but it does seem like there is a lot more volatility or malleability in Americans perceptions of Harris and she didn't do quite as much to maybe Define herself as the moderate on the economy or immigration or things where she might have been seen as vulnerable like she addressed the immigration Portion by saying there was a border bill that I supported that Donald Trump killed but you probably could have gotten pretty specific there about you know what she wanted to do on the wall or whether she thought that the Asylum system was broken or things that maybe could have painted her as more of the moderate on the issue where of course Trump was trying to I think said out and out you know San Francisco liberal something along those lines so if it was about defining Trump she probably did a good job if it was about defining herself um maybe that's in question I don't think that is necessarily wrong overall but it would push back a little bit I think you know she mentioned a couple of times how she like grew up in a middle class family and and stuff like that and gave a little bit of biographical information and like she she kind of made efforts to I guess isn't really about at defining herself but she like really kind of consciously reached across the aisle or at least across whatever it was by being like you know basically like if the things you're hearing you know if this is just like kind of the same old politics you know like Donald Trump like negativity there's a place for you in our campaign that sort of thing so I think she did a a good job with regard to that I hear what you're saying though about like you know maybe she didn't go into as many specifics as she could have done um you know her answer on the you know question of like why have you changed your position since 2019 um you know I think she still doesn't have a great answer there similar to the CNN interview she kind of you know she pivoted and it was a fine answer but she doesn't really have like a direct rebuttal to that because I think frankly like I was running for president in the Democratic primary at a time when people were very liberal isn't an acceptable answer but even Nathaniel to that end Trump kept saying you want to defund the police the answer would have been as Vice President we increased funding to the police but there was just nothing really said there right so areas where you could have sort of zigged towards the center or whatever um towards covering your ground on a vulnerable issue you didn't hear as much I think on some yeah on there were a few like pitches she let go by but I think there were others that she out and made decent contact at like on immigration and stuff like that so I don't know if I you know I think like sure like to the extent that like this debate was mostly about you know going in like voters are most interested in hearing about Harris and that the the election might hinge on perceptions of Harris I think this debate ended up being very much about Trump scan this QR code to go to the apple and Spotify podcast apps to download the full 538 politics podcast