69 Comments

And after the debate, people will come up to him, with tears in their eyes, saying "Sir, you were fantastic in the debate, despite it being rigged against you! Clearly, there is no doubt you won!"

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Sir Alert. We may set a Sir record after the debate

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Well said, Tim. You forgot to include though that the people who come up to him will all be big, strong, powerful men.

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And beautiful! They look like Tom Cruise only taller!

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😂😂😂

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Mr. Dupay, Trump will certainly SAY that, anyway.

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As well as Fox Noise, NewsMax, OAN, and a plethora of Trump sycophants! ;-)

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Yep.

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I agree he will show up next week. But here's a possible outcome:

He engages in his usual boorish antics and -- outside of MAGA world -- will widely be seen as having lost. He will declare it "rigged" and therefore he will refuse to do the second debate in September, just like he pulled out of the second scheduled debate in 2020. He will instead insist that Biden agree to the proposed October debate on FOX, which he has already accepted.

It is quite possible that this will be the only debate he participates in.

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This is the same type of situation as his NYC trial where no matter what happened, he was going to claim that he won "if it was fair". If he wins, he'll claim that it proves that he is the better candidate. If he loses, he'll screech that the debate was rigged against him. Either way, he wins.

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founding

Either way he wins in his own little mind

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Yup, that’s what he does!

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Jun 18·edited Jun 18

Chris, your last line regarding Trump wanting Biden "unscripted" plays even more into the debate rule that I think will sink him--not those above, but strict two minute responses. Trump is angry and has severe issues staying on topic; that's a really bad combination for a debate.....

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Given the waffling we’re seeing from the RNC and various Trump minions, I think they’re HIGHLY concerned about these debates and are likely trying to find ways to back out while still saving face. I think Trump backed himself into a corner, by insisting upon the debates, even though he’s a lousy debater, and couldn’t say “no” to the thoughtful limitations that CNN has put on this debate.

Will he show up? I honestly think it’s 50/50, as do a LOT of your political pundit colleagues, Chris. I could see him using Biden’s refusal to stoop low enough for a drug test as the perfect excuse for Trump to step away. We’ll see.

If he *does* show up, he will lose in spectacular fashion, as he’s made clear anytime he doesn’t have a teleprompter or it fails: we get sharks & batteries, or as at his private CEOs meeting, he’ll meander from half thought to half thought with absolutely no “throughline”, as has been reported. Oh, he’ll spin it like he “won”, but the only people that will believe that are already members of a cult and could not see the Truth if it bit them in the ass!

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That's my take as well, Mr. Deeds.

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It might be interesting to see how Trump does when he can't constantly interrupt and do his little comments. I love the fact that there won't be a crowd and that their mics will be turned off when it isn't their turn to speak. It seems like a game changer.

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I agree!! And if trump stalks behind Biden, trump gets tased!!!

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I love that idea! He should have been tased when he was stalking Hillary during their debate.

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She should have socked him in the eye!!

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or kneed him in the groin--he's such a disgusting creep.

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Yes, that sounds perfect!!

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I am not expecting that there will be a debate. Trump lost the last two debates and since has lost it cognitively. Both men are old but Biden’s mind is not Swiss cheese.

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founding

trumpf at heart is a coward. A bully, but a huge coward. It pains me when I see military and police and fire folks so enamored by him.

He wouldn't last a single day in the field. These folks whom he dominates would run all over him and kick him out of the ranks. In seconds. But, well, that ain't happening.

The debate is going to be a battle. He's backed into a corner now. I agree with Chris, he HAS to show up now.

Never downplay or underestimate what a trapped rat will do. Some day trumpf is gonna crash and burn.

It might be next week.

We don't know when, but I guarantee that it is going to be spectacular. I just can't predict when it is going down.

My personal belief is Meek Garland should have had all the charges printed up and served them to trumpf on January 20th, 2021. That would have ended this once and for all.

But, well, Meek was too Meek and had to be shamed by the January 6th committee to do something. But we can't change history.

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Wouldn't it be great if he had his massive fatal myocardial infarction mid-scream, on national TV?

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He will chicken out...

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founding

We should contact a bookie & get the odds.

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Trump will attempt to break every rule. He doesn’t want a debate, he wants a brawl. Tapper and Bash will have their hands full. He will undoubtedly show up to try to destroy Biden. Let’s hope Joe is on his game!

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Trump is a physical and moral coward. He may want a brawl, but provided Tapper and Bash keep him under control I can't see him being able to land any telling points--he can't even complete a sentence before his brain bounces to some other disconnected, half-finished thought. Trump is participating in a debate with a skilled and experienced debater while Trump himself is essentially "unarmed". Trump's narcissism, as Chris has said, won't let him admit, even to himself, that President Biden isn't debilitated, feeble and mentally slipping.

(Projection, all Trump's projection)

None of the debate will be pretty, but I believe that President Biden will prevail. Although, I'm sure we will all be (not) amazed the next morning to hear that Fox declares Trump to be the hands down winner.

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So true that Trump only wants a brawl. Tapper and Bash better not let that happen!

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founding

Iam very skeptical about Chris's confidence that Trump will be at the debate. Why am I skeptical? The same Chris was confident President Biden did not and will not debate Trump even after President Biden told Howard Stern he will debate Trump sometime somewhere ...on his( Biden's) term. And here we are, contrary to Chris's opinion , Biden is going to show up for the debate. So, now Chris is coming up with reasons why he thinks Trump will show up for a debate with Trump. I will believe it when he (Trump) shows up.

I just feel for President Biden who will now have to stand side by side with a CONVICTED FELON before the whole world.

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Excellent points all. He had it much better with the commission debates. He could overwhelm everyone.

This format will not be good for him. What can he run on? What are his policy positions?

First question from moderator, “What is your vision for the country?” Trump, “retribution”.

He can’t run on anything he did during his last term in office. So for him it would be a debate no matter what question is asked of his many self initiated grievances.

He won’t show because he has nothing to offer.

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Trump will fundraise off of it too.

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So, Trump is going to debate because he’s smoking his own supply. I can see that.

I think he’ll be there because it would give us all too much joy to able to call him a chicken for not going through with it. I’m trying to temper my expectations for the outcome.

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I think a lot of people make predictions about Trump behavior based on how they feel about him, rather than anything close to objectivity. The challenge for the objective commentator is that no matter how obsessively you study Donald Trump, it’s impossible to consistently predict his behavior because of his impulsivity and internal contradictions. Trump has priorities that are often in conflict, and in situations where they conflict, he’s very much subject to momentary whims. I’ve found Chris’s analysis of Trump logic to be as reliable as any commentator, and more reliable than most.

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Those possible rationalizations are so on the nose!

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Every morning, I turn on my newsfeed hoping that the massive fatal myocardial infarction happened last night.

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It's a daily disappointment to me!

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