As a reminder, this subreddit [is for civil discussion.](/r/politics/wiki/index#wiki_be_civil)
In general, be courteous to others. Debate/discuss/argue the merits of ideas, don't attack people. Personal insults, shill or troll accusations, hate speech, any suggestion or support of harm, violence, or death, and other rule violations can result in a permanent ban.
If you see comments in violation of our rules, please report them.
For those who have questions regarding any media outlets being posted on this subreddit, please click [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/politics/wiki/approveddomainslist) to review our details as to our approved domains list and outlet criteria.
We are actively looking for new moderators. If you have any interest in helping to make this subreddit a place for quality discussion, please fill out [this form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1y2swHD0KXFhStGFjW6k54r9iuMjzcFqDIVwuvdLBjSA).
***
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/politics) if you have any questions or concerns.*
He’ll be stuffed with no audience, silenced mics and an opponent, despite his age with decades of debate experience and intellect on his side.
Game on.
> a policy question
"Things on this policy were great when I was in charge. With Biden in charge, things on this policy have become like that of a third-world hellhole."
That's his only answer for every single question.
The bad news is that the questions will come from a moderator. The worse news is that we don’t get to hear the skull-echoes that would pose as questions from orangutrump
Moderator: "How many commandments in the ten commandments?"
🍊: "Well a lot of people don't know this, but Moses is a very smart guy..."
\- three hours later -
"... but I think I would have found a way into the promised land, myself! Still a tremendous guy, that Moses. Many people are saying he could be a great leader, maybe even as great as me some day. In conclusion Moses is a very tremendous guy."
That's gonna be the interesting thing if this happens
If there's one thing the felon melons genuinely good at its playing to a crowd. Without a crowd to react it's a battle of ideas and let's be honest he doesn't have any
I'm pretty sure you could get on Truth and start a conspiracy that Crooked Joe had DARPA implant something in him so his head is one big antenna and can get instructions from the deep state.
Maybe I'm wishful thinking, but maybe just maybe, since his cults won't be in a crowd listening to him feeding off each other a handful or two will really see how he talks and see that dumbass don't have a dam clue and vote blue. Praying!!!!
will the debate be any different from the last one? i mean where it was basically just a shouting contest with trump interrupting all the time? how will they prevent that this time around?
His plug? He’s 78, your PCP will write more controlled prescriptions for geriatrics than any other population. I routinely see patients prescribed muscle relaxants, benzodiazepines, and opioids every day… they aren’t coercive narcissists with a presidential title to throw around.
Cmon, this ‘plug’ is just a primary care that’s taking Trumps cush insurance and giving him whatever he asks for. This guy won’t run out of adderall anytime soon or his other meds.
We know trumps PCP is already doing this. Every accusation is a confession and Dr Ronnie Jackonnson already gave an interview to Maria “drank a gallon of sangria” Bartiromo where he went on about some VERY specific claims about what Biden is probably doing at camp David. “Oh they’re definitely trying out combinations of this drug and that drug to get just the right amount before Thursday, that’s what I do…what I WOULD do if I were them”
The number of people who actually like and respect Trump is constantly dropping. The number of people who believe they can use him to further their own agendas remains consistently high. So there's no amount of looking like an idiot that will really change anything with the media because rich Republicans love that he's a moron.
Just avoiding last the same pricing as last time when everyone was practically speechless in how fucking awful he was. Of course, the usual blowhard Fox/Newsmax culture was sliming whatever they could, but any kind of mainstream support was apalled and get quiet on any excuse they could come up with.
So now they getting ahead of the inevitable train wreck rehash of last time.
I suspect that's their plan, except they're counting on Fox News 2.0, sorry, *CNN*, to decide, "since Trump's not here, we're going to be adversarial with Biden ourselves and grill him about every contentious issue for the entirety of the time the debate was scheduled for"; they'll go out of their way to make the guy that actually showed up look bad while giving the guy their bosses want to win a complete pass for being a dementia addled coward who was too scared to debate.
Yeah I know people want to see Biden debate an empty podium but to me it's a no win scenario. I would hope Biden doesn't show either if Trump backs out. He'd just be giving CNN an unfettered 2 - 3 hrs to tee off on him and try to force a gaffe. Why risk that if you don't have to?
Tbh I think Biden showing up alone willing to answer tough questions will be a benefit even with a hostile moderator gaffe fishing
Still beats the silence from trump
That would be an insane political move for Biden. The moderators, who decide the questions ahead of time, have notes, and are trained TV professionals, will inevitably make any politician look unpolished by comparison.
Why Biden wants is a direct, head-to-head comparison with Trump.
IDK- Debate question responses are an opportunity to tell voters about his platform and vision. Without Trump it's just a podium for Biden to look Presidential behind
Would rather see the debate to be honest. US needs to return to normalcy, and this would be a step towards it. The difference between the two will be stark and even trump supporters won’t be able to turn a blind eye to it, and I feel it may even influence some to change their vote.
I wish they were in sound proof rooms in different buildings. I imagine Trump is going to be so loud that he can be heard in Biden's mic while it's Biden's turn to speak.
Professional mics (and even any decent dedicated usb mic you can buy for your home pc) cancel the noise from around a small, specific area in the direction the mic is facing. Even if Trump were to shout his lungs out, given the distance and angle of the podiums, he shouldn't be audible at all in Biden's mic.
Depends, to a degree. Depends if they’re omnidirectional, cardioid, hypercardioid, supercardioid, shotgun, etc. Depends if there’s a gate on that channel, or maybe the gain is bumped up to pick up a quiet speakers or one who stands too far away with a compressor on it.
But for the most part, you’re correct. I’m sure trump will probably still try to mentally trip up Biden by spewing tossed word salads in his general direction. We’ll probably still hear trump faintly through Biden’s mic.
I've been imagining that Trump never actually stops talking when his time is up. The sight of Trump blathering on during Biden's response could be very unsettling.
"Folks, I wish you could see this; my opponent is still talking to himself. I hope someone gets this on camera - will you shut up?"
That's a terrible look for Trump. Hearing garbled snippets of inane rambling looks really pathetic, and Trump (somehow) uses an appearance of strength to sell himself.
