Rival supporters also duke it out
How did President Trump’s and Joe Biden’s supporters react to Tuesday night’s debate? We asked two voters to debate the debate in real-time. Rhonda Kundrat (top inset) is a 47-year-old nonpracticing attorney and mother of three in Chesapeake, Va. She supports the president for re-election. Stacy Grossman (bottom inset) is a 49year-old lawyer and mother of one in Westchester who’s rooting for the ex-veep. Here’s a selection of their online discussion.
On the debate over Amy Coney Barrett:
Kundrat: How they treated [Merrick] Garland? Can we discuss [Brett] Kavanaugh?
Grossman: Can we discuss Christine Blasey Ford?
Kundrat: Yes we can discuss Ford. Every one of her claims were dismissed — still waiting for the evidence.
On the Affordable Care Act:
Kundrat: I have a pre-existing condition — ObamaCare was a disaster, We were not able to see the doctor of my choice. That was a huge factor when deciding to stay with military health-care versus ObamaCare. By the way, all of the hospital-union workers supporting ObamaCare were never put under ObamaCare. My mother was part of the 1199 union in New York and has a gold plan that is fully paid for.
Grossman: I know many selfemployed people who wouldn’t have insurance if it weren’t for ObamaCare.
On Elizabeth Warren:
Grossman: Continuing to call Senator Warren “Pocahontas” is just so disrespectful.
Kundrat: She’s not Pocahontas — she’s Faux-cahontas. There is a difference.
As the discussion turned to COVID-19:
Kundrat: Hmm COVID time . . . let me think about this — Jan. 6, 2020 Trump’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a travel notice on Wuhan, China, before any US infection arose.
Grossman: Trump is in a big hole here. He refuses to listen to doctors and manipulates the CDC. And refuses to encourage the country to wear masks. Anyone who disagrees with Trump is “confused” and “mistaken.” Kundrat: Joe wears a mask in the basement.
On taxes:
Kundrat: Trump broke no laws, and he took advantage of every legal deduction that was available to business people — again signed by Obama administration.
Grossman: Trump committed tax fraud multiple times, and probably did again now. He’s just better than most at deflecting and delaying.
Kundrat: Please name one tax law he broke? Please name it . . . I will wait.
Grossman: If proven, paying his daughter a consulting fee could be fraud. And let’s wait to see how his tax returns are reconciled with his loan applications.
On Hunter Biden:
Grossman: Trump is very skilled at repeated unproven and discredited allegations. Move on.
Kundrat: Skilled at repeating unproven and discredited allegations? Oh, like the Russia DNC sham?
On acting presidential:
Kundrat: So will Biden go into a fetal position back to his bunker? Grossman: Biden is standing his ground — and we’re just about tw0-thirds through. He’s presidential.
Kundrat: Presidential? Joe is like a used-car salesman. Will try to sell you a car you already own. Poor Joe is shivering . . . does he need a Red Bull?
On the economy:
Grossman: When the stock market goes up, it does not mean new jobs.
Kundrat: Democrats refuse to answer the question about Chicago. New York is back to the zoo of the 1970s.
Grossman: I’m in New York, and that’s not true. Kundrat: How to shut Biden up? Ask him a question requiring a factual answer.
On climate change:
Kundrat: California has been run by crazy tree huggers for years and still can’t to get it right. Maybe save some of the land and stop building huge mansions in areas that are already overpopulated. Shouldn’t we be freezing according to Al Gore by now?
Grossman: I wish our country would come together on global warming. Just because we disagree about some issues doesn’t mean we have to be divided on everything. As Trump would say, “Sad.”
Final thoughts:
Grossman: Both candidates held their own, though it was a hot mess. Trump certainly didn’t prove that Biden doesn’t have the acuity to be the president. Biden let Trump show his true, angry colors. Biden ended very strong with climate change and election integrity. I can’t imagine there are many undecided voters at this point, so hopefully, Biden is motivating more people than Trump to get out to vote.
Kundrat: I think Trump was Trump and destroyed Biden. Biden basically can appear competent just by remembering where he was — not a big mountain to climb. But as far as substance, Trump was beyond prepared and made Biden look like the always-a-bridesmaid-never-abride candidate. Biden was despicable — from the name calling, to the insults of “clown” “racist” etc. He was not presidential at all and needs to return to his basement.