r/politics • u/Arrest_The_President • 5d ago
Will Trump chicken out of the presidential debate? Probably. He's a Grade-A coward. Soft Paywall
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2024/06/25/trump-biden-presidential-debate-cnn-rigged/74195698007/806
u/ScottHoward1 5d ago
Wasn’t it a Trump minion that showed up for his debate and when asked about a specific bill he said that he doesn’t have time for this nonsense and walked out. I bet trump thought that was brilliant
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u/sentimentaldiablo 5d ago
you mean the j6 convict?
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u/Handleton 5d ago
You're going to have to narrow that down.
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u/DookieShoez 5d ago
The angry guy, with the lifted truck.
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u/MyPasswordIs222222 5d ago
Still... not specific enough...
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u/Elegant_Plate6640 5d ago
Sure you do, his Facebook photo is him sitting in that truck while wearing a pair of sunglasses
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u/cool_vibes 5d ago
Do you know how little that narrows it down?
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u/DookieShoez 5d ago
DUDE!
Hes got a lot of flags around, there empty beer cans in there…….
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u/xx123xxx 5d ago
So the guy that's not a woman is our culprit. I'll put out a BOLO
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u/TdrdenCO11 5d ago
if you read the comments on that video it’s 100% maga support. they loved it
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u/Goins2754 5d ago
I have to assume this is what Trump is planning. He'll rant about how "this is all rigged" and "Biden is evil" in his first chance to speak, then he'll walk off stage.
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u/McFlyyouBojo 4d ago
I still wish there was a segment where they have to sit in a soundproof booth with a yes button and a no button and questions were asked like, do you support women's right to choose, etc...
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u/TdrdenCO11 5d ago
could be although the stakes for trump are different. this debate is about cognitive ability and stamina. But trump might try to pull a stunt because he really struggles cognitively in the evenings which is why they don’t do night time events anymore. I fully expect him to be hopped up on ADD meds and barely intelligible
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u/Salsashark_21 5d ago
If I had to put money on it, Trump shows up, basically gives a speech, invents some way to accuse CNN of bias and storms off in “protest.” Fox News and the rest spend the next week taking about Trump’s heroic “stand” against the radical left media machine
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u/braddillman Canada 5d ago
He’ll complain that they cut off his mic. Which his team agreed to.
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5d ago
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u/_magneto-was-right_ 5d ago
How dare tweeter man sully the name of Bruce Campbell.
This tweeter is without honor. He has forgotten the face of his fathers. May he stand in line, forever waiting for a customer service associate to approve his choice to skip bagging his milk.
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u/SarcasticCowbell New York 5d ago
I keep seeing this same "BruceCampbell123" user quoted. Is this a prolific poster over there? And why's he gotta do Bruce Campbell dirty like that?
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u/OneWholeSoul 5d ago edited 5d ago
He's someone I was close friends with in real-life for a bit over a decade, then stumbled on him on Reddit using the same username he always did when we gamed online, and I was disturbed by the sort of things he was posting and how aggressively he was posting them, because he thought he had anonymity.
"Blacks have lower IQs but they're better at physical labor."
"It's OK to discriminate against blacks as a landlord because blacks lower property values."
"Women should be subservient to men, especially if they're married."
"All gays are coming from your children and need to stop shoving their existence down our throats. They're lucky we don't stone them to death like Islam does."And so on, and so on.
I confronted him about it and told him that what I was seeing him say online was impossible to reconcile with being his friend, especially as a bi-racial gay man, myself. His response was to tell me that he'd never said any of that, and I pointed out it was literally all in writing, so that wasn't going to work. He countered that it's my own fault for being too sensitive and "choosing" to make this "something that affects our friendship." Also, I'm a stalker.I check in on his commenting every once in a while to see if he's changed at all or - as has actually happened - to see how much further he's fallen. If this is who he wants to be, then clearly he wants people to know since he's voicing it online, and I'm just helping him out by signal-boosting him and making sure people know who he is when they're debating and conversing with him, instead of who he pretends to be to appear to have a moral high ground.
This is someone I watched for years angrily railing against "materialism" and "money-loving" and insisting that there's no such thing as systemic racism, casually professing that he wholeheartedly supports systemic racism if there might be money in it.
Oh, I almost forgot:
"Chinese and Indians are an inherently dirty people. Have you ever been to the bathroom in a Chinese restaurant?"
