VP Debate Represents a Return to Norms, but Trump Lost His Last Chance to Positively Surprise American Voters

October 9, 2020. New York. – Media reaction to the only vice presidential debate of the campaign season showed a tighter race with a lack of clarity on which party can solve the economic chaos brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, Kamala Harris was said to perform better and her party continued to be portrayed more positively on the pandemic itself, according to new research from Media Tenor International. All in all, the second TV debate didn’t end with a complete success for Trump/Pence – the only result for the incumbent with a chance to change the overall disastrous media narrative which has worsened since Trump tested positive for the coronavirus and has reacted to that result erratically in public.

With three weeks left until the 2020 elections, Trump has lost his last chance to convince voters. Pence illustrated once again – by not addressing the peaceful transfer of power - that the current government is not willing to act according to any accepted rules. This is fundamental misreading of U.S. citizens, who are known for their overall principles of fair play.

“The debate performances for Pence and Harris reminded the audience that the exchange of ideas on competing politics are designed in a democracy to give voters a chance to make judgements and compare and contrast to the various ways those in power tell citizens to act,” says Roland Schatz, founder and CEO of Media Tenor. “The key question, of who can do the most for the economy, is a critical point on which many undecided voters ultimately make their decisions. This second debate did not provide significant insight on what each candidate has to offer in times of recession. But the fact that Trump decided to make a decision to not provide coronavirus economic aid is another indicator that Trump has lost his ability to use the media to his advantage as he has in the past.”

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