When I watched the debate on Tuesday, I was highly critical of Trump’s performance, and many of our wonderful readers at PJ Media agreed with my criticisms. But in the days since, I’ve wondered if I was wrong.
To be clear, I still don't think Trump performed well or won the debate. He was easily baited by Kamala Harris and missed many opportunities. The moderators were terrible, but that doesn't excuse Trump's lack of preparation.
However, the debate's impact may not have been as negative for Trump as initially thought. As we previously reported, a Reuters focus group of undecided voters revealed that six out of ten moved toward Trump, while only three leaned toward Harris, with one remaining unsure. Although it's a small sample, it suggests undecideds perceived the debate differently than I did.
The New York Times also noted that while some voters saw Harris as more presidential, undecided voters were not convinced. They wanted specific plans but didn’t get them from Harris. Other focus groups of undecided voters revealed similar outcomes.
Related: It Looks Like Trump May Have Helped Himself in the Debate
But what really had me see the debate in a whole new light was a Fox News focus group using dial monitors, which showed independent voters tracking with Republicans on key issues during the debate. This focus group included seven Democrats, five independents, and five Republicans, with their reactions tracked by blue, yellow, and red lines, respectively.
When it came to the most important issues of the election, such as the economy or rising crime associated with illegal immigrants, the yellow line representing independent voters surged dramatically in Trump’s favor, aligning closely with the red line for Republicans. And when Kamala Harris attacked Trump, the independent voters responded negatively, once again tracking closely with Republican voters on the panel.
"I was really, really surprised because the intensity of the independent support was there for Donald Trump, and I didn't expect it," Lee Carter, pollster and president of Maslansky + Partners, said Wednesday on "The Faulkner Focus."
Related: The One Debate Rule That Was Missing
"Independents are tracking very much with Republicans. They're looking for a couple of things. They're looking for answers on immigration. They're looking for answers on the economy. They want to hear that things will get better for them, and they also want change from what is happening right now," she continued. "One of the most important things they were looking for last night from Kamala Harris is how are you going to make it different?"
An independent voter from New York highlighted the visible effects of the migrant crisis in the city. He criticized Kamala Harris for not defending the administration's policies on the issue, suggesting that the lack of defense was because "it's indefensible, so she pivoted."
Carter noted that independents shared Republican concerns on topics like fracking, abortion, and the economy.
You should really watch the whole thing.
So, while there seems to be a lot of evidence that Trump may have been unprepared and didn't exactly win points on style, substantively, he crushed it, and Kamala Harris did not.
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