Remember these three dates: Sept 26, Oct 9th and Oct 19th

[sportage]

Because captain, they're be debates.
Three. Presidential.
And on October 20th, we'll have a pretty good idea who will be the next president.
Or whatever....

 

[DrPizza]

Perfect timing. I was just thinking tonight that I needed to look up when the debates are so that I don't miss them.

Edit: I had recently read several articles about the debates, and the conclusion of the political scientists is that the debates rarely matter, citing only 2 instances since (iirc) 1960. Among the reasons they don't seem to matter was that the candidates rarely get rattled. I believe there are a few of these reasons that won't apply to this year's debates - though in my opinion, it's not going to flip the election, but rather lead to a larger majority.

 

[sportage]

With elections so close, the country nearly 50/50 split, this time the debates will certainly matter.
it's been weeks since the incredible wonderful fantastic DNC convention, convention/convention, and people forget.
They forget how good Hillary did and that is what gave her that boost.
We definitely need some debates to refresh the electorates memory.
And to compare the two most unpopular candidates in history against one another.
Or is it most unfavorable in history?

I suspect Hillary will appear the refreshed, ""HEALTHY"", alert, qualified, capable, leader-like, smart, intelligent, calm, cool, collected presidential candidate.
And Trump, the buffoon that he typically is.
With all the pressure on Trump to look presidential, and Hillary already looking very presidential, the pressure will be on Donald Trump.
And we all know what happens to Donald Trump under pressure. Trump lashes out.
He can't help it. It is his nature.
And it makes him appear very UN-pesidential.

If Donald performs poorly during the first debate, I would not be surprised if he ditched the last two debates.
Especially if Donald not only does poorly, but if Hillary does exceedingly well.

 

[DrPizza]

Heh, can you imagine well prepared debate partners for Trump to practice with... they say something that gets under his skin, and, "YOU'RE FIRED!"
"Donald, you've been through 8 debate partners this week. You've got to learn to stay calm and debate them instead of firing them."

 

[tweaker2]

Trump's fatal weak spot is that he preached to the far right with far right dogma to get the Repub nomination, is continuing to do so (albeit with some smarmy spoken-out-of-the-side-of-the-mouth back pedaling) and now he has to somehow convince a big chunk of the moderate right, the independents and whatever gullible liberals he can round up to win the grand prize.

I really can't see him successfully debating Hillary with the far right platform he's been preaching and scoring points with any other demographic than the one that won him the primary.

He should have taken a big hint from all of those Repub legislators in Congress where they keep pounding out the anti-immigrant message yet refuse to pass any meaningful legislation that matches their anti-immigrant rhetoric.

Meaning, don't make promises you can't keep. Just make loud noises without committing yourself.

 

[WackyDan]

If the debates had Gary Johnson in them, then the debates might actually be interesting to watch.

 

[DrPizza]

I'm surprised (maybe I missed it) I didn't see a thread about the Republican primaries. It appears that those being very public about siding with Trump had their asses handed to them. While those who didn't appear to side with Trump won by huge margins.

 

[MovingTarget]

I've watched every single presidential and vice presidential debate since those leading up to Bush v. Gore. At this point I will watch just so that I can continue to make that claim. I just hope my faith in humanity isn't all the worse for it.

 

[rockyct]

Perfect timing. I was just thinking tonight that I needed to look up when the debates are so that I don't miss them.

Edit: I had recently read several articles about the debates, and the conclusion of the political scientists is that the debates rarely matter, citing only 2 instances since (iirc) 1960. Among the reasons they don't seem to matter was that the candidates rarely get rattled. I believe there are a few of these reasons that won't apply to this year's debates - though in my opinion, it's not going to flip the election, but rather lead to a larger majority.

Trump is just such a giant wild card that you never know what he may do. People are expecting him to be crazy and have a pretty low expectation of him. I actually think that he will "attempt" to act Presidential. The bar is set so low for him that if he actually tries, he will probably do "well." He could also just do what he did in the Republican primary debates and try to turn it into a WWE event.

 

[Meghan54]

I fully expect T-Rump to get so frustrated by the first debate that he'll refuse to show up for at least one of the last two debates.

 

[Sean Kyle]

Even keeping my fingers crossed is no fun this time!

 

[FerrelGeek]

Wonder which of the mods will have the handy transcript ready when Hillary needs it.

 

[glenn1]

Since Gary Johnson almost certainly isn't going to be elected or even in the debates, my biggest hope is that whichever of these two assclowns wins the presidency is mortally wounded by the debates and has no mandate whatsoever. Retaining the incompetent Congress we have now to neuter Clinton's worst instincts would be pretty much ideal so long as she doesn't get us into numerous wars or use whatever political capital she does have on wasteful and pointless "stimulus" or more Obamacare style boondoggles.

 

[Jhhnn]

Since Gary Johnson almost certainly isn't going to be elected or even in the debates, my biggest hope is that whichever of these two assclowns wins the presidency is mortally wounded by the debates and has no mandate whatsoever. Retaining the incompetent Congress we have now to neuter Clinton's worst instincts would be pretty much ideal so long as she doesn't get us into numerous wars or use whatever political capital she does have on wasteful and pointless "stimulus" or more Obamacare style boondoggles.

