With
great skepticism, I am reading
"Trump spurns traditional debate prep with first faceoff less than 3 weeks away/Some allies of the president worry that the cavalier approach to a debate with Joe Biden could backfire" at NBC News.
“It’s not the traditional, ‘we need Chris Christie to fill in and play Hillary Clinton’ like we did four years ago,” one of the president’s allies said, referring to the former New Jersey governor who has helped Trump prepare in the past.... Not all of the president’s allies think his casual approach is a wise strategy. Privately, some of them are expressing concern that the president’s overconfidence could backfire.
In particular, they’re worried that Trump appears to be banking on a Biden misstep in the first 2020 debate; all the three debates are scheduled for 90 minutes each. They said Trump has repeatedly told aides that he’s not worried about debating Biden because the former vice president is likely to have a gaffe moment or stutter. Biden had a severe stutter as a child that he overcame....
A gaffe moment or stutter! Give me a break. It's not about a moment. It's about sustained debate standing in front of the camera getting pressured for 90 minutes. Biden is unlikely to do well at all, but what's the good of having mock sessions with someone playing Joe Biden and losing track of his statements and saying "look" or "come on" before running out the clock on some random thing that seems related or reminiscing about Scranton? Trump has to decide how merciless he ought to be. That's all. I suspect he'll decide on the spot whether to show compassion or go for the jugular.
In both 2008 and 2012, Biden took an extended stretch of time off the campaign trail to prepare for debates, participating in multiple mock sessions at a makeshift debate set constructed inside a Wilmington, Delaware, hotel. Former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm played the part of Sarah Palin in 2008, and now-Sen. Chris Van Hollen played Paul Ryan in 2012.
Who's playing Trump in 2020?
[Compared to debating Bernie Sanders in the primaries] Biden is likely to find it far less difficult to spar with Trump, whom he’s increasingly targeted in more personal and stark terms....
Stark differences make it
easier?
Posts
91 comments:
Come on, man! Are you a junkie?
Again, non-news dressed as news. It’s again, as ever, unsourced. So if it’s not news, what is it? This is part of the “no debates” campaign. It prepares the “Trump was worried” damage control.
Private allies. Again with the vague anonymous sources. They aren't even "Friends" but "allies'. Who's that? Lindsey Graham? Nikki Haley? Lynn Chenney? john kelly?
Anyone who's voting for Trump can be an "ally". That means almost every former subordinate, every R congressman/Senator or staff member, or any conservative/Republican Pundit. I could be a "Trump ally". Talk to me MSM! Privately, of course.
The missing Joebot. What will Trump do without his?
But my takeaway is that they're still pretending there will be a debate. C'mon.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen played Paul Ryan in 2012.
Joe will try to copy his debate with Ryan. I'm sure he's been practicing his smirks and guffaws while his handlers coordinate with the moderators on the appropriate moments to intervene before Joe attempts to form a cohesive sentence.
They said the same about his 2016 debates with Hillary.
These debates, in the modern context, are much easier when you are the incumbent. Trump hasn't asked me but my advice would be to allow Joe to figuratively hang himself. The folks on the fence that could come over to the Trump side of the voting ledger might be repelled if he appears to be kicking a wounded man while he's down.
Though, what do I know, I never thought Trump would win in 2016 and haven't watched a debate since, maybe, Reagan.
The journalist moderators will ask Biden what he thinks about Trump's soul.
However, they will not ask Trump what he thinks about Biden's soul.
Stark differences are easier. If you are debating a possible future ally you need to take care to not say something that can't be forgiven. Though now that Kamala can call someone a rapist and a racist with no consequences it may be a lot easier in the future.
No they do not.
Has Trump ever prepared for any of his debates?
People seem to forget that Biden did poorly against Palin and Ryan, despite taking weeks off. He did badly in the 2020 Democrat primary debates too, but was saved by the nature of the debates. They weren't one-on-one - but a big group where everyone was attacking everyone else. When did they ever gang-up on Biden? Almost never. And when Biden was attacked he usually just filibustered or did a patented "C'mon man". Sometimes, others would break in and defend him. Biden is probably counting on Chris wallace saving him.
Would the person playing Biden walk into the audience to sniff little girls?
