Polls, pundits declare Harris “winner” of debate – National & International News – WED 11Sep2024
Polls, pundits declare Harris “winner” of debate.
Hurricane Francine hits Louisiana as Category 2. Emergency also declared in Mississippi.
Polls, pundits declare Harris “winner” of debate
Following last night’s presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, the consensus of pundits (even those on the right) seems to be that Harris was the victor. Early polling seems to bear this out also. The debate garnered about 57.5 million viewers, far more than Trump’s previous debate with President Joe Biden. This number only includes television viewership at seven networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, CNN, Fox News and MSNBC); millions more likely watched online.
Pundits on Fox News, typically friendly territory for Trump, acknowledged that Harris was successful in repeatedly baiting Trump into go off-message to defend, among other things, the size of his rallies, his inheritance from his father Fred, as well as his past controversial statements on issues like race, crime, immigration and abortion. Even staunch Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham (SC) called Trump’s performance a “disaster” and a “missed opportunity“. Graham said he would urge Trump to agree to a second debate and to
Commentators on the right have blamed the moderators, (who consistently fact checked Trump’s falsehoods) and Trump’s team for not adequately preparing him to face Harris. In a Fox interview, Trump complained that ABC News “rigged” the debate in Harris’ favor, while insisting he still “did great”.
It remains to be seen whether Harris’ debate victory will translate into a boost in the polls. Viewers hoping to hear concrete policy proposals from either candidate last night will have been largely disappointed. A recent poll found that 29% of young voters are still waiting to see more from Harris in terms of policy. Many voters are still unclear on where the candidates stand on issues that directly affect them, like the economy/inflation, social welfare, and healthcare. It’s unlikely those voters will have been persuaded by last night’s performance.
Following the debate, Harris’s team immediately released a statement saying that they were open to scheduling another debate with President Trump in October. Trump told Fox news that he likely would not be inclined to debate Harris again.
Hurricane Francine hits Louisiana as Category 2
Hurricane Francine came ashore in Terrebonne Parish, LA, this evening as a Category 2 storm bringing 100 mph winds. Forecasters also warned of the potential for deadly storm surges and widespread flooding. While Francine is not a particularly powerful storm, it is very large and slow moving. It may also have an outsized effect on this this area of Louisiana, which has still has not fully rebuilt and recovered from devastating hurricanes in the 2020 and 2021 seasons. According to poweroutage.us, there are already over 150,000 people without power in Louisiana.
The National Hurricane Center urged residents in a wide swath of southern Louisiana, including New Orleans, to shelter in place as the storm’s center passes over. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry also urged people in his state to “stay off the roads, stay home and stay put”.
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves has also declared a state of emergency, expecting storm surges and flooding in the coastal regions of the state. As with any hurricane, there is also a risk of tornados spinning off further inland.
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