Things Biden can do better in the second and third debates

[woodley park]

I think there's widespread acknowledgement here that Biden came out in top in the first debate. He avoided having a 'senior moment', stuck up for himself in the face of Trump's relentless and boorish attacks, and even used a few moments to connect directly with Americans.

That said, there's always room for improvement. I noticed a few things that Biden needs to be better prepared to speak about in the second and third debate.

1. Come up with an answer on court packing. I forget whether Wallace or Trump asked Biden about this, but either way, I was not satisfied with Biden's answer. I think given his lead, he can afford to come out and say that he is not in favor of court packing. After all, if he can come out against de-funding the police, he can come out against court packing. Dodging the issue the way he did makes folks suspicious.

2. Stop being afraid to be associated with law enforcement. Biden declined to state a single law enforcement officer or group that supports him, and vice versa. This just seems ridiculous. Voters know that not every police officer is bad. Biden shouldn't be ashamed to have the backing of police unions and the endorsement of current and former police chiefs. And there's no reason why he can't balance that by also noting endorsements from BLM and other justice advocates.

3. Remind the audience of the Trump family's corruption. Trump has some nerve to go after Hunter Biden, especially considering how he and his family have routinely bilked the IRS and, since getting into the White House, fleeced the American taxpayer. If he goes there again, Biden should return fire. He took the high road this time, but Trump needs to be confronted with his own corruption.

4. Remind folks that Trump made his bones through birtherism. Trump liked to bring up Biden's involvement in the crime bills of the 1990s, in order to drive a wedge between Biden and younger black voters. Biden should remind these voters that Trump's whole political career was launched by his embrace and propagation of a racist conspiracy theory that claimed that our first black president wasn't a real American citizen.

Thoughts?

[Hammy]

There's nothing you can do to improve on a debate when he's the only one willing to actually hold a debate and the other is a raving lunatic.

[Joe Republic]

Just keep talking through the interruptions.  Completely tune Trump out (if his mic hasn't already been switched off).

[Admiral Stockdale]

1. Come up with an answer on court packing.

3. Remind the audience of the Trump family's corruption.

I tend to disagree on #3, but am with you in #1.

For court packing, it's going to dog Biden (and Harris) his team is going to have to come up with an answer - maybe not a position.  My guess is that he's waiting until the POTUS hearings get rolling and you see how "extreme" the candidate will come off.  Public opinion is generally against court packing, but that could change.  "I am not going to completely dismiss any idea..." is likely the best answer gun to his head...  of course, he could come out against it and then change his mind.

For #3, I think he ignores this and stays above it.  This was probably the worst thing Trump did the other night and Biden shouldn't sink to his level.  Other folks associated with Biden can make that point, but Biden can say "I am not going to attack your family, don't attack mine."

[Gass3268]

On court packing I would say: "At this moment court packing is not necessary." If Biden wins and the Democrats get a large enough majority than it might become necessary.

[Mr. Smith]

Go after him.

Hillary had to play it safe because of her own baggage, Biden doesn't.

More of those "will you shut up" or "keep yapping" sorts.

[Meclazine for Israel]

Biden just needs to stay focussed on what he is saying if he wants to chalk up more voters.

I think he did well to look down the camera and make a concerted effort to talk directly to the people watching at home.

If he keeps doing that, he will be fine.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

2. Stop being afraid to be associated with law enforcement. Biden declined to state a single law enforcement officer or group that supports him, and vice versa. This just seems ridiculous. Voters know that not every police officer is bad. Biden shouldn't be ashamed to have the backing of police unions and the endorsement of current and former police chiefs. And there's no reason why he can't balance that by also noting endorsements from BLM and other justice advocates.

Biden was asked if he supports BLM and said he supported the police doing their job, which is obviously the center right position to win over all those Romney voters.

[afleitch]

Time to respond without interruption will help him. He stumbled over his words trying to form them. When he responded off the cuff it worked better. Be folksy. Just be Joe.

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

I think there is an obvious answer for Biden to give when it comes to the court. Remind everyone that it's the Republicans that are currently changing the rules that they themselves came up with 4 years ago to benefit their own side, and that if Republicans just allow the person who wins the presidential race to fill RGB's seat, expanding the court is off the table. However if Republicans go ahead with their power grab, expanding the court is an option to restore balance.

It's all about the framing.

Also, would you guys stop wasting time on Turbo Flame. It's an obvious troll account. Every single one of his 108 posts so far can be summed up to: "I'm voting third-party because Democrats aren't progressive enough and they're mean to Trump."

No real poster is that one note.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

He fell into complacency since he was never really attacked by D's for Hunter Biden, go after Trump on his tax records and how he won't and attack him harder. Biden seem soft on attacking Trump

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

When Trump tries his childish bluster again, Biden should invoke that classic Reaganism, "There you go again."

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Fox and Friends criticized Trump on not calling out white supremacists

[We Live in Black and White]

Be better prepared for Trump acting like a screaming toddler. Get ready, emotionally, for 300+ interruptions.

[Hope For A New Era]

When Trump tries his childish bluster again, Biden should invoke that classic Reaganism, "There you go again."

That and act like the 2012 debate. Laugh at Trump like the joke he is. Throw in a few malarkeys for good measure.

[Xing]

While I wasn't a fan of "I'm the Democratic Party", I don't think there's much Biden can change that will fundamentally change the state of the race. He just needs to act as calm as possible to serve as a contrast to Trump. Virtually nothing he actually says is going to change anyone's mind, at this point, and voters who are still undecided are probably not going to be swayed by the issues.

[woodley park]

Looks like we may not get a second debate for a while yet, but I thought it would be worth re-visiting the court packing issue after last night's veep debate. Seems like the Biden campaign is working towards an answer, but they seem unwilling to outright say what they will or won't do.

How would this answer work?:

Our campaign is about taking America forward, not backward. Our campaign is about decency. Our campaign is about restoring our institutions, and with that, America's faith in our democracy -- our very system of government. Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell have done so much to weaken those institutions, to undermine our democracy, and to erode our values. We don't support escalating their nefariousness. We believe the court should have nine Justices. I'll say it again -- the court should have nine Justices. But I'll also say this -- Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell have some gall to accuse me of court packing. Nobody has done more court packing than Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell. The GOP refused to give President Obama's Justice a hearing because it was an election year, taking an unprecedented step to keep the seat open so that they could try and fill it the next year, and now they are rushing through a new nomination just weeks before the election. Donald J. Trump, Mitch McConnell, why are you court packing?