I feel obligated to note at the top that you can win...
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She set a tone at the very start when she walked right into his space to shake his hand and made him almost pull back into himself in response. She was in charge and never stopped being in charge.
Harris also managed what neither Joe Biden nor Hillary Clinton nor any of the 2016 Republicans managed to do which is successfully bait Donald Trump and get under his skin. Within a few minutes Trump was visibly angry and not in a way that empowered him but in a way that made him lose focus, go down rabbit holes and generally go off onto damaging tangents. Spittle anger, not righteous anger, shall we say.
She seemed nervous with the first one or two questions, but the longer it went on the stronger she looked. Classy and professional was one way I heard her described. He was his usual self. Some memorable lines:
Don: "they're eating pets" ... "I have the concept of a plan.."
Kam: "..he (Putin) would eat you for lunch.."
He all but broke down crying at points. I gotta get a soundboard clip of "it's DYING David!" after like the fourth time he diverted and lied about immigration.
In the way Biden shit the bed she didn’t, which is to say Trump was and remains his own liability.
She just needed to respond to his bullshit like a sane human, and she did. She was nervous and you could see her reverting to “this is what I practiced” words a few times but frankly she only needed to not shit her adult diaper to win.
She did sieze a few moments to really push the dagger in, she did what Biden ought to have been able to do. Did she distinguish herself? Nope. She’s still the same candidate I chose Bernie over.
BUT juxtaposed to Biden and Trump she’s a fresh of breath air.
Yes. She handled him calmly, rationally, got in a few good shots, and kept him on defense. I don't think there was one stumble, or moment she appeared weak against his bullying. She was actually the one playing him for once, and he shit the bed.