Trump calls for debates with Biden

[ProudModerate2]

Are we suppose to believe him? Or is he talking out of his Orange A-- again?
He obviously has a terrible record regarding his willingness or wishy-washy decisions regarding his participation in debates.

[Agonized-Statism]

Biden has a lot to lose here. The Democratic coalition is big and unwieldy and he's been very cautious in threading the needle on a number of issues, Gaza included. The "debates can be run by the corrupt DNC" thing suggests to me that Trump is aware of the need for careful, controlled messaging on Biden's part and wants to poke at that weakness. Personally, I'd like to see him confronted on those issues and I also doubt Trump will be that sharp at a debate now either, but Biden's supporters ought to be a little more cautious.

[Benjamin Frank 2.0]

Why should Biden give bankrupt rapist traitor Trump a non Republican platform to spread his lies?

For Biden to do the debates he should insist on a live fact check, that Trump's microphone be cut off if he exceeds his time or talks out of turn, that Trump can not stalk around on the stage, and that if Trump attempts to violate any of these rules, that the debate is immediately ended with Biden getting the remaining air time to hold a Presidential press conference.

Of course, Biden would be subject to these same rules, except, of course, if Biden caused the debate to end, it wouldn't be a Presidential press conference.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Trump wants ammo for "presumptive nominee" immunity on appeals. (There is no such thing, but you can bet he's going to ask for it.) And he could really use some free coverage as "Serious Candidate Trump", instead of "Broke Crook Trump". Plus there's always the chance that Biden will have a meltdown on stage. And Trump won't agree to any format that doesn't let him spend the entire debate lying and calling Biden names.

[Benjamin Frank 2.0]

Trump wants ammo for "presumptive nominee" immunity on appeals. (There is no such thing, but you can bet he's going to ask for it.) And he could really use some free coverage as "Serious Candidate Trump", instead of "Broke Crook Trump". Plus there's always the chance that Biden will have a meltdown on stage. And Trump won't agree to any format that doesn't let him spend the entire debate lying and calling Biden names.

I think being a rapist is worse than being a crook, but then being a traitor is maybe worst of all. With Trump, there's just so many horrible/evil things.

[DaleCooper]

If you are the Biden campaign, I wonder if you would consider proposing an early presidential debate. The idea being that if you do believe Biden would still trounce trump in a normal debate setting, you get that in front of the nation ASAP and maybe turn the tides by dispelling the notion that Biden is senile and trump is who he always was.

I don't know.

Trump beat Kaitlan Collins in the CNN town hall.
Biden is not as alert as Kaitlan Collins.

But what I expect from a Trump vs Biden debate is a Trump vs Moderator debate, with Biden just occationally trying to interupt with some nonsense from 1962.

I think debates are a negative for both of them.

I agree with your prediction for what a Trump/Biden debate would be, but I want to point out that the CNN person lost because CNN was trying to play some stupid both-sides game in a delusional attempt to win over some of the conservative infotainment audience. If the purpose of that town hall was to call out Trump and point out everything wrong with him then it would've turned out much different and any semi-competent journalist would've been fine.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

He wants debates because the race is close and Biden looks and sounds very old and "out of it". If he was way ahead of Biden or if Biden looked and sounded better, he wouldn't bother.

To be honest, I barely remember their 2020 debates. I think I chose to erase them from my memories.

I actually do, but mostly just for the part when Biden referred to the "Poor Boys", and Trump told them to "Stand back and stand by".

The fly during the Pence/Harris debate was actually probably the most memorable moment in any of the debates that year.

[The Mikado]

As an aside, is it normal for the last debate to be a whole month out from the election? I feel like it's usually not that long.

It's not usual. It's a change the Commission made because both the Biden and Trump 2020 campaigns complained that thanks to early voting a giant chunk of the electorate had already voted before the 3rd debate. (I had!)

[Arizona Iced Tea]

Biden has a lot to lose here. The Democratic coalition is big and unwieldy and he's been very cautious in threading the needle on a number of issues, Gaza included. The "debates can be run by the corrupt DNC" thing suggests to me that Trump is aware of the need for careful, controlled messaging on Biden's part and wants to poke at that weakness. Personally, I'd like to see him confronted on those issues and I also doubt Trump will be that sharp at a debate now either, but Biden's supporters ought to be a little more cautious.

I always feel like its better to debate than skip. Unless you do absolutely abysmally it can only help you since half the country will spin it as a victory for you anyway as long as you give a D tier performance or better. Meanwhile ditching the debate will raise concerns about age/competence/confidence/etc.

[DrScholl]

Biden won't have any problems because he knows what to prepare for and how Trump will attack. It will basically be Trump talking over him and not letting him speak just like last time. Trump has more to lose because he has declined heavily of four years and will have to be even more medicated just to get through the debate without totally flipping out.

[emailking]

A town hall moderator does not "lose" or get "beat."

[The Mikado]

Biden has a lot to lose here. The Democratic coalition is big and unwieldy and he's been very cautious in threading the needle on a number of issues, Gaza included. The "debates can be run by the corrupt DNC" thing suggests to me that Trump is aware of the need for careful, controlled messaging on Biden's part and wants to poke at that weakness. Personally, I'd like to see him confronted on those issues and I also doubt Trump will be that sharp at a debate now either, but Biden's supporters ought to be a little more cautious.

I always feel like its better to debate than skip. Unless you do absolutely abysmally it can only help you since half the country will spin it as a victory for you anyway as long as you give a D tier performance or better. Meanwhile ditching the debate will raise concerns about age/competence/confidence/etc.

Biden also has the advantage of massively low expectations if half the country in fact thinks he's a drooling senile idiot with a rotten brain who can't make it through 90 minutes without taking speed like candy.

Since he isn't that (I know some blue and yellow avatars will disagree but bear with me), Biden being relatively coherent and explaining positions on a variety of things with maybe a reprise of "Will you shut up, man?" (the only thing anyone remembers him saying from the last debate but something many people have wanted to say to Donald Trump for decades) he can easily far exceed expectations. Even if Biden's performance is...rocky...if people think he's some sort of puppet Weekend at Bernie's situation even getting through 90 minutes toe to toe with Trump is something people think is beyond him.

He needs to show, visually, that he's not what his critics say he is. No one's going to believe "Insider accounts say the president is alert and detail oriented" or "Kevin McCarthy said Biden was a shrewd negotiator." They need to see him with their own eyes.

Also holy hell do people need to see more of Trump. If Biden wins the election it will be because people who already voted against Trump once are reminded of why they did it and do it again. Trump is nowhere near visible enough and it's a huge strength of his: people are relying on cloudy memories of 5 years ago and not his current performances. The more people hear him speaking the way he speaks now the better.

[Pericles]

And this is a bold move from someone who has lost every general election debate they have ever participated in.

[Arizona Iced Tea]

And this is a bold move from someone who has lost every general election debate they have ever participated in.

I think that 2nd debate with Hillary Clinton was pretty solid. He stopped the bleeding from Access Hollywood with it, at least.

[PRESIDENT STANTON II]

Trump should be careful what he asks for! What does he do, If Biden doesn't act like an addled senile and acts better than expected. He'll probably claim crooked Joe, set him up and demand why Joe didn't act the way he was expected to. Also Biden should ask Trump why he opposes aid to Ukraine? 🇺🇦 and imply that Putin has dirt on Trump. Also if I were Biden I'd ask Trump to explain why he opposes border security? He obviously does, since he help sabotage what was good legislation to solve the problem and in the meantime Biden should sign a few executive orders to secure the border,  call the Republican's on there support of he Biden taking such actions. As President Biden should start playing games with Trump and gaslight him.