Here's the transcript of the whole interview. Relevant portion (which cannot be appreciated in text form):
MUIR: The president said he's already prepping for the debates. Are you?My guess is that Biden is not prepping yet, but he just gave the most generic positive answer when he said "So am I. I can hardly wait." The followup should not have been difficult, and I don't think Muir was going for a gotcha, since you can see that he readily moved in to give cover once Biden came out with something. But Biden wasn't sharp enough to bullshit something like "Oh, I can't tell you that!" He was a deer in the headlights. Maybe that was some indication of a conscience — he'd lied saying he was already prepping and he had to think about whether he wanted to keep going with lying and he just couldn't decide, perhaps because it seemed as though he needed to come up with a name.
BIDEN: So am I. I can hardly wait.
MUIR: Who is playing Trump?
BIDEN: I'm prepping.
MUIR: You can get back to me on that.
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130 comments:
He is prepping for his next nap. Figureheads have to get plenty of rest.
At least he didn't say "Corn Pop."
MUIR: Who is playing Trump?
[MALFUNCTION! MALFUNCTION! MALFUNCTION! SWITCH TO SAFE MODE!]
BIDEN: I'm prepping.
Guaranteed he was going to say "oh, uh, the guy with the thing." This wasn't a live interview and the media would be desperately covering up any signs of Biden's obvious mental incapacity.
Now, Joe Biden isn't entirely an Alzheimer's patient. Shriek-ranting adequately made him a top-tier Democratic contender, after all. But his speech showed someone who can't improvise on the spot anymore, and someone who's generally terrible with details in any capacity. The debate moderators can try to protect him, but it's going to be pretty obvious even if Trump brings the same game he had against Hillary Clinton. He was putting out critiques and policies, while she was begging people to visit her website. It'll be way worse with Biden.
Mueller
More and more I'm thinking the poor old sap's a sock puppet. Pulled out when they want him to play a part - and carefully medicated and rehearsed for it - and then just left in the basement when he's not immediately needed.
Wonder if they'll let him stay up late on Election Night?
(Or if he'll even LAST until Election Night...)
C'mon man, it's, you know, the thing.
http://www.womensystems.com/2020/08/kamala-harris-reportedly-pranked-into.html
Obviously old man Biden gets angry at his own brain and memory that lets him down. He reminds me of old trial lawyers who once controlled a courtroom but now cannot keep track of the interchanges. The older trial Judges give them some assistance for the old times when they were great. But that’s not enough to win their trial.
Once again, Ms. Harris adds inappropriate laughter in the background. Maybe it's a conditioned response to the word "debate".
Wait a minute; does prepping for a debate necessarily include a stand-in for your opponent?
I would think that only a small portion of debate preparation involves that kind of dress rehearsal. Most of it would be reading about the issues, studying opposition research, watching video of my opponent and indeed myself on how to improve.
I really do not want understand the implication in this post that because Biden can’t or won’t identify a surrogate means that he isn’t preparing for a debate.
Wait a minute; does prepping for a debate necessarily include a stand-in for your opponent?
I would think that only a small portion of debate preparation involves that kind of dress rehearsal. Most of it would be reading about the issues, studying opposition research, watching video of my opponent and indeed myself on how to improve.
I really do not want understand the implication in this post that because Biden can’t or won’t identify a surrogate means that he isn’t preparing for a debate.
Preparation H
Never mind who's playing Trump. Who's playing Biden?
I don’t see it your way. Biden was politely declining to answer. He’s not giving away any campaign secrets.
Seriously, it was actually fairly cagey.
Odds on Biden showing up for debates is still less than 50/50 imo.
Unbelievable...the press really are enemies of the people.
There's going to be more ass-kissing in this election than in a San Francisco bath house...
He's not prepping for any debates. They can't roll that thing out for an hour in front of cameras. At this point, they don't have a plan. They are hoping for a miracle. Something they can use as an excuse to call the debates off. Probably something racism-related, Diversity is their strength.
What's Kamala laughing at?
