# Trump and Harris agree to September 10th ABC debate - Watch Along Starts at Post 431 **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump, kamala-harris\ **Created:** [August 8, 2024, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-harris-agree-to-september-10th-abc-debate-watch-along-starts-at-post-431/1005440 "2024-08-08T20:59:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 71
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-harris-agree-to-september-10th-abc-debate-watch-along-starts-at-post-431/1005440/1401 "2024-09-11T21:07:01Z")
> [@](#): > > you KNOW she wanted to say “and THIS motherf-r” but at the last possible nanosecond she managed to bite her tongue. The Lincoln Project put together this video to show what she was thinking during the pause before saying former President. Well worth the watch. WARNING! Audio is not safe for work (video is SFW). > ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-harris-agree-to-september-10th-abc-debate-watch-along-starts-at-post-431/1005440/1402 "2024-09-11T21:09:29Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > Instead, he kept insisting that he would “end the war”, and it seems obvious to me that what he was proposing was to immediately surrender to Russia once elected. Hints of Nixon with his “Peace with honor”? Sounds great, until you realize he means to bomb the shit out of them. > [@Max\_S](#): > > Well it would be different if I agreed with her on policy, or even if I thought she could pull off the policies she’s actually proposed. Unfortunately, with our current political environment in Congress, she has very little chance of getting anything passed that’s more than a skosh left of center. Hell, if the house stays red, she’s getting zero done. The worst thing Trump has done has nothing to do with policy and everything to do with discourse. I would say that every policy Trump enacted would have been done by any other Republican, except I don’t think any of them would have the balls to try to ban Muslims from entering the country. Trump has made it OK to say the quiet part out loud. “There were fine people on both sides.” No there weren’t. As soon as it was obvious that it was a white supremist rally, anyone reasonable on the right pulled out. He makes fun of the handicapped and trans people at his rallies. He disparages gold star parents. “Why should I visit a war cemetery? They’re all losers.” He punches down. I don’t agree with all of the political stances of ANY politician, but I expect the President to have respect for the office and for the people of the United States, and Donald Trump has none. The only thing he gives a rats ass about is his wallet. At least I trust that Kamala Harris will do her best for what she thinks is good for the country; Trump doesn’t give a shit about anything except himself. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-harris-agree-to-september-10th-abc-debate-watch-along-starts-at-post-431/1005440/1403 "2024-09-11T21:14:11Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > As opposed to the guy who **literally** engineered to have those rights ripped away? Again, on policy - I agree with the _Dobbs_ decision on legal grounds, I think it was a very harmful and unfortunate decision, but legally correct. On principle I’m not totally opposed to a national ban at _15_ weeks, though it would matter how that ban is proposed and on what grounds; in practice I don’t think it would happen. I’m a fan of the ACA, however, and healthcare is a major area I depart from Trump and mainstream Republicans. I was working in healthcare in 2020 and even Trump supporters among my coworkers voted against him purely because of how badly he botched the pandemic response. That is not to say I support Medicare-for-all, however… I don’t mean to make this a debate on my personal positions, I just wanted to clarify where I’m coming from when I watched the debate. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-harris-agree-to-september-10th-abc-debate-watch-along-starts-at-post-431/1005440/1404 "2024-09-11T21:14:31Z")
> [@Max\_S](#): > > But even before the debate, I knew I wasn’t voting for Trump. As I wrote, since my state is going to Trump anyways, for me the choice is Harris or third party. Note that a vote for third party is essentially not voting at all. And it’s like a half a vote for Trump. Don’t think I’m attacking you by pointing this out though. I voted third party in 2016 because I felt much as you did. It would be hypocritical for me to hold that against you. I’ll just say I regret doing so and wish I’d voted for Clinton. Like you, I decided early on that I would never vote for Trump and it was whether or not I felt I could stand behind a vote for Clinton or not, and I decided no. I believed the BS about her criminality at the time, which I now know was false. (ETA: I’m in a very blue state so my vote in all likelihood just improves the popular vote count for a candidate. This was true in 2016 and will be true this year.) There are only three choices. Republican, Democrat, or sit it out. Everyone watching this debate has those choices. I guess the real question is, to you and anyone who watched this debate, did she do so badly that you’re willing to give half support to Trump over it? ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-harris-agree-to-september-10th-abc-debate-watch-along-starts-at-post-431/1005440/1405 "2024-09-11T21:16:11Z")
