37 Comments

This is not a “mainstream media” townhall. It’s setting up to be Fox “News” lite fawning of Trump with no hard questions.

They have already said the live audience will be “New Hampshire Republicans and undeclared voters”. In other words...MAGA Cultists and wanna be MAGA Cultists.

All one has to do is look at the moderator....Kaitlin Collins, who started her career at The Daily Caller, a radical right wing propaganda machine started by none other than Tucker Carlson.

This is a sham. CNN is pandering and acquiescing to desperately try and avoid the screams from the MAGA Cult that they are a "left wing" media source.

CNN never has and never will be a “left wing” media source. This townhall is going to be a lame effort or Trump redemption that will be as dishonest as he is.

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Townhall? Are participants actually going to be able to ask serious questions or will it be a controlled event?

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If so I would ask him “Article II of the constitution requires the President must follow the law. Do you think people should vote for someone who constantly breaks the law?”

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Great question. I can only image the word salad that would follow.

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"Word Salad" is one of my favourite expressions of all time!

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Wondering the same thing.

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Controlled event - people who voted for him before and "independents" who intend to vote in 2024.

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Can't beleive Trump would allow any other way.

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If nothing else it will give Chris the chance to do one of his "The 24 most outrageous things Trump said at his Town Hall." I look forward to those.

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Yes, yes it will.

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Total waste of time! That man has only lies to offer, and why does CNN give him time to keep doing just that? The less,attention he gets the better! Regards from the other side of the pond! ☺️

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Well...remember that he is the clear frontrunner to be the Republican presidential nominee. Ignoring him then isn't really an option. Read this on that: https://chriscillizza.substack.com/p/why-dont-we-just-ignore-donald-trump

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This eveny would be worthwhile if it wasn't a studio rally.

A better methodology would be a panel of 5 reporters asking real questions.

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And there’s CNN, drinking the Trump Kool-aid and treating him as if her were a normal candidate.

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The pivot will not come from the Victim-In-Chief/Secessionist-in-Chief/Defendant-In-Chief, but from CNN's top brass, who think the programs were too lefty.

They want to bring FOX eyes to CNN.

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Me when hearing the Trump town hall news: I really hope we get Chris' thoughts on this.

Chris: I got you.

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I GOT YOU!!!

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5. Anyone considering voting for him doesn’t care what lunacy comes out of his mouth anyway, so why not.

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Related questions: How hard will he go after Biden's age and energy? What nickname has he readied? Old Man Joe? Doddering Joe? And how hard will he go after Kamala Harris, the second in the line of succession?

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If his recent statements are any guide, pretty damn hard. I don't think Trump will just say "Joe Biden is old" though., I think his attack is a little more nuanced than that. It's not that Biden is old it's just that he's not up to the job anymore is the case I think Trump will make.

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Trump nuanced? Give Trump enough time and his feeble mind wanders, he'll revert to the 7th grade him...no nuance, pure unadulterated Cro Magnon (with apologies to the CMs.)

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The truth is that Trump is just as old as Biden. Whatever lies etc that Trump spews out on CNN town hall won't change any mind.You watch. What would change minds are Election denial ism, January 6 and his potential multiple indictments and his appointments of Abortion judges. You watch

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Really? CNN gives airtime to a known lyer... The American press is making the same mistake again by taking this nutcase serious. Will he answer any serious questions? Ofcourse not.... What happened to CNN? I am not watching this network any longer.

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I think he will be asked serious questions for sure. Kaitlan is a serious and terrific journalist. Whether he answers the questions is a while other thing.

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I am aware of that, Chris, and I read your writing on Donald Trump. I beg to differ anyway,😉, he stands for nothing except digging himself (not news to you.) What a disaster should he win the presidential election! 🫣. Have a happy day!😊

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Trump will do anything he can if it can help HIM. It’s him. Him. Him. I do think that Kaitlan Collins will be tough on him, but tough enough? Who know? I will not watch no matter where he chooses to be a crazy person.

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Trump will do anything that ge thinks will benefit him personally or materially and not anyone else , not even the country...remember election denialism and January 6. Independent and suburbanites will never forget these. I just hope that CNN will be fair enough to provide tge other Presidential contestants like DeSantis the same platform to talk to tge Independents.

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We tend to over analyze Trump’s motivation. You’re correct he wants to get back at Fox, but his motivation is more about his desire to be on television. His team negotiated favorable terms. He’s not going to be grilled by journalists. He’s not going to be fact checked. Instead he’s going to take questions from a favorable audience, republican voters.

I’d be very surprised if he’s asked a tough question.

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He cannot pivot because then he will lose his base. And even if he does pivot, the electorate will not forget his words and actions!

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Attention whore!!

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What evidence do you have the questioning will be rigorous?

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"A general election pivot" Really, Chris ZZZZZ? You are still dragging out the word pivot with Donald Trump? You are so 2015, CW, Beltway consensus. The world just whipped right by you and you have no idea how to respond. I would have hoped that you got it, after your firing. And maybe there is a decent audience for the likes of you and the Cokie Roberts-types of this world, where the horse race and other tropes bring a feeling of comfort and stability. But really, you add very little in the way of analysis, and have done for nigh-on 8 years now.

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Sorry you feel that way. I think that's clearly what Trump is trying to do here although I offer no judgment on whether it will work or not. I am very skeptical -- as I have written in this space.

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If we take it that Trump is and acts like a TV star and salesman, and his brand is punch hard and induce chaos, how on earth can anyone in the regular CNN line up do anything but help him? If they challenge him on his lies, he attacks them as fake news, deflects and promotes his brand. II they ignore it, they are whitewashing it. What about having Howard Stern or Al Franken moderate, and not tell him in advance?

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"...having Howard Stern or Al Franken moderate, and not tell him in advance."

Me Likey that angle

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Hmmm.

Considering your view from over the decade, why are you reading him now?

I don't always agree with Chris' analysis, and have called him out when I think he is off-base.

I come to this site for added info to the wide variety of thought I search.

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Then why are you here?

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