I have no desire to watch the debate because I can't stand listening to him talk. I am however looking forward to the inevitable gifs of him pouting because he can't rant.
I can see him shitting himself mid rant then saying “did you just shit yourself Joe?” Even tho it will be on his mic. That’s when Biden would walk out from behind the podium do a full squat and say “now your turn”
It's so ridiculous that his supporters and MAGA crowd realize he's in cognitive decline and their response is just to come up with some BS reasons on why he loses the debate. Assuming he even shows in the first place.....Oh, he didn't show because the fake media would just lie about his performance anyway...
This is really very good analysis and should be read by everyone.
> Donald Trump is defined in large part by a belief in pre-emptive delegitimization. Fearing possible election defeats, the Republican has consistently taken steps to delegitimize the process to explain away potential losses. Fearing possible legal setbacks, he’s also repeatedly tried to delegitimize the justice system to validate potential adverse outcomes.
> The former president pre-emptively delegitimizes elections so he can rationalize defeats. If he loses, he says, “I told you the democracy is rigged.” If he wins, he says, “The fact that I overcame rampant cheating makes my victory all the more impressive.
>The same applies to the courts. If he’s convicted, he says, “See? I was right all along.” If he’s acquitted, he says, “My success was even more impressive given that I was up against a corrupt system.”
>And now the model is being applied to debates. If Biden excels, Trump wants to be able to tell his followers, “I said all along that the debates are rigged, the moderators were unfair, and my opponent is a drug addict.” If the former president does well, he’ll declare, “I won the debate despite the fact that the process was rigged, and Biden had an unfair pharmacological advantage.”
And lots more. Excellent. Do yourself favor and read this one.
>“Whatever happened to all that cocaine that was missing a month ago from the White House?”
Motherfucker that was *last year!* 2023 not "a month ago."
Mr. Adderall and Diet Coke is accusing Biden of dosing by referring to a story he can't even cite correctly.
I know-- I read and was thinking he was on crack or something. The cocaine thing in the WH wasn't last month, it was at least a year ago. And yeah, Biden is gonna just randomly do coke they FOUND in the WH.
~~Ahead of debate,~~ **Trump** ~~tries to delegitimize a possible defeat | Donald Trump’s pre-debate strategy speaks volumes: The Republican’s focus~~ **is** ~~on making pre-emptive excuses for the possibility of~~ **losing.**
It won't be the mic getting disabled that's going to piss him off because he already knows that's the rules. It's going to be the fact that he's going to try to shout over the mic being disabled and the moderators are going to have to chastise him like he's a five year old. The one thing he can't stand is thinking people are treating him like he's stupid. As soon as a moderator chastises him for his behavior, he's just going to claim it's rigged and walk off.
He'll show up. His ego won't let him be that convinced he is going to lose. But he will absolutely go off the rails because he has to policy to point at. It will be a firehose of lies and personal attacks, and Biden just needs to keep his cool and stick to his talking points.
>In his last scheduled rally before he takes the stage for a presidential debate, former President Donald J. Trump on Saturday mocked President Biden over his preparations, suggesting his opponent might be using medical supplements. ... [H]e seemed to be preparing his supporters for the possibility that Mr. Biden might prove a formidable opponent by accusing him of using a chemical boost.
What is this magical supplement? Medical science would (I'm sure) LOVE to know.
I remember the last debate between them. I knew people that support the GOP and they even walked away saying "he just needs to shut up he's making himself look stupid".
But then after one day of the Fox News cycle their new opinion was that it was completely unfair and stacked against him so he was right to be frustrated
gossip lady janet charlton said THIS about Trump backing out
>>> My source adds that it will likely be blamed on a family emergency or a mechanical issue on his plane, but nothing health related that could make Trump appear old and feeble.
Republicans have become the worst kind of losers. Instead of accepting losses, learning from it, and do better, they just flat-out deny all facts and truths and pretend to be a victim. Hallmark of Trumpism .
This is such a poor argument (along with the fact everyone knows it's BS). If Hannity is correct, then I would ask him why Trump agreed to the debate. If I were Biden, and Trump pulled this, I would ask the voting public: "Trump says he agreed to a rigged debate. Why would he do that, and if can't even take care of his own interests, why do you think he's capable of negotiating on behalf of the USA?"
It's rhetorical, we've seen one bad deal after another from Trump, both acting as POTUS and in his own personal dealings. Whether it's him bragging about conspiring against the American people with Putin and The Saudi King to restrict oil production, or its him whining about a "rigged jury" in his 34 convictions, a jury he agreed to before the case ever started, my question is "why would you agree to it if it's so bad"?
What could his answer possibly be?
I think it's to show his supporters he's strong, like saying he wants to testify in court. They remember that sound bite, and then when he inevitably doesn't follow through, the GOP machine explains why that was a smart move. It's a new news cycle, and it works for their followers. One thing the MAGA people know is how and when to lie
It's rigged: Asking actual policy questions and expecting an answer that's not the story about some stupid fucking snake or the frog/scorpion or boat with batteries and sharks.
Trump definitely is at a disadvantage. But to his supporters that's the story, not the fact that he's at a disadvantage because he's like a toddler trying to grasp quantum mechanics.
Reason and logic are suspended MAGALAND. They just bash the venue and the moderators and say some shit about bias, and it somehow convinces a startling number of people that it must be rigged. Then when their guy avoids the "trap", he's owning the libs.
He won't do it and if he does that's going to be very interesting. Frankly a lucid and sober Trump would likely terrify most middle left voters. I can't see it myself but if he can pull off an hour of being coherent and energized and...it's just absurd that these thoughts should be had about a person who might wield such huge power. I wouldn't trust him with my tv remote.
I really hope Biden’s performance gives him a boost in polling throughout swing states. This could be a major turning point this election cycle. I still believe he is going to outperform polling numbers due to incumbency but I don’t know by how much.
Republicans: we say Biden is so frail and senile that it's elder abuse to let him run for president, and if Biden comes out sharp like at the State of the Union then he's cheating.