> [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](#): > > … I don’t agree with all of the political stances of ANY politician, but I expect the President to have respect for the office and for the people of the United States, and Donald Trump has none. The only thing he gives a rats ass about is his wallet. At least I trust that Kamala Harris will do her best for what she thinks is good for the country; Trump doesn’t give a shit about anything except himself. Yeah. This is a binary choice: Trump or Harris. No third-party Presidential candidate has any chance of winning. ‘_I can’t commit to voting for Harris because I need to know more about her policies_’ is **always** disingenuous. Either the speaker is trying to fool those listening, or he is trying to fool himself. Harris has been in public life for long enough to indicate how she will govern and what policies she will pursue. If we don’t know every detail of how those policies will read, then we are living in the same reality we’ve been living in for every other Presidential election. Declining to vote for Harris over some perceived ‘lack of information’ about her policies means that the voter is supporting Trump. It truly is as simple as that. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-harris-agree-to-september-10th-abc-debate-watch-along-starts-at-post-431/1005440/1406 "2024-09-11T21:20:10Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > That’s holding Trump and Harris to different standards. I am being explicit that I am holding them to different standards. Compare, from 4+ years ago, > [@Ex-Republican strategist: Republican Party conservatism was always a lie](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-republican-strategist-republican-party-conservatism-was-always-a-lie/918812/78): > > I don’t think incumbents need a platform as guidance, at least not as badly as challengers do. I can look at the incumbent’s track record for guidance and judge them by their actions instead of cheap talk. > > Similarily with challengers who have a long political career, for example Rick Scott v. Bill Nelson in the last election. The more of a history they have, the less I care about what they write and say for the campaign. Contrast with Andrew Gillum v. Ron DeSantis, both of whom had a comparatively shorter history in politics, so I relied more on their platforms, interviews, and the level of detail (or lack thereof) than with the Senate race. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-harris-agree-to-september-10th-abc-debate-watch-along-starts-at-post-431/1005440/1407 "2024-09-11T21:25:52Z")
> [@Max\_S](#): > > Yeah unfortunately I am one who thinks Trump did better. Especially the part where he was asked what he would specifically do about the war in Gaza and securing the release of the hostages, and he spent his time talking about immigration in America. He _killed_ it!! ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-harris-agree-to-september-10th-abc-debate-watch-along-starts-at-post-431/1005440/1408 "2024-09-11T21:26:47Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > I guess the real question is, to you and anyone who watched this debate, did she do so badly that you’re willing to give half support to Trump over it? It’s hard to say. I really _do_ half-support Trump. If it was any other person, not attainted by 1/6 and all the other _personal_ shortcomings, there is a good chance I would vote Republican. But I just. can’t. vote. for. _him_. I would say it might not be completely parallel to you voting third party in 2016, if you agreed with a good chunk of Clinton’s policies. You voting against Clinton is more of an analogy to me voting against Trump. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-harris-agree-to-september-10th-abc-debate-watch-along-starts-at-post-431/1005440/1409 "2024-09-11T21:28:57Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > One of the most shocking things, which I don’t see getting much media attention, was Trump’s steadfast refusal to pledge support for Ukraine against Russia. Instead, he kept insisting that he would “end the war”, and it seems obvious to me that what he was proposing was to immediately surrender to Russia once elected. > [@Max\_S](#): > > I understood it to mean he would pressure Ukraine into permanently conceding significant swaths of territory, by threatening to cut off all support entirely. > > ~Max Uh, these are two ways to say the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-harris-agree-to-september-10th-abc-debate-watch-along-starts-at-post-431/1005440/1410 "2024-09-11T21:30:29Z")
Well, surrender sometimes implies unconditional surrender which I don’t think would happen. We spent way too much money in Ukraine for Trump to pull an Afghanistan. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![deltogre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deltogre/32/5041_2.png) [@deltogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltogre)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-harris-agree-to-september-10th-abc-debate-watch-along-starts-at-post-431/1005440/1411 "2024-09-11T21:32:33Z")
Bro. Really? You can’t be serious. I mean that. What level of mental gymnastics is necessary to elicit that response? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-harris-agree-to-september-10th-abc-debate-watch-along-starts-at-post-431/1005440/1412 "2024-09-11T21:32:35Z")
Welp, looks like the Trump/Kennedy romance is over. > ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-harris-agree-to-september-10th-abc-debate-watch-along-starts-at-post-431/1005440/1413 "2024-09-11T21:33:32Z")
