How Kamala Harris's Dominant Debate Will Affect the Race

The Vice President's performance was designed to win the race, not just the debate

This was the biggest moment of the campaign, and Kamala Harris just knocked it out of the park.

From the moment that she strode across the stage and shook Trump’s hand, Harris dominated the debate.

People have been waiting for this moment since Donald Trump came down that escalator. He was eviscerated on national television, called out for his BS, and forced to defend the indefensible. And what makes it so much more impressive is that Kamala Harris took Trump down while lifting her campaign up. She was big and he was small. The misogynistic wannabe dictator was thoroughly dominated.

And to top it all off, Kamala Harris ended the night by receiving Taylor Swift’s endorsement.

Here are some thoughts about how she won the debate so handily and how it will help her win this race.

1. Kamala Harris Understood the Assignment

During the Democratic Convention, I was struck by how all of the major speeches — especially Harris’s — relentlessly and efficiently hammered at the core strategic objectives of the campaign. The Harris Campaign has a laser-like focus — borne of intense public opinion research — on what needs to be accomplished in terms of introducing Harris and defining Trump.

Coming into tonight’s debate, she had four strategic objectives:

1. Lay out her vision on her terms, including policy (especially economic) specifics;

2. Become the change candidate who will turn the page on the Trump era (and Trump);

3. Show that she is someone who will fight for you; and

4. Avoid getting drawn into the muck with Trump.

Kamala Harris walked onto that stage clearly understanding the assignment. Like the experienced attorney she is, Harris ticked through all of the necessary points, made the key arguments, and was prepared for all of Trump’s nonsense.