I wonder if they told her, don't be a sourpuss like Hillary. People don't like that.
I cannot believe that the Democrats would let Biden debate.
I suppose I could imagine a situation where he has an earpiece to get answers for a scripted list of questions. What happens when Trump asks him a question?
Occams's Razor - choose between the following: 1) Biden exhibited indications of a conscience; 2) Biden is demented.
Lying is how Democrats shake hands. It's says, "I'm with you", but with social distancing.
Everyone there, David Muir, Kamala Harris, and Joe Biden, is acting like they know Biden's mind is failing.
There is something in her tone or in the way Harris speaks to Biden that is patronizing.
I think Biden should practice debating an empty chair. Once he can win that debate, he can move on to a dummy in the chair. Once he defeats the dummy, he can move on to a CNN reporter. After he scrapes them off his leg and mops up the drool (Lots of drool--both from the reporter and from Biden), he can get harder dummies...
Ultimately, if he really wants to prepare, he should ask Trump to send Melania over. Melania will destroy Biden just by looking at him.
Trump deals with Melania every day, so if Biden can handle her he might be prepared for Trump in a debate.
I hope she shows up in a tight black corset and thigh highs with a whip. Biden will run screaming... or stroke out, one of the two.
Why does Harris start laughing during the exchange?
Maybe the meds are working, Biden didn't challenge him to a push-up contest or call him a dog faced pony solder...
Trump's prep will involve laying thought traps for Biden by the dozen.
At some point Biden will choke. He's insane to be doing this to himself. No amount of political meta is worth setting yourself up for probable humiliation.
Obviously, you can prepare for a debate without debating a stand-in.
He knows there will be no debate. He's been told he has to pretend there will be, so they can cover up the reason why there is no debate.
Does Kamel do anything but cackle at weird times?
I would bet his imaginary twin, Little Josephine. Her hair smells terrific!
I never thought of the connection before, but the exchange posted here reminded me instantly of Ralph Wiggum.
Now everytime I hear about Biden, I'm going to think Ralph Wiggum. Which is sad, really, if Biden is dealing with mental issues. But it's more sad he's the candidate running for President if he has such problematic mental issues that we need to worry about not making fun of his blunders.
Blogger Vance said...
"I think Biden should practice debating an empty chair."
Well Biden will be right up there with Clint Eastwood's skit on Obama.
MUIR: Who is playing Trump?
insert BIDEN silently stuttering, trying to think of an answer
BIDEN: I'm prepping.
(for those that didn't watch the short video)
Kamala's been prepping: she's almost got Hillary cackle down pat. The Cackle Without the Cankles!
It's clear Biden knows he can just hold up his hand and the "journalist" will understand not to continue with that line of questioning or pressure him.
So who would be a good person to stand in for Trump? I think that would be tough to do.
like any old man saying get off my lawn, Biden could watch Trump on TV doing pressers and mutter/mumble/fulminate in his basement everyday.
The "who's playing Trump" question may not have been given to Biden in advance, like the other questions, hence the confusion. Or he was trying to come up with a quip, and went blank. Harris laughed, which also may have confused him. She really has a bad, phony laugh. Some people can fake laughter pretty good, she can't.
This poor old man really should NOT be President. Reagan in '84 was having "Senior Moments" but it wasn't that bad, and he *barely* made it through the next 4 years. Joe is 78, that 5 years OLDER than Reagan in 1984. No way, Biden makes it to 2024. No fucking way.
>>Once again, Ms. Harris adds inappropriate laughter in the background.
>>Why does Harris start laughing during the exchange?
It's a distraction technique.
That was Hillary's defense, too, to any difficult question. Delegitimize the question by laughing at it. And then don't even pretend to answer.
It totally phony, and it gets old fast. But they know they will never be called on it.
I think there will be debates, but Biden's Campaign will demand things like:
The candidates being in separate locations
No Audience (naturally)
The candidates only being shown when speaking
Strict limits on who can speak and when.
Biden will want it to be like a gloried Zoom meeting. This way his aides can stand off camera with cue cards and written advice, if not an actual ear radio transmitter.