The tech oligarchs are fast inventing a mini ear piece for Joe.
I'm glad that Biden was able to overcome a child, because that's what is done by hard working Americans who rise from their humble backgrounds.
I don’t like all this lowered expectations for Biden. Yes he is not as sharp as he once was but he’s not a drooling imbecile. He has delivered a few good speeches, which many said he couldn’t do, and a few softball interviews. He’s been a politician his whole life. He can automatically string bullshit together.
Once he successfully completes a debate all the Dems, media and LLR will declare Biden has passed the senility test and all doubts have been removed.
1) Has NBC gone off script? Did they let anyone know they were going to stray from the established "low expectations for Joe" strategy that the media is using to prop him up and help him survive the debates?
2) NBC reports that people who are paid to worry are worried. How good a story is that?
3) You make a good point. How should Trump prepare for someone whose mental decline means there is no real way to anticipate how he will present himself?
4) I think Biden will do fairly well, or at least better than expected. One way or another, he always managed to pull it together in the primary debates. I expect him to do the same with Trump.
Trump needs to have a plan for when Biden staggers over and throws a punch at him. The Secret Service staffs for both candidates need to have a plan for this. Really!
The person playing Joe Robinette Biden will have to master this: "Wait, here's the deal." Over and over.
Most likely scenario: The debates will be called off, and Trump will get the blame.
Also possible: Debates happen, and the media will declare Biden the winner, because reasons.
Trump probably has to debate every freaking day. Not sure why he would need practice.
Trump will need to decide whether to go for the kill when he has the chance. Remember Romney in the second debate. He got cold feet.
I could picture Joe breaking down emotionally around about minute 70.
"Biden is probably counting on Chris wallace saving him"
That's who Trump has to prepare for, the moderators.
There will be no debate. There might be an event where 12 CNN employees sit in a circle around Trump’s podium, shouting “fact check: false” every time he speaks and 12 more around Biden prompting him, but there will be no challenges to Biden of any sort from any source.
Trump is like Candace Owens: he has the very rare skill of being able to speak extemporaneously. (Though he pops out with much wilder things than she does, helping to create that two movies effect Adams talks about.) They should be worried about whether or not Biden is practicing enough.
“ I could picture Joe breaking down emotionally around about minute 70.”
Proving what bad meanie Trump is.
Here is how I see the debates playing out:
First debate: Trump kicks Biden when he's down and then stomps his head.
Second debate: Trump mocks Biden mercilessly until the moderator calls a TKO.
Third debate: Cancelled due to Mr. Biden's health issues.
"Biden had a severe stutter as a child that he overcame ..."
Is this what people mean when they say someone is "gaslighting"? I've heard or read many times in recent months that Biden's gaffes, garbled speech, bizarre outbursts and memory lapses are actually just examples of his childhood stutter. The stutter magically disappeared during his 4 decades as a Senator and Vice President.
It's not dementia. He's not confused. The flickering light behind his eyes isn't burning out. No, he's just stuttering.
Ann Althouse said...
I could picture Joe breaking down emotionally around about minute 70.
I doubt Joe would make it that long. Kamala might, but not Joe.
It's funny how these things are laid out with expectations. Biden simply has to stay on his feet, not drool, and not make too harsh of a gaffe. With that thinking, the pressure is on Trump.
Funny- 4 years ago, Hillary was the sublime professional politician and former Sec'y State, while Trump was the underdog and a clown. Now he's the incumbent.
Before that, Romney had the Masterful One, Obama, handled in the first debate, and was on his way in the second debate when Candy Crowley of CNN stepped in to stem the bleeding and give Obama a pass...even though he was wrong. It was enough to save Obama. Years later the Democrats would notice that, yes, Russia is a problem. Just not in the way they have claimed.
Before that, George W. was a stumbling buffoon going up against the professional and wise Al Gore. Except that it didn't turn out that way. Al Gore looked stiff, goofy, and arrogant. George W. looked human and competent.
These things rarely play out as they are predicted to. I suspect Trump will be working this- if he wants to be President, he will. Biden is old, but I would not count him out of a fight. He only has to do no harm. (to himself)
The debates, if they happen, will be late in the evening. That's not a good time for someone in Biden's condition.
