Policy Reflects Identity

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The essence of communication about policy lies in how these discussions reveal personal beliefs and character rather than mere factual accuracy on issues. Figures like Trump exemplify this by displaying clear, albeit scattered, stances on immigration that unmistakably signal his underlying values and priorities, such as a desire to limit immigration. In contrast, while some politicians articulate their policies clearly, such as Kamala Harris, the challenge remains in ensuring that these positions convey a deeper sense of personal philosophy and identity related to issues like immigration, which may not always resonate with voters on a personal level.

Tuesday night was the first — perhaps the only — debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. And it proved one of Harris’s stump speech lines right: Turns out she really does know Trump’s type. She had a theory of who Trump was and how he worked, and she used it to take control of the collision. But this was a substantive debate, too. The candidates clashed on abortion, health care, the economy, energy, immigration and more. And so we delve into the policy arguments to untangle what was really being said — and what wasn’t.

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This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Claire Gordon. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris, with Kate Sinclair and Jack McCordick. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld. Our senior editor is Claire Gordon. The show’s production team also includes Annie Galvin, Rollin Hu, Elias Isquith, Kristin Lin and Aman Sahota. Original music by Isaac Jones. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The executive producer of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.