282 Comments
founding

Since the debate will be chaos and jam packed with lies and insults no matter what the rules, can't it be as simple as Harris emphatically highlighting what Trump refuses to answer on the fly and loudly editorializing a preset list of facts Trump refuses to admit on everything from trade and tariffs to the economy and inflation across the entire debate. "He collected zero from China. Buyer pays." Simple fact. People blur the fact on "who pays" tariffs vs. how it flows into prices. He collected zero "from China" Separate parts of the chain. "Women know this guy is a one man tailhook convention" (a variant of Raskin's "one man crime wave"). his crime rates were "much higher when he left office than today", the fact that "his GDP growth rates were lower overall than Biden's and dwarfed by Clinton in the 90s"...( so much for the "greatest economy in history"). "Trump caved to the Taliban. He set the table." A preset list to sprinkle in should not be a tough challenge for viewer takeaways to follow up fact check. Just tell the truth about this lowlife and his intrinsically mediocre mind and ignorance of history. Remember, he had his lawyer Cohen threaten schools to not release transcript info (he keeps calling Harris dumb... project much!?) . Easy target and just need to keep it simple and hard hitting. Don't be complex. He sure isn't! Ask him if he has a "blood and soil" poster at home (Charlottesville). Harris was weak in 2020 debates. Pick spots better!

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Obabamas' criticisms of Trump were rooted in fact

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I hope she absolutely wipes the floor with him and cackles loudly while doing it.

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The problem with the last debate was the moderators were so bullied by TFG in the weeks leading up to it, they didn't challenge him. Hoping the same doesn't happen with the Sept. 10 debate. I'm hoping TFG does another 2020, melting down and making a total ass of himself.

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“Nah,” he said, “we’d rather keep it on policy, but sometimes it’s hard when you’re attacked from all ends.”

Trump only “owns” two policies

1) me Me ME!!!

2) racist hatred

Any other policies he might espouse are things that have been rejected since the founding of our wonderful country but that he’s agreed to use to fill his empty heart and mind in exchange for money, votes and a veneer of obeisance. They are poison to the country.

No wonder he needs “policy refreshers”. Pity him, he is the unwitting puppet of people using him who will cast him aside to install their real favorite son, jdvance

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The Hillbilly Vannilli...

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Is this man, powered by hate, who you want representing the United States of America?

Vote like a patriot. Vote blue.

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I can't be the only one who thinks Trump on tilt (as Nate Silver says) is good for Kamala Harris. The man can't make a rational argument under the best of circumstances; coming out raving and fuming will only make him more incoherent and off-putting than usual.

I get it that his base loves the ranting and raving, but their votes are lost forever in the fever swamp. So. I'm hoping Trump gives them everything they want in the form of racist attacks, personal insults and incoherent ranting. Perhaps a few undecideds will be turned off by the condition of Trump 2.0 and make up their minds in favor of democracy.

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Aug 22·edited Aug 22

All I know is that I hope Pete is in the room for the debate prep and for Harris's interview prep. I maintain that the single most important thing he could do for her campaign is be her coach. He seems underutilized.

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Maybe dress Pete up in black face, a wig, padded bra, pant suit and heels and just let him handle it.

Wait, strike that. We can't do black face.

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You forgot the /s, but even with it, that would be offensive.

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I mean, if we could send in pinch hitters, he’s the obvious one. I’d pay money to see Trump have to debate him.

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The discussion of Trump's "debate prep" sounds like preparing a cranky toddler for a wedding, or for Midnight Mass at Easter: an iffy prospect at best. And I'm not sure that depending on Tulsi Gabbard as an expert is such a good idea: 1. for all her shortcomings, Gabbard is still smarter than Trump and more able to sustain a coherent attack; 2. Gabbard at that time attacked Harris from the Left, about a part of her resumé -- her record as a prosecutor -- of which she was and is justly proud, but she was running from at the time for political reasons; 3. Harris has stopped running now and is doubling down on authenticity: an authentic prosecutor against an authentic felon. Bad news for the felon, and worse news the more chances he gives her to repeat the comparison.

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Trump cannot answer questions because 1. He doesn't know the answers; and 2. He forgets the question almost as soon as it's asked. He may speak words, but it won't be answers.

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This could just as easily be a setup to try and send Harris down the wrong path in debate prep, but it doesn’t really matter. He has zero self control.

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A setup? I doubt it. Even the most subtle head fake is too complex for Trump.

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I never said it was *his* idea :)

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founding

When is it not personal for Trump? We're having a good vibes moment right now, but come Labor Day the knife fight will begin in earnest. Trump and his band of sycophants and scoundrels will use every legal and illegal trick they can dream up. I just hope Harris and Walz are prepared to respond.

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Should Matt Gaetz and the term ‘art form’ really be used in the same sentence?

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I honestly wish we could call sex offenders what they are. Trump is getting his prep from a sexual predator who knifed McCarthy in the back to get out of an ethics probe of his sexual predations. I don't think he'll prep well on the "are women actually people?" question. It's not Trump's forte either. Bunch of predators.

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If you pronounce the "t" in "art" as "se", it makes a lot more sense.

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Performance art.

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“We’re going to do a free poll,” he told the crowd. “Here are the two questions: Should I get personal? Should I not get personal?”

That's one question...couched two different ways....idiot.

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Expecting a "You Can't Handle the Truth" moment at some point.

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Maybe I am naive but I always assumed that a candidate would avoid watching the opposition convention and get updates from advisors. I have a feeling Trump is glued to the TV.

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