While Democrats will celebrate that their candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris “looked presidential” in tonight’s debate and was successful at getting under her opponent’s skin, Republican’s will scowl and correctly note that Harris was long on platitudes and short on actual policy. She was even shorter on explanations for her numerous changes to her positions on important issues between 2019 and now. 

Five years ago, she was running to be the nominee among a crowded field of Democratic candidates and had to adjust her messaging to play to the party’s base. But now, with Joe Biden back-doored, Harris finds herself shockingly actually running for president. So, suddenly her, “I will stop fracking,” and “I support confiscating” some firearms, don’t play so well. In response, she verbally changes her stance, with no explanation why or justification for the change, even after being asked numerous times by the moderators of the debate.

To the astute observer of politics in this country, the view is clear—regardless of which candidate you support and which political party you most identify with—we are all kinda screwed. This entire election cycle is a dumpster fire, promising to divide America even more, regardless of who wins.

Inaccuracies Abound

Donald Trump allowed Harris’s condescending sneer and meaningless criticism of his “rallies” knock him off message. He also failed to effectively communicate a number of facts, of which there are many, to attack the current administration’s policies, instead resorting to oversimplified statements on complex issues, broad-stroked declarations of adjective-laden success and at times turning to the mean-spirited name-calling that has spawned a legion of never-Trumpers among the electorate.

Sure, he exaggerated some accomplishments and criticisms, but Harris was just as much as, if not more of, a liar in many of her statements as well. But like much of the Democratic Party of which she is a part, Harris and the Dems have perfected the disingenuous talking point in this Age of Animosity. They are quite simply, better at it than Republicans.

They call Trump a threat to democracy, while they push leftist socialist policies that by their very  practice are an actual threat to democracy. 

They claim the economy is doing just fine, while the average American, even Democratic ones, continues to struggle to meet the cost of groceries, gas, education, insurance, taxes, entertainment and much more, all robbing us of savings and forcing many to live on credit.

Harris claimed international leaders, specifically those in our NATO countries, laugh at Trump. Maybe some do and maybe some don’t. But they’re damn sure laughing at Biden and Harris. The proof is in history. During Trump’s presidency, the world enjoyed relative peace during his four years, even in Afghanistan, which saw a reduction in hostilities toward American soldiers still in the country. Meanwhile under Biden/Harris, the Russians were emboldened to attack Ukraine; Hamas went on a murderous rampage in Israel killing and, in some cases, raping more than 1,200 citizens, taking hostages and leading to a war that has destabilized the region; China stands at Taiwan’s doorstep rattling its sabers; and Iran is closer than ever to developing nuclear capabilities.

The border? That’s been a true disaster under the current administration of which Harris was supposedly “The Border Czar.” Our nation’s southern border went virtually unchecked until the Democrats realized most American’s didn’t agree with that policy and in the 11^th hour decided to start allowing “less” illegal immigration. It’s like a college student who blows off class the entire semester then tries to show up during the final exam and hopes to pass the class.

This Business About Taking Guns Away

And while guns oddly continue to remain absent from debate moderators’ list of questions, Trump forced the issue about the threat to gun rights Kamala Harris and Tim Walz pose, noting they want to confiscate guns.

In reply, Harris said, “This business about taking everybody’s guns away. Tim Walz and I are both gun owners.” She said they are both gun owners as if it legitimizes their push for broad firearm restrictions because after all, “they’re one of us, so of course they’re not against guns. Their proposals are common sense policy.”

But that is among her and Walz’s biggest lies of all. 

They both support red flag laws, which in theory are a fair enough idea, but in practice are fraught with constitutional issues. They support outlawing AR-15 style rifles, one of the most popular and widely used firearm platforms in America, and Harris did indeed once say she supported “a mandatory gun buyback program,” for so-called assault weapons, which is politi-speak for “gun confiscation,” though her campaign has walked back those comments. They both support universal background checks, which would create a de facto gun registry in this country, and Walz, at least, is inexplicably against reciprocity between states for those who carry for self-defense purposes.

The Wall Street Journal’s Aaron Zitner noted:

Kamala Harris’s statement that she owns a gun is a reminder of the ways her career as a prosecutor is playing differently — and in some ways more comfortably — in today’s general election than when she was a candidate in the 2020 primary for the Democratic presidential nomination.

In 2019, Harris said that she owned a handgun as a matter of personal safety, noting that she had been a career prosecutor. At the time, some analysts saw it as a problematic statement, given the strong support for gun restrictions among Democratic primary voters. Tonight, Harris mentioned her gun ownership in the course of arguing that Donald Trump was wrong to say she wanted to take Americans’ guns away. Harris wants to tighten some gun restrictions, such as by requiring universal background checks for gun purchases and banning assault weapons.

FOX 5 Atlanta also noted the exchange during the debate as if to help Harris defend the lie:

During tonight’s presidential debate, Vice President Kamala Harris firmly responded to claims that Democrats aim to take away Americans’ guns, emphasizing that both she and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, are gun owners.

“This business about taking everyone’s guns away – Tim Walz and I are both gun owners, we’re not taking anyone’s guns away,” Harris said, addressing concerns about gun control legislation.

Harris reiterated that the focus of her administration would be on ensuring responsible gun ownership and safety measures, not confiscating firearms from law-abiding citizens.

Harris first revealed the news In a 2019 CNN interview, she confirmed her ownership of a handgun, purchased for personal safety, citing her years as a prosecutor. 

“I am a gun owner, and I own a gun for probably the reason a lot of people do — for personal safety,” she said at the time.

The Choice is Clear

One thing is for sure. Harris and Walz can dress up in all the hunting duds and range clothing they want and talk about their love for guns. But intelligent, law-abiding gun owners know when it comes to their rights and concerns for being able to defend themselves, Harris and Walz have zero love or even simple respect for them.

Regardless of who you think won the debate or even whether you are a fan or a critic of our two candidates for president, the choice couldn’t be clearer: if you value your right to own firearms in this country and want to see that right protected, there is only one clear choice deserving of your vote, and that choice is Donald Trump.