A heavy aftertaste from yesterday's US Presidential debates
It’s not that we heard anything new. It’s no secret that a Harris administration will continue support for Ukraine, while a Trump administration would likely end it. It’s also well known that Trump believes Israel will falter without him (a belief shared by Benjamin Netanyahu). And of course, it’s hardly surprising that Trump resorts to personal attacks and insults while ignoring facts.
But the debates once again highlighted how divided and polarized American society is. There are literally two warring camps, unwilling and unable to find compromise or listen to each other.
Yes, Kamala Harris performed better in these debates across the board. She relied on facts, countered and debunked her opponent’s lies, and generally demonstrated a better understanding of the reality we all live in. None of this really matters: those who intend to vote for Donald Trump will do so even if he were to appear on stage naked and start meowing.
Kamala Harris’s battle is therefore not for the votes that might otherwise go to her opponent. She is fighting for the votes of the “unaffiliated” – those tired of American and any other politics, those exhausted by choosing between two evils.
But this is the situation, and it is likely the fate of the world that depends on these votes.