The Race For 2024

[Copernicus]

Is there reason to believe it has improved since then?

Tellya what - I can’t wait to find out.
I don’t think Dolt45 is so sanguine about it.

We'll see. I could be wrong. Maybe she has been reading the "Debating for Dummies" how-to guide the last four years.

Why do we call it a debate? It bears little resemblance to real debate. It is basically an extended interview by one or two moderators in which each participant is invited to expound upon a specific topic. The Lincoln-Douglas debates were entirely different events in which the participants actually expounded at length on their campaign themes and attacked each other's positions without moderators trying to direct their content. Donald Trump never really debates, because he often simply doesn't address the question put to him, but rambles and rants about whatever comes into his head at the moment. For him, it is a standup routine. A performance for his audience. Biden attempted to answer questions directly, but his mind wasn't in it and he sometimes lost his train of thought in his last debate. Kamala Harris is a clear speaker who can answer fluently without all of the verbal stumbles or rambling that both Biden and Trump make. So her "debate" performance is likely to be focused and clear compared to Trump's. Trump is stalling now, because he does seem to be genuinely flummoxed and afraid of her. There will be time for him to recover before September, so I'm half-expecting Trump to reach agreement to the original setup or something that is acceptable to Harris.

 

[Copernicus]

I think Kamala can beat Trump. I've never seen so much enthusiasm for a Democratic candidate in my lifetime and I was born when Truman was president. She's gathering more excitement and raising more money than Obama did. When a group of woman called, "Black women for Harris", another group called "White women for. Harris" quickly appeared. How about just "Women for Harris" or "Voters for Harris". She has far more charisma than I originally thought. She has a fantastic sense humor and can laugh at herself, unlike her toddler opponent. She's bright and experienced and assuming she picks a white male governor with lots of experience that should help bring in more independents. I want a diversity ticket, although I'll vote for her regardless of who becomes her VP.

And here's a little chuckle. Last night Mr. Sohy called his old boss, a guy who we both like and have gotten together with at times. Don is a Democrat who is thinking of taking a temporary consulting job in West Virginia. He told Mr. Sohy that a lot of people in WV aren't going to vote because they despise the way Vance has described and denigrated people in their area in his book.They won't vote for a Democrat, so they will just not vote, since they can't stomach the idea of voting for a ticket with JD Vance on it. We had a good laugh over that. Not saying the Dems can win WV, but maybe more Republicans will leave off the presidential vote due to Vance or I hope due to Trump.

My neighbor said she hopes the stress kills Trump. I said I hope he loses in a landslide because that would kill him, metaphorically speaking or maybe literally.

This is a welcome change from the pessimism that you've been expressing in previous posts about Harris's chances. I hope it lasts, because we still have a long way to go until November. Trump's criminal trials are essentially on hold and his sentencing for the fraud felonies will probably not make much of an impact in the public's mind. If Kamala can continue to push the theme of hope and optimism for the future, the polls should reflect that, especially after the Democratic Convention. Trump got a little "dead cat" bounce after his campaign, but Vance's weird baggage from the past has since spoiled their mood. There will be a lot of negative campaign memes coming from him for Democrats to exploit. The DNC convention is shaping up to be a love festival for Harris and whoever she picks for a running mate.

 

[laughing dog]

If Mr Trump is afraid to be in a stage with Ms Harris, how can anyone rationally think he had the requisite fortitude (let alone competence) to deal with a Putin or a Kim or a Xi?

 

[Politesse]

If Mr Trump is afraid to be in a stage with Ms Harris, how can anyone rationally think he had the requisite fortitude (let alone competence) to deal with a Putin or a Kim or a Xi?

Why would he be nervous to share a stage with his heroes and financiers? It's people who don't toadie up to him that he's afraid of.

 

[Copernicus]

If Mr Trump is afraid to be in a stage with Ms Harris, how can anyone rationally think he had the requisite fortitude (let alone competence) to deal with a Putin or a Kim or a Xi?

This kind of question sounds familiar. "How can anyone rationally think that Trump...?" The answer is always "They can't, but it doesn't matter."

 

[unapologetic]

I've been getting oversize postcards from the Rump campaign weekly for months.
The one I got yesterday is still bitching about Biden.
It claims Biden is going to cut my Social Security payments Which is what we've been saying about Rump all year. HA. And we know is part of Project 2025.
And the lies keep commin.

 

[Shadowy Man]

If Mr Trump is afraid to be in a stage with Ms Harris, how can anyone rationally think he had the requisite fortitude (let alone competence) to deal with a Putin or a Kim or a Xi?

Because his version of “dealing” with them is not in an adversarial sense.

 

[thebeave]

I've been getting oversize postcards from the Rump campaign weekly for months.
The one I got yesterday is still bitching about Biden.
It claims Biden is going to cut my Social Security payments Which is what we've been saying about Rump all year. HA. And we know is part of Project 2025.
And the lies keep commin.

Yeah, the lies keep commin, all right. Not just from Trump, but from Kamala Harris herself:

Fact check: Harris falsely claims Project 2025 blueprint calls for cutting Social Security

But contrary to Harris’ claim that “when you read” the Project 2025 document “you will see” that Trump intends to cut Social Security, the lengthy document includes no call to cut Social Security. In fact, the document uses the words “Social Security” just 10 times, mostly in passing. Vought said the document calls for “no changes to Social Security.”

 

[Elixir]

It is basically an extended interview by one or two moderators in which each participant is invited to expound upon a specific topic.

BS.
If the format is like the last one, it’s an invitation to Trump to use the time allowed to spew as many lies as possible about things entirely unrelated to whatever the moderator asks, and an invitation to Kami to counter as many of them as possible in the allotted time - OR - to launch into a soliloquy about Trump’s corruption and criminality.
I don’t see the event (whatever you call it) as likely to move the needle whatsoever.

 

[Elixir]

14.3 is toothless.

Like every other law and constitutional provision. Doesn’t apply to Dolt45.
He has special immunity, but don’t fret; it only applies to whatever Cheato has done or is going to do.