I think a lot of it might be externalized self-loathing? At least on the gay parts? He's always been a huge proponent of gay conversion therapy, like, to a weirdly invested and insistent degree, and one day I was just flat-out like: "Why is something so horrible such an important thing for you to always defend?" and his response was this weirdly cagey "Some people just really depend on and need it," and suddenly I'm remembering things like he telling me I can sleep on his couch for the night before I hit the road after turning in the keys on my own apartment that day but then a gay comedic scene coming on in the movie we were watching and suddenly he shuts off the TV and is like "Well, I should head to bed, you can let yourself out." So I just, like...lifted my suitcase and box and slept in my car.
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u/BigCopperPipe 5d ago
I was positive I was gonna read about Undertaker throwing Mankind off Hell in a Cell after going through this comment.
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u/Theyalreadysaidno Minnesota 5d ago
He gaslit the hell out of you. Sorry you had to go through that. Thanks for spreading the word about him, though.
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u/Wild_Harvest 5d ago
I hope that you spread far and wide his real beliefs so that everyone can see who he is. Although that may be a step too far.
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u/artsforall 5d ago
They should put the rules they agreed upon on screen before it starts, and go over the rules verbally as well. Have them confirm on the spot.
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u/thatissomeBS New Jersey 5d ago
Like an NFL ref at the start of overtime or something, run down the rules so each can agree, and then flip the coin to see who gets the first question.
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u/Cl1mh4224rd Pennsylvania 5d ago
They should put the rules they agreed upon on screen before it starts, and go over the rules verbally as well. Have them confirm on the spot.
I wonder what they'll do if Trump refuses once he's already on stage.
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u/Budded Colorado 5d ago
Knowing how CNN cowtows to conservatives, I'm not even sure they'll mute his mic or stick to their rules, you know, for sensationalism and ratings.
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u/Snarkastic1 5d ago
Trump is going to show up. And he's going to continue to ramble even when they shut off his mic. And then he's going to try to shout loud enough to be heard. And then when he's scolded for that and realizes it doesn't work, he'll storm out before the debate is over. that's my prediction.
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u/StatusKoi Mississippi 5d ago
"Will you shut up man?"
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u/porridge_in_my_bum America 4d ago
I’m convinced that sound bite literally sealed the election for Biden. People got to see him be a human and stand up to the petulant child in the way everybody wanted.
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u/americasgothoyvin 4d ago
This is kind of my dream for this round of debates. That Biden shows up strutting his best Dad persona and unleashes weapons grade empathy. "Are you OK, Donald? I'm really worried about you man. No, seriously worried...." and then he lists the ways Trump struggles to human.
I'd have him close with something like "I'm sure Melania and others who love you have said similar things. We want you to be healthy--and this isn't healthy..." with a straight face/concerned Dad-furrowed brow.
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u/roehnin 5d ago
He will walk toward Biden's podium and try to yell loud enough for Biden's mic to pick it up, I guarantee.
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u/ChainLC 4d ago
It would be funny if the Secret Service tackled his fat ass if he tried to get too close to him.
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u/TurnsOutImAScientist 5d ago
Yeah I’m not going with the no show takes, it’s obvious Trump never pulls out. If he did Tiffany wouldn’t exist.
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u/Oleg101 5d ago
The way all of right-wing media and many GOP politicians is have been over the anti-Tapper stuff in recent days makes me think there will is a chance it’s setting up for Donald to storm out in “protest”.
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u/Penguin_shit15 Oklahoma 5d ago
Then let Biden have the stage for 2 hours or whatever and have a debate with a cardboard standee of Trump. The cardboard would probably make more sense than anything the real Trump would say anyway..
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u/Belba_Mugwort 5d ago
Tapper and Bash should probably ready themselves for a 2 hour town hall with Biden. The odds of Trump chickening out with some bat shit reason is high.
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u/Penguin_shit15 Oklahoma 5d ago
I honestly just dont see Trump backing out of this. If anything , I could see him coming out on stage and physically assaulting Biden more than I can see him dipping out on the whole thing.
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u/billyjack669 Oklahoma 5d ago
Better hope there's not a 10 foot ramp in between them.
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u/Penguin_shit15 Oklahoma 5d ago
Thats one of the only ways to beat Trump..
