How did we get here?

Twelve years ago, I watched my first debate. It took place in 2012, and it showcased a tournament between Senator Mitt Romney and former President Barack Obama. I leaned towards my television screen as both candidates stepped onto the stage, shook hands and walked mindfully back to their podiums. Fast forward to now, in 2024, I watched a very different narrative unfold. I observed two candidates who offer very different futures to the American people, step up on stage, awkwardly shake hands, and begin to fight and argue, further dividing the American people. 

So, how did we get here? How did Americans create this election? To understand this, we must understand the major events that have happened between the first 2024debate and the most recent one. July 13th, shortly after the presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden, Trump was nearly killed at a rally in Pennsylvania. The outcomes of this were criticism towards federal security and protection, and a bizarre trend of ear bandages being worn by Republican supporters all over America. 

This event shortly transcends into the Republican National Convention, where Trump announces his long-awaited running mate, – JD Vance – and proudly accepts the Republican nomination for President. 

But the show is far from over. On July 24th, Biden, the incumbent and expected Ddemocratic nominee, withdrew from the race. It was assumed that Biden would throw his support behind current Vice President Kamala Harris, but some democratic players, such as Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama, took much longer to endorse Harris. 

Nonetheless, Harris was confirmed as the nominee at the Democratic National Convention where performances such as Lil Jon’s, ‘Down for What’ and Stevie Wonder’s ‘Higher Ground’ set the tone for what will be the most historic election in American history. 

The handshake felt around the world

So much has changed, yet so much is still the same. Eight weeks from Election Day both candidates are working endlessly to convince America that they would be best fit to carry the nation on their backs for the next four years. The purpose of debates is to create that personal connection with the American people and allow them to see how you would best lead. I looked forward to seeing who prepared the best policies and who would best take care of the American people. 

Instead, I witnessed what seemed to be the most uncomfortable and awkward handshake ever presented to my eyes. This was the first handshake in a presidential debate since Trump and Hillary Clinton squared off in 2016. This was a bold move on Harris’ part and one that definitely stuck with the American people. She set her tone for the debate, and Trump set his. 

Economy

The moderators started strong with a question related to one of the most important issues facing the American people: the economy. Harris is promising the American people she will cut taxes, especially for middle-class families, but after 30 seconds of her deliverance, she blamed Trump for the broken economy that preceded her administration. She stated that if he comes back into office, Trump’s policies will blow the deficit. 

Trump makes no hesitation to defend his policies and delivered one of his infamous Trumpisms, saying that the Biden-Harris administration’s plan for the economy  is “like Run, Spot, Run” in a not-so-clear comparison to the simplicity of a children’s book.

In between his insults towards his opponent, Trump promises to cut taxes, which seems to be a trending approach, in addition to foreign tariffs towards adversaries such as China and Russia. Trump also made sure he did not move onto the next topicwithout throwing one last insult towards Harris, or more so her father, by calling him a Marxist. He even offered to send her a MAGA hat. Trump really seems to love his merch. 

Abortion

After many minutes of quarreling, the two prospective leaders of the free world then move on to discuss one of the more divisive topics: abortion. Trump, highlighting the Democrats’ failure to get legislation passed securing student loan forgiveness, prophesied that Harris would fail at passing legislation to protect abortion too.. 

Trump appeared to seek to modernize his stance on abortion but struggled to find a sturdy middle ground. In an attempt to deliver her message to the American people, Harris delivered a strong argument on the need for abortion protection in a way Biden was never able to. She highlights cases where women are struggling to receive care in instances where they are actively seeking to have a child, and did well presenting her case instead of attacking her opponent.

Immigration

In every question, Trump will make sure he incorporates immigration, except, of course, when the question is related to immigration. Once immigration is the subject of the questions, Trump’s answers seemed to shift to Harris rallies, World War III, how he fired his staff and how the Department of Justice has failed him. 

Trump was not the only candidate who failed to deliver solid answers on the topic of immigration.. Besides the single mention of the unpassed border bill, Harris turns this question into a narrative of her own by inviting Americans to attend Trump rallies, claiming Trump wants to terminate the Constitution and then insisting we turn the page on the same old playbook of American politics. 

