Trump allies do damage control as Harris rides fresh momentum post-debate

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Ex-President Donald Trump is equivocating over the possibility of a second debate with Kamala Harris after his dud display in their first showdown prompted his team and conservative media allies to mount a frantic cleanup operation.

It’s far too early to say whether the tangle in Philadelphia substantially changed the race as Harris beseeches remaining movable voters in swing states to ditch the chaos of the Trump era. But in the aftermath of Tuesday’s debate, both campaigns are surveying the impact of a critical clash before more than 60 million viewers eight weeks from Election Day.

Trump, who took multiple victory laps following President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance in late June, found himself facing the kind of inquest endured by his erstwhile rival. While the ex-president’s campaign will not suffer the same fate as Biden’s shuttered reelection effort, the debate was the latest sign that Trump is still failing to focus on the new challenges posed by Harris and make his own best case.

The vice president was basking in a fresh jolt of euphoria among Democrats who perceive an oft-doubted political figure growing in stature with every test she passes. Harris’ campaign is also leveraging the endorsement of Taylor Swift, which could open a new seam of interest among the pop megastar’s loyal fanbase.

But history suggests that a first debate between two candidates is not historically a reliable predictor of who wins the election. Despite Harris’ strong performance, it’s not yet clear how much progress she made in building the path to 270 electoral votes.

Michigan Democratic Rep. Debbie Dingell, who consistently warns Democrats not to take her swing state for granted, told CNN’s Kasie Hunt on Thursday that Trump’s base is energized and that the race could not be closer.

“I was ecstatic, like every other Democrat, as I watched the debate. I thought she got under his skin. He reminded much of America about who he was and what he was. She showed people she could be the commander in chief,” Dingell said. But, she added: “At 6:50 yesterday morning, one of my township supervisors called me and wanted to know what I thought. And I said, ‘Well, what did you think?’ And that discussion brought me right back down to Earth.”

“I think Michigan is a dead heat,” she said.

Meanwhile, Harris’ allies are reinforcing the tone of mockery and attempts to goad Trump that emerged at the Democratic National Convention and that the vice president carried into the debate. Philippe Reines, a former Hillary Clinton aide who played Trump in Harris’ debate prep, told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Wednesday that the ex-president has slowed mentally since 2016 and compared him to a “malfunctioning appliance.”

“He was all over the place but to some extent structured,” Reines said, referring to Trump when he took on former Secretary of State Clinton. “Now, he’s all over the board.” He added: “I think he’s losing (his) train of thought and he’s just blurting out the next thing in his mind.”

– CNN