Or have a Bald Eagle on stage in between them.. (for those who have not seen it... or just want to watch it on repeat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1AU4qi7tWg )
I am also kinda looking forward to watching Trump try to successfully take a drink of water from a bottle without looking like someone who has never drank water before. Its an 16 oz bottle, use one hand you fucking donut!
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u/dcbluestar Texas 5d ago
Apparently an animatronic shark would do wonders.
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u/thisbitbytes 5d ago
Bring back Left Shark. The time has come for Left Shark to fulfill the prophesy.
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u/arinxe3000 5d ago
"After making his debut worldwide on February 1, 2015, Left Shark returned nine years later, in June 2024, to fulfill his glorious purpose."
-- History Of The 21st Century, published 2113
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u/monsterflake 5d ago
left shark didn't forget the choreography, he was demonstrating his killing technique.
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u/greenroom628 California 5d ago
ooh... his weakness: electricity and a shark
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u/labretirementhome 5d ago
Green screen. Circling sharks and a sinking boat. I would pay per view for that.
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u/Kamelasa Canada 5d ago
Bring back Fonzie and his shark - exactly where the term jumped the shark came from. Looks like Henry Winkler's a democrat, too.
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u/gfh110 Pennsylvania 5d ago
If we weren't living in bizarro clown shit world that moment (and/or a few dozen others) should have ended his campaign.
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u/InsuranceToTheRescue I voted 5d ago
Comments about broccoli took down Bush the Elder, but this fucking guy gets a pass on bragging about sexual assault.
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u/Clean_Philosophy5098 5d ago
GOP used to pretend to have morals. Now it’s all about power to punish the libs
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u/Do_Whuuuut 5d ago
Biden could use a page outta puddin's playbook and walk out onstage w a bald eagle
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u/eternal_sorreaux 5d ago
That would be awesome if CNN had a ramp set up, and you have to walk down it to access the debate stage.
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u/MJcorrieviewer 5d ago
Or they have to ride a bike onto the stage.
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u/SammySoapsuds Minnesota 5d ago
Biden only rides bikes when there's ice cream involved. I'm not knocking him, I have the same general rule.
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u/Ent3rpris3 5d ago
Just give him his bottle of water when he walks on the stage, then he won't have a free hand to swing with.
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u/Toolazytolink 5d ago
You all still remember when this asshole had Covid at their debate, he tried to kill Biden.
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u/AvengersXmenSpidey 5d ago
This still amazes me. He knew his diagnosis, and he still went on stage yelling and debating and shaking hands.
Sociopath.
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u/bryan49 5d ago
Only cares about himself, he likely gave it to several people who worked for him too
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u/HauntedCemetery Minnesota 5d ago
He gave it to Herman Cain, who died from it. Then after he died the GOP kept tweeting covid denialism bullshit from his Twitter account
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u/PM_ME_YOUR_ROTES Missouri 5d ago
Pretty sure he gave it to Chris Christie at his debate prep. Then at the debate itself there was literal spittle flying out of his mouth at times.
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u/Cultural_Day7760 5d ago
Hope Hicks iirc too.
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u/md4024 5d ago
Trump knew he had tested positive for Covid but just showed up and did debate prep without telling anyone. All but one of the people who prepped him got sick.
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u/CuriosityKillsHer 5d ago
Knew and showed up with his entourage, with all refusing to mask up. Some evil fuckers, those.
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u/TheSavageDonut 5d ago
When he did his "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" pose on the White House balcony after that trip to Walter Reed, he held an event at the WH that was an intentional superspreader event. He tried to infect everyone because about a month before the 2020 election, he decided to turn into a full-on "Herd Immunity" guy, so he thought he'd do his part by helping his herd "get immune" (if they survived COVID).
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u/AFlockOfTySegalls North Carolina 5d ago
At this point I don't think his ego allows him to back out. He'd rather show up and have a terrible showing than chicken out.
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u/snarquisnarquer 5d ago
Narcissists are nothing more than an automated collection of defenses covering for a fragile or near non existent ego. The grandiose egoism of trump is just another of his performed delusions. I've thought he might back out with the excuse that the Gag Order has already nullified the debate, so he won't participate. He would fully believe this little fabrication, as would the MAGA troglodytes.
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u/_aaine_ 5d ago
This conversation happened last time and he didn't back out. And he won't this time, either.
Why?
We seem to keep forgetting this guy is a malignant narcissist.
He is NEVER going to forgo the opportunity to have all the attention and tv cameras on him for two hours, while he castigates a percieved enemy.
