On Sept. 10, Presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump met for the Presidential Debate held in Philidelphia. Presidential candidates have met for televised debates since 1960 when Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy met in Chicago.
Debates are times for presidential candidates to voice their thoughts and opinions on issues present in the nation. A panel of people ask questions to the candidates and they are both given a chance to voice their thoughts on the matter. Based on their responses, voters are able to learn more about each candidate’s views. This helps them to decide who they might want to vote for come November.
During this year’s debate, the two candidates discussed several topics. Some of which included abortion, immigration, gun laws and the economy. These topics are issues currently pressing the country that need to be resolved. Each candidate had differing opinions and plans for solving these issues. This also allowed viewers to get a glimpse into the mind of the candidate and decide which of the candidates their personal views aligned better with.
In recent years debates have been mostly arguing and insult-throwing but there is still a lot to be learned about each candidate’s views through the debate. Outside of their actual responses, many other traits to consider when picking a president are on display. The way that each candidate responds to criticism or is able to keep composure on the podium is important to note. Each candidate can gain support in two ways during the debate. They will either explain the pros of electing them or describe why the other candidate should not be put in office. They might list the benefits of their ideas or make promises of further improvements. The other way to gain support is by explaining the downsides of voting for the other side. Describing the flaws of the other candidate’s ideas can be just as effective as providing the pros of their own plan.
Election day is scheduled to take place on Nov. 5, so there is minimal time before voters need to make their final decisions. Both candidates have teams that work to advertise their campaigns and try their best to gain support and voters. This support might be gained through television ads, social media posts or even direct text messages. The ultimate goal of these kinds of advertisements is to reach as many people as possible. Even people too young to vote inevitably view these advertisements and form their own opinions on which candidate is better. This helps candidates to potentially secure a second term. For example, if a sixteen-year-old sees an advertisement for a certain candidate and starts to believe that they are a good choice for president, by the time the next election comes around, this same person will be twenty years old and can vote for this candidate. Every vote counts so each candidate wants as many young people on their side as early as possible.
In general, each candidate is willing to do whatever it takes to get voters on their side. The debate is a great way for both sides of the election to get their opinions heard and their ideas in voter’s heads.