Biden was momentarily confused by the question. At home "I'm prepping" means he's drinking a glass of Metamucil.
Once again, Ms. Harris adds inappropriate laughter in the background.
Kamala is the laugh track for Joe's campaign.
Obviously, you can prepare for a debate without debating a stand-in.
Obviously if that's what you were doing you could easily explain it.
Shorter David Muir: (Oh crap, I screwed up! That wasn't a pre-approved question....!!!)...."We'll get back to that" [Biden looks on, confused, dreaming of tapioca]
MadisonMan: "Why does Harris start laughing during the exchange?"
The fake laughing is a tell. Biden does it alot.
Hillary did it all the time in 2015/16 (and no, I don't care that my saying that will drive certain LLR-lefties from MI who constantly vouch for the honesty of democrat election officials completely over the edge into Unhinged Canyon)
LLR-lefty Chuck: "I really do not want understand the implication in this post that because Biden can’t or won’t identify a surrogate means that he isn’t preparing for a debate."
We'll file that right next to your passionate, prolonged and vehement defense of Senator Blumenthal's transparently false and oft repeated Stolen Valor lies about his service record.
Chuck said...
... Most of it would be ... watching video of my opponent and indeed myself on how to improve.
----------=============
exactly what I said - he can watch Trump giving pressers and learn how to rebut that or role play being in the press pool - use indoor drone for the rotor noise background
I can't believe this has only now crossed my mind.
First, these people put all their cards on Robert Mueller.
Now, they are putting all their cards on Joe Biden.
This has to mean something, and I'm not seeing it. I'm openly putting a call out for help.
I realize that logic and reason are insufficient for purposes of explaining the actions of the folks running this circus for the Democratic party, but I can't even get here by drilling down using the critical theory road to insanity.
Chi o cosa è Geppetto?
rcocean said...
I think there will be debates, but Biden's Campaign will demand things like:
The candidates being in separate locations
No Audience (naturally)
The candidates only being shown when speaking
Strict limits on who can speak and when.
Biden will want it to be like a gloried Zoom meeting. This way his aides can stand off camera with cue cards and written advice, if not an actual ear radio transmitter.
-----------==============
how far advanced are we on Max Headroom technology? time to launch it for the debates.
rcocean: "The "who's playing Trump" question may not have been given to Biden in advance, like the other questions, hence the confusion."
Precisely.
The dems are ALWAYS given the questions ahead of time and the questions are always designed to fit nicely into democrat/lefty/LLR-lefty narratives.
Of course, some of the democrats are so stupid, they still screw it up. Just think of the Kitty Dukakis gets whacked/capital punishment question Bernard Shaw asked of Li'l Mike. If ever there was a softball teed up for a candidate in order to dispel the biggest complaint about him that was it.
Of course, what did Dukakis do? He still flubbed it completely. He was still too used to being from a state where all the democrats and LLR-lefties covered for him constantly.
All he had to do was say how angry he would be but then something along the lines of how he hoped after the initial murderous rage had passed that cooler heads would prevail....and then off to the policy discussion.
But no. Li'l moron Mike pulled a "Buckner at First" and it all went down hill from there.
Mike Pence: "You know, I keep hearing that when a woman laughs this much at a man's mundane speaking, it's because she wants to sleep with him. I'm flattered but spoken for, Senator."
It would be the most alpha thing Pence ever said.
I agree with others, the follow up was not pre-approved by Biden camp. They we're expecting a "so how's it going so far?" followup by Muir but David deviated from the plan and exposed how Joe cannot handle followup questions.
The word is out to journalists: Don't ask Joe a followup, we gotta get this guy over the finish line!
My guess is that Biden is not prepping yet, but he just gave the most generic positive answer when he said "So am I. I can hardly wait."
My guess is that Biden is prepping, but doesn't see the need to have someone play Trump. Why should he? He's Joe Biden! He's got more brains in his pinky-toe than that dog faced, lying pony soldier Trump!