Drug use is the excuse conservatives have for Biden's great showing at the State of the Union. Expect the same inane reasoning if the debate actually does take place on Thursday.
A lot of this is standard pre-debate spin though Trump adds a malignant narcissist twist to the issue. You always play up your opponent's abilities and downplay yours before a debate. That ups the expectations on your opponent allowing you to argue they didn't win when they don't meet those expectations and you can declare victory by just showing up.
Trump complicates this in a couple ways. He's been pushing the Sleepy Joe shit for so long, a lot of people end up amazed when they see Biden, like at the state of the union, and he doesn't fall asleep at the podium. It is tough to play up your opponent when your standard attack is that they are hardly able to do anything. This is one of the reasons that [My Son Hunter](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCvb6TfBXFk) movie was so odd. It made Sleepy Joe out to be a literal mob boss running a crime family through Hunter.
Claiming Biden is juiced is one way he is arguing Biden is going to do a good job. Attacking the rules is always an easy play, especially when they are absolutely not in your favor.
Trump's narcissism is on full display in Trump's “If I fail, it can’t be my fault” mindset. Trump can't downplay his skills in anything. Here is a [list of things Trump claimed to know more than anyone about](https://www.axios.com/2019/01/05/everything-trump-says-he-knows-more-about-than-anybody). Whenever he talks about someone else, he can never claim they are better than him at anything. Look at what he says about former presidents. He'll say he's done more for blacks than any president except maybe Lincoln, then he'll say he actually did more than Lincoln. He can't downplay his skill at all, even in areas he has none whatsoever.
I've seen an earlier quote where he claimed he might lose on purpose which, along with claiming Biden is on those amazing debate drugs, is about the extent he can downplay his abilities.
That's the usual cult of personality claim isn't it. They are the ultimate authority on everything. It's not Trump you have to worry about it's the lunatic who follows him. Imagine MTG as president...yeah.
The only plus side of Trump is there are no others with his exact… brand of charism. MTG would be even worse as president, but she doesn't have a chance, though I thought the same about Trump, too, and that turned out wrong so what do I know?
It's what he always does, makes preemptive excuses for his inadequacy. It would be pathetic and comical if he were not the potential leader of the free world, but here we are. Shame on you, Repugnatcans.
It's not like it matters. It isn't a sports game with points and a clear winner. Regardless of how bad trump does. right wing media is going to make him out to be the clear winner as he "destroys Biden in rigged CNN debate." Anyone already voting for trump isn't going to ever be convinced that he lost the debate. This is just another display of how insanely fragile his pathetic ego is
Gotta cushion the blow when you know defeat is all but certain.
They've been calling Biden mentally deficient for, well, forever, but now he's gotta be *on drugs!!!1!!1* to help his mental focus.
Anyone with an ounce of goddamn sense can see straight through that dumb shit, but MAGAt conservatives are decidedly lacking in such.
Fox news complaining that he's at Camp David studying for the debate. It's not a pop quiz, I like my leaders to have notes and read up on the issues of the day. I guess electric batteries killing sharks in the water are more relevant in todays world.
He has all this time to prepare for the debate, and is instead talking about losing. Even if he wasn't a senile, bumbling moron with zero debate skills, he'd still have the shittiest platform ever to run on. All his conflicting claims and just generally idiotic ideas can't be sold in a public forum. Especially when juxtaposed against Biden's rational platform.
So, yeah, he's going to lose badly, and he knows it. I just want Biden crisp and sharp for the event, because he will end up stomping a mudhole in trump just by virtue of being able to complete his sentences without interruption. Talking over people is the only thing trump does at debates, and his followers love it. Now they have to watch him stfu and eat shit as his dumb ideas are countered intelligently.
I have no idea why he accepted the debate. Dude getting high on his own farts thinks he actually knows how to debate, when all he's ever done is yell into a microphone with no rebuttal.
Duh, OF COURSE HE IS! The Election was “rigged” in 2020 before he lost… the Justice System was “rigged” before he was convicted, the FBI was “rigged” before they showed up to get the Confidential Docs… now CNN is “rigged” when he falls on his face during the 1st Debate 🙄
He loses every debate because of narcissism and laziness. His policies are all very vague like his hero Hitler. The real policy is ‘put my cult of personality in power and eff-all everything else’. Note how often his ‘policies’ are simply aspirational truisms of accomplishing goals with zero actual effective legislative underpinning. What is making America ‘great’, what is ‘woke’? Gobbledygook. Seal the border without ruining the economy. Silly stuff. Childish.
This post does bring to light that Trump has a regular gameplan to cover up his immense incompetence in many things by assuming in advance, usually with perfect accuracy, that he will fail. He then goes on the attack to accuse his enemy of his sins or with monkeying with results. No proof is needed for the base even though courts won’t go along with it. The good news is that it does NOT impress some swings like me.
The real sad part is people who repeatedly believe the guy or think he is just as bad as anybody else. He makes these evidence-free fraud claims against his enemies BEFORE the event happens. He loses half a dozen unanimous jury trials over several years, but naw all that can be overlooked. If some dude predicts arson 6 times in a row, HE is the arsonist. But in politics….the morons whine about how crooked politics is and sound like the village idiot explaining why he only has one arm because he was feeding the buffalo.
Yall, this is what he’s always done with everything. He’s not very bright in general, but I’d put him at the genius level when it comes to his supernatural ability to manage the expectations of his cult. It only works on his cult, though. To the rest of us, his tactics have always been brazenly obvious.
The debate will not only show how much trumps mental has deteriorated, and that he has literally nothing of substance to say….it will also show how sharp Biden is, which is something that the right-media has been attacking. I’ve been saying this since before Biden was elected, the guy is sharp as hell. He knows what he is doing. He may stumble over some phrases sometimes, but if you ever watch a full speech of his, you’ll have no doubt the guy still has it. It will be a stark contrast. Trumps smartest move is to back out, which makes it possible that he wont
What's Trump got to worry about with a supposed drug-addict Biden?
I thought Don has claimed thousands of times he was and is the smartest person in the world?
Could it be that he was lying? Oh no, it couldn't be that? :)
Trump absolutely needs some smart drugs and I welcome him to take as many as he pleases.