> [@Max\_S](#): > > I would say it might not be completely parallel to you voting third party in 2016, if you agreed with a good chunk of Clinton’s policies. I didn’t though. I’d voted Republican in every election prior. I considered myself a conservative (well, a moderate leaning conservative by that point I guess). A number of things policy-wise (not all) were stuff I agreed with then. But I couldn’t vote for him. Just as you say. In all honesty, the guy I mostly was hoping would win the Republican primary was Marco Rubio, because he had what I thought was a more moderate stance on border security and immigration policy. (Yeah people, laugh if you want.) When he dropped out and it was Cruz and Trump left, I thought, I’ll hold my nose and vote for Cruz. When Trump won the nomination I knew that for the first time ever I would not vote Republican. What Trump did, and what the Republican Party became during the Trump administration made me a Democrat. But this thread is about the debate, and I gather that her performance wasn’t enough to sway you toward her. And you’re saying that Trump’s performance is irrelevant because you were never going up vote for him regardless. Am I understanding that right? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-harris-agree-to-september-10th-abc-debate-watch-along-starts-at-post-431/1005440/1414 "2024-09-11T21:41:56Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > When he dropped out and it was Cruz and Trump left, I thought, I’ll hold my nose and vote for Cruz. I’ve never voted for a Republican, but I was thinking of registering as one to vote against those two bozos in the primary. Unlike a lot of people, I could see that the potential damage they could do was far worse than tactically voting _for_ Trump in order to make the GOP nominee “more beatable”. Unfortunately, the race soon narrowed down to just these two and I didn’t think that Cruz was better enough to bother steering the party toward. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-harris-agree-to-september-10th-abc-debate-watch-along-starts-at-post-431/1005440/1415 "2024-09-11T21:46:19Z")
Yes, that’s me in a nutshell. But to the original point, I would add that Trump’s performance was actually a little better than I thought it would be. I don’t think some of his worst remarks really hurt him because I already knew he’s unhinged and into conspiracy theories. But he did make some good points and he’s always been a good speaker, in my opinion. Ms. Harris didn’t totally flop like I thought she might (based on some rumors), but she didn’t move the needle for me at all. She didn’t majorly mess up, like Biden a couple months ago, and she’s not Trump. When I talk about her body language and facial expressions it’s nothing extraordinary. No positive points from me, solid C so to speak. I don’t think she’s a charismatic speaker like say Barack Obama. Or Maya Angelou. She doesn’t emanate a “leader” aura like some people seem to do naturally. On what she said, she spent her energy reinforcing why Trump is bad, but in those respects Trump was already at rock bottom, so to speak. So in terms of my opinion of Trump prior to the debate, he actually improved a little. And in terms of Ms. Harris pre- and post-, again, she didn’t really move the needle. For me. _That_ is why I say Trump did better. In terms of consequence, though, I’m still not voting for Trump. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![deltogre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deltogre/32/5041_2.png) [@deltogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltogre)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-harris-agree-to-september-10th-abc-debate-watch-along-starts-at-post-431/1005440/1416 "2024-09-11T21:50:04Z")
Trump spews word salad into the ether, replete with dangerous misinformation that endangers people. PEOPLE. REAL PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING, AND MIGHT BE IN DANGER. But please, go on… ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-harris-agree-to-september-10th-abc-debate-watch-along-starts-at-post-431/1005440/1417 "2024-09-11T21:51:04Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > Don’t the complainers realize this argument makes Trump look even weaker? I know! Why would they look up to a whining crybaby who threw airballs at the net, and then cried and pouted in the locker room about the “mean referees”?? ---
**Author:** ![deltogre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deltogre/32/5041_2.png) [@deltogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltogre)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-harris-agree-to-september-10th-abc-debate-watch-along-starts-at-post-431/1005440/1418 "2024-09-11T21:54:21Z")
One more thing, and I may have missed it being discussed in this thread… He said that President Biden hates her. Really? REALLY? What a dog-shit comment to make. Joe, get on it. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-harris-agree-to-september-10th-abc-debate-watch-along-starts-at-post-431/1005440/1419 "2024-09-11T21:56:16Z")
It was also my general understanding that Biden and Harris didn’t get along, but I can’t point to any concrete source for this. Like I read somewhere he was personally furious about having to drop out, and had to be forced to share lunches with her. I could definitely use a fact-check. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-harris-agree-to-september-10th-abc-debate-watch-along-starts-at-post-431/1005440/1420 "2024-09-11T22:00:21Z")
> [@Max\_S](#): > > It was also my general understanding that Biden and Harris didn’t get along, but I can’t point to any concrete source for this Hey, you know, as long as you _feel_ that way. Not every political partnership can be as loving and unbreakable as, oh, picking randomly, Trump and the man he’d go to the mattresses for, Mike Pence. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-harris-agree-to-september-10th-abc-debate-watch-along-starts-at-post-431/1005440.md?page=70) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-harris-agree-to-september-10th-abc-debate-watch-along-starts-at-post-431/1005440.md?page=72)