That shit is a narcissists wet dream.
He WILL show for the debate, and he WILL make a complete spectacle of himself as usual.
And MAGA will declare him the winner regardless.
Come on, it's been 8 years of this same shit. I can't believe anyone thinks he would do anything a "normal" person would do at this point.15
u/SpiceLaw 5d ago
I don't see him backing out, but I see him violating every agreed upon rule and blaming it as "unfair" and "horrible" and the other 50 words he uses.
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u/Snarkastic1 5d ago
And within 20 seconds of the debate ending, he'll be on camera with someone staying how "we won the debate", which is what he did for every debate he's participated in (none of which he's won)
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u/Fun_Independent_1473 5d ago
He's looking for one good sound byte. Doesn't matter if everything else is bad.
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u/DownIIClown 5d ago
He doesn't even need that lol. He could literally vomit on stage and leave and Fox will have some jackal talking about how "he was so presidential tonight"
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u/ChangeMyDespair 5d ago
Secret Service protective details have entered the chat. From both sides.
The Former Guy is too cowardly to start a fistfight.
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u/Penguin_shit15 Oklahoma 5d ago
Not going to lie, I would love to see Trump try to start a fight, then get one punched from Dark Brandon followed by "The Peoples Elbow"..
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u/JesustheSpaceCowboy 5d ago
Bruh if Biden starts slapping his elbows and drops the people elbow on him, I’m done, I’m checking out of this reality and clocking into a new one where all presidents are decided in a ladder match for custody of the country
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u/isanthrope_may 5d ago
Past Presidents? Go.
I’ve got money on Obama, and maybe T.R. for a close second. 45 can roll around on the floor with Taft.
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u/wrecktus_abdominus I voted 5d ago edited 5d ago
Buddy, if we're talking wrastlin' you gotta put your money on Honest Abe. He invented the choke slam and no I'm not joking
Edit to add: he is literally in the wrestling hall of fame. Out of an estimated 200 contests, he lost only once. And these were brutal affairs. If people are thinking along the lines of college or olympic wrestling, that's not really accurate. The modern-day equivalent would be closer to "meet me out back behind the dumpster in 5 minutes." He was legitimately a badass.
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u/reccenters 5d ago
He could hold an axe outstretched for a minute. Dude was a sex panther made real.
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u/JesustheSpaceCowboy 5d ago
I feel like everyone would sleep on Ol’ Ulysses.
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u/Styrene_Addict1965 Pennsylvania 5d ago
"He looked like a man who could put his head through a brick wall. And was about to do it."
— Reporter on Grant after seeing Grant in the Willard Hotel
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u/floydmulder 5d ago
“Donald, please explain to me in detail how your administration would handle matters of foreign policy.”
“Well, I would…”
”IT DOESN’T MATTER HOW YOUR ADMINISTRATION WOULD HANDLE MATTERS OF FOREIGN POLICY!!!”
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u/Xiao_Qinggui 5d ago
I think if he were going to skip the debate he would have done so at least before last weekend- It’s close enough to where his ego is telling him backing out now makes him look weak.
If Biden makes him feel stupid or bruises his ego, I can kinda see him charging at him as a possibility - Not enough to put money on it but I’d put money on him at least screaming “fuck you” or something like that.
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u/Orion14159 5d ago
Lol Trump can barely walk without a squirt filling up his diaper. He ain't doing anything.
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u/gokism Ohio 5d ago
To have Biden come out during the handshake, pinch his nose and wave away the odor would be gold.
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u/Orion14159 5d ago
As funny as it would be, I'm against the WWE-ification Trump has brought into our politics. I want politics to be boring again.
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u/unic0rse 5d ago
How else do we get to President Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho...?
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u/HauntedCemetery Minnesota 5d ago
I want politics to be boring again.
Everyone spent trumps entire term saying that. And then it happened, or at least got less crazypants. And then because it was "boring", aka sober and effective, people stopped paying attention. And now 80% of America seems to think that because they didn't hear a giant crazy story about Biden 3 times a day for the last 4 years that he hasn't actually done anything.
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u/ThickerSalmon14 5d ago
Biden should at some point during the debate, complain to the host that it smells like crap on the stage while looking at Trump.
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u/Smart_Run8818 5d ago
Trump is an absolute and utter pussy. He wouldn't dare assault a man, geriatric or not.
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u/cowboy_mouth 5d ago
...have a debate with a cardboard standee of Trump.
