Will Trump and Harris debate again? Doesn't look like it. Well

Donald Trump announced last week that there would be no further presidential debate between him and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Pundits were quick to point out that the Trump team was already doing “damage control” after its poor performance in the first debate, and the Harris team apparently accused Trump of trying to avoid defeat in a second debate. And I'm sure voters and the media were looking forward to a second debate, just because of all the insanity that would ensue.

I argued after the debate that Trump had a poor performance, but honestly I'm not so sure that matters, and I don't think his decision not to continue debating will turn off many voters. Why? The people have made up their minds.

When you vote, chances are you already know which candidate you will support.

Trump's decision in the debate will probably have no effect

Debates have traditionally been an opportunity for candidates to differentiate their policies in a civilized manner. If you look at the debates between Obama and Romney or the one between Gore and Bush, you see a completely different political climate.

This civil climate was able to persuade swing voters, especially when our country was far less polarized. Candidates gave voters policy choices to weigh.

But today our debates have degenerated into a slugfest between two candidates who deeply despise each other and appeal to groups of voters who don't exactly get along. This is partly because of the dynamics of these two candidates, but also because there are no longer any voters to persuade, but only groups of voters to mobilize.

Trump and Generation Z:Trump's campaign is courting Generation Z fraternity members. I'm not convinced that will help.

A recent New York Times-Siena College poll of likely voters found that 5% are undecided, and neither candidate seems particularly eager to win them over.

Harris at least says there's a place for those voters in her campaign (even if her actions tell me otherwise). Trump has long been actively pushing moderates out of his party, choosing instead to hand the party over to MAGA.

This election is a referendum on Trump, and there are very few Americans who do not have strong feelings one way or the other about our 45th president. This is also why so few voters have yet to make up their minds about their candidate for 2024.

Trump’s decision is disappointing for me on several levels

As someone who follows every debate, I am relieved not to have to watch another one of these disasters.

Still, I'm partly disappointed. Debates are supposed to be about a civilized comparison of two candidates' positions. Instead, they've become so hostile, in part because of Trump's disregard for political norms.

The Republicans have lost their way:Where are the Republicans I admired as a child? Trump has infected Republicans with his MAGA virus.

His totally disruptive nature has changed the US political landscape, and just as he refused to debate his Republican opponents in the primaries out of fear, he is now doing the same in the general election.

The former president once again deviates from the usual electoral cycle because he cannot bear to have his ego bruised by a poor performance.

I expect the debate between Vance and Walz to be equally fractured

But there is still another debate to come. With the vice presidential debate scheduled for October 1, Americans will have another opportunity to watch our politicians likely resort to chaotic personal attacks.

Ohio Senator JD Vance and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz join their running mates in believing that their opponent will destroy the country. Such dramatic prospects are terrible for the prospects of a respectful debate between the candidates.

Trump has chosen Vance as someone who can emulate the MAGA style of politics. Vance has shown some weaknesses as a candidate, but I'm sure he will do his best to be a staunch MAGA representative in the debate. Walz will similarly try to emulate Harris' rhetoric that Trump and his allies are a threat to democracy. These views are inconsistent with decency and will do nothing to change voting decisions.

This debate season has made it clear that politeness is no longer in demand

The departure from civil political norms in our country is a major reason for polarization. We are no longer expected to calmly disagree on important issues. We are now expected to be hostile.

This is the result of the actions of each party. Republicans are supporting Trump's MAGA movement, and Democrats are responding with tougher rhetoric.

Will Trump and Harris debate again? Doesn't look like it. Well

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