As Teri Likes to say, Dis gwan be sum fun choo bet! By this time 72 hours from now, the Great Debate will be in its final stages. And with the possibility of this being the only presidential debate, it could be critical.
Trump is going to go into this debate with the same game plan he goes into everything with. Lead with stupid, and be an obnoxious pain in the ass. Possibly already sniffing an impending Wookie stomp, Traitor Tot is already pissing in the debate punch bowl. He’s bitching about the rules, about questions he hasn’t even seen, and about the moderators ability to be fair.
Trump will be Trump. In the Biden debate, he lied an astounding two times every minute. This presents Harris with an almost insurmountable task of trying to fact check His Lowness, and still make any of her prepared points. But fortunately Harris doesn’t have to thread that needle.
Because Traitor Tot is by his nature self-destructive. If you watched the Trump-Biden debate, you know that His Lowness really didn’t need to try to interrupt through a dead mic, because Biden self-imploded. But I don’t know if you noticed something else in that debate that could prove critical in this one.
ANC used several camera angles in the debate, one of which clearly showed El Pendejo ex Presidente behind his podium as Biden was speaking, as well as a split screen. And while he never even attempted to interrupt, the camera repeatedly caught him rolling his eyes, shaking his head, and waving his arms around while Biden was speaking. Being his usual douche self in other words.
Harris’s first job is as simple as falling off of a log. That is to get under Trump’s skin, a job that should be about as difficult as a mosquito at a nudist beach. Traitor Tot comes pre-pricked. One good prosecutor vs felon comparison and Trump will be back in his corner, wiping the tears from his eyes. More importantly it will throw him completely off his game plan. He will so be obsessed with payback, no matter what the next question is.
Her second job is to keep Traitor Tot off balance while making her policy points. Again, should be easy. Take a quick swipe at Il Douche for an easily provable lie in his statement, then answer the issue question, hopefully leaving time to tie it to the official, obnoxious Trump-Vance position. The personal slight will keep him from even trying to respond to the policy differences.
And from where I’m sitting the third one is easily the most critical one. Tie Project 2025 around Trump’s neck like a ship anchor. Project 2025 has been a motivating factor for Independents and undecided voters ever since the GOP stupidly let it leak. Or actually, released it to the world.
It’s also a 935 page blueprint for demolishing the US government, and more importantly covers almost every issue in the 2024 campaign. Abortion? A national abortion ban. Education? How about dismantling the Department of education? Global warming? Dismantling the EPA. Gun violence? Loosening 2nd Amendment restrictions. Equal justice for all? Turn the DOJ into Trump’s personal legal hit squad for political kvetches.
Since the day it was released and discovered, Trump has been running as fast as he can from Project 2025, but it’s like sh*t on his shoe, stuck tight. And the Democrats have religiously kept hammering the GOP with Project 2025, it’s now a known meme, so may as well tie them to it. And then watch The Mango Messiah try to paddlefoot away from it.
And here’s the McGuffin. In the Biden debate, ABC liberally featured Trump’s responses even when he wasn’t speaking. There’s no reason to believe they won’t do it this time. And the more she gets under his skin, and the worse the debate goes, even he can’t interrupt without screaming like a mental patient. Traitor Tot also won’t be able to get away without his emotions betraying him with wild gestures, mouthed obscenities, and thunderous furious looks. Trump’s physical theatrics may end up being more important with the viewing audience than his verbal bullsh*t.
This debate is critical for both candidates, but more so for Harris. After all, the expectation level for Trump is one level beneath the NY subway system tunnels. If he shows up with his shoes tied and zipped up, it was a successful debate. But an experienced prosecutor and politician can make a charlatan poltroon like Trump convict himself without saying a word. This should be interesting.
I thank you for the privilege of your time.
You’re correct that if Trump shows up with his pants zipped and his tie straight and manages to walk to the podium without tripping the chattering class will praise how “outstanding” he was. At the same time however no matter how well Harris does, even if she slices and dices him like the all time champ sushi chef in front of the customers and everyone’s food is PERFECT they will find SOMETHING to harp on. It doesn’t matter how trivial, It can be even less than Gore’s “sighes,” they will find something to go off on OMFG Harris did (insert whatever you think is worse than killing and drinking the blood of babies) and THAT is what they will want to talk about in the aftermath. For Chrissakes I’ll guarantee you ORDERS have been issues from the Executive Suites at major news outlets to do exactly that. Not everyone will go blindly along but enough will. Anyone, be it host or guest pundit with less than a year on their contract has I’m willling to bet already gotten a ‘nice gig you’ve got with us. It would be a shame if you made yourself controversial by talking down Trump while talking up Harris. You should take care to be ‘wink wink nod nod’ ”objective’ in your post debate coverage.’
Harris can do something as simple as wear low heels for comfort and an already noticeable height difference will be magnified into Trumpy “towering” over her so how could she ever be taken seriously by other world leaders. Or wear a bit higher heels than normal and a fuss will be made over HER trying to make herself look taller – when the truth is Trump has long worn lifts in his shoes. Hell, one came out on the stage in Butler! Or the color of whatever Harris wears. Or her nail polish. OMFG she didn’t wear any! Or OMFG she wore nail polish and we could see actual color!
There is NO limit to how batshit insanely petty they will get to be critical of Harris. Because that is what they have been ORDERED to do by the bosses. So it will be up to us regular folks to flood media type’s social media feeds with MOCKERY. And yes, if they do as I predict call them out as WHORES. If they don’t like it too fooking bad. All they have to do is be real, responsible journalists and the criticism will stop. The question I have is if there are enough who are brave enough to flip the bosses a big double bird and do the right thing, and provide cover for others to follow their example. For that we’ll have to wait and see.
I assure you, Denis, you’ll be able to count on Lawrence O’Donnell to demonstrate just how a cogent, sane and responsible journalist covers a political debate. There will be others too, but your point’s well taken: the media whores will do whatever their masters order.
I don’t count on any journalist being sane and responsible. I wish I could say otherwise. They’ve proven they just cannot criticize the orange threat to democracy.
John Oliver might not be a journalist but I guarantee he will report every f*ck-up committed by mango man. Of course if V.P. Harris commits any of those, he’ll let everyone know about that as well so there’s that.
Oh, and “real, responsible journalists…” do those even exist any more? I thought those went the way of the dodo bird.
Thank you! You nailed it!
The Tuesday debate will be a historical victory for Harris.
This analysis by Anthony Davis is worth watching;
I don’t know Joseph, I figure V.P. Harris has one job to do that night–win the debate!
I think she should do a lot of laughing at him while also pointing out he’s a phucking nazi with the same agenda HITLER HAD AND DID. She’s nicer than I am but that’s because she’s been on the winning side. Even so, any rule he breaks she should remind the voters he’s a convicted criminal awaiting trial on other crimes. No phucking prisoners. I agree with all of you…apparently having no spine and being a whore for well paying jobs seem to be the job description of tv ‘journalists’ these days except for the folks on MSNBC and Free Speech TV. Free Speech TV is the only one not ultimately ruled by rich corporate assholes.