Yeh, just tear down & discredit the govt of the people some more. Paralyze it. Make it ineffective so that corporate power can take over more than they already have. Insult its institutions & the people who serve them with stunts like refusing to consider Garland for the SCOTUS. Cultivate shitty attitudes & poison discourse entirely to preserve the advantages gained for the true Bush constituency through decades of effort. Pander to fear & bigotry, set the people against each other to divide & conquer at the polls.

 

[hal2kilo]

Yeh, just tear down & discredit the govt of the people some more. Paralyze it. Make it ineffective so that corporate power can take over more than they already have. Insult its institutions & the people who serve them with stunts like refusing to consider Garland for the SCOTUS. Cultivate shitty attitudes & poison discourse entirely to preserve the advantages gained for the true Bush constituency through decades of effort. Pander to fear & bigotry, set the people against each other to divide & conquer at the polls.

Its been the plan all along. Republicans win with low turnout. It's a shame you have to trash your own country to win an election.

 

[Roflmouth]

Because captain, they're be debates.
Three. Presidential.
And on October 20th, we'll have a pretty good idea who will be the next president.
Or whatever....

Trump should bring a bag of lozenges and offer them to Hillary, LOL

 

[Roflmouth]

Yeh, just tear down & discredit the govt of the people some more. Paralyze it. Make it ineffective so that corporate power can take over more than they already have. Insult its institutions & the people who serve them with stunts like refusing to consider Garland for the SCOTUS. Cultivate shitty attitudes & poison discourse entirely to preserve the advantages gained for the true Bush constituency through decades of effort. Pander to fear & bigotry, set the people against each other to divide & conquer at the polls.

"Waahhh! Why won't everyone go along with my Messiah Obama!!!!! Mommy!!!!!111112222"

 

[EOM]

If the debates had Gary Johnson in them, then the debates might actually be interesting to watch.

I concur. Just Hillary and Trump will be more of the same Ad Hominem . . . Johnson would force REAL discussions on ISSUES. At least invite him to the first one regardless, then let the 15% rule stand on the others. The 15% is a chicken/egg problem that was designed on purpose.

 

[agent00f]

Trump should bring a bag of lozenges and offer them to Hillary, LOL

"Waahhh! Why won't everyone go along with my Messiah Obama!!!!! Mommy!!!!!111112222"

I used to wonder what happens when those kids on xbox live start to outgrow that life.

 

[leper84]

I fully expect T-Rump to get so frustrated by the first debate that he'll refuse to show up for at least one of the last two debates.

Heh, can you imagine well prepared debate partners for Trump to practice with... they say something that gets under his skin, and, "YOU'RE FIRED!"
"Donald, you've been through 8 debate partners this week. You've got to learn to stay calm and debate them instead of firing them."

Trump debated against and wiped the floor with 16 of best Republicans the party had to offer.

Hillary had to cheat to win against a frail, 74 year old socialist.

Y'all forget what actually happened during the primaries?

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Trump debated against and wiped the floor with 16 of best Republicans the party had to offer.

Hillary had to cheat to win against a frail, 74 year old socialist.

Y'all forget what actually happened during the primaries?

yea, the 'debates' were a total shitshow, literal dick measuring contests, on stage, in front of the world. Talking about the size of someone's dick during a debate. Let that sink in and get back to me on the "16 of the best Republican party had to offer"
If that's your best, you have utter shit to offer.

 

[Jhhnn]

Trump debated against and wiped the floor with 16 of best Republicans the party had to offer.

A stable full of the lamest nags since... well, since the 2012 Repub primary.

Hillary had to cheat to win against a frail, 74 year old socialist.

Cheated how, exactly?

Y'all forget what actually happened during the primaries?

Not at all. Trump captured the vote of every insecure bigot in America. There just aren't enough of them to carry the general election.

 

[glenn1]

Yeh, just tear down & discredit the govt of the people some more. Paralyze it. Make it ineffective so that corporate power can take over more than they already have. Insult its institutions & the people who serve them with stunts like refusing to consider Garland for the SCOTUS. Cultivate shitty attitudes & poison discourse entirely to preserve the advantages gained for the true Bush constituency through decades of effort. Pander to fear & bigotry, set the people against each other to divide & conquer at the polls.

I have no sympathy for you. You're fine engaging in the "us versus them" rhetoric about how it's the evil corporations who are keeping you from reaching your full potential but seethe when someone else brings up the welfare queen specter. And how you exclude those wealthier than some arbitrarily imposed upper limit you created as being part of the "government of the people" because the government is only supposed to help the little guy, never all of us equally. Or peddle fear and bigotry like "Trump will nuke us all" or that he's a racist akin to a KKK Grand Wizard then whine and shout "misogyny" when someone expresses concern over the Hillary Clinton patterns of questionable behavior. You don't even have the self awareness to recognize how much of a political hack you are, much less own and wear it as a badge of honor. You're just the unthinking zombie who unquestioningly regurgitates what you're told to upon command, the left wing version of the Westboro Baptist Church.