This is why Trump will make mincemeat out of Biden in any debate. Trump will go straight for that Delaware sized ego of Biden's and Joe will lose it in front of Mr. and Mrs American and all the ships at sea!
Why is Harris even there? There have been so few interviews of Joe Biden in this presidential campaign. Unbelievably few and not one difficult question has been asked of Biden that I know of.
What is the point, in a rationale world, of having Harris there?
MUIR: Who is playing Trump?
My money is on that international man of mystery, and all-around douche-bag Pierre Delecto : )
Biden definitely has reduced cognitive powers from what was, at best, a mediocre mind to begin with. But I don't think his non answer on who is playing Trump in his debate prepping is evidence of that. Don't think that is something that is revealed before the fact. It could have been a jocular attempt to avoid revealing what is a campaign secret.
This is the saddest election of my lifetime. Both Biden and Trump are unfit to be POTUS. Time to start a third party that focuses on fielding component centrist candidates.
mezzrow: "I realize that logic and reason are insufficient for purposes of explaining the actions of the folks running this circus for the Democratic party,..."
Never forget to include the now openly pro-marxist FakeCon LLR-lefties who are fully on board with open borders, post birth abortion, full socialist takeover of healthcare, AOC's green new deal, the complete weaponization of the entire federal government against conservatives, etc.
President Trump, who’s playing Joe Biden?
A cantaloupe.
That laughter was so off-putting, and maybe it’s a tell that Biden has no intention of debating, or even if he does, that his handlers will never allow it. If so, Joe isn’t the only liability on the ticket.
doctrev: "Mike Pence: "You know, I keep hearing that when a woman laughs this much at a man's mundane speaking, it's because she wants to sleep with him. I'm flattered but spoken for, Senator."
Followed by Pence saying: "But it's not my style to cut in on Willie Brown's action"
Char Char Binks, Esq.: Seriously, it was actually fairly cagey.
Sorry, but that look on his face is anything but "cagey".
There's some pharmaceutical commercial aimed towards homosexuals where the tagline is "Step up, prep up". I'm afraid to ask what prep up means.
Sheridan said...
Occams's Razor - choose between the following: 1) Biden exhibited indications of a conscience; 2) Biden is demented.
----------------
Perfectly rational jackass cannot choose between the two.
A Biden administration would be the ultimate battleground of Obama-ites v. Clintonites.
Blogger Chuck said..."Wait a minute; does prepping for a debate necessarily include a stand-in for your opponent?"
It doesn't matter whether his debate prep included a stand-in. The point is he couldn't field the question.
Just like it doesn't matter whether there really were fine people in Charlottesville. It only matters that Trump thought there were.
This really isn't rocket science.
On second listen, I gave joe too much credit. The cackle gave it away — ITS NOT A DEBATE!
Also -- the video is a softball interview of Biden. Why is Harris the screenshot used for the video?
>>What is the point, in a rationale world, of having Harris there?
It's a completely rational thing to do. She's there to butt in if Joe starts to ramble or gets lost.
When is Joe going out in public? His lack of extemporaneous interactions, leads to speculation, at the best. Proof of
diminished mental acuity, at worse. I take Joe at his word. I watch him. I watch him field softball questions from friendly interviewers, recorded and edited for content. So my watching tells me he is incapable of public appearances for more than 30 minutes of interactions. Prove my conclusion wrong.
This response was very familiar to me. I have watched 3 people close to me decline into dementia and die.Takes around 2 years. The inability to find the words to make simple conversation. The inability to comprehend a question, or a statement. That was Joe's look, the failed grasping of what had just been said. I've seen that expression thousands of times.
Is a stand in to debate against a requirement? No. But Joe was not even in the same time zone as the question. He had no idea of what had been said.
"Why does Harris start laughing during the exchange?"
I'm heeere! Look at meeee!
This is the saddest election of my lifetime. Both Biden and Trump are unfit to be POTUS. Time to start a third party that focuses on fielding component centrist candidates.
Nothing like an ideologue firmly resisting evidence.
