A Debate Disaster Waiting to Happen

The New York Times ^ | September 9, 2016 | NY Times Editorial Board

[Big Mack]

Was it told that the NYT editorial staff wrote about the debate two days before the debate?

[nathanbedford]

Only this time, one of the chumps is a reality TV star.

And therein lies both the rub and the opportunity. If Trump rightly judges what he must do to win, he will play neither the chump nor the reality TV star but the candidate possessed of the requisite gravitas for the office. If Trump can demonstrate that he is of true presidential timber, he confounds all his critics in the media and on the left.

If he rightly judges that his task is not to beat back every assault launched by the moderator and by Hillary, but rather to look and sound presidential, he will have won the debate. Ronald Reagan did this in 1980 and John F. Kennedy did it in 1960. Both candidates had been accused of lack of experience or eccentricities or out of the mainstream ideology. Both were wise enough not to berate the opponent, the moderator or the public into seeing the brilliance of their ideology, or their intelligence, but merely to let the people see that they could be president.

Much of America will be watching Trump for the first time carefully to see if he is really as big a bogeyman as he has been alleged to be. Let him disappoint them in these expectations even as he reassures them.

This is the perfect example of a race in which the people are looking for some way not to vote for Hillary Clinton. Hillary and her seconds whom we call moderators will be desperately trying to push Trump into playing the TV reality star or the eccentric. Let Hillary have an issue but let Trump win the war.

The press will be searching, as always, for some gaffe and they fully expect Trump to oblige. They will seize any gaffe and expand it into a deal breaker, just as they have done within this news cycle against the libertarian. Better to give Hillary the point edge on a given issue than to overreach and commit a gaffe. Again, the idea is not to score points but to appear presidential.

When Trump proceeds secure in the knowledge that this is a binary election, that is, the only choice is between him and Hillary, he should have the self-confidence to be reassuring, which is really all that is needed.

[goldstategop]

The MSM is panicking... nothing they do is working.

Debate is gonna be a disaster alright - for Hillary.

Trump is going to do to her what they refuse to do - take her apart and show her up as the Queen Without Clothes.

Hillary the Empty Suit will break the dam.... and waves of voters will move over to Trump.

Their ridicule of and contempt for Trump reveals a deep fear that he could win.

He will win because they wouldn’t waste time ridiculing and smearing him if they actually thought he would lose.

Like the old Chinese saying has it, we are condemned to live in interesting times. Our is such an age.

[nathanbedford]

Brilliant post!

[Harpotoo]

THen there is the other side of the coin.

The report says the under-reporting is largely due to the stigma associated with sexual assaults which is the reason that the true extent of male-on-male sexual crimes in the military is so vastly underestimated

[Avalon Memories]

Exactly. Merriam-Webster’s definition is: someone who leads a discussion in a group and tells each person when to speak; a non-partisan presiding officer. That’s it. A moderator is not supposed to take sides, or “fact check,” or challenge the participants, or insert themselves into the discussion in any way.

[Scooter100]

Hillary Clinton's Ambassador Chris Stevens' body dragged through streets of Ben Ghazi by muslim savages. There are unconfirmed reports that his body was also "quartered".

[Bryher1]

I remember.

("I remember..." that would be a good sign to hold at a Clinton rally.)..

I remember how they said they were trying carry him for medical attention (barf).

[Georgia Girl 2]

Hillary answered questions with specific lies. LOL!

[JimRed]

Well, sexual assaults on men by homosexual men HAVE skyrocketed since soebarkah released the hounds.

Which also gives lie to the long-held perception that all homosexuals are feminized sissy-men who only go after children and other sissies.

[Jane Long]

Send that to Trump’s team!

[nfldgirl]

Excellent post; couldn’t agree more. Thank you! Now...to get this to his campaign manager!

[Eagles6]

Yeah , by women.

[Eagles6]

Wouldn’t doubt it. They’re actively recruiting moslems, non citizens and deviants.