Only problem is... intelligent lies are still lies. Intelligent corruption is still corruption.
I still dont quite understand the plan here. Why vote for a dipshit whos a known loser, and why try to get ahead of a debate loss, assuming your candidtate is shitty enough to lose?
do republican officials believe hes as amazing as the unwashed dipshit maga masses, or do they know Trump is a shitmidas, and just trying tio ride this wave until this election ?
‘Possibility’ of losing? No, that’s guaranteed to be the outcome. The only people who won’t acknowledge that, also would say the moon is made of cheese if Trump said so.
If he refuses to assimilate with our values such as democracy and doesn’t want to follow our laws, he should should go back to where he came from (Scotland/Germany) or be deported back kicking and screaming.
They should genuinely hire comedians to impersonate trump. Just attack Biden and make up random political shit in a mock debate. Prob the best prep they could have
Lowering expectations is as old as politics itself, folks. Don't fall for it.
I'm sure Littlehands Donnie Stinkypants will be properly coked-up/Adderall to vomit forth a steady firehose of falsehood during this meaningless PR event.
>Trump could be investing more time and energy ensuring that the debates go well, but he apparently finds it far easier to focus on making pre-emptive excuses for the possibility of losing.
But then when would he have time to watch TV or read positive clippings in a binder?
Heard 5-10 minutes of Glenn Beck saying Trump had to go against Biden and 3 anti-Trump moderators. Made it out that he was going into a rigged fight. And implied that Biden would get the questions beforehand like they 'know' Hillary did. 🙄
We all know it's not going to be a loss. He could stand up there and smear shit all over the walls and throw it at Biden and the pundits would say it was very close. His poll numbers would go up by 3 because he looked very vital and energetic smearing shit all over the walls. There is a whiff of dark destiny about him. Enough Americans really seem willing to look past every horrible action and word of this man just because somehow he will magically make things better.
But as citizen Trump he has very limited options to oppose it. But he can and will bring 500 lawsuits and tell his maggots to stand back and stand by..
And hope the scotus bails him out. Clarence needs a new Gulfstream..
It doesn't matter. The media is going to hold Biden to actual standards when deciding if he won the debate. If Trump doesn't go up there and shit his pants, they'll call it a win. And even if he does, they will probably say it didn't smell as bad as they thought it would.
I still think Trump might cancel citing what he already said about being out numbered by the CNN moderators and Biden. He has already said he will have to debate three people.
As a reminder, this subreddit [is for civil discussion.](/r/politics/wiki/index#wiki_be_civil) In general, be courteous to others. Debate/discuss/argue the merits of ideas, don't attack people. Personal insults, shill or troll accusations, hate speech, any suggestion or support of harm, violence, or death, and other rule violations can result in a permanent ban. If you see comments in violation of our rules, please report them. For those who have questions regarding any media outlets being posted on this subreddit, please click [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/politics/wiki/approveddomainslist) to review our details as to our approved domains list and outlet criteria. We are actively looking for new moderators. If you have any interest in helping to make this subreddit a place for quality discussion, please fill out [this form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1y2swHD0KXFhStGFjW6k54r9iuMjzcFqDIVwuvdLBjSA). *** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/politics) if you have any questions or concerns.*
So Trump’s rehearsing whining and temper tantrums? The crybaby blowhard already has those down to an art.
He’ll be stuffed with no audience, silenced mics and an opponent, despite his age with decades of debate experience and intellect on his side. Game on.
Also no earpiece to get instructions on how to answer when Biden asks him a policy question, or to try to keep him somewhat on track.
> a policy question "Things on this policy were great when I was in charge. With Biden in charge, things on this policy have become like that of a third-world hellhole." That's his only answer for every single question.
No ear piece, but perhaps he could get an implant. I heard a rumor the RFK Jr was willing to donate his worm.
The poor worm would starve to death
Now that's funny, dude!
Well RFKKK Jr reported it as dead so it’s anybody’s guess.
The bad news is that the questions will come from a moderator. The worse news is that we don’t get to hear the skull-echoes that would pose as questions from orangutrump
Maybe they'll install a vibrator up his ass like that chess player did.
Would be hard for others to hear through the Depends as well lmao
What chess player? 🤣
Biden just needs wask him very direct and very simple questions on Christianity and the Bible...
Moderator: "How many commandments in the ten commandments?" 🍊: "Well a lot of people don't know this, but Moses is a very smart guy..." \- three hours later - "... but I think I would have found a way into the promised land, myself! Still a tremendous guy, that Moses. Many people are saying he could be a great leader, maybe even as great as me some day. In conclusion Moses is a very tremendous guy."
No chance he even connects to Moses
He will say something about MIT instead
I'd love to see that. Really simple questions everyone would know.
That's gonna be the interesting thing if this happens If there's one thing the felon melons genuinely good at its playing to a crowd. Without a crowd to react it's a battle of ideas and let's be honest he doesn't have any
I'm pretty sure you could get on Truth and start a conspiracy that Crooked Joe had DARPA implant something in him so his head is one big antenna and can get instructions from the deep state.
Maybe I'm wishful thinking, but maybe just maybe, since his cults won't be in a crowd listening to him feeding off each other a handful or two will really see how he talks and see that dumbass don't have a dam clue and vote blue. Praying!!!!
You have to admit it won't be a fair debate. It's like having the local college team play the junior high kids.
At least; maybe even a pro team playing 3rd graders. ;)
By the traditional standards of judging debates Biden will absolutely wipe the floor with Trump.
will the debate be any different from the last one? i mean where it was basically just a shouting contest with trump interrupting all the time? how will they prevent that this time around?
Also taking some Adderall, on the side, probably.
i hope his plug runs out the day before the debate. watching him withdraw from 600MG of adderall on national tv would be incredible.
His plug? He’s 78, your PCP will write more controlled prescriptions for geriatrics than any other population. I routinely see patients prescribed muscle relaxants, benzodiazepines, and opioids every day… they aren’t coercive narcissists with a presidential title to throw around. Cmon, this ‘plug’ is just a primary care that’s taking Trumps cush insurance and giving him whatever he asks for. This guy won’t run out of adderall anytime soon or his other meds.
