OMG.... There will be no 2020 presidential debates

[sportage]

And here it is, another of my physic predictions.
While watching ex-senator Al Franken on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Al was talking about Trump (naturally) and what any democratic nominee will need to do during those presidential debates. The debate(s) where the democratic nominee goes one on one against Donald Trump.
As Al put it, that nominee must take it to Donald Trump. Take it to, meaning he or she must expose live on stage in front of everyone including Donald Trump exactly what Trump is currently doing and plans to do if given a second term.
The subject of focus then turned to healthcare, the ACA i.e. Obamacare, and those built-in ACA protections like with the removal of caps and the banning of the pre-existing conditions denial.
Al also pointed out that during the state of the union speech, that Trump lied in claiming Trump would protect those people living with pre-existing conditions.
Al pointed out that Donald Trump has already taken the ACA Pre-existing protection clause to court, and that lawsuit will eventually reach the US Supreme Court.
Trump and his administration have been aggressively seeking to repeal completely the ACA i.e. Obamacare and including all of its built-in "protections".
Al spoke of that eventual nominee must expose the other hideous Donald Trump anti-middle class plans that Trump will undertake if given a second term.

Then it hit me, Donald Trump WILL NEVER allow some unworthy democratic presidential candidate to question Donald Trump or to expose Donald Trump's second term plans. Trump would deem anyone who dare challenge or question Donald Trump as unworthy. Or to expose what Trump is currently doing using the courts to repeal healthcare and all the while lying and denying to the American people.
Donald Trump is not the type of person to allow truth to be told or for anyone to call him out over his lies. Especially now, after that impeachment thing failed and Donald Trump is fully operating in revenge mode.
Trump has enough on his enemies list to keep him busy, Trump doesn't need to add more names to that list if he can help it. Especially adding millions of American voters to that list, American voters watching those potential presidential debates. Not good for the Donald....
So I say, Donald Trump is simply not going to debate. Anyone!

Supposedly, Trump's approval rating is now the highest ever, and through the roof with his base. Trump will believe his current approval numbers can and will carry him to victory come election night, so why risk screwing things up during some debate?
Or to allow some democratic nominee to screw it up for him during some debate?
I tell you, Donald Trump is not going to debate anyone. Period.
The risk is far too high.
What Trump and his administration will be working on is not debate strategy, but instead debate avoiding.
Cooking up talking points, cooking up excuses why Trump should not debate, then Fox News can repeat them over and over.
To justify to his base why Donald Trump can not and will not debate.
Trump knows to debate would be like opening a can of worms.
Trump knows to debate may lead to undesirable and unforeseeable outcomes.
Donald Trump does not want America to know what he knows and what he plans to do. And for any democratic nominee to directly challenge Trump during any debate might be the fatal blow for Donald Trump.
No, Trump will never risk it.

Living in that bubble as his base live in, his base will see no problem with refusing to debate.
Heck.... Trump and Fox News might turn Trump's refusal to debate into a plus.
Whomever ends up as the democratic challenger, Donald Trump will never agree to any debate, not a single one.
Just wait and see.... the Trump camp and Fox News will begin their no-debating strategy right after the DNC convention.
So remember, you heard it here first.
Donald Trump will never allow any democrat to rip Trump a new one, especially in front of the entire world, and especially live on stage during some "unnecessary and pointless debate".
"unnecessary and pointless debate", Trump talking point #1.

 

[imported_tajmahal]

Isn't Al Franken the guy that resigned his Senate seat in disgrace because of accusations from multiple women about being sexually harassed?

9th woman accuses former Sen. Al Franken of sexual harassment as he steps back into the public eye

The woman said the alleged incident involving Franken "rocked her confidence" at a time when she was considering running for office.

www.businessinsider.com

Of course Democrats should listen to this guy.

 

[Victorian Gray]

Isn't Al Franken the guy that resigned his Senate seat in disgrace because of accusations from multiple women about being sexually harassed?

