AFT’s Weingarten: Kamala Harris Wins Debate; Trump Is ‘Incoherent’

WASHINGTON-AFT President Randi Weingarten issued the following statement after tonight's presidential debate:

"Vice President Kamala Harris won tonight's debate by focusing on the American people.

"She understands the aspirations and hopes of Americans.

"She laid out a strong, positive vision for this country built on unity and specific plans that create an opportunity economy and treat healthcare as a right, not a privilege. She pledged to be a president for all Americans. Donald Trump offered more lies, incoherence, narcissism and nonsense, proving that he is unfit to get anywhere near the White House.

"As Trump dwelled on his dark, backward-looking agenda, Harris called on Americans to come together and turn the page. She made it clear that she stands with working people and will fight to protect fundamental freedoms, strengthen our democracy and make sure every person has the opportunity to not just get by, but to get ahead.

"Harris knows the path to economic opportunity is education. She will invest in great public schools, including pathways to great jobs, while increasing access to housing and affordable healthcare, taking on price gouging, and strengthening Social Security and Medicare. She has a proud history of fighting for fair wages, unions and a strong middle class.

"Trump is fighting for himself. He's flailing, and we watched him melt down during this debate. The man who once proposed injecting disinfectant as a COVID-19 treatment whined that he didn't get enough credit for his response to the pandemic. He repeated his delusions about winning the 2020 election. He used the praise of a dictator, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, as a character reference. He claimed the nation is 'dying.'

"This election is the most important not only in our lifetimes but in our children's lifetimes. We are voting for their future. Kamala Harris represents a new generation of leadership that is fighting for real solutions for all American families. We must not get dragged back into chaos, fear and hate. It's time to turn the page."

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The AFT represents 1.8 million pre-K through 12th-grade teachers; paraprofessionals and other school-related personnel; higher education faculty and professional staff; federal, state and local government employees; nurses and healthcare workers; and early childhood educators.