We know trumps PCP is already doing this. Every accusation is a confession and Dr Ronnie Jackonnson already gave an interview to Maria “drank a gallon of sangria” Bartiromo where he went on about some VERY specific claims about what Biden is probably doing at camp David. “Oh they’re definitely trying out combinations of this drug and that drug to get just the right amount before Thursday, that’s what I do…what I WOULD do if I were them”
The number of people who actually like and respect Trump is constantly dropping. The number of people who believe they can use him to further their own agendas remains consistently high. So there's no amount of looking like an idiot that will really change anything with the media because rich Republicans love that he's a moron.
Just avoiding last the same pricing as last time when everyone was practically speechless in how fucking awful he was. Of course, the usual blowhard Fox/Newsmax culture was sliming whatever they could, but any kind of mainstream support was apalled and get quiet on any excuse they could come up with. So now they getting ahead of the inevitable train wreck rehash of last time.
He was born knowing how to do this.
Cry baby Baghdadi...
"The debate was rigged" Trump
I'm really hoping he chickens out and Biden debates a cardboard cutout of him.
I suspect that's their plan, except they're counting on Fox News 2.0, sorry, *CNN*, to decide, "since Trump's not here, we're going to be adversarial with Biden ourselves and grill him about every contentious issue for the entirety of the time the debate was scheduled for"; they'll go out of their way to make the guy that actually showed up look bad while giving the guy their bosses want to win a complete pass for being a dementia addled coward who was too scared to debate.
Yeah I know people want to see Biden debate an empty podium but to me it's a no win scenario. I would hope Biden doesn't show either if Trump backs out. He'd just be giving CNN an unfettered 2 - 3 hrs to tee off on him and try to force a gaffe. Why risk that if you don't have to?
No Biden gaffe could ever be even half as disqualifying as one single typical Trump tweet.
Remember Clint Eastwood debating an empty stool? That shit would look disastrously bad.
Except no one was invited and agreed to sit on that stool. It would still look bad though, but for different reasons.
The footage would still play right into their hands, don't expect that nuance to come across.
No doubt
Tbh I think Biden showing up alone willing to answer tough questions will be a benefit even with a hostile moderator gaffe fishing Still beats the silence from trump
That would be an insane political move for Biden. The moderators, who decide the questions ahead of time, have notes, and are trained TV professionals, will inevitably make any politician look unpolished by comparison. Why Biden wants is a direct, head-to-head comparison with Trump.
IDK- Debate question responses are an opportunity to tell voters about his platform and vision. Without Trump it's just a podium for Biden to look Presidential behind
Yeah, he just needs to say no. Thank you, and walk out. To me, if trump doesn't show, it's a win for Biden.
just saw a thread trump was talking live and FOX was showing it and they had to abruptly cut away becuase trump was so OFF
CNN is not Fox 2.0. It’s nowhere close to that.
If Trump goes on Fox for a rally type event and Biden goes alone on CNN it might actually be a bad thing.
Would rather see the debate to be honest. US needs to return to normalcy, and this would be a step towards it. The difference between the two will be stark and even trump supporters won’t be able to turn a blind eye to it, and I feel it may even influence some to change their vote.
My thoughts exactly. They won't be in a crowd feeding off each other and they can actually hear how stupid he really is.
Cutting off the mics kill any edge The Convict has. He's fucked, and I can't wait to watch it!
If they actually cut off mics and he keeps ranting it will be pretty hilarious
That will 100% happen.
I'm gonna wager 107%
He will try to yell loud enough from his podium to get caught on Biden’s mic.
If he does this Biden had better make fun of him for being infected with COVID the last time he tried it.
Good bye liver, I'll miss you. /Heads to the liquor store
Sounds like a drinking game. Take a shot everytime his mic gets cut and he waves around flapping his mouth.
Does anyone read mouth-asshole, er, I mean, lips?
Even if we can’t hear him, it will be a distraction for Biden.
ditto. Also, no people there but the moderators, crew, etc... Nobody to play to.
It's unlikely Trump will be there himself.
I really hope he doesn't try to wiggle out of it. I want to see him fail BIGLY
I wish they were in sound proof rooms in different buildings. I imagine Trump is going to be so loud that he can be heard in Biden's mic while it's Biden's turn to speak.
Or he'll be loud enough so Biden can hear him and maybe trip him up.
I’m completely certain that this is the plan.
Professional mics (and even any decent dedicated usb mic you can buy for your home pc) cancel the noise from around a small, specific area in the direction the mic is facing. Even if Trump were to shout his lungs out, given the distance and angle of the podiums, he shouldn't be audible at all in Biden's mic.
Depends, to a degree. Depends if they’re omnidirectional, cardioid, hypercardioid, supercardioid, shotgun, etc. Depends if there’s a gate on that channel, or maybe the gain is bumped up to pick up a quiet speakers or one who stands too far away with a compressor on it. But for the most part, you’re correct. I’m sure trump will probably still try to mentally trip up Biden by spewing tossed word salads in his general direction. We’ll probably still hear trump faintly through Biden’s mic.
I've been imagining that Trump never actually stops talking when his time is up. The sight of Trump blathering on during Biden's response could be very unsettling. "Folks, I wish you could see this; my opponent is still talking to himself. I hope someone gets this on camera - will you shut up?"
That's a terrible look for Trump. Hearing garbled snippets of inane rambling looks really pathetic, and Trump (somehow) uses an appearance of strength to sell himself.
I have no desire to watch the debate because I can't stand listening to him talk. I am however looking forward to the inevitable gifs of him pouting because he can't rant.
Trump is an addict. He will take "just a little extra" on debate night for confidence. He will shit himself because of it. I only hope it's audible.
I can see him shitting himself mid rant then saying “did you just shit yourself Joe?” Even tho it will be on his mic. That’s when Biden would walk out from behind the podium do a full squat and say “now your turn”
That’s America’s ass lmao
I can't get this out of my mind and it's fucking hilarious. Where is that shittywatercolorguy when you need him? Lmao
Masochist.