I wonder if Clint Eastwood would allow Biden to borrow his chair for the night.
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u/methos3 5d ago
Jesus that was the cringiest thing I’d ever seen a famous person do.
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u/Penguin_shit15 Oklahoma 5d ago
I will honestly never forget the look that Rachel Maddow had when they panned back to her... it was just open mouthed shock.. one of the few times where she looked like she had no idea what to say and she was like "yeah.. ok.. umm.. well that just happened"
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u/Myghost_too 5d ago
have a debate with a cardboard standee of Trump.
^^^No way, this is just another example of how the media caters to Trump. Either make him stand there and debate, or make him admit he's afraid. Sorry, it's just not fair to allow a more qualified proxy (in this case, "cardboard") to sit in for him.
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u/wampum 5d ago
Have Shane Gillis stand in if trump no-shows.
I’m sure he could capture the essence of what trump would say.
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u/Otherwise_Stable_925 5d ago
Just bring out one of the SNL cast members that plays Trump and bounce real questions off of him. There is nothing illegal about it and it would probably be some of the most entertaining television ever created.
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u/Caraes_Naur 5d ago
with a cardboard standee of Trump
...wearing handcuffs and an orange jumpsuit.
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u/GoingMyWeight 5d ago
They should proceed with the debate as planned, and during Trump's turn, pose their questions to an empty podium and let the camera fix on it in silence for 60 seconds or whatever the allotted time is. Just awkward silence over and over where Trump should be there speaking.
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u/BobB104 5d ago
His cult will act as though him losing his nerve and canceling is an act of unprecedented heroism.
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u/spellbookwanda 5d ago
I hope not, I’m looking forward to the nonsense. Hopefully it opens some people up to voting against him, or not at all, if they won’t vote Biden.
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u/Wizard_Writa_Obscura 5d ago
I want Biden to explain to the voters how his leadership improved things for Americans that Trumps presidency needed fixed. That's the key difference, among many though.
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u/Raspberries-Are-Evil Arizona 5d ago
He should remind these assholes who think the "economy was better" that it was Trump who disbanded the Pandemic Early Response Team, and that his complete mismanagement of the situation made it 10x-- and that the "economy" wasn't good when you all got laid off from business closings.
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u/LFahs1 5d ago
Trump can’t use any “Record High” stock market claims— that was TFG’s measure of a good economy, and Biden has him beat on that, too.
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u/ElonTheMollusk 5d ago edited 5d ago
Absolutely, Biden has cleaned up so much of Trump's shit. I think a stage to highlight it to those not engaging in politics and only tune in to debates will be great.
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u/Suspicious-Doctor296 5d ago
The single most important moment of the last presidential election was when Biden said "will you just shut up man" to Trump during a debate. Like it or not, that affected a lot of "swing" voters and frankly, it was cathartic for a lot of us to see someone finally putting him in his place. This kind of stupid shit matters.
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u/adrr 5d ago
That's why he's going to back out. Trump is too senile to speak coherently, he can only read off teleprompters.
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u/belzbieta 5d ago
Same. Water water it's called rain! open shut! washing machines for dishes! They're coming for your water! Boats with batteries, so heavy, boats sinking everywhere! sharks are going to eat you or you can electrocute yourself your choice!
Biden says gaffes from time to time but at least it's not like listening to a coked up Oracle.
If he keeps to the same sort of speeches during the debate it'll be such a strong contrast between the two. I hope conservatives will act reasonably, like you said vote for Biden or at least not trump.
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u/Pontificatus_Maximus 5d ago
He can't resist national air time.
Look for him to turn it into a circus, would not be surprised if he fills his diapers on screen and twerks, anything to keep the sensation hungry media distracted from reality.
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u/matt314159 5d ago
Look for him to turn it into a circus
Yeah I wonder if he'll use it to announce his VP pick or something, to try to make THAT what the press talks about the next day.
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u/speechpathknowledge 5d ago
If there’s any Trump supporters wouldn’t you want a president who is manly enough to stand up to an 81 year old man hopped up on speed and cocaine? Pretty sad he wont do that for his supporters
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u/foamy_da_skwirrel 5d ago
I think Republicans are looking at this all wrong--if speed and coke can counter dementia we need to start letting the elderly mainline that shit
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u/Ohnoherewego13 North Carolina 5d ago
Seriously, if that's what counters dementia, time to start talking to Colombia.