Trump's opening statement: "Hey, Joe, what's 8 times 7?"
Biden: "...."
Trump: "Joe Biden has early stage dementia, probably a late 3, early 4, out of the 7 stages doctors describe. He has no business running for president. His party, his Vice Presidential pick, and his family should all be ashamed of themselves for letting, for making, this former Vice President, this man, continue his campaign."
Biden: "I'll fight you!"
Trump: "And you'd win that fight, Joe, you'd win. Sure. But this isn't about fighting. It's a debate."
Drago said...
Followed by Pence saying: "But it's not my style to cut in on Willie Brown's action"
8/24/20, 2:47 PM
I love it, but he should drop another name instead. Jim Clyburn? Jesse Jackson? You just know Kamonher get around, don't cha.
Biden wasn't sidestepping the question of who was "playing" Trump.
Biden didn't understand the question.
Biden thought the question meant who will he be debating against Trump.
Biden knows it isn't time to play /debate Trump now, so he responded that he was still prepping, implying that he would be ready when it's time to play.
Harris was laughing at Biden, because she knew didn't understand the question.
Biden didn’t look flummoxed in the video and he sure wasn’t in the transcript. But he may very well look flummoxed to some very fine people.
"Most interesting," or most concerning?
Why is Kamala doing that cackling Hillary impression? That’s weird. It almost distracted me from Joe’s failure to compute.
"Once again, Ms. Harris adds inappropriate laughter"
If I were her, I'd be thinking, "I can't believe I'm getting away with this."
rcocean, 2:20:
"I think there will be debates, but Biden's Campaign will demand things like:
"The candidates being in separate locations
No Audience (naturally)
The candidates only being shown when speaking
Strict limits on who can speak and when."
Good start. I think you forgot:
Trump releasing his personal tax returns as well as those of all businesses bearing the name Trump.
He was a deer in the headlights. Maybe that was some indication of a conscience —
Generous but unlikely. I'm prepping is the rote reply of someone so demented he must be conditioned like a salivating dog to bell to utter anything intelligible in response to an audible queue.
The witty reply would be Who's Trump?
"What is the point, in a rationale world, of having Harris there?"
Harris will be taking over soon and is just shadowing Joe to see how to hit softballs.
"Time to start a third party that focuses on fielding component centrist candidates."
The Democrats have spent the last two cycles trying to avoid any political discussion: dirty tricks in both 2016 primaries, in the 2016 general, this year's Dem primaries, and now playing hide-the-candidate. If you go with a third party, it will just create more opportunity for the Dems to play games instead of addressing the electorate.
Biden's non-answer is indicative of his cognitive deterioration.
I don't see the problem. One can prep for a debate without having a simulation. I wouldn't think that the simulation/practice comes until later.
Tough guy Joe and his cackling sidekick.
Bob Boyd: "It's clear Biden knows he can just hold up his hand and the "journalist" will understand not to continue with that line of questioning or pressure him."
In the very same way Hillary knew all the questions that would be asked in 2016 and that obama knew precisely what was written on Candy Crowley's notes when he cued her up to take down the democrat patsy/plant Romney....who was all too happy to lower his head, mumble, take the beating and say "thank you, may I have another" on national television to his democrat allies.
My suggestion: Joe, get Sarah Palin to play your opponent in the debate prep. Twelve years ago she handed you your ass in the VP Debate, so this would be your chance to show how much your performance has improved.
Prepping? I hope it's like dulcolax, so it is easy on the old guy. Obviously, Joe will be transparent at that point. Obviously.
MUIR: Who is playing Trump?
You are Number Two.
Chi o cosa è Geppetto?
My husband and I were just discussing this last night, with regard to media coverage. We want to know who pulls the strings - when all the media talk-talkers come up with "Trump's speech was dark and divisive" or "This speech may be the finest Biden has ever given," who pushed the Go button for the particular talking point - or, alternatively, who started it?