I read a Politico article last week saying Trump is taking a different approach preparing this time compared to 2016, basically the exact opposite message of this NBC story.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/04/trump-biden-presidential-debate-prep-408651
Fox also published an article based on the Politico article.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-campaign-presidential-debate-prep
There’s no crying in debate.
"Sundowning" is a real thing with dementia patients. They get worse later in the day. We have seen this first hand in our family. If you want to talk to grandma, call before lunch. It will be something of an objective test in front of millions of people.
I believe there are a lot of people who want to see "just how bad he is".
Joe will be declared the "winner" of the first debate if he stays upright for 90 minutes and doesn't speak total gibberish, no matter what he actually says. If he can manage it, I suspect he gets a big bump in the polls.
"Joe is not totally nuts" is the standard being set, along with "election day isn't election day, it's just the first day of a month long process"
NBC is stealing from competitor ABC's owner Disney: "A dream is a wish your heart makes..."
Trump will respond on the night. He doesn't have to be too accurate insofar as Biden is concerned, but unless you watch on C-Span, you will undoubtedly be subject to inaccurate "fact checks" in voice-overs and chryons. Viewers will be assured that Trump did call neo-Nazis and white supremacists "very fine people" at Charlottesville and that George Floyd was in fact murdered by the Minneapolis police. On other words, there will be real-time lies by the MSM.
Birkel... Exactly! My thought about Joe's favorite ice cream flavor was My Pink Pony. Jethro Tull's poster boy for Aqualung.
"I read a Politico article last week saying Trump is taking a different approach preparing this time compared to 2016, basically the exact opposite message of this NBC story."
He is doing both. The man can mystify you without even trying.
I see the whole thing playing out like this:
Biden comes out in the first debate with his usual "Shut up, Junior. Let somebody who knows something school ya!" attitude.
This does not work with Trump who goes on the offensive against Biden's ego.
At some point, after a blood pressure spike, Biden has a coronary, TIA, stroke, etc. and has to drop out of the race.
This means Kamala now has to step up and run for President and picks Hillary! as her running mate.
Hillary! accepts knowing that she is now one tragic suicide away from the Presidency.
“Trump has to decide how merciless he ought to be. That's all.”
I think this is correct. I predict that watching Biden’s debate performance will be painful.
Tim Maguire,
I watched every single Democratic primary debate- Biden was simply awful in all of them, even the last one- Sanders just pulled all his punches that night, probably because the race was already finished in his mind (remember, COVID had already all but ended actual campaigning, and Biden was way out in front in delegates).
There is a reason Biden won no delegates before South Carolina- his debate performances was the main one.
Assuming the debates even happen I can easily imagine Trump throwing a changeup pitch and be extra nice to the doddering old man. No one likes to see a broken down mule hit with a two by four.
Agree with others assessment that debates don't always pan out as expected. But what is not in dispute is there are nothing but downsides for Biden to participate. He is already being scrutinized for cognitive and staying power questions. Any misstep will reinforce he's past his prime. No one will remember a really good debate point or rejoinder from Joe when they see he gets angry at his inability to express himself like he used to or bobbles an easy question.
Also, Trump being the master showman will make sure to talk up his "opponent" like he's trying to sell tickets to a Mike Tyson bum of the month boxing match. If expectations are being lowered it won't be by his campaign.
I still believe there will either be no debates, or Biden is replaced by Harris or someone else on the ticket. If Biden does debate, it will be from his basement via Zoom where people off camera can feed him answers on teleprompters.
In an open debate with both candidates present, I don't think Chris Wallace will pull any punches to help Biden- Biden will sink or swim on his own merits alone. I think Wallace is definitely anti-Trump, but it is his professional reputation on the line, and I do think it means something to him. I doubt professional reputation means anything to the other two moderators in debates 2 and 3.
Exactly.
Trump must prepare for the fact that he will be out-numbered.
Laughable. Trump's never just mailed it in on a knife-fight in his life. Their fear is that he's all too well-prepared and, I suspect, well-coached in how to take advantage of Biden's failing cognition.
“Blogger Bill, Republic of Texas said...
I don’t like all this lowered expectations for Biden. Yes he is not as sharp as he once was but he’s not a drooling imbecile. He has delivered a few good speeches ...”
LOLWUT?
Biden may have “delivered a few good speeches” (debatable), but they are sprinkled liberally with drooling imbecile.
And those were prepared, pre-recorded speeches, or delivered using a teleprompter. Open debate is a wee bit different.
The DNC can’t allow Biden anywhere near a debate stage with Trump.
Never underestimate your enemy.
And Trump will not.
Comcast> NBC News> MSNBC
Will Colonel Kurt Schlichter be among the debate moderators? Plus others like him?
If not, it seems to me many of these questions may either be moot or misplaced.
Who cares how the "practice" debates go when the real encounters are as likely to be as overtly managed in favor of Biden - giving Biden more time, or simply validating whatever falls out of his mouth; foiling Trump hoping to goad him into exploding on stage - as other aspects of this year's campaign, for example, proceeding on the assumption that successful Trump rallies making Biden look like a cowering, senile wallflower by comparison are now public health hazards to be peremptorily shut down by Democratic power brokers?
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/sep/9/trumps-nevada-rallies-canceled-due-states-coronavi/
Cancel Trump wherever possible. Validate Biden wherever possible. Require that every report from your lying eyes be "fact checked".
It may be more accurate to view the debates as the campaign rallies Biden could never have mounted on his own.
If not planning to bow out, Biden's "Q" is working towards an ultra-miniaturized earpiece receiver for a bit of assist..like question preview.
They can probably juice him up sufficiently to last 70 minutes.
Better debating through chemistry.
Ann Althouse said...
Trump will need to decide whether to go for the kill when he has the chance. Remember Romney in the second debate. He got cold feet.
I think the bigger problem is deciding what "the kill" looks like.
Marco Rubio was toasted by Chris Christie in the final NH debate, by simply 1: Pointing out that Rubio had a tic, and 2: Calling him out when he fell into it again.
So, what Trump shoudl be gaming out, with some trusted people who won't talk to anyone in the leftist press, is "how do I most effectively take Biden down?"
But if let the kind of "allies" who talk to the press find out what he's planning, Biden's team would know, too. And then they might be able to prep him for it.
Basic rule: No one who's talking to the Left press has any idea what's actually going on in Trump World
Ann Althouse said...
I could picture Joe breaking down emotionally around about minute 70.
9/9/20, 12:31 PM
If that happens, I wonder if it would be better - and even more devastating for the Dems - for Trump to show sympathy. "I'm really sorry you're going through this, Joe. It's taken a toll on you..." Going for the kill if Joe breaks down or gets hopelessly confused could look like a wolf attacking a frightened bunny.
Of course, I think that a show of sympathy would enrage the Dems even more - people pity addled oldsters, not worthy political opponents. If the media got Mean Trump rather than Pitying Trump, they could focus on how mean and crass Trump is and avoid talking about Joe.
The risk, I guess, is that a show of sympathy from Trump might come across as terribly phoney, even to Trump supporters.
Once he successfully completes a debate all the Dems, media and LLR will declare Biden has passed the senility test and all doubts have been removed.
Which is why, all along, the Biden-is-senile line has been a red herring. People on the Left know it and don't care - they're electing a puppet and a platform they want. People on the Right know it and do care, because if we lose, we lose to a platform we dread, and who is in charge of it is unimportant.
The squishy middle shouldn't care, because whether Biden is senile or not, they'd be living under that platform. The platform is the important part - the platform and the tactics. Do they want to elect the side that either appeases (bad enough), or is in active control of (worse), lawless, violent rioters who will take to the streets any time things aren't going their way? Do they believe the side that says it can simultaneously turn the US energy industry to renewables and maintain energy independence, keep high-paying skilled-but-not-necessarily-educated jobs in the country and dramatically raise corporate taxes, improve everyone's standard of living and decrease livestock production and single-family housing development... all while only raising taxes on the "super-rich" and fostering "social justice"? Does that platform even pass the sniff test?
But of course it does seem awfully Soviet deliberately to elect a feckless figurehead, so we all act as if we care.
The concern troll is the most transparent of partisans. We've had our own "lifelong Republican" who is "only worried about the state of his party" Bullshit. If you support Democrats and Democrat ideas, you are a Democrat. President's allies? Hah. I want to see passport photos. Maybe birth certificates.
A typical debate preparation would entail being well versed on public policy questions, being well prepared for attacks that your opponent may challenge you with and having some good lines of attack against your opponent, with perhaps a few soundbite suitable zingers.
All that is not relevant this time. No one expects an in depth debate about the issues. Trump can just be Trump, no one will expect otherwise. So I don't see the point of Trump preparing.
The pressure is on Biden to make it through a 90-minute debate with the appearance of a modicum of control of his faculties. He has a tendency to be easily goaded, even when he is not being goaded. So his preparation should be to have someone persistently goad him in a Trump like fashion and learn to not take the bait. Also, his debate team should train him to keep his answers short, not wander down memory lane and avoid "C'mon Man" in his replies.
Retail Lawyer said...
Trump needs to have a plan for when Biden staggers over and throws a punch at him. The Secret Service staffs for both candidates need to have a plan for this. Really!
9/9/20, 12:21 PM
They also need a plan for when Biden takes his pants off, walks over to the female moderator and asks her if she wants to stroke his hairy leg...
"Before that, George W. was a stumbling buffoon going up against the professional and wise Al Gore. Except that it didn't turn out that way. Al Gore looked stiff, goofy, and arrogant. George W. looked human and competent."
That makes me realize that Trump is an expert at these sorts of public performances and spectacles. Biden is not; he is skilled (maybe not so much any longer) at running a hearing, giving Senate floor speeches, filibustering, standing around looking important at official government meetings and pronouncements. Trump has an instinct for this and he knows explicitly who is his audience.
Just more sourced information not willingly to go on record? Surprise - LOL!
It looks like I may be wrong. Ace of Spades has a video of Biden at an union event.
Biden sounds exhausted. I don't know how long that event went by he was obviously it up to handling the event.
Trump probably knows the real story on Biden health. Just like the Dems insisted on trotting out Mueller but he was so old and confused he proved the conservatives were right. He was just a figg leaf to cover the partisan investigation.
Bill RoT @ 12:15 - agreed.
Trump's going for the compassion approach, which, by the way, is in keeping with his character.
He'll treat Biden as you'd treat a child. In particular not making him feel bad.
Trump is not preparing the traditional way because he doubts there will be any debate. In which case, a rehearsed give-and-take with a Joebot is just a waste of time, something he hates. That's my guess; it fits.
In addition, he's had four solid years of more intense preparation than he could ever have called upon in 2016. So whatever curveball the DNC eventually throws, he is in a strong position.
Leora said: "Though now that Kamala can call someone a rapist and a racist with no consequences it may be a lot easier in the future."
Yeah, that's Democrat/African American/Woman Privilege talking. Not everyone is allowed to do that.
Maybe they will add some new rules to make it more like a professional wrestling match and Kamala will be able to jump in when Joe gets lost or confused, then he can jump back in when she starts her nervous bouts of laughter.
Is this story supposed to counter the video of Biden saying he was prepping for the debates, then freezing when he's asked "who is playing Trump?"? (ABC interview of Biden and Harris by David Muir).
What does it matter? When the debates are over, the media will pronounce Biden the winner and Trump unspeakably horrid.
If Trump is merely . . . Trump . . . with all of his foibles and gaffs and blustering and exaggeration, he will still be supported by the same people as he was before the debate, because that is exactly the person we're supporting - the unpolished vandal.
The debates are Biden's to lose. Trump will be fine.
Trump never prepared for nor practiced debating. Many people were named as assisting Trump, including Roger Ailes, Roger Stone, Mike Flynn, Corey Lewandowski, KellyAnne Conway, Laura Ingraham, Rudy Guiliani, Steve Bannon, Jason Miller and Chris Christie.
The New York Times reported on August 29, 2016, that Clinton's prep team had talked with Donald Trump's ghostwriter Tony Schwartz, who wrote Trump's book "The Art of the Deal." The Times reported that the prep team was hoping to gather information on Trump's weaknesses and insecurities. Schwartz described Trump as having "severe attention problems and simply cannot take in complex information — he will be unable to practice for these debates. Trump will bring nothing but his bluster to the debates. He’ll use sixth-grade language, he will repeat himself many times, he won’t complete sentences, and he won’t say anything of substance." The debate prep team had also hired psychologists to create a profile on Trump to predict his reactions on the debate stage.
So he has really never practiced debating because he doesn't have the intellect and he never will. Trump told Bob Costa: "Debate skills are either something you either have or don’t have. . . " and of course he does not possess any skills other than talking about himself.
There are going to be debates ?!
"Sundowning" is a real thing with dementia patients. They get worse later in the day.
"Sundown you better take care
If I find you been creepin' 'round my back stairs
Sometimes I think it's a sin
When I feel like I'm winnin' when I'm losin' again"
Assuming the reporter is actually talking to allies of president Trump, there could be a dual purpose for getting this story out there. It could be about lowering expectations for Trump. The story is about how Trump is making a mistake by not preparing. He isn't getting ready for the match. He isn't practicing witty lines to use on Joe. If you knew someone wasn't preparing properly before an event wouldn't most people expect that someone to not perform as well as they should have?
The other purpose might be to get a message about cognitive problems of Joe Biden out there. Now this might be slightly at odds with the expectation game, because it should lower expectations of Joe Biden. But it could also serve a purpose of priming people to interpret events a certain way. If people are primed to think that Joe Biden has cognitive problems then any flub, stutter or misstep he makes will be viewed in that light and taken as evidence of his cognitive decline. And in a 90 minute 1 on 1 debate the chance of anyone not making a mistake is pretty low. Maybe this will magnify any minor mistake by Joe into proof he has severe cognitive issues.
Trump: "Hey, Joe, what's 8 times 7?"
End of debate.
“It’s not the traditional, ‘we need Chris Christie to fill in and play Hillary Clinton’ like we did four years ago,”
00000000---------
I would pay dineros to see videos :
- Did Christie go drag to get into character?
- Trump kept a straight face because he lacks humor!
bonus Q
does that now place Christie "somewhere on the rainbow"?
did he commit hate crime? >>>> punishment >>> a heave ho into an SUV
He's prepping by doing press conferences.
Clint gets it. Trump does a debate during every single press conference- and with people more hostile than Chris Wallace, and he does more than 1 every week for 4 years running. What more practice would Trump really need?
That's who Trump has to prepare for, the moderators.
Oh, I could see Chris Wallace doing a Candy Crowley.
However, Trump has a copy of Joe's teleprompter script.
I still cannot believe there will be a real debate. Too dangerous to try to fake it.
Likewise, in his prime years, Tiger Woods' allies worried that he hadn't practiced enough for if we ended up playing against each other.
gadfly: "So he has really never practiced debating because he doesn't have the intellect and he never will."
How is your blog coming along?
It helps Biden that even blatant lies are applauded as great statesmanship by the press. But Trump will kill him (figuratively, Joe, figuratively).
gadfly is like that little kid with the beanie cap in the corner with dirt on his face watching the ball game and shoving peanuts in his mouth while saying "hey, that Shoeless Joe Jackson ain't that good".
Bill, Republic of Texas: "It looks like I may be wrong. Ace of Spades has a video of Biden at an union event.
Biden sounds exhausted. I don't know how long that event went by he was obviously it up to handling the event."
Biden's mental and physical collapse is why The Poor Man's LLR-lefty ***** gadfly is working overtime from his mothers basement to try and get everyone to think that its really OrangeManBad that is in trouble.
At some point Althouse and Meade are going to have to tell gadfly that children should be seen and not heard.......
1. The Trump fans who fantasize that Biden will come across as a drooling idiot in the first debate (many of whom are commenting here) will be disappointed. Whether that's because the questioners will be too easy on Joe, or because Joe will be on stronger meds than then expect, or because he's not as senile as they think, doesn't matter. He won't self-destruct.
2. If Trump thinks he doesn't need to do mock debates with a psuedo-Joe, he's probably right. Trump has been President for 4 years. And he's been Trump for a lot longer. There are probably a few things he should be encouraged NOT to do, but if there's anyone who can do that, I don't know who it would be.
3. This should be fun (which hasn't been said about many Presidential Debates).
Ann Althouse said...
Trump will need to decide whether to go for the kill when he has the chance. Remember Romney in the second debate. He got cold feet.
I have a somewhat different take. If there are debates (which I doubt) Trump needs to go for the suicide.
In other words, Trump needs to gently challenge Uncle Joe on issues that will annoy him and let Joe commit suicide with his incoherence and anger. Trump should try to look benign (or if possible, benevolent) in order to demonstrate Joe's mental decline expressed in gibberish and unreasonable anger.
Bringing up Hunter in a questioning way is a sure bet.
Mikee, asking a math question would lose votes. My old boss used to screen potential employees by asking what 5% of 100 was. You'd be amazed how few people passed. And some of the screened became irrationally angry. Hell, there are folks out there explaining that math is racist.
Al Gore looked stiff, goofy, and arrogant.
And orange! Long before Trump made orange cool.
gadfly said...
....The New York Times reported on August 29, 2016, that Clinton's prep team had talked with Donald Trump's ghostwriter Tony Schwartz, who wrote Trump's book "The Art of the Deal." The Times reported that the prep team was hoping to gather information on Trump's weaknesses and insecurities. Schwartz described Trump as having "severe attention problems and simply cannot take in complex information — he will be unable to practice for these debates. Trump will bring nothing but his bluster to the debates. He’ll use sixth-grade language, he will repeat himself many times, he won’t complete sentences, and he won’t say anything of substance." The debate prep team had also hired psychologists to create a profile on Trump to predict his reactions on the debate stage...
----------==========
thanks Gadfly - nice to see D people using data-science + psych - reveals and tells
very similar to jury selection techniques and witness background analysis.
1. The Trump fans who fantasize that Biden will come across as a drooling idiot in the first debate (many of whom are commenting here) will be disappointed. Whether that's because the questioners will be too easy on Joe, or because Joe will be on stronger meds than then expect, or because he's not as senile as they think, doesn't matter. He won't self-destruct.
You are omitting the most salient point - Joe will know in advance all of the questions, and will be as prepared as his addled, amphetamined brain can handle.
So he has really never practiced debating because he doesn't have the intellect and he never will. Trump told Bob Costa: "Debate skills are either something you either have or don’t have. . . " and of course he does not possess any skills other than talking about himself.
And that's why Trump lost both the Republican primary and the Presidential election in 2016.
You are omitting the most salient point - Joe will know in advance all of the questions, and will be as prepared as his addled, amphetamined brain can handle.
9/9/20, 8:34 PM
They're doing that now - does anybody think his "press conferences" aren't scripted - and he still muffs his lines.
And those are short appearances, not an hour or 90 minutes long.
If Trump believes Biden has serious cognitive issues, he will change subjects frequently. Trump has the ability to shift subject mid-sentence. Even if Biden is fed all the questions and prepares for them, Trump is not going to debate on the questions. Biden will be left with either replying to Trump's reply or just reciting a canned answer.
Biden's only hope is to stick with the canned answers to the canned questions. He'll look like the stale worn out politician he is - and the press can declare him the winner. Of course, unless Biden just quits the race on the stage, the press will declare him the winner anyway.
Prof. Althouse came to the same conclusion about the debates that I did - - if Biden shows evidence of being addled, how much sympathy should the President show? Should he simply ignore Biden completely and let him bumblefuck himself, or should he be his usual sarcastic self? How will it play with the American people watching?
As for debate prep, have you noticed how often President Trump has given press conferences recently? Almost daily now. And the banter in the press conferences is often far more merciless on both sides than anything Biden is capable of these days.
What I really anticipate is that President Trump will bait Biden so mercilessly that Biden tries to make it personal and challenge the President to a fistfight, or assault the President on camera. How will the Secret Service teams from both sides react?
Drago said...
gadfly: "So he has really never practiced debating because he doesn't have the intellect and he never will."
How is your blog coming along?
9/9/20, 5:02 PM
It is absolutely AMAZING how all of the critically stupid Republicans manage to win elections against those absolutely brilliant Democrats!
This just has to be the proof we have all been looking for of voter fraud! Quick, tell the Democrats! Now they will just have to support tighter voting controls, Republicans keep STEALING elections and getting morons into high office!
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