The Vice Presidential debate has finally come and gone. In its wake, much of America is left scratching their heads. After more than 12 years of Trump’s constant mind-numbing vitriol, The VP debate broke the current political mold to return the boring debates of yesteryear.
It feels like decades since a debate didn’t center on childish tantrums, blatant lies, or truly creepy behavior, and it’s left denizens of the internet confused on how to tally who exactly “won” the debate. While we struggle to unpack the actual policies that were discussed during the debate, The View co-host Ana Navarro has declared a loser – and he didn’t even have to take the stage.
Navarro is right on the money, as usual. Though Donald Trump never set foot on the VP debate stage, the whole affair only emphasized the chaos his political involvement has thrust on the general public. For years, Americans have slowly been numbed by Trump’s unceasing rhetoric, outlandish claims, and sheer devastation of what was once expected decorum. In 2004, Howard Dean’s bid for president was ended by an unceremonious “Woo!” and yet, Trump has been forgiven for sins that would have sunk any normal person.
The VP debate was a cordial discussion. The candidates found common ground, treated each other as equals, and refrained from attacks – even if most of their constituents were jonesing for some barbs. Their ability to refrain from acting like schoolchildren shone a light on just how unhinged American politics have become.
Sure, JD Vance was lying through his teeth – who could possibly forget his boyish panic over being fact-checked – but at least he came across as a decent person, albeit one made out of toilet paper doused with snake oil. One thing Vance and his running mate have in common is the ability to make any lie sound appealing – though Vance has a much more polished approach than former president Trump.
But the beauty behind a lie doesn’t make it any less devastating. Trump’s antics have ruined lives. Trump toadie Rudy Giuliani has felt the sting of the former president’s “friendship.” His daughter recently came forward to endorse Harris, noting that her father’s life was “crumbled” after the affiliation. It’s a story that rings true for thousands of Americans impacted by the January 6th insurrection, and the lie that the 2020 election was “stolen.”
Tim Walz’s coach mentality might make him sound more like a neighbor than an elected official, but after years of Trump’s unorthodox “anti-politician behavior,” Walz’s friendly demeanor is more than welcome. It’s hard to say whether or not the Vice Presidential debate truly swung the needle in either direction, but one thing is certain: without Trump on the stage, that was the most boring debate America has seen in more than a decade.
With Trump’s astronomical age, we’d like to petition for one more debate, this one between Harris and Vance. One can only imagine the mundane, policy driven, and cordial conversations those two could send Americans to sleep with.