Presidential debate: Trump and Kamala race to the White House | LiveNOW from FOX

Fox and let's talk. election news just a little bit more as we're only 51 days away. until the election now specifically we want to focus on the debate between former president Trump and vice president Harris as they faced off for the first time in Philadelphia. Pennsylvania for a debate. those moderated by ABC News on Tuesday. The event was technically the second presidential debate of the election, but it was the first since President Biden ended his campaign. and Democrats nominated Harris for president. instead. a variety of issues were talked about during this debate and plenty of shots were taken at 1 another but there were several moments. that stood out more than others and we did want to talk to doctor Dan McMillan, he is the founder of Sav democracy in America. he is going to break this down just a little bit more for us. Thank you so much for joining us. on live now from Fox this morning. Thanks for having me, Christie. All right, Dan your first initial reactions to the debate when you watched it on Tuesday we'd love to hear uh, nausea, I guess it's probably the best. I mean I I thought that it was A disgraceful spectacle. Uh, not not that, That sets it apart from a lot of other Debates that we've seen in, in, in political campaigns in recent decades, But I mean, Basically. you know, Harris did a great job of baiting Trump who lost his school set outlandish things was very angry. He had neither 1 of them. offered a a meaningful of them offered a a meaningful answer to hardly any of the questions that they were asked. It was just theater and it was a very degrading kind of theater. Because I mean, here we are the, the, the, the birthplace of our history, the world's finest democracy, the inspiring example, for the rest of the world. And, and we have 2 candidates for our president, the most top important job on Earth. Acting like a bunch of children a couple of children. squabbling over a toy. when they're too old to be caring about toys and um you know, the people in Washington, they think that we the people are children, they talk to us as if we're children. They give us campaign ads that are so empty. as if they're just providing entertainment to children, but they're the ones who act like children. And I thought it was very I saw it, it was in a watch party. I saw it and everyone had kind of the same reaction. We were all very very depressed by it. Were there any moments in particular? that stood out to you? I guess someone wondering is there anything that maybe Trump did or Harris did? where you thought? Hey, that was a great moment or maybe you thought, uh, maybe not so great. Well, I think that I think what I was kind of more well as far as great moments. I mean, there were uh, he said things that were funny. it was very smart the way that she baited him. Uh, for example, by making this I think they were talking about the economy and she makes this comment about his the attendance at his rallies being. small, and that people get bored and that hit him where it hurts. So that he got, that, that constant to lose control and go more off topic himself And I guess that was he said things that were funny. I think it was more striking to me was just the many good opportunities she had. to act like a leader. that that she that she gave up. Uh, for example it was near the end. a question that she's been asked a lot that everyone is asking about her since her positions. were pretty Progressive 5 years ago. when she ran the first time. And she's moved very much to the center about fracking immigration. Um, and and other issues. And you know, her opponents accused her of flip-flopping. and she could have taken the bull by the horns and and said, because after all changing her mind across 5 years is not really a flip-flop. we're allowed to change our minds. She could have said, yes, my positions have changed. changed because I've been your vice president for 3 and a half years. and learned the following facts that have led me to change my position. on fracking or an immigration or what have you. and The voters, I think the American people. respect. someone who has the courage to act like a leader. Who's confident enough big enough. to own. uh, a change of mind or even a mistake. and, and who shows the the voter's respect. By. uh, by trusting us to listen and be fair and reach a sensible judgment. I think that we don't respect. uh politicians. Who run away. Uh, from from hard questions and try to buy us off with empty verbiage and slogans. which I think is what she did. Um, I guess I was more struck by the missed opportunities and then there were plenty of moments in the debate that were humorous. And that were entertaining. Um, and he made he said some things that were very funny as he often does he he, he can be quite witty. But I don't, I can't think of a single moment where either candidate. Really. really got to the heart of the matter and gave us the kind of information. we need to make a sensible decision in November. Okay, So you're saying you want to hear more policy, which some people online have been saying as well. former president Donald Trump has said since then, that there is not going to be another debate. Do you think that there should have been well, I I think that there should have been a substantive debate between both of them um, I think that there's, you know, if this is the best we can do in a way, I think it's better that we don't have another debate because I think that another thing that these debates do because because they're so ugly, and that, because both candidates, are attacking each other and uh, often you know? making unfair distorting each other's record. and um, that these kinds of ugly spectacles just further serve to worsen the polarization in the country, Uh, I mean, that's kind of 1 of the biggest topics in our politics. more and more in recent years is the polarization of our politics and the degree of