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u/Hot_Frosting_7101 5d ago
A lot of things probably help short term with terrible long term consequences.
I'm sure the amphetamines Trump takes help him be a bit more sharp at first before they started scrambling his brain.
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u/doublestitch 5d ago
It's at least plausible. After all this hype about Biden supposedly being on drugs, Trump might pretend to be indignant and refuse to debate - making the drug "issue" his excuse.
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u/steve1186 Minnesota 5d ago
If this happens, I would love for Biden to request both he and Trump both volunteer for a drug screening. Let’s see what’s in their systems. Same lab, same person drawing a blood sample, same doctor reviewing the results.
Trump would run away from that faster than if a black woman knocked on his front door.
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u/PyratHero23 5d ago
It wouldn’t matter. Trump would then say the doctor was paid off by Biden to make it look like he was clean. There’s no end to their excuses.
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u/thekozmicpig Connecticut 5d ago
The exciting world of MAGA conspiracies!
If there's evidence in favor of a claim, it's true! If there's evidence disproving a claim, it's also true!
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u/GenerikDavis 5d ago
That's a bingo! They have no problem saying that the thousands of people that attacked the Capitol were actually FBI plants and Antifa. One doctor being a plant is child's play.
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u/Nullneunsechzehn 5d ago
But they are also true patriots and hostages. And now let us all shit in our pants for freedom!
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u/SquidmanMal Pennsylvania 5d ago
'We've taken 5 samples from Mr. 34, and it just keeps extracting pure big mac sauce.'
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u/Harvest_Hero 5d ago
Let’s be realistic here, these are both politicians, they have great healthcare, they are “grandfathered in” and essentially get as much prescription medication as they need.
I imagine both would come up “clean”. But of course consist of several prescription drugs.
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u/SidewaysFancyPrance 5d ago
There's no "win" to be had here. Biden just needs to stay the course and stick to normal debate rules, and let the Trump team tire themselves out. Any unusual move Biden makes in response to Trump team goading will be spun against him.
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u/Hot_Frosting_7101 5d ago edited 5d ago
My prediction is that he will back out then claim Biden backed out. The right wing media would run cover for him. Truth means nothing in their world.
They may present it as Biden backed out because he would not agree to <insert non-existent precondition>. That could be drug testing or whatever.
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u/Mr-Hoek 5d ago
Also this:
Trump White House pharmacy improperly provided drugs and misused funds, Pentagon report says - https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-white-house-pharmacy-improperly-provided-drugs-misused-funds-pentagon-2024-01-28/
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u/Binky216 5d ago
My dream scenarios are that he pussies out and we can all ramp up the coward talk, or he shows up and just makes no sense at all. Let the world see more of just how off he is now.
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u/tytymctylerson 5d ago
He's not showing.
He's going to use the drug test requirement pitch to refuse and then he'll put out a talking point about how he refused to fall into the trap of a "fake CNN debate" at his rallies.
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u/ill0gitech Australia 5d ago edited 5d ago
The late great Admiral Ronny Johnson, he’s a great doctor you know, one of the best, he demanded drug tests for Sleepy O’Biden he said the President’s mind isn’t all there. But this one time it was, at the unfair State of the a Union. Performance enhancing Drugs like they give kids in school. And they refused. They cheat! And we’re gonna make ‘em pay
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u/HauntedCemetery Minnesota 5d ago
Or he'll just blame the judges in his many criminal trials and say his gag order prevents him from debating.
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u/ashes_to_concrete 5d ago
He'll name his VP and say they're going to debate for him, and if Biden backs out then that makes Biden the story not Trump... wait for it
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u/Austin_Peep_9396 5d ago
He’ll show up at the debate, use the national stage to announce his VP pick, keep pressing this VP as the best thing ever for 10-15 minutes. Then will storm off the stage after several microphone cut-offs and several “CNN fake news biased questions”. This will make tremendous headline news (between the VP announcement, and “Trump storms out of debate in protest of biased moderators”, which greatly pleases his base. The ratings will be YUUGE!
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u/QuintillionthCat 5d ago
Exactly! As someone posted above, he loves the sound of his own voice too much to miss the opportunity, and he will try to deflect from his incompetence by announcing his VP.
