So, let me start this by saying I have not been a great big fan of Kamala Harris...as many here are aware. My main concern is the fact that I am not entirely reassured that she will be as strong an ally to my transgender community as I would like.
Yes, I know she will be better than Trump has been, and better than Pence would be. That is not in dispute. I just do not know that I am at all reassured that she will work to undo all the damage that has been done to my community these last few years...nor am I reassured that she will work towards further progress for my community. I AM AFRAID. You would be, too...if your community was attacked as mine has been. You would want reassurance, too. So, please be fair with me about that.
I know her fans will point out X Y and Z...but I ask you to not do that. Instead, ask US what would reassure US. WE are the community under attack, and what YOU think is sufficient...some of us do not.
I use the above as a backdrop, so that you will understand that my review of Kamala’s performance in the debate tonight IS NOT one of a fan...but one who has been less than enthusiastic about her. Of course her fans will say she crushed it...I am sure Mike Pence’s fans think HE crushed it, too. That is why it was important for me to say what I just did above...so that everyone understands the review I am about to give...comes from one who was not terribly enamored of Senator Harris...and still has some misgivings directly related to my community.
I want to do this in reverse order, by first pointing out the missed opportunities….
She did not point out that Pence completely failed to answer or even speak about the question posed concerning pre-existing conditions. Considering that healthcare is a major concern right now in this country, and a major issue in the election...this was a missed opportunity I wish she had taken...especially given that Pence pointed out her failure to address the court-packing question (although that one backfired on Pence, as you will see in my later analysis...so be patient)
She missed an opportunity to refute the notion that the Trump Administration always followed the science, as asserted by Pence by failing to point out
1. Donald Trump once suggested nuking hurricanes!
2. Trump suggested ingesting or injecting Clorox and other disinfectants, to say nothing of his touting of unproven medications (hydroxychloriquine, anyone??) or his suggestion to place UV bulbs in very uncomfortable places.
3. She also failed to point out that the White House blocked the CDC in doing Contact Tracing related to the White House outbreak.
She also missed an opportunity to point out that Trump had stopped all negotiations on a COVID stimulus bill until after the election, with the addition that there would be none if he did not win — and say that this smacked of literally bribing voters...or punishing people for failing to vote for Trump. The time for that would have been when Pence asserted that they have cared about all those who have been infected with or died from COVID.
Now, that is the extent of the bad….a few missed opportunities. In no way did she blunder anything. She handled herself very well, and more than once asserted that she was speaking, and frankly, her telling Pence not to lecture her of all people about criminal justice was a beautiful thing to see.
NOW...let’s get to the good.
She wins, hands down, on healthcare. She made the points consistently through the night...which is why I am a bit dismayed that she failed to point out Pence’s failure to even address the question of pre-existing conditions.
She wins, hands down, on the transparency thing...finding a way to inject Trump’s taxes into that...but she should at that point also have pointed out the failure of the White House to be transparent about the currently ongoing outbreak, and especially the White House blocking the CDC on Contact Tracing of the White House outbreak.
Now we get to the absolute money quotes of the night...
The first being the aforementioned Pence comment that backfired on him. When he talked about her failure to address the court-packing question...she turned it right back on Pence and Trump, talking about how they had packed the courts with idealogues who were, in many cases considered unfit for those roles by respected organization and their own peers...and pointing out that they had not appointed even one person of color. That was a home run!!
Now, the grad slam!!
Talking about the Election of 1864, and Abe Lincoln declining to fill a Supreme Court vacancy in the month leading up to an election...versus Donald Trump racing to fill a Supreme Court seat in the month before an election! She just as good as made a stark contrast between HONEST ABE….and Donald Trump!! OMG, slam dunk, grand slam, hat trick...whatever you want...she totally fucking nailed that one!!
I really do wish she had also brought up Merrick Garland, but given her Abe Lincoln contrast — I suppose bringing up Garland would have been anticlimactic.
Mike Pence, in my view...did the absolute minimum that he had to do in this debate...and that would be to stop the bleeding. He may have succeeded in that...but he brought no forward momentum, so, on that point, Kamala also wins tonight.
I don’t think this debate does much to move the needle either way...but since Pence and Trump were the ones who needed to move the needle...Kamala completely owns the night. Bear in mind this review comes from one who could not in any way be described as a fan of Senator Harris — as I said, of course her fans would say she crushed it. I am saying the same thing.
The few missed opportunities are more than made up for with the home run and the grand slam she hit tonight.