There will be no second debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. The defeat suffered last Tuesday in the face-off on ABC has stung deeply not only in Republican ranks but also in the Trump family circle, which today, amidst insults and disparagements, has ruled out a new meeting: "Kamala showed up on Fox and refused to appear on NBC and CBS. She claimed to focus on what she should have done in the last almost four years. There will be no third debate," the former president wrote on his Truth Social account.
The Republican leader, who has never accepted his defeat in the 2020 elections, has also not accepted that he had a bad night in Philadelphia and that Harris, whom he has always scorned and underestimated, prevailed. The exact impact of a debate on voters and their intentions cannot be quantified, but practically all analysts, polls, and many Republicans, publicly and especially privately, say that she performed better, made no mistakes, and rattled her opponent.
Trump was composed at first but fell into all of the Democrat's traps. Every time an uncomfortable topic for her arose, all she had to do was appeal to Trump's ego, saying, for example, that people get bored at his rallies and leave early, or that world leaders laugh at him and consider him "a disgrace". In those situations, three or four, the billionaire lost his temper and composure, much to the satisfaction of the country's vice president. She only had to wait while he spread unsustainable lies, such as Haitian immigrants eating dogs and cats of Ohio citizens or that in some states, Democrats support laws allowing the "execution of newborn children," and as he became entangled, furious, with the moderators.
Now he is in the same or worse position, aware that, although at a very different level, the arguments used against Joe Biden after his disastrous performance on CNN are starting to resurface in discussions. Analysts wonder if Trump, who is barely two years younger than the president and almost 80, is not too old. If he is ready for four more years. If his cognitive faculties are intact, given that his messages on social media are chaotic and convoluted. Or with the many mistakes he makes confusing names or positions. It was these factors that made age and reflexes the main topic in this election cycle and now it turns against him facing someone two decades younger.
The central thesis of the Republican Party and MAGA supporters (Make America Great Again) is that it was an unfair debate and that it was "three against one," because ABC presenters often interrupted Trump when he exceeded his time or did not respect the turns, and made painful corrections in front of nearly 70 million viewers.
Trump, who never admits a mistake, has therefore preferred not to face Harris again. The vice president enthusiastically requested a second debate (the third of the election cycle if we count the one between Trump and Biden in June) immediately after the previous one on Tuesday in Philadelphia. While initially, Republicans said there would be one, notably among them Lara Trump, the former president's new wife and co-chair of the Republican National Committee, now their leader has closed the door.
The Republican team, aware that things went wrong, brought Trump down to the press room just an hour after the lights went out, something that never happens. Congressmen, senators, governors, and allies parade before journalists, but never the candidates. It was part of the damage control strategy, which has now evolved to completely deny the loss and avoid a new opportunity to highlight differences.
Against Biden, Trump was and remained strong. Assertive, more solid, composed compared to his usual self. Against a much younger rival, who did not back down and did not fall for provocations, the former president never found the right tone and strategy. He had been prepared to attack, which he only did in his final statement: telling Harris that if she has so many good ideas and a plan for the middle class, why hasn't she implemented it yet, now that she is the administration's number 2.
Instead, he let anger and rage take over, and for Harris, it was easy. She did not take the bait, did not take anything seriously, and repeatedly responded with what she had prepared better.
When a boxer loses a fight, the first words that come out of their mouth are: "I WANT A REMATCH". Polls clearly show that I won the debate against Comrade Kamala Harris, the radical left Democratic candidate, on Tuesday night, and she immediately requested a second debate," Trump wrote on his social media on Thursday at noon (Spanish time). There is not a single poll indicating he won, but numerous ones, more or less decisively, confirming that he lost in the eyes of viewers.
"She and Crooked Joe have destroyed our country, with millions of criminals and mentally ill individuals entering the US, completely unchecked and unvetted, and with inflation leading our middle class to bankruptcy. Everyone knows this, and all the other problems caused by Kamala and Joe. This was discussed in great detail during the first debate with Joe and the second debate with Comrade Harris," he added, licking his wounds and now realizing what he should have said live.
References to other debates that Harris allegedly rejected are also not accurate. On Tuesday night, Fox announced that it had invited both campaigns to participate in a face-off in October, moderated by hosts Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum. But Trump did not like the proposal and instead, during a live appearance on one of their shows, suggested his favorite Fox personalities to moderate. "I don't want them. I would love to have someone different," he said over the phone on Fox & Friends on Wednesday morning. A very uncomfortable situation, as if the network were to yield and comply with the favorites of one side, it would reflect poorly.
Trump's advisors seemed ready for a new clash on NBC later this month. In August, Harris's campaign stated they would only participate in two presidential debates: the one on ABC on September 10 and another in October, the details of which are still being finalized.
The only confirmed and pending face-off is between Ohio Senator J.D. Vance and Harris's running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, both vice-presidential candidates.