Will He Show Up?
CNN is hosting the first live presidential debate between President Biden and TFG next week, and I already have my DVR set and my popcorn bought.
Next week.
Not September.
Not after even one nominating convention officially nominates a single presidential candidate. And no 3rd, 4th, or 5th party candidates will be invited to debate. It’s just Biden and The Convicted Felon.
There are lots of new features to the debate that Americans are unused to. There will be two commercial breaks in 90 minutes, but no conferences with campaign staff can occur during them. There will be no opening statements and 2 minute closing statements. Microphones will be muted except for the one candidate who has the floor. Debaters will have no prepared notes. And there will be no live audience.
My only question: Will He Show Up?
All through his criminal trial, TFG was adamant that he wanted to testify:
“Yeah, I would testify, absolutely,”
“I’m testifying. I tell the truth, I mean, all I can do is tell the truth. And the truth is that there is no case. They have no case.”
And then later, TFG hedged, saying that his 1st Amendment rights were being denied him because of his gag order, prompting Judge Merchan to state that his gag order did not cover TFG’s testifying on his own behalf.
Then, after the jury returned 34 felony convictions, TFG explained: “I would have liked to have testified, but you would have said something out of whack like ‘it was a beautiful sunny day,’ and it was actually raining out.”
It is that progression of argument, plus the fact that the rules of the CNN debate are so stacked against The Former Guy’s preferred method of outburst and obfuscation, that I just don’t think that, in the end, there will be a debate next week.
Am I wrong?
TFFG just about has to show up for this debate. Not doing so would be seen as incredibly weak and cowardly, even to his MAGAot cult members.
The Biden campaign also has to pump up the public pressure to the highest level possible.
Keep TFFG off balance and make him feel even more frightened than he probably is now.
We know that in the actual debate, ‘Ol’ Slow Joe’ (per the MAGAot brigade) will kick Ol’ Convicted Felon’s
sorry ass into the middle of month after next.
It’s going to be a complete
mismatched battle, a BB versus a PT boat.
But don’t y’all underestimate TFFG tRump, he’s a lot smarter and more cunning/cagey than many give him credit for, he ain’t no dumbass.
1Jeanine Pirro is saying that Joe will be seated – not forgetting that the Clown will be seated `cause he cannot walk in his heels .
2Ya, I wouldn’t call him a dumbass but he is a smart ass with a deranged wandering criminal mind.
3I don’t think he will show up. Biden is not likely to submit to a drug test and tfg will use that as the ultimate excuse not to participate. He knows Handsome Joe will wipe his clock.
4Since the day this debate was announced, I’ve been assuming it won’t happen. Trump is just not able to hold it together; he’s going to cancel.
5Eight years later, I still remember how creepy it was when Trump stalked Hillary around the stage, always looming over her shoulder. Still gives me the shivers.
6Nope. He’ll have excuses and issues…batteries and sharks.
7I admit, when I first heard about this–especially the no audience and muted mic–I figured Trump will talk like he’s going to do it and at last second basically pull out on trumped up excuse.
I think those who are actually trying to manage Trump know he should not do the debate. But I believe that Trump himself fully believes that he will do a great job and Biden will be trounced. I’m just not sure if the managers will be able to convince Trump that he is in jeopardy if he shows. If they do, he’ll give an excuse. If they don’t…50/50 chances he will still pull out. Especially if he agrees to drug test for both candidates.
8“Biden is not likely to submit to a drug test …” But T**** is frightened of that himself. Personally I’d want more than a pee cup; they should be willing to undergo a gas chromatograph on hair analysis. That will reveal drug use going back for months, so a quick purge won’t cover things up.
Apparently T**** did not have to undergo a drug test after his conviction, which every other convicted felon in New York has to. I’d like to see him sentenced to at least a few days incarceration, just so we can find out what all he’s been taking, sniffing, or otherwise ingesting. Although I’m sure he’d get some doctor to swear he had prescribed meth or crack to TFG – look at what his previous “physical exams” have reported.
I’m still furious that Presidents who enforce draconian drug laws don’t have to undergo same tests that dump truck drivers and warehouse workers have to.
9I fully understand being seated for the debate. At my age (84)
10I cannot stand in one place for more than 10-12 minutes. In fact, I had to sit the last time I delivered a sermon. The additional advantage to being seated is that it will keep Trump
from moving around the stage. So, when Biden is talking, Trump will have to sit down and shut up. That’s win-win for
Biden.
And of course there is this: do the Magots actually want their Dear Leader to show up and shoot himself in the foot on nationwide televsion. Plus, people in other countries around the world also have TVs.
11I agree with The Surly Professor. Trump is widely reputed to be an Adderall addict, along with lord knows what else his favorite pill pusher. . . er. . .”doctor,” Ronny Jackson (whom he repeatedly called Ronny Johnson in a recent outing), supplied to him. Even if Biden agreed to a drug test, I doubt that Trump would agree to it.
If there’s no audience, and he can’t wander around the stage and try to intimidate Biden, and his mike is cut when he’s not speaking, I think he’ll have a terrible time working up the kind of energy his base supplies at rallies. I don’t think he’ll show up.
12TAG has promised he will be there. That means he won’t.
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