Alex Bruno
In what has to be the most unconventional debate strategy ever witnessed on national television, Vice President Kamala Harris didn’t seem to need to actually debate former President Donald Trump during their highly anticipated showdown. Instead, she appeared to let the ABC moderators handle the hard parts while she casually babbled her way through 90 minutes of back-and-forth.
Hosted by David Muir and Linsey Davis, this presidential debate seemed more like an extended Q&A session between Trump and the moderators, with Harris making occasional guest appearances to remind everyone that, yes, she was technically running for office. The bizarre dynamic led to much social media mockery, with one particularly blunt tweet claiming, “Kamala didn’t need to debate Trump—she had the moderators do that for her while she babbled like an idiot.”
It’s no secret that political debates can get heated, but most of us assumed that the candidates themselves would, you know, debate each other. Instead, viewers were treated to a peculiar spectacle where the moderators seemed to jump into the fray every time Trump landed a blow or asked Harris a tough question. As Trump launched into his usual talking points about the economy, immigration, and his favorite rally sizes, it was the moderators—not Harris—who fired back with sharp fact-checks and pointed rebuttals.
“Mr. Trump, that’s not entirely accurate,” Muir would interject, cutting off Trump mid-rant about how his border wall was the greatest feat in modern construction history. Meanwhile, Harris stood by, smiling in a way that can only be described as “supportive bystander,” occasionally nodding in agreement as the moderators picked apart Trump’s claims like a pair of tag-team lawyers at a deposition.
It wasn’t long before the internet started noticing the odd dynamic. “Is Kamala even in the room?” one viewer tweeted, likely wondering if she had been relegated to the role of enthusiastic cheerleader for the ABC fact-check squad. “I thought this was supposed to be a debate, but it feels more like a roast of Trump with Kamala providing commentary.”
But when Harris did speak, the results were… less than inspiring. While Trump was busy shouting about everything from “fake news” to his supposedly “perfect” record on everything, Harris took a decidedly different approach: she babbled. And babbled. And babbled some more.
Her answers were a meandering collection of well-worn talking points, vague promises, and occasional emotional appeals that never seemed to land. When asked about the economy, Harris deftly avoided the question, choosing instead to talk about Trump’s tariffs and call them a “Trump sales tax”—a term that left economists everywhere scratching their heads.
At one point, when asked about her administration’s handling of inflation, Harris deflected entirely by bringing up Trump’s failed casino business. “I think it’s important to remember,” she said with a rehearsed smile, “that this is a man who couldn’t even keep a casino running. So let’s talk about how we can keep the American economy running.”
Trump, perhaps realizing that Harris wasn’t actually answering the question, was visibly confused. But before he could pounce on her for dodging, the moderators jumped in to fact-check his latest comment about immigrant crime rates.
“It’s like watching someone throw a tennis ball at a brick wall,” said one viewer. “Trump would hurl a comment at her, and instead of engaging, Harris just smiled and started rambling about something completely unrelated. It’s impressive, in a weird way.”
As the night wore on, it became increasingly clear that the ABC moderators had no intention of letting Harris fend for herself. Every time Trump tried to press her on her record, whether it was on the Afghanistan withdrawal or the economy, the moderators swooped in like overprotective parents defending their child at a schoolyard argument.
“Actually, Mr. Trump, that’s not how tariffs work,” Linsey Davis corrected Trump during one particularly long-winded rant. Meanwhile, Harris, who was seemingly content to let the moderators handle the heavy lifting, simply stood by, nodding approvingly.
The dynamic wasn’t lost on the viewers at home, many of whom took to social media to comment on the peculiar spectacle. “Why is ABC debating Trump? Kamala’s just standing there,” tweeted one confused viewer. Another chimed in, “This debate is like watching Trump vs. ABC News, with Kamala occasionally reminding us she’s still running for VP.”
By the end of the night, it wasn’t clear whether Harris had actually scored any points herself or if she was simply riding on the coattails of the moderators’ aggressive fact-checking. But one thing was clear: Kamala Harris didn’t need to out-argue Trump because ABC had already taken care of that for her.
For his part, Trump appeared visibly irritated by the whole ordeal. While he’s no stranger to hostile moderators, the ABC tag-team approach seemed to push him over the edge. At one point, after being interrupted for what felt like the tenth time, Trump threw his hands up in exasperation. “Are you debating me, or is she?” he shouted, pointing toward Harris, who responded with her trademark chuckle.
Trump’s frustration only grew as the moderators continued to interject with corrections, fact-checks, and occasional snarky comments. At one point, Trump even accused the moderators of “babysitting” Harris. “Let her answer! She doesn’t need you holding her hand,” he snapped, though Harris didn’t seem particularly interested in answering much of anything at that point.
The highlight of the night came when Trump tried to press Harris on her shifting positions on fracking. As he launched into a tirade about energy independence, Harris, rather than respond directly, pivoted to a story about her mother’s sacrifices and the importance of family. Trump, bewildered, stared blankly at her while the moderators quickly pivoted the conversation back to climate change.
In the end, it’s hard to say whether Kamala Harris or Donald Trump actually “won” the debate. But one thing is for sure: Harris’s ability to avoid direct confrontation, combined with the moderators’ eagerness to fact-check every syllable Trump uttered, left many feeling like they had just witnessed one of the strangest political spectacles in recent memory.