9th woman accuses former Sen. Al Franken of sexual harassment as he steps back into the public eye

The woman said the alleged incident involving Franken "rocked her confidence" at a time when she was considering running for office.

www.businessinsider.com

Of course Democrats should listen to this guy.

I'm no friend of Franken but, glass houses and all.

The 25 women who have accused Trump of sexual misconduct

The 26 women who have accused Trump of sexual misconduct

In May 2023, a Manhattan jury found Donald Trump liable for the sexual abuse of E. Jean Carroll. Here's who else has accused him of misconduct.

www.businessinsider.com

 

[ivwshane]

Isn't Al Franken the guy that resigned his Senate seat in disgrace because of accusations from multiple women about being sexually harassed?

9th woman accuses former Sen. Al Franken of sexual harassment as he steps back into the public eye

The woman said the alleged incident involving Franken "rocked her confidence" at a time when she was considering running for office.

www.businessinsider.com

Of course Democrats should listen to this guy.

Man you have a really good memory!! Do you remember this guy and the multiple sexual assault claims against him? What kind of fucking moron would listen to him?

The 26 women who have accused Trump of sexual misconduct

In May 2023, a Manhattan jury found Donald Trump liable for the sexual abuse of E. Jean Carroll. Here's who else has accused him of misconduct.

www.businessinsider.com

Lol gray beat me to it.

 

[ivwshane]

OP, I think trumps narcissism would prevent trump from NOT doing debates.

 

[tweaker2]

Makes me wonder if Trump's amazing ability to lie and to lie so profusely with such errrmm....."showmanship" will be enough to carry him through like his lies did in '16 now that he is a known entity with more baggage and skeletons stuffed in his gilded closets than any presidential hopeful I've known in my lifetime.

Just imagine what the world will think about our nation if Trump gets another term to heh "MAGA". That acronym will forever symbolize what a farce of a democracy we live in while living in this Age of Trump.

If Trump wins, Putin wins. It's just that simple.

 

[Jaskalas]

Let's take a subject... GDP.

Trump promised, what... 4, 5 percent?
2019: 2%

Step one, raise the subject. Challenge him on it, get him to lie. Drag Republican Senators into it. Drive a wedge between Trump and his loyal sycophants. What are they going to do, claim the GDP fairy stole it? Let them....

 

[Thunder 57]

You are way off on this. Trump would never miss a debate. Remember he thinks he's the smartest man in the room. I think you may be just a bit paranoid. Not only of Trump, but the possibility that he could be reelected.

 

[Maxima1]

You are way off on this. Trump would never miss a debate.

He already has

Donald Trump Takes to Solo Stage Instead of G.O.P. Debate (Published 2016)

It was supposed to be about the veterans. It was not really about the veterans.

www.nytimes.com

 

[dawp]

You are way off on this. Trump would never miss a debate. Remember he thinks he's the smartest man in the room. I think you may be just a bit paranoid. Not only of Trump, but the possibility that he could be reelected.

I'd like to think the american electorate would be more intelligent than to elect him to a second term but I'm not so sure, after all, with all the info that was already out there on trump and they still put him in office.

 

[Thunder 57]

He already has

Donald Trump Takes to Solo Stage Instead of G.O.P. Debate (Published 2016)

It was supposed to be about the veterans. It was not really about the veterans.

www.nytimes.com

Yea, not creating an account, but I'll take your word for it. I'm not surprised because of the amount of primary debates there were. The presidental debates are a different story. I don't think one can just shrug them off just because. At least, if one did, they should never be elected.

 

[Majes]

If Trump is poling well I think it's highly likely that he won't be debating. I can see him pushing the fake news and anti-media angle, or just claim that he is too busy.

On the other hand the man does love a spectacle and his previous campaign is proof that any press is good press. So if he feels he needs to he will debate and it will be a complete circus.

