The two recent debates were an intriguing contrast. The presidential showdown was what I expected; Vice President Harris knew exactly how to prod Donald Trump, and he took the bait. The vice presidential debate, however was so contrasting in energy that it almost felt like a relic from decades past. JD Vance was poised the whole way but couldn't help but lie to augment his argument (again, *almost* a throwback); Tim Walz looked a little out of place at first, but held his own the rest of the way.
With three-plus weeks until the election, the contrasts go well beyond how the candidates present themselves on TV. The Trump misinformation machine is in high gear, accelerated by Vance, who isn't afraid to make crap up if it supports his argument. Joe Biden is making the most of a lame-duck presidency, and the Harris/Walz campaign (for better or worse) is an avatar for staying the course.
As I write this, the presidency, US House, *and* US Senate are all up for grabs. Polls suggest Democrats hold a razor-thin lead in all three, and the aftermath of 2016 should remind everyone nothing is guaranteed. The anxiety is palpable.
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