I am on the fence about whether this is a top-down thing, with someone or -ones providing messaging and all the talk-talkers just doing as they're told, or a bellwether effect, in which the person who starts it doesn't actually know s/he is so influential but for some reason his/her influence reaches farther than most people's. But either way, we were just discussing media coverage, not the Democrat Party (on the Venn diagram, "media coverage" is of course almost entirely contained within "Democrat Party," so perhaps I should say "Democrat Party agenda-setters"). The above comment puts the question in a new light for me.
My husband, not usually given to conspiracy theories, has advanced one I've never heard about the partnership between the Democrats and black leaders. We were listening to a podcast in which a formerly very successful crack dealer was interviewed about his business - it was astonishing how complex it was and how far-reaching. So my husband is wondering whether the leaders of the black community from which most black-on-black violence emanates (the drug dealers and associated gangs, that is) have made a deal of sorts with law-abiding black leadership: you, black leaders, keep getting Democrats to push for the entitlements; make it so that women and children have the money they need to live on. The men are going to take their chances with the gangs since they already expect not to live too long. So don't try to make our communities "better," and don't listen to the moms who say they don't want their sons in the gangs - those moms forget that without the gangs and drug dealing, there are no jobs their sons can do [which, I add, is a short-sighted but understandable point of view, I suppose]. Just take care of the women and children and let us handle our own business. In return, we'll vote the way you tell us.
So - poor black communities stay poor but government benefits keep women and children from starving, young black men in these communities continue to join gangs because it appears to be the only thing to do, black leaders don't demand changes to or for those communities that might move the needle, but rather demand ever-increasing entitlement payments which Democrats are happy to make central to their platform, the inner-city shadow economy stays intact, including jobs in and supporting the drug trade, and Democrats end up with a nearly rock-solid voting bloc.
The thing is, it hangs together, if you can envision leaders of gangs and high-level drug dealers coming together over their shadow economy, like an especially brutal OPEC or something - but it could also just happen that way. Who can say?
This exchange doesn't look bad to me. This looks like Biden comfortably conversing about debate prep and dismissing the question about who is playing Trump.
I think people had better be careful in preparing the public for Biden to completely collapse in the debates. If he just holds his own in a debate with Trump and people are expecting him to be addled with dementia, he wins and proves he is fit to hold the office.
I understand the desire to see Biden as mentally impaired, but I'm really not getting that from this clip.
Maybe that was some indication of a conscience...
He's wrecked his conscience over the years (e.g. 'I've got my beads in my fingers while I defend the political/legal murder of unborn children') but even a ruined conscience will occasionally manifest itself: spes contra spem.
Nice of Muir to do Joe a solid. Should come in handy when B/H administration is interviewing for a press secretary.
"Wait a minute; does prepping for a debate necessarily include a stand-in for your opponent?"
In this day and age of presidential politics, yes, it does. That you don't know this speaks volumes for your political knowledge, Chuck. There are basically only two options in interpreting this section of the interview- either Biden and his team haven't yet reached the point of mock debates and Biden was simply not up to the task of answering a completely unexpected question that Muir suddenly pulled out of nowhere, or the Biden campaign has been holding mock debates, and Biden was still unable to answer the question.
In short, the possible answers to the question are, "X is playing Trump in the mock debates," or, "We haven't reached that point in our preparation." Either answer would have shown Biden up to the task of answering a question he wasn't prepared for, and he fucking failed spectacularly. You can literally see the embarrassment of Muir as he quickly covered for Biden.
"I am on the fence about whether this is a top-down thing, with someone or -ones providing messaging and all the talk-talkers just doing as they're told"
Biden himself is the proof it's top-down. How many people leapt into the "resistance" four years ago thinking that Joe Biden was at the end of the rainbow? Every one of those people is covered with shite now, with no place to go and wondering what the heck happened.
Biden won't be able to avoid a debate by claiming COVID issues etc. Trump will literally offer to come and do the debate in Biden's basement if he has to. Biden's team will need to come up with another excuse, and I honestly don't think there is a single excuse that can actually work. Nobody older than 10 ever believes the old playground fight dodge of, "I ain't afraid of fighting you, but my mom told me not to get my cloths muddy" (an excuse I actually saw once when I was in grade school).