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u/seekingadventure2024 5d ago
Steve Bannon floated the idea of him skipping the debate yesterday after his "press secretary" was treated so "horribly" after she couldn't keep her sewer trap shut and stop disparing CNN after being repeatedly asked to stop that behaviour. I have young nieces and nephews (some below 5 years of age) who can behave better than this felonuous side show.
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u/remarkless Pennsylvania 5d ago
Let him chicken out. Give Biden a platform to give a political speech to fill the hour.
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u/supersonicvinyl 5d ago edited 5d ago
He wont be able to attend, hes got too many wounds (diaper rash) from the prison torture
lol @ diarrhea excuse - omg when will this Trump nightmare end?
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u/mvallas1073 5d ago
Zero chance. His fragile ego cannot accept any public perception of “Weakness” in him, so no doubt he’s going to go into this to a) ramble off a list of absolute whopper accusations and lies, probably also stating some crap like “I have a piece of paper here in my front pocket that absolutely proves you’re corrupt, but they won’t let me show it here” kinda garbage, and b) claim that CNN is clearly biased against him - asking him horribly skewed questions like “Why do you feel like you, as a convicted felon, should be able to run for president” instead of “My goo, you’ve done SO much compared to Biden to help this country - what more could you possibly do for us if you come back!?”
Also, I’m FULLY expecting a 2nd debate being made, but being hosted by FOX and being the deliberate “Trash on Biden” debate.
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u/Apprehensive-Cat330 Tennessee 5d ago
He'll be there. He isn't going to pass up an opportunity to berate Biden just like he did Hillary in 2016, Oh, and don't expect him to obey the rules either. If a New York judge doesn't intimidate him, CNN moderators sure aren't.
Biden views it like debating in college. Trump views it like a WWE wrestling match.
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u/theucm Georgia 5d ago
The mics automatically cutting out and no audience to cheer for him or laugh at his jokes thankfully aren't really rules that require being enforced. The only thing he could really do is walk across the stage and yell into Biden's mic, which hopefully there's a plan for, because I kinda expect that to happen when his mic shuts off mid dementia-rant.
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u/Ohnoherewego13 North Carolina 5d ago
If he does that and Joe KOs him, I'll be so damn happy. That's the dream here and don't ruin it.
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u/mechtonia 5d ago
The candidates are only going to be muted for the TV/streaming audience. The moderators and Biden are still going to hear Trump rambling on and on. It's going to be extremely awkward.
My prediction is that Tapper will have to remind Trump a couple dozen times that the audience can't hear him to please stop talking. After 30 minutes of this Trump will storm off.
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u/TheNCGoalie North Carolina 5d ago
I did not know that part. That’s terrifying. I’ve posted elsewhere that the biggest problem with cutting the mics is that Trump could just continue yelling and distract Biden while he’s trying to respond. The audience at home would have no idea and just see a Biden slip up.
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u/circlehead28 5d ago
I’m VERY surprised he accepted the debate with no audience. That’s kind of a big deal. He thrives off of crowd reactions.
2016 was effective cause he brought Clinton accusers to the debate. He’s not going to be able to pull that shit.
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u/tytymctylerson 5d ago
What is with people in this thread acting like Biden and Trump didn't already debate in 2020??
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u/destijl-atmospheres 5d ago
Trump views it like a WWE wrestling match.
Trump's literally in the WWE Hall of Fame.
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u/fowlraul Oregon 5d ago
Maybe, but wherever he’ll be that night, he’ll be blazed up on cocainerall, steroids, and godknows what else. 🤷♂️
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u/sebastian404 5d ago
Soy Sauce, injected directly into the veins
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u/barontaint 5d ago
That's my dinner plan, but I boof it combined with a little sesame oil and rice vinegar to really blast off my umami internally
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u/MetalMamaRocks 5d ago
I want to hear what both candidates plans are for health care, social security, Medicare, the economy, immigration, Ukraine, Israel, tariffs, taxes, infrastructure, reproductive rights, voting rights, and so on.
You know, what debaters are supposed to talk about.
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u/Specific_Rutabaga_87 5d ago
Biden will talk about those things. trump will ramble like a drunk uncle at Thanksgiving
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u/Go4broke360 5d ago
I could see trump show up but leave after his feelings got hurt and blame the media. They are going to cut this dude's mic some many times.
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u/commit10 5d ago
Biden stepped on my toe, so I'm injured by the communist leftist anarchist jungle monkeys who are colluding with the Mexicans.
