President Trump was a different candidate in Thursday night's final debate with Democratic rival Joe Biden. He had to be; there is general agreement, including inside the Trump campaign, that the president was too hot and too aggressive in the first debate, and that he made a poor impression on millions of Americans watching on television. On Thursday, Trump cooled it down and is likely to reap a benefit for making watching an easier experience for those millions who tuned in a second time.
That appeared to be one lesson from a Zoom focus group conducted after the debate by messaging expert Frank Luntz. Speaking to 15 undecided voters -- and yes, they appeared to be really undecided -- Luntz asked for a one- or two-word description of the candidates' debate demeanor. For Biden, the words were mostly bad: among them were "vague," "very vague," "non-specific," "cognitively impaired," "old," "uncomfortable," "elusive," "grandfatherly," and "defensive."
For Trump, they were mostly much better: among them were "controlled," "composed," "constrained," "reserved," "poised," "con artist," "surprisingly presidential," "calmer," and "restrained."
Like so many independent and undecided voters, some members of the group expressed agreement with Trump's policies while at the same time expressing great disapproval of the president's demeanor and public persona. "I have cringed in the past three and a half years over President Trump's tweets and how he has treated people," said one woman. "The question is whether I could vote for him where I agree on many of the policies."
At the debate, however, she and others saw a Trump who was -- finally, some of them said -- presidential. And they liked it.
"We've been wanting to see this man act presidential for three years, and he hasn't," said another woman. "And we get a glimpse of it and it gives us hope." The woman said that despite her unhappiness with Trump's behavior, she trusts him to handle the economy.
"I honestly felt in this debate Donald Trump did seem much more presidential," said a man. "Tonight he showed restraint in comparison to the first debate. And Joe Biden can't give a straight answer. He was so elusive."
Trump's presidential behavior "meant something to me," said another woman. "That is one of the reasons I have such reservations about pulling the lever for Donald Trump. He has been embarrassing -- I haven't been embarrassed by his policies, but embarrassed by what comes out of his mouth."
"I just think that character has been the biggest thing that has held me back from voting for Donald Trump," yet another woman said. "Tonight he showed me that he can behave in a way that is more presidential -- and that will affect my decision going forward."
Like the man who called Biden elusive, several group members complained about Biden's lack of specifics. It is a common complaint in focus groups; voters frequently say they want more details. But that gives Trump, as the incumbent, an advantage; they don't feel the need for details from him because they've watched him be president for four years. Biden, on the other hand, represents a change, and with change comes uncertainty.
In the end, several voters expressed continuing unhappiness with both candidates but said the debate had moved them, at least for now, in the direction of voting for Trump. Many seemed to be having an internal debate on presidential style versus substance. "You look at Biden as being a more decent person, but he's not coming clean on where he stands," Luntz told the group. "You look at Trump and you know where he stands but you don't like the way he communicates."
Well, which will it be? An election forces voters to choose. Trump's hope is that, for those independent voters having that internal debate, he can seem presidential enough to tip the balance in favor of voting for his policies, versus Joe Biden's more soothing style.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/...idential-trump-helped-himself-in-final-debate
That appeared to be one lesson from a Zoom focus group conducted after the debate by messaging expert Frank Luntz. Speaking to 15 undecided voters -- and yes, they appeared to be really undecided -- Luntz asked for a one- or two-word description of the candidates' debate demeanor. For Biden, the words were mostly bad: among them were "vague," "very vague," "non-specific," "cognitively impaired," "old," "uncomfortable," "elusive," "grandfatherly," and "defensive."
For Trump, they were mostly much better: among them were "controlled," "composed," "constrained," "reserved," "poised," "con artist," "surprisingly presidential," "calmer," and "restrained."
Like so many independent and undecided voters, some members of the group expressed agreement with Trump's policies while at the same time expressing great disapproval of the president's demeanor and public persona. "I have cringed in the past three and a half years over President Trump's tweets and how he has treated people," said one woman. "The question is whether I could vote for him where I agree on many of the policies."
At the debate, however, she and others saw a Trump who was -- finally, some of them said -- presidential. And they liked it.
"We've been wanting to see this man act presidential for three years, and he hasn't," said another woman. "And we get a glimpse of it and it gives us hope." The woman said that despite her unhappiness with Trump's behavior, she trusts him to handle the economy.
"I honestly felt in this debate Donald Trump did seem much more presidential," said a man. "Tonight he showed restraint in comparison to the first debate. And Joe Biden can't give a straight answer. He was so elusive."
Trump's presidential behavior "meant something to me," said another woman. "That is one of the reasons I have such reservations about pulling the lever for Donald Trump. He has been embarrassing -- I haven't been embarrassed by his policies, but embarrassed by what comes out of his mouth."
"I just think that character has been the biggest thing that has held me back from voting for Donald Trump," yet another woman said. "Tonight he showed me that he can behave in a way that is more presidential -- and that will affect my decision going forward."
Like the man who called Biden elusive, several group members complained about Biden's lack of specifics. It is a common complaint in focus groups; voters frequently say they want more details. But that gives Trump, as the incumbent, an advantage; they don't feel the need for details from him because they've watched him be president for four years. Biden, on the other hand, represents a change, and with change comes uncertainty.
In the end, several voters expressed continuing unhappiness with both candidates but said the debate had moved them, at least for now, in the direction of voting for Trump. Many seemed to be having an internal debate on presidential style versus substance. "You look at Biden as being a more decent person, but he's not coming clean on where he stands," Luntz told the group. "You look at Trump and you know where he stands but you don't like the way he communicates."
Well, which will it be? An election forces voters to choose. Trump's hope is that, for those independent voters having that internal debate, he can seem presidential enough to tip the balance in favor of voting for his policies, versus Joe Biden's more soothing style.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/...idential-trump-helped-himself-in-final-debate
