Did anyone’s mind change? In a polarized country, maybe not. But the debate wasn’t the train wreck we saw in June.

Do Donald Trump’s lies matter to Americans? Or enough Americans? If they don’t, he has a shot at winning.

I made some notes during the debate. I figure I will share them, as jumbled as they may be, rather than take the time to ponder and analyze. Call today’s post journalism, not literature.

I am sure all the pundits will tell us that Kamala Harris was the clear winner in Tuesday’s U.S. presidential candidate debate. And she was. She talked about policy and moving forward. Donald Trump was vague and spent more time attacking Joe Biden, who is not running, than he did laying out his plan for the next four years. Trump fans though aren’t impartial, they will assure America that their man won.

And he did win some of the exchanges, but very few. His position on abortion, as vague as he was at times, was enough to ensure him the votes of pro-lifers, a large group. Harris’s stance on the subject reinforced her with those on the pro-choice side – but I am not sure they are as monolithic a voting block.

Where Trump showed his most weakness perhaps was his inability to answer a direct question requiring a simple yes or no answer. I don’t think he managed it once. He reminded me of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has the same problem. Did he regret his actions on January 6, 2021? No answer. Would he sign federal abortion ban legislation? No answer. And the list goes on.

Trump looked incredibly weak on foreign policy. The only person who believes he can end the war in Ukraine by a phone call is Donald Trump. Unless, of course, by ending the war you mean allowing Russia to take over Ukraine. Yes, that would end the war in Ukraine, and hasten the day when Russia would try to take over Poland.

I found it interesting that the only foreign leader Trump invoked as a supporter was Viktor Orban, the autocratic ruler of Hungary. I guess he hopes most Americans don’t realize that an endorsement from Orban isn’t something overly sought by anyone.

Apparently Trump still thinks he won the 2020 election. That refusal to accept reality led to people dying in a riot/insurrection he started. And Republicans think he should be President again? If you believe in democracy that is a scary thought.

I found myself wishing for further, more focused debate. I’d like to hear Trump explain why his tariff plan would not raise the price on everything. It seems to me he doesn’t understand economics. I’m surprised he didn’t call it a carbon tax.

I’d like to hear more details about immigration policy. Does anyone really think that deporting 11 million people will fix the US economy? I’d like to hear a lot more about foreign policy, about environmental policy or education (which wasn’t touched on at all). Individual debates on each topic – but I know that isn’t going to happen.

An undecided voter would have noted that Harris stayed focused. Her closing statement was about policy and the future of America. Trump’s was about attacking Harris. That seems to be the limit to his ideas.

The difference between the two candidates was set before the debate even started. As the two came onto the stage, Harris walked over to Trump and shook his hand. They didn’t meet halfway, she came to him. She showed him the respect dur a former president and a political opponent. He may have lied about her, he may be an odious person, but she understands the need to not allow politics to destroy her humanity. Trump looked like he didn’t know what to do. She put him off his game with that act, and he never recovered.

Will the debate make a difference? Possibly. There were supposed to be three of them, but I doubt Trump will agree to do any more. He probably thinks he won – but I am sure his advisors are telling him differently.

Election day is fast approaching. It will be an interesting ride.