In a deep dive into the debate preparations currently underway for Tuesday night when Donald Trump will face off with Vice President Kamala Harris, the New York Times is reporting that some of the former president's advisers are worried he may come on too strong and alienate voters who have tuned ...
    • grue@lemmy.worldEnglish
      112·
      2 years ago

      What’s even worse, I worry that Harris may be getting coached to try to thread the needle between getting words in edgewise and not opening herself up to accusations of sounding “shrill,” which is probably literally impossible.

      Personally, I