not address why the Biden administration, which she has been part of for nearly four years, has maintained several tariffs introduced by Trump. Additionally, she did not outline her plan to address inflation, a concern that consistently ranks high among voters.

Trump’s attempt to exploit this apparent vulnerability in Harris’s position—calling her economic policies Marxist—was overshadowed when he diverted the conversation to illegal immigration, declaring that "bad immigration" is the worst economic threat.

This exchange epitomized the debate overall. Despite the heated exchanges and confrontations, neither side offered substantial insights into their policy proposals.

The Trump campaign is keen to portray Harris as a radical leftist, highlighting her past positions on banning fracking, nationalizing health insurance, and decriminalizing illegal border crossings. When directly questioned about her shifting policy stances, Harris promised to address each issue but only clarified why she supported new fracking leases to decrease reliance on foreign oil. Trump, on the other hand, missed an opportunity to capitalize on these perceived inconsistencies.

Instead of focusing on these policy shifts, Trump found himself on the defensive, unable to effectively counter Harris's jabs. He repeatedly returned to his favored issue of immigration, which he views as a critical topic, yet he failed to detail how he would handle the deportation of millions of undocumented migrants. His responses were heavy on rhetoric but light on concrete plans.

The debate provided the first direct comparison of the two candidates, revealing their demeanor, temperament, and body language. However, it fell short in offering substantive insights into their policy proposals. A telling moment came when Trump admitted, after nine years of vowing to repeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), that he still does not have a replacement plan. He only mentioned having "the concepts of a plan."

Ultimately, the debate left voters with only vague outlines of what either candidate would do if elected president.