And people are assuming that Muir gave Biden an off-the-cuff question. It is more likely that Biden simply forgot the right answer.
Watch the entire interview- there are no questions asked that required more than a single sentence answer from Biden, and there were no real detours at all- all just Q followed by short A. Compare it any interview Trump has given in the last 4 years- the interviews digress all over the place, both at Trump's initiative and the interviewer's.
If I had Biden in front of a camera answering my questions, I could easily humiliate him without once asking any illegitimate political question relevant to today, and I don't doubt for a second that Muir is just as capable of doing this, but every interaction Biden has on camera these days is with people who are quite willing to do anything to get him elected. I am not even convinced Chris Wallace wouldn't suck his dick, but that, for me, is the minimum Biden needs to do to convince me he is even qualified to leave the house on his own- do an interview with Chris Wallace (better would be Tucker Carlson). Even better would be to do a live press conference taking random questions from ordinary people.
Ohhh there's that confused look on his face again. It gets me every time because it reminds me of my elderly father and step-father when they are confused and trying to save face.
Why does Harris start laughing during the exchange?
Because her job is to cause a distraction, or to leap in with an answer, when the Joebot needs to be rebooted. That's the whole point of the double interview format. You can't rely on the interviewer to cover Joe's 404s, it's too much work and looks bad. You need someone else with an excuse to interject something when he's stuck. That's Kamala's job.
Blogger Robert Cook said...
"Biden's non-answer is indicative of his cognitive deterioration."
Exactly- there are several legitimate answers that could have been given to this question, some of them can even be lies if Biden is playing it close to the vest, or he could have just said that he didn't want to give away trade secrets, which the answer I probably would have given if I were in his shoes.
Hari said...
"Biden wasn't sidestepping the question of who was "playing" Trump.
Biden didn't understand the question."
This is exactly what it looked like to me- the question confused him. It is quite likely that Biden's team knew this question was coming, but in the moment, Muir's phrasing may have been unexpected, or Biden was supposed to insert the details without Muir having to ask, but when Biden didn't elaborate on his initial answer, Muir stepped in to draw out those details and when Biden froze, Muir bailed him out by simply withdrawing the question.
Amexpat said...
This is the saddest election of my lifetime. Both Biden and Trump are unfit to be POTUS. Time to start a third party that focuses on fielding component centrist candidates.
1: Trump's only "lack of competence" is that you disagree with him.
GFY, you low rent Nazi
2: There are no competent "centrist candidates". Centrism is the belief of the hopelessly stupid
joe was more irritated than flummoxed.
I do think the strategy the Biden team has settled on in the event they can't avoid a live, in-person debate by COVID panic is to demand Trump release his tax returns first, or no debate. It is about the only strategy that has a chance to convince anyone with an IQ above 90 that Biden is perfectly able to debate but chooses not to on some sort of principle.
So here's the plan: Joe wears a face mask, as one does. This means nobody can see his lips move. Then there's a guy behind the scenes with a microphone who does the voice-over for Joe's witty ripostes to out-debate Trump.
Law Prof said...
One can prep for a debate without having a simulation. I wouldn't think that the simulation/practice comes until later
isn't Interesting, that Jo Biden didn't say anything like that?
isn't Interesting, that Jo Biden didn't say anything at all?
Poor ol' Jo sat there staring
Robert Cook said...
Biden's non-answer is indicative of his cognitive deterioration.
Yes. He never seemed to be playing with a complete deck (too many Jokers and not enough Aces) and a few more cards go missing every month or so.
Harris' laughter is off putting. I wonder if a lot of Americans will judge her demeanor in a very negative fashion. It might turn out to be like Tom Dewey's mustache or Richard Nixon's sweating.
"Then there's a guy behind the scenes with a microphone who does the voice-over for Joe's witty ripostes"
This worked for Barney and Gomer.