 

[ShookKnight]

Muh President!! Muh President!!
-Jackass

 

[HomerJS]

Isn't Al Franken the guy that resigned his Senate seat in disgrace because of accusations from multiple women about being sexually harassed?

9th woman accuses former Sen. Al Franken of sexual harassment as he steps back into the public eye

The woman said the alleged incident involving Franken "rocked her confidence" at a time when she was considering running for office.

www.businessinsider.com

Of course Democrats should listen to this guy.

since Trump himself said it's ok because he is a celebrity. Now a concern for harassment allegations?

 

[Pohemi]

Isn't Al Franken the guy that resigned his Senate seat in disgrace because of accusations from multiple women about being sexually harassed?

9th woman accuses former Sen. Al Franken of sexual harassment as he steps back into the public eye

The woman said the alleged incident involving Franken "rocked her confidence" at a time when she was considering running for office.

www.businessinsider.com

Of course Democrats should listen to this guy.

Of course. Anything to deflect and distract. If Jesus Christ himself appeared and said something less-than-stellar about Trump, half of the GOP would label him a faker and a false prophet. When do the excuses and deflection stop? Ever? You're truly pathetic.

 

[soulcougher73]

Isn't Al Franken the guy that resigned his Senate seat in disgrace because of accusations from multiple women about being sexually harassed?

9th woman accuses former Sen. Al Franken of sexual harassment as he steps back into the public eye

The woman said the alleged incident involving Franken "rocked her confidence" at a time when she was considering running for office.

www.businessinsider.com

Of course Democrats should listen to this guy.

If only Trump would do the same. It’s not ok to be a hypocrite.

 

[sportage]

I'am just saying, regardless of Al Franken, that now and simply because Donald Trump believes himself above any and all law and above any and all accountability, that Donald Trump will not debate.
At this point Donald Trump has no reason to justify his administration to anyone or to be challenged on stage by anyone. In Trump's mind the debate process is beneath him and to be questioned or confronted by democrats is beneath him.
After the acquittal Donald Trump now believes himself as king, as a god, as a savior, and believes that no one would dare question a god or to dare be given the chance.
Donald Trump no doubt believes he has already won. And if at some point in the process Donald has worries then Donald Trump believes he only need call on Fox News and on Mitch McDonnell to make everything right.
Should Donald Trump actually fear losing then Sean Hannity and Mitch McConnell will fix it. They fixed it before, every single time....

 

[Pohemi]

His biggest personal motivation to accept taking part in any debates will be to insult his opponent. It's what he knows best.

 

[imported_tajmahal]

Trump could finger your mother and you wouldn't care since Trump himself said it's ok because he is a celebrity. Now a concern for harassment allegations?

Reported.

 

[ondma]

I'd like to think the american electorate would be more intelligent than to elect him to a second term but I'm not so sure, after all, with all the info that was already out there on trump and they still put him in office.

The democrats are in deep, deep trouble. They need to attack Trump on the promises he has failed to live up to, not keep attaching each other. Go after the huge increase in the deficit, lack of a health plan, the wall that Mexico was going to pay for that is draining the budget left and right, and on an on.

IMO, Trump has a very good chance to win re-election. He has a rock solid base of 35 or 40 percent. He only needs 5 or 10% of the voters to be so put off by the Democratic candidate they will refuse to vote for him, and with the way the electoral college is set up, Trump wins.

I thought Biden was experienced and middle of the road enough to win, but even without being smeared (justly or unjustly, it doesnt really matter) by the Ukraine mess, he just seems old and out of it now. Meanwhile the moderate and liberal wings of the Democratic Party just keep destroying their own candidates. I dont know who the Dems have left. I like Mayor Pete, but now his own party is attacking him for being inexperienced and not strong enough to be commander in chief (an attack so absurd that one would expect if from Trump, considering Pete's military service).


Sanders has strong support, but either he or Warren will be destroyed by the "Socialist" label. Amy is also an attractive candidate to me, but she seems to be middle of the road at best in the primaries. There is nobody else left, sadly.