But there was one comment in particular that surprised the American people. In the last eight years that Trump has been in the political spotlight, there have been some just objectively wild phrases to leave his mouth, but most pale in comparison to the accusation that immigrants are eating “the dogs, the cats, and the pets.” But hey, his voice is once again trending on TikTok as people make videos of their pets’ reactions to what Trump is saying with a new trend of users satirically (and safely)  putting their pets in pots.

Transfer of power, January 6, and Elections 

Would it be a debate if Jan. 6, 2021 was not mentioned? Of course not; it’s 2024. A peaceful transfer of power is a big topic for the American people as we watched hundreds of Americans storm the United States Capitol on January 6th, 2021. Harris stands her ground, saying Trump was fired by 81 million people and is having a hard time dealing with it. Trump’s response was to blame Jan. 6 on Nancy Pelosi and, of course, circle it back to immigration. When asked what the country needs to ensure a peaceful transfer of power next January and fair elections Trump says, “We need a wall and good elections.” 

Foreign Policy

My personal aspiration is a career in national security, so my ears perked up a little bit more when the topics of Ukraine and Gaza surfaced. Since Biden has been in office, we have pulled our troops out of Afghanistan and are no longer directly involved in any major global wars. I care deeply about America’s involvement with our foreign allies and adversaries, and I can admit that I am concerned about the current status of American foreign affairs. This was also presumed to be an advantage for Trump and his team going into the debate; however, this, like everything else, turned into a weapon to be used against him. 

Trump continues name-calling and attacks Harris’ foreign strategies and potential policies. However, on the flip side, I feel that Harris’s foreign policies do not strike me as significantly stronger. She is far from a saint in the battle of name-calling and insults, claiming “Putin would eat Trump for lunch.” (I wonder how that meal would go.) 

Harris stands her ground though, asserting that she has met with Zelensky five times and is actively working for our foreign adversaries to stabilize the global sphere of power. 

Healthcare, climate change, guns, what…

Why is it that healthcare and climate change always come last? I sit tirelessly, waiting for the debate to be over, when I suddenly learn that Harris and running mate Tim Waltz are both gun owners. I am unsure how this is related to affordable health care. Harris turns it back to be on topic, and this time, the topic sticks with Trump. 

Since its adoption during the Obama administration, the Affordable Care Act has been eternally up for discussion. According to Trump, the Affordable Care Act was lousy but should only be changed if there is something better. Harris rebuttals with a plan to strengthen healthcare while keeping private insurance. We then hear another famous Trump line, outlining that “he has a concept of a plan, but he is not president yet.” I guess we have to wait and see what happens if he gets elected. 

What The People still want

We have discussed the topics that were mentioned, but what about the topics that were not mentioned? As a native Georgian, I find it insulting that there was no mention of the school shooting at Apalachee High School and that there was no mention of gun control and discussion surrounding gun laws in America.

As a young first-time voter, there were very few topics that simply applied to just me. In comparison to the last debate in July, where a question related to education turned into a conversation about which candidate was better at golf, there was no semblance of a question related to education or job retention opportunities. I will be graduating in two years, and along with many of my peers, I am worried about the job market and a stable economy. 

Another topic that I and many other young voters are concerned about is mental health care. The number of people strugging with mental health problems are way too high and prominent an issue, especially in the younger demographic, for a potential president to not talk about. I, and many others, would be intrigued to hear what either candidate will do to tackle the mental health epidemic that I see creeping into this country.  

Both candidates love to talk about crime rates, but what about criminal justice reform? Let’s talk about overcrowded prisons we have and the slow-moving justice departments all over America. I also found it surprising that, even four years after the widespeadprotests surging the nation about police reform, that there was no focus on police brutality or police system reform. Harris, being a former prosecutor and district attorney, should at least acknowledge that the system is broken, and Trump, who has made it clear that he believes the Department of Justice has failed at their job, has said nothing outside of the fact he was not given a fair trial. What about the millions of Americans who might feel similarly?   

To close, I have a message for both Trump and Harris: I am one of the American people, and I have had enough. We, the people, deserve better.