Feifei Cao ‘27
Donald Trump (Left) and Kamala Harris (Right) during the presidential debate on September 10th, 2024.
September 9th, 2024.
Vice President Kamala Harris is actively rehearsing for the highly anticipated and publicized presidential debate, spending significant time in her mock debate studio for preparation sessions. This meeting is held with a team of campaign strategists, communication experts, and specialists, all aiming at the dismantling of the former president. 45th American President Donald Trump has been recovering from an assassination attempt in the ear at one of his rallies earlier this year. He’s choosing which boxy suit and crimson tie to wear tomorrow, while his entourage of assistants is simultaneously managing updates to his legal and public records. Each knows that Tuesday will bring a long day of incessant media, a myriad of rebuttals, and of course, epitomizing to the United States what their campaign is all about.
The St. Mark’s campus is much quieter. Certain classes, such as Advanced U.S. History and Advanced Government, have been tasked with watching a set duration of the dispute. Before the night of the debate, the Head of School explicitly sends an email to the student body stating how “this evening is best spent on your studies and then subsequently getting some sleep,” inviting students to a post-debate discussion the following day. However, some have put aside the last thirty minutes of study hall to hear the intricate details and amusing declarations. Anouk Shin ‘26, has stayed up to watch the debate for entertainment purposes. One aberrant claim Trump states stands out to her and many others: “In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs. The people that came in, they’re eating the cats.” Anouk expresses how “this is a sad statement to hear [from a candidate],” and a racist attack on immigrants broadcasted to over 65 million viewers. The unsubstantiated claim has subsequently become a widely spread joke, encouraging the unserious connotation of the debate. Regardless, it has also pushed Anouk to urge for more civic engagement within the St. Mark’s community and classrooms.
Wednesday brought a multitude of political small talk at St. Mark’s: it lined the hallway leading to the Burgess Center, the round table discussions in the English and History Wings, and the clustered rectangular dining hall tables. Students talk about what still lingers in the air after 12 hours; the dreadful, “nation that is dying,” picture painted by Donald Trump, Harris strategically taking the “unusual step” and inviting people to attend a Trump rally, and the 30 false claims thrown around the two debate podiums. Serena Zhao ‘26, details the seminars she had during her Vth Form English and Advanced U.S. History classes, emphasizing the roles and body language of the candidates: “It seemed that Kamala was speaking towards Trump, but Trump was directed towards the audience.” She also mentions how her discussion focused on the disrespect both sides had towards each other, each aiming to tear down the opposing reputation, as well as the ambiguity of Kamala’s stance on certain topics, including hydraulic fracturing (fracking), a procedure used to extract oil from rock formations.
With election day being less than thirty days away, SM Politics Club co-leader, Yejee Hwang delineates the plan for the upcoming club meeting. She plans to create a discussion space for the upcoming election, compare this debate to the 2020 presidential debate, and spread awareness of voting turnout and the general voting process. With SM Politics, she aims to diverge from the notion that personal sentiments are “taboo to voice if non-conformational,” and normalize and foster more judgment-free discussions involving politics within the St. Mark’s community. Ultimately, the presidential debate encourages St. Mark’s students to stay politically engaged and keep up with the current events of the world, promoting more dialogue and differing perspectives within our community.