partisan anger. and to me so much of this comes from, politicians, dividing us, uh, I think to distract us From. think to distract us. From. their failure to deliver for us, on the basic economic needs that we have in both parties. of failing to deliver. neither party is showing us a real meaningful economic plan. that's going to address the the sort of constant economic insecurity that Americans are suffering from that the effects of the pandemic and the inflation. neither parties got a plan. and so they distract us, it seems to me from their failures. by just demonizing the other side and stoking anger for the sake of anger. and these kinds of debates these kinds of ugly, confrontations kind of only play into that. So and I don't think there's going to be another debate. Uh I think Trump's handlers are going to do their best to prevent it because he just can't seem to stay on message and control himself. Um, and and I think it's probably best that we don't get another debate of this kind, but we urgently need a meaningful discussion and I don't see that we've gotten it at all this year. so, let's talk about, a path forward then because as we said, 50 days until this election, what do both Trump and Harris need to do and what should their strategies be going forward to an over those voters? well, I think that what Trump should do is just give give uh, speeches and interviews. uh, you know, in Friendly formats where he can. um, do his best to kind of erase the memory? Uh, of him, really losing his losing, his cool losing control the way he did on the debate stage. and just speaking more calmly and making his case. and there is a legitimate case you can make he can make valid criticisms against the Biden Harris Administration about immigration. Um, he can make the the case I mean, that, that, that First question, the moderators asked they put to Harris. and I think it's the number 1 question on the voter's mind. Are you better off today than you were? 4 years ago? Although really it's, we're meaning. we mean 5 years ago, 2019 before the pandemic and clearly the answer to that is no. um, that doesn't mean necessarily that I don't think the pandemic is is Biden's. Fault is the inflation. the fall to the Biden Harris policies. Some economists say yes, some say, no, in any case. Trump has a case that he can make. he should, he should stay on message. be calm. Probably do maybe fewer rockas rallies. more, Just try to look like a Statesman, like a president again. I think Harris has got to stop running from the media. She's only given 1 unscripted interview. so far, it was with a on a friendly setting with you know, Tim waltzes or security blanket, She's got to get up there. and answer these questions And the thing is that the questions that she ran away from the debate stage, She can't answer. in an honest way. and if she did so I think she would earn the respect for the voters and she's you know, going into that debate. so almost 30% of Americans said they didn't know. We don't know what we think a Harris. We haven't seen enough of her. and and I, you see interviews with people since then we want to know what the details are of the economic plan. if she just, is willing to answer, questions. and a a reasonably Fearless manner, I think that people will accept her as a leader. Uh, I think that people you know, since she's she was only the vice president, she can she can make a break with Biden's policies to to the extent that she wants to um, but the main thing is she's got to start delivering some substance. so far all she's done. give us is is speeches, which of course are pre-written off a teleprompter. and then basically in this debate just a lot of empty slogans and sort of various canned canned mini speeches that she just regurgitated. Uh, and the answer to questions. as she was avoiding the question. then really quickly because we do have to wrap up but the last thing I do want to touch on that you just mentioned is uh, her lack of media interviews. But she actually did have 1 yesterday she sat down with a local reporter. Why do you think she decided to make that move as opposed to sitting down with a more National Organization? And do you think that she is going to do that before we have this election? Um, I think she has to uh, that's interesting. I had not. thank you for bringing that to my attention. I hadn't heard about the 1 yesterday with a local reporter. I guess you could see that as a dry run. If it's on a local Outlet, if it doesn't go well. it's less likely to have serious downside. Then 1. um, on a national on a national Outlet, I think that she really has to because the thing to the in the polls, the race looks almost neck-and-neck, I mean, she's I guess in in recent weeks consistently in the National popular vote. she has been up between 2.2 and 2.6%. and because of the gop's advantage in the Electoral College, The Democratic candidate really needs to win in the National V natural. Uh, the the popular vote. uh, needs to win pretty big, for example, in in 2020 by 1 by 4. almost 5%. in the National vote in the popular vote. But in in an electoral college 1 by a razor thin margin in a in a long series of States. So and, and also, you got to consider the fact that at least in the last 2 elections. um, the poll takers underestimated Trump's support because there seemed to be some at his supporters, who don't like to admit that they're voting for Trump for whatever reason. the long, and the short of it being that if if the polls show a tide race it means the Democrat is losing that. she's losing. So I think she really has to take the bull by the horns. and show some leadership. and so, so sorry, I thought you were done there. Finish your thought for me, Just that she's, you know, look, she was she was a successful trial lawyer She's very intelligent. she's articulate I don't think that's beyond her to do that. Okay, thank you so much for joining us here on live now from Fox. Really. appreciate your Insight and opinion