(Sarcasm note for the Trumpty Dumpty dopes who haven't caught on yet)
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u/SpiritTalker Pennsylvania 5d ago
I think the closer we get, the less he will back out. (be able to back out)
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u/SpoonyDinosaur 5d ago
That is my take as well. When he first agreed, I was 90% sure he would back out. However with it barely 48 hours away, it seems less and less likely.
However it still seems plausible; the campaign is running serious interference between "Biden will be on drugs, CNN/Jake Tapper will be unfair, etc."
I think Trump's camp really doesn't want him to debate which is why they are already telegraphing that if Trump does poorly, it was "rigged" and all the other bullshit. It just cracks me up that they spend so much time talking about how poorly Biden speaks, then after the SOTU their rebuttal was he "was Jacked up Joe," (which is a badass nickname) and "angry & unpresidential." (which I don't have to explain the irony of that) However I don't think Trump's ego can resist the exposure.
Not that it will have any effect on his base. If people are lining up to see him ramble about washing machines, Hannibal Lector, sharks and electrocution, there's nothing he could say that will hurt him. (and even if he just shit his pants on stage, the right wing would say it was a massive victory and "how this hurts Biden")
My guess is he'll show up, it will be a trainwreck and then they'll play the "unfair/rigged venue, Biden was fed answers/on drugs, yada yada" and not do another debate. The playbook is so transparent at this point.
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u/Hndlbrrrrr 5d ago
My guess is that he’ll show, overrun his time on the first question and then walk out after the mic mutes him. Then afterward he’ll claim his time was shortened and he’s being censored and every right wing talking head will repeat the same bullshit for 2 months.
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u/whatdoblindpeoplesee 5d ago
If he does the "Trump walks out on America" and "Trump ran away from Biden like a coward" ads just write themselves.
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u/fluent_in_gibberish Illinois 5d ago
If trump shows up and debates (50/50 at this point IMO) the cult will spend endless hours analyzing every single frame and make a conspiracy theory out of every movement and gesture Biden makes. “See the way he moved his hand? He is obviously signaling his handlers to feed him the next answer! And that eye movement is obviously when the medicine pump injected more drugs!”
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u/PM_ME_YOUR_ROTES Missouri 5d ago
Biden is vaxxed so he's already 5G capable. Then there's all those demon powers from the space lizards.
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u/Devils_Advocate-69 5d ago
Claiming Biden will be on drugs while he openly discusses his son’s addiction is deplorable.
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u/harrywrinkleyballs 5d ago
He won’t be a no-show, but he will walk off the stage in protest. It’s his go-to power move. He did it in Kaplan’s courtroom. The guy that says “refuttal” will waddle away in defeat.
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u/thekinginyello 5d ago
I wouldn’t be surprised if Trump just sent a cardboard cut out of himself with an attached sound system that just yelled “fake” “Wrong” “lies” at random intervals.
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u/GoodWaste8222 5d ago
I wouldn’t show up if I were him. There is zero upside for him. And that’s because he fuking sucks at everything
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u/HouseCravenRaw Colorado 5d ago
I can't imagine him actually agreeing to the debate without some extremely gonzo, bizarre requirement. It'll be something absurd, so he can blame Biden for not having a "fair debate".
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5d ago
USA Today? They used to be the most boring and safe newspaper. Even the opinions were tame.
Trump really broken us. We need him to lose by 10 points.
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u/DiscussionAncient810 5d ago
Biden should occasionally make a face like someone farted. Not too many times, just enough for people to get the idea. If Trump starts showing his ass, or gets too close. Biden should just fire off, “ Damn Donny! Did you shit yourself?”
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u/TheWalrusWasRuPaul 5d ago
Debate Drinking Game::
Every time they cut to Trump silently mouthing works during Biden’d turn take a drink
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u/Extension_Deal_5315 5d ago
Wouldn't you just love to see Biden bait trump so badly...he just loses it...and just goes berserk... Ranting and raving off the stage...
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u/smiama6 5d ago
Bannon laid the groundwork for him to back out claiming if CNN didn’t apologize to his campaign manager he should.
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u/austinmiles 5d ago
People kept saying that about the 2020 debate and he showed up. He also lied about a covid test hoping to get Biden sick and argued against plexiglass walls.
The man is a bully and will never pass up the chance to be an asshole.
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u/Old-Ad3691 5d ago
If he’s under audit he can’t debate. Audit should be completed in about two weeks.
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