Staff Reports
James Carville, the political guru who once orchestrated Bill Clinton’s victories, seems to think he can spin the upcoming debates in favor of Kamala Harris. Still, he may be biting off more than he can chew. His recent remarks suggest that he believes former President Donald Trump is terrified of facing Harris in a debate, but what the seasoned strategist fails to grasp is that this is a classic case of projection. It seems Carville hasn’t been paying attention to the glaring reality that is Kamala Harris’s debate performance history.
According to Carville, Trump is “defecating in his pants” at the mere thought of debating the Vice President. This kind of rhetoric only serves to underestimate Trump’s resolve. The former president has proven time and again that he thrives in the spotlight, and Harris’s bouts of unscripted nonsense are hardly intimidating. In fact, Trump would likely relish the opportunity to engage with Harris, especially knowing her struggles to form coherent thoughts in a debate setting.
Vice President Harris: This is an extraordinary day and I'm very thankful for our president. This is an extraordinary testament to the importance of having a president who understands the power of diplomacy and strengthening alliances. This is an incredible day and you can see it… pic.twitter.com/wqiqylGsXn
— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) August 2, 2024
Carville concedes that Harris is poorly suited for open debates, suggesting a Fox News debate on September 18 as a way for her to shine. But it’s worth noting that in an unscripted setting, she often seems lost, turning what should be a debate into a word salad buffet. Anyone who’s watched Harris stumble through unscripted moments knows she would struggle to maintain any semblance of clarity or relevance on stage.
Despite Carville’s attempt at clever strategy, Trump’s decision to skip a scheduled ABC debate on September 10 might be misguided, but it shows his strategic maneuvering on the political chessboard. The former president has little to gain by playing by the Democrats’ rules. In fact, allowing Harris to take the stage unchallenged would risk her getting more air time to say absolutely nothing while projecting a façade of competence to an already skeptical electorate.
Harris may have enjoyed a momentary poll bump after being crowned the Democrat standard-bearer. Still, any prolonged exposure to her public speaking will likely serve as a harsh reminder of her inadequacies. The more people see and hear her, the less inclined they are to support her. Carville would do well to remember that weak debate performances do not sway voters, and the best strategy for the Harris campaign might be to keep her out of the limelight altogether—something Senator Cotton and others have pointed out.
As the debate season heats up, the best advice for Trump is to embrace every opportunity to debate, be it in foxholes or on Fox News. The Democratic coalition can make all the noise it wants, but when it comes to the debates, the audience will likely see Harris for what she truly is: a politician more skilled at empty rhetoric than effective communication. The question remains whether Carville will even recognize the mistakes he’s made in underestimating both Trump and Harris alike.
