Anthony W. Haddad

The Millennial View

One’s a felon, one’s a cop, and I am just a guy trying to figure out his own life.

Millennials remember when the late Sen. John McCain took the mic from an older woman to shut down her hateful remarks about then-Sen. Barack Obama. That kind of leadership stuck with us — a moment where decency overpowered division.

I look back on the days when we didn’t need to check social media every five minutes to see if our political leaders were enacting policy through tweets. Times were simpler then. We didn’t have to constantly worry about whether our president was still breathing or another made a political attack on a pop star.

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The Presidential Debate Was a Presidential Disaster

We tuned in to hear from former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris at the debate Tuesday, and, frankly, we got a lot of the same old spiel. Both candidates assured us they’re fighting for the middle class, committed to protecting our finances, and dedicated to defending our rights.

For Millennials, the issues that really matter to our voting bloc are climate change, the housing crisis, abortion rights, international conflicts like those in Gaza and Ukraine, amongst others. Yet, the debate left some of these crucial topics almost entirely unaddressed. If they were addressed, there was not real plan anyone could believe in.

Trump dialed back his comments on women’s reproductive rights, which is at least a step, given growing public support for these rights. But the complete lack of serious discussion on climate change? Troubling. His non-committal stance on Ukraine and Harris’ tepid response to the Israel-Hamas situation felt like a cop-out. We didn’t get plans for progress — we got sound bites and recycled buzzwords.

Instead of hearing issues, we heard about Haitians eating cats and ducks in Ohio (debunked, by the way), and Trump boasting about his rally sizes. These distractions from real issues make it hard for Millennials to feel confident that either candidate truly understands what’s at stake.

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Yard Signs, Sure, but the Full Personality Change for Candidates?

Regardless of what was said — or wasn’t — both sides of the debate quickly claimed victory and tore each other apart over every little detail on social media. Political campaigns have started to feel more like sports teams, where we back our candidates as if they’re our home team, wearing our red or blue colors like uniforms.

Here’s the thing, you don’t need to dress in head-to-toe Republican red or Democrat blue to have an opinion. You don’t need an overpriced hat or golden shoes to express your values. Your personality should shine through on its own — not be defined by political merch.

Let’s remember that the President of the United States isn’t supposed to be a celebrity, and celebrities, in general, shouldn’t be treated like gods. They work for the public, just doing a job. It’s cool to meet famous people, but if your identity revolves around them and their policies, it might be time for a new hobby.

Trump, Harris, are you listening? You have the power to make politics less about becoming famous and more about actual leadership. Stop selling yourselves like products. Sure, Trump does this more with branded Bibles and flags, but both sides are guilty of turning elections into marketing campaigns for a merch store.

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What Can We Do to Make This Normal?

It’s clear the candidates aren’t going to change. They’ll keep convincing you that their victory will save your life while their loss will ruin it. So, it’s up to us to make things normal again.

Here’s something simple: listen to understand, not to argue. If you told your friend, “This really bugs me,” you’d expect them to listen, understand, and maybe offer solutions, right? You wouldn’t expect them to attack you the second you opened your mouth.

I have a best friend with different political views, and we’ve never let that get in the way of our friendship. We understand where each other is coming from. If we disagree, we move on. No personal attacks, no blocking each other on social media — just an honest conversation and then life goes on.

Why? Because we know politics isn’t worth ruining a friendship — or our decency. Yet, as a country, we’re letting it. By genuinely listening to others, you can gain valuable insight, build deeper connections, and maybe even learn something new. Or maybe you just save a friendship. Either way, it’s a win.

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Not Everyone Wants to Listen — Here’s What to Do

This approach won’t work with everyone. Some people are just out to pick a fight, to flood your comments and get a rise out of you. When that happens, don’t engage. Walking away doesn’t mean you’ve lost — it means you value your peace of mind more than their attention.

But for those willing to talk and understand? Let’s be better than the candidates on stage. Let’s stop letting politics become the thing that defines our entire identity or the reason we cut people out of our lives. Politics should be part of life, not the end-all, be-all of it.

So, I’ll keep figuring out my own life, keeping my friendships strong, and hoping that someday, our leaders will do the same.

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Connect with Anthony W. Haddad by email or on social media.