Once again, Ms. Harris adds inappropriate laughter in the background
She used to just laugh before she told a lie. Now she laughs when Biden tells one too.
Biden is prepping for pudding.
It's election time. The left are gearing up all their SEeeKRITt TAPES!
Greg the Class Traitor: right in with that last post.
Jamie your husband just might be right. Allegedly a number of Chicago alderman are tied to the gangs. You are definitely correct that the MSM are party house organs.
I like tcrosse's prediction. Biden wears a mask at debate, while Rich Little sits just offstage answering questions in Biden's voice.
“the soft bigotry of Joe expectations.”
Credit -- James Lileks
A conscience that could get him pardoned for Charlottesville hoax?
I wonder if a lot of Americans will judge her demeanor in a very negative fashion.
Maybe she is practicing for the VP debate, like Joe did in 2008. It worked on Ryan.
Maybe that was some indication of a conscience —
Ann, you are too kind--
...even with 'cruel neutrality'
“You can get back to me on that”. I’m in charge here, doncha know. You report to me.
Biden's non-answer is indicative of his cognitive deterioration.
Cookie might be the last true liberal.
Sad. The old (younger) Joe would have come out fighting: "C'mon, Man! Trump doesn't know what he's talking about. I've whipped hundreds of opponents who thought they had the goods on me, smarter guys than this bozo; guy can't even do 10 pushups." Fast talking, bravado, maybe not always making sense but always moving.
Instead: "mumble, mmph, er, so am I...I'm prepping." Dead in the water.
Sad. And not just Trump "Sad," which is pure mockery. The guy really is sad.
Chuck said...
Wait a minute; does prepping for a debate necessarily include a stand-in for your opponent?
I would think that only a small portion of debate preparation involves that kind of dress rehearsal. Most of it would be reading about the issues, studying opposition research, watching video of my opponent and indeed myself on how to improve.
Ask Mike Bloomberg about that one. He got utterly toasted in his first Democrat Debate because he never had good stand-ins for his opponents, so he wasn't ready for hard hits
Joe was in federal government politics for ~50 years. He's been planning on running for at least the last 3 years. If he's still "studying", that's pretty much the worst commentary on his mental state that I can think of.
Breezy said...
So who would be a good person to stand in for Trump? I think that would be tough to do.
Get a Dem Governor of a Trump State, preferably one who has something to lose if Biden crashes and burns in the 2020 election.
He can actually slam Biden for every move he makes to the Left, and make it hurt
Of course, he'll get one session, then teh true believers will run him out.
So the answer to your question is "the acolytes of cancel culture will not tolerate an effective debate opponent for Biden."
The Mouse that Roared said...
This exchange doesn't look bad to me. This looks like Biden comfortably conversing about debate prep and dismissing the question about who is playing Trump.
No, this is Joe caught in a lie ("I'm prepping") and having no clue what to say. So he just repeats the lie.
It's the last week of August. The DNC is over. If he's still reading briefing books at this point, there's no way he's going to be ready for the debate
tcrosse said...
So here's the plan: Joe wears a face mask, as one does. This means nobody can see his lips move. Then there's a guy behind the scenes with a microphone who does the voice-over for Joe's witty ripostes to out-debate Trump.
I thought Joe would wear a mask for his DNC speech. He didn't
There's no way he can get away with wearing one for the debates
So far, no governor that I'm aware of has followed Joe Biden's lead and demanded everyone wear masks outside their own homes.
Doesn't that say a lot?
I'm prepared to buy in that Biden was being properly cagey in response to the question. I wondered why Hillary Clinton let it be known that she was practice jousting with Phillipe Reines (sp?) as Trump's vicar.
President Trump is the type who would appreciate Biden's keeping his cards close to his vest. But the atmospherics were a little strained, the pause was bad, the laugh was a problem from Mrs DA BJ, and particularly, it was funny how they zoomed out so you couldn't see Biden's face while he attempted an answer. The play on his face would be dispositive, perhaps, the more so as they didn't show it.
"That part of the preparation will come a little later." Might have actually been an honest answer.
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