This content is related to the Epsilon Theory Election Index, a series we introduced here
ET Election Index: The First Debate, Part 2
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I think the entire two day debate can be summed up from one quote from Kamala Harris.
“Hey, guys, you know what? America does not want to witness a food fight, they want to know how we are going to put food on their table.”
I think that could fairly sum up a reasonable person’s takeaway! Unfortunately I think the broader narrative in media has been exactly the other side: a food fight.
Maybe I should have emphasized, “they want to know how we are going to put food on their table.”
Vote for me, I’ll give everyone million dollars.
No vote for me, I’ll give everyone a million and one dollars!
This quote from ET resonates with me: "In the Russian tradition of Stanislavsky, the actor says, ‘I will tell you a story about me.’ In the German tradition of Brecht, the actor says, ‘I will tell you a story about them.’ In the Vietnamese tradition, the actor says, ‘You and I will tell each other a story about all of us.’ " Le Hun.
Because it’s also a way to evaluate presidential candidates, who are actors of a different sort.
Night 2 was more entertaining theatre than Night 1. Stories about me (my achievements and adversities) are compelling and watching Harris attack Biden’s story about himself was great TV. But ultimately, Night 1’s theatre had more meaning. Warren et. al told a story of them, the workers for whom the economy does not work and the immigrant/asylum seeker. Not just in terms of policy but also vision. Bernie would have done way better had he been on Night 1.
I would have liked to see my preferred candidate deliver a story in the Vietnamese tradition, as he usually does on the trail, but he rarely got called on and his mic was cut off when he tried to interject.