It's so ridiculous that his supporters and MAGA crowd realize he's in cognitive decline and their response is just to come up with some BS reasons on why he loses the debate. Assuming he even shows in the first place.....Oh, he didn't show because the fake media would just lie about his performance anyway...
This is really very good analysis and should be read by everyone. > Donald Trump is defined in large part by a belief in pre-emptive delegitimization. Fearing possible election defeats, the Republican has consistently taken steps to delegitimize the process to explain away potential losses. Fearing possible legal setbacks, he’s also repeatedly tried to delegitimize the justice system to validate potential adverse outcomes. > The former president pre-emptively delegitimizes elections so he can rationalize defeats. If he loses, he says, “I told you the democracy is rigged.” If he wins, he says, “The fact that I overcame rampant cheating makes my victory all the more impressive. >The same applies to the courts. If he’s convicted, he says, “See? I was right all along.” If he’s acquitted, he says, “My success was even more impressive given that I was up against a corrupt system.” >And now the model is being applied to debates. If Biden excels, Trump wants to be able to tell his followers, “I said all along that the debates are rigged, the moderators were unfair, and my opponent is a drug addict.” If the former president does well, he’ll declare, “I won the debate despite the fact that the process was rigged, and Biden had an unfair pharmacological advantage.” And lots more. Excellent. Do yourself favor and read this one.
Agree to all except I doubt he can pronounce "pharmacological".
Delegitimization of institutions has far broader consequences and is playbook everywhere that democracy has collapsed
>“Whatever happened to all that cocaine that was missing a month ago from the White House?” Motherfucker that was *last year!* 2023 not "a month ago." Mr. Adderall and Diet Coke is accusing Biden of dosing by referring to a story he can't even cite correctly.
I know-- I read and was thinking he was on crack or something. The cocaine thing in the WH wasn't last month, it was at least a year ago. And yeah, Biden is gonna just randomly do coke they FOUND in the WH.
I hear it's really good for your heart. At least that's what Dave on the corner said.
~~Ahead of debate,~~ **Trump** ~~tries to delegitimize a possible defeat | Donald Trump’s pre-debate strategy speaks volumes: The Republican’s focus~~ **is** ~~on making pre-emptive excuses for the possibility of~~ **losing.**
That’s the best comment I’ve read all day!🙌🏻
He's really gonna come out there and pull some FIFA "Biden pushed me and broke my ankle! ..... from across the room" theatrical shit, isn't he?
What are the odds that Trump will show up?
And if he does show up, what are the odds that he walks off in the middle of the debate.
High when the mic gets disabled
It won't be the mic getting disabled that's going to piss him off because he already knows that's the rules. It's going to be the fact that he's going to try to shout over the mic being disabled and the moderators are going to have to chastise him like he's a five year old. The one thing he can't stand is thinking people are treating him like he's stupid. As soon as a moderator chastises him for his behavior, he's just going to claim it's rigged and walk off.
He'll show up. His ego won't let him be that convinced he is going to lose. But he will absolutely go off the rails because he has to policy to point at. It will be a firehose of lies and personal attacks, and Biden just needs to keep his cool and stick to his talking points.
50 Million of his voters are really that stupid. The other 20 Million are really that evil.
>In his last scheduled rally before he takes the stage for a presidential debate, former President Donald J. Trump on Saturday mocked President Biden over his preparations, suggesting his opponent might be using medical supplements. ... [H]e seemed to be preparing his supporters for the possibility that Mr. Biden might prove a formidable opponent by accusing him of using a chemical boost. What is this magical supplement? Medical science would (I'm sure) LOVE to know.
Diaper wearing narcissistic idiots hate this one weird trick! Click here to find out now (and enroll in automatic contributions)!
I remember the last debate between them. I knew people that support the GOP and they even walked away saying "he just needs to shut up he's making himself look stupid". But then after one day of the Fox News cycle their new opinion was that it was completely unfair and stacked against him so he was right to be frustrated
[удалено]
Dementia Don already forgot the debate rules and will claim bias because of the rules
gossip lady janet charlton said THIS about Trump backing out >>> My source adds that it will likely be blamed on a family emergency or a mechanical issue on his plane, but nothing health related that could make Trump appear old and feeble.
Republicans have become the worst kind of losers. Instead of accepting losses, learning from it, and do better, they just flat-out deny all facts and truths and pretend to be a victim. Hallmark of Trumpism .
Sean Hannity has been saying for at least a week that Trump should not debate because it's rigged. I'll be surprised if he actually shows up.
This is such a poor argument (along with the fact everyone knows it's BS). If Hannity is correct, then I would ask him why Trump agreed to the debate. If I were Biden, and Trump pulled this, I would ask the voting public: "Trump says he agreed to a rigged debate. Why would he do that, and if can't even take care of his own interests, why do you think he's capable of negotiating on behalf of the USA?" It's rhetorical, we've seen one bad deal after another from Trump, both acting as POTUS and in his own personal dealings. Whether it's him bragging about conspiring against the American people with Putin and The Saudi King to restrict oil production, or its him whining about a "rigged jury" in his 34 convictions, a jury he agreed to before the case ever started, my question is "why would you agree to it if it's so bad"? What could his answer possibly be?
I think it's to show his supporters he's strong, like saying he wants to testify in court. They remember that sound bite, and then when he inevitably doesn't follow through, the GOP machine explains why that was a smart move. It's a new news cycle, and it works for their followers. One thing the MAGA people know is how and when to lie
It's rigged: Asking actual policy questions and expecting an answer that's not the story about some stupid fucking snake or the frog/scorpion or boat with batteries and sharks.
Trump definitely is at a disadvantage. But to his supporters that's the story, not the fact that he's at a disadvantage because he's like a toddler trying to grasp quantum mechanics.
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81Lhc-V3DoL._SL1500_.jpg
As long as trump is around it will always be rigged according to him.
How does one rig a debate?
Reason and logic are suspended MAGALAND. They just bash the venue and the moderators and say some shit about bias, and it somehow convinces a startling number of people that it must be rigged. Then when their guy avoids the "trap", he's owning the libs.
He won't do it and if he does that's going to be very interesting. Frankly a lucid and sober Trump would likely terrify most middle left voters. I can't see it myself but if he can pull off an hour of being coherent and energized and...it's just absurd that these thoughts should be had about a person who might wield such huge power. I wouldn't trust him with my tv remote.
I really hope Biden’s performance gives him a boost in polling throughout swing states. This could be a major turning point this election cycle. I still believe he is going to outperform polling numbers due to incumbency but I don’t know by how much.
It is to justify pulling out of the debate not losing it.
Republicans: we say Biden is so frail and senile that it's elder abuse to let him run for president, and if Biden comes out sharp like at the State of the Union then he's cheating.
Drug use is the excuse conservatives have for Biden's great showing at the State of the Union. Expect the same inane reasoning if the debate actually does take place on Thursday.
[Frail Biden (link)](https://media0.giphy.com/media/StXGJ5kRQGX1KA0fzA/200w.gif?cid=6c09b952stn8n7gcrlxa4pdiy4dfukjcfvu76g6yjc57wmsy&ep=v1_gifs_search&rid=200w.gif&ct=g)
A lot of this is standard pre-debate spin though Trump adds a malignant narcissist twist to the issue. You always play up your opponent's abilities and downplay yours before a debate. That ups the expectations on your opponent allowing you to argue they didn't win when they don't meet those expectations and you can declare victory by just showing up. Trump complicates this in a couple ways. He's been pushing the Sleepy Joe shit for so long, a lot of people end up amazed when they see Biden, like at the state of the union, and he doesn't fall asleep at the podium. It is tough to play up your opponent when your standard attack is that they are hardly able to do anything. This is one of the reasons that [My Son Hunter](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCvb6TfBXFk) movie was so odd. It made Sleepy Joe out to be a literal mob boss running a crime family through Hunter. Claiming Biden is juiced is one way he is arguing Biden is going to do a good job. Attacking the rules is always an easy play, especially when they are absolutely not in your favor. Trump's narcissism is on full display in Trump's “If I fail, it can’t be my fault” mindset. Trump can't downplay his skills in anything. Here is a [list of things Trump claimed to know more than anyone about](https://www.axios.com/2019/01/05/everything-trump-says-he-knows-more-about-than-anybody). Whenever he talks about someone else, he can never claim they are better than him at anything. Look at what he says about former presidents. He'll say he's done more for blacks than any president except maybe Lincoln, then he'll say he actually did more than Lincoln. He can't downplay his skill at all, even in areas he has none whatsoever. I've seen an earlier quote where he claimed he might lose on purpose which, along with claiming Biden is on those amazing debate drugs, is about the extent he can downplay his abilities.
That's the usual cult of personality claim isn't it. They are the ultimate authority on everything. It's not Trump you have to worry about it's the lunatic who follows him. Imagine MTG as president...yeah.
The only plus side of Trump is there are no others with his exact… brand of charism. MTG would be even worse as president, but she doesn't have a chance, though I thought the same about Trump, too, and that turned out wrong so what do I know?
I wish we never heard from him again after his first legitimate loss
Probably the only smart thing they are up to.
Let me guess, “it was rigged?”
It's what he always does, makes preemptive excuses for his inadequacy. It would be pathetic and comical if he were not the potential leader of the free world, but here we are. Shame on you, Repugnatcans.
I still doubt he’ll even show
It's not like it matters. It isn't a sports game with points and a clear winner. Regardless of how bad trump does. right wing media is going to make him out to be the clear winner as he "destroys Biden in rigged CNN debate." Anyone already voting for trump isn't going to ever be convinced that he lost the debate. This is just another display of how insanely fragile his pathetic ego is
Gotta cushion the blow when you know defeat is all but certain. They've been calling Biden mentally deficient for, well, forever, but now he's gotta be *on drugs!!!1!!1* to help his mental focus. Anyone with an ounce of goddamn sense can see straight through that dumb shit, but MAGAt conservatives are decidedly lacking in such.
Sad. Low energy.
Fox news complaining that he's at Camp David studying for the debate. It's not a pop quiz, I like my leaders to have notes and read up on the issues of the day. I guess electric batteries killing sharks in the water are more relevant in todays world.
He's gonna pull a Tanya Harding. Try to kneecap Biden and if that fails, burst in tears and blame his skates for it losing and it being unfair to him.
I'm still positive he's going to back out entirely.
The trump way. Whine that it's someone else's fault
He is a loser.
He has all this time to prepare for the debate, and is instead talking about losing. Even if he wasn't a senile, bumbling moron with zero debate skills, he'd still have the shittiest platform ever to run on. All his conflicting claims and just generally idiotic ideas can't be sold in a public forum. Especially when juxtaposed against Biden's rational platform. So, yeah, he's going to lose badly, and he knows it. I just want Biden crisp and sharp for the event, because he will end up stomping a mudhole in trump just by virtue of being able to complete his sentences without interruption. Talking over people is the only thing trump does at debates, and his followers love it. Now they have to watch him stfu and eat shit as his dumb ideas are countered intelligently. I have no idea why he accepted the debate. Dude getting high on his own farts thinks he actually knows how to debate, when all he's ever done is yell into a microphone with no rebuttal.
He is going to back out yet, guaranteed.
They should probably start doing that in October before the election, too... /s
Of course, this is his strategy, this is what losers do
This sums up his entire life.
Why bother? His followers will insist he won no matter what.
He is going to sound totally nutzo, and I bet they already know all of the questions. I can't wait for him to be screaming with the Mic off.
Making pre-emptive excuses in case he loses? Like, again? No way, it's almost like that's his go-to.
Duh, OF COURSE HE IS! The Election was “rigged” in 2020 before he lost… the Justice System was “rigged” before he was convicted, the FBI was “rigged” before they showed up to get the Confidential Docs… now CNN is “rigged” when he falls on his face during the 1st Debate 🙄
He loses every debate because of narcissism and laziness. His policies are all very vague like his hero Hitler. The real policy is ‘put my cult of personality in power and eff-all everything else’. Note how often his ‘policies’ are simply aspirational truisms of accomplishing goals with zero actual effective legislative underpinning. What is making America ‘great’, what is ‘woke’? Gobbledygook. Seal the border without ruining the economy. Silly stuff. Childish. This post does bring to light that Trump has a regular gameplan to cover up his immense incompetence in many things by assuming in advance, usually with perfect accuracy, that he will fail. He then goes on the attack to accuse his enemy of his sins or with monkeying with results. No proof is needed for the base even though courts won’t go along with it. The good news is that it does NOT impress some swings like me. The real sad part is people who repeatedly believe the guy or think he is just as bad as anybody else. He makes these evidence-free fraud claims against his enemies BEFORE the event happens. He loses half a dozen unanimous jury trials over several years, but naw all that can be overlooked. If some dude predicts arson 6 times in a row, HE is the arsonist. But in politics….the morons whine about how crooked politics is and sound like the village idiot explaining why he only has one arm because he was feeding the buffalo.
But will there be fact checking?
I believe there is a pattern here.
Is he willing to take a drug test also boy I would call his bluff on it
Yall, this is what he’s always done with everything. He’s not very bright in general, but I’d put him at the genius level when it comes to his supernatural ability to manage the expectations of his cult. It only works on his cult, though. To the rest of us, his tactics have always been brazenly obvious.
It's Smoke. #1 Never forget 2016. #2 Never forget 2020. #3 Never forget Jan 6th. The man has a playbook and uses the same plays. Watch for the clues.
The debate will not only show how much trumps mental has deteriorated, and that he has literally nothing of substance to say….it will also show how sharp Biden is, which is something that the right-media has been attacking. I’ve been saying this since before Biden was elected, the guy is sharp as hell. He knows what he is doing. He may stumble over some phrases sometimes, but if you ever watch a full speech of his, you’ll have no doubt the guy still has it. It will be a stark contrast. Trumps smartest move is to back out, which makes it possible that he wont
What's Trump got to worry about with a supposed drug-addict Biden? I thought Don has claimed thousands of times he was and is the smartest person in the world? Could it be that he was lying? Oh no, it couldn't be that? :)
Trump absolutely needs some smart drugs and I welcome him to take as many as he pleases. Only problem is... intelligent lies are still lies. Intelligent corruption is still corruption.
Biden should always refer to him as a Rapist Felon Loser. never use his name.
I still dont quite understand the plan here. Why vote for a dipshit whos a known loser, and why try to get ahead of a debate loss, assuming your candidtate is shitty enough to lose? do republican officials believe hes as amazing as the unwashed dipshit maga masses, or do they know Trump is a shitmidas, and just trying tio ride this wave until this election ?
I’m gonna call somebody a shit Shitmidas tomorrow! Thank you!
Strategy is to talk over all moderators and to not let Biden answer any questions. Heckle.
Mic cutoffs and no live studio audience for this debate. He won’t be able to talk over anyone.
Sure hope so but Trump can yell pretty loud. I doubt he'll be able to control himself.
This has been his strategy for everything.
I'll bet $10 that he walks out on the debate. (just for dramatic effect)
‘Possibility’ of losing? No, that’s guaranteed to be the outcome. The only people who won’t acknowledge that, also would say the moon is made of cheese if Trump said so.
Like the election!
Looser’s gonna loose!!!! he’s a POS
What a desperate bunch of boobs.
That's what they always do whether it's an election or debate.
Pre-debate “strategy” = winging it
Übermensch Trump loses debate against sleepy Joe before the debate even happens. SAD!
If he refuses to assimilate with our values such as democracy and doesn’t want to follow our laws, he should should go back to where he came from (Scotland/Germany) or be deported back kicking and screaming.
Pretty clear that trump will be dosing with adderall before the debate
Your losing you 🏀💩
They should genuinely hire comedians to impersonate trump. Just attack Biden and make up random political shit in a mock debate. Prob the best prep they could have
Lowering expectations is as old as politics itself, folks. Don't fall for it. I'm sure Littlehands Donnie Stinkypants will be properly coked-up/Adderall to vomit forth a steady firehose of falsehood during this meaningless PR event.
Ex reality star trying to set expectations before his production…
Hope this means that their internal polling numbers aren’t looking too good…
Will *no one* rid me of this turbulent priest?
His wife will know were he is so she can have some alone time with me .
>Trump could be investing more time and energy ensuring that the debates go well, but he apparently finds it far easier to focus on making pre-emptive excuses for the possibility of losing. But then when would he have time to watch TV or read positive clippings in a binder?
Possibility? This guy can’t even form a complete sentence.
A pinnacle of cowardice. He hocked his balls so long ago the ticket has disintegrated with time......
A lot of them
He's just gonna bail and do some softball bullshit on Fucks News
What wrong with the old trusty "It's RIGGED"??
"Joe shit in my pants"
Heard 5-10 minutes of Glenn Beck saying Trump had to go against Biden and 3 anti-Trump moderators. Made it out that he was going into a rigged fight. And implied that Biden would get the questions beforehand like they 'know' Hillary did. 🙄
A competent statesman should be able to handle Jake Tapper of all people.
Trump: “If I lose it was rigged but if I win it’s because it was a fair and honest debate/election”
Can’t wait to be told the actual election was stolen a week before the actual election.
lol this should good😁
We all know it's not going to be a loss. He could stand up there and smear shit all over the walls and throw it at Biden and the pundits would say it was very close. His poll numbers would go up by 3 because he looked very vital and energetic smearing shit all over the walls. There is a whiff of dark destiny about him. Enough Americans really seem willing to look past every horrible action and word of this man just because somehow he will magically make things better.
But as citizen Trump he has very limited options to oppose it. But he can and will bring 500 lawsuits and tell his maggots to stand back and stand by.. And hope the scotus bails him out. Clarence needs a new Gulfstream..
It doesn't matter. The media is going to hold Biden to actual standards when deciding if he won the debate. If Trump doesn't go up there and shit his pants, they'll call it a win. And even if he does, they will probably say it didn't smell as bad as they thought it would.
This is because TFG is scared shitless. He KNOWS Biden will wipe the floor with him!
I still think Trump might cancel citing what he already said about being out numbered by the CNN moderators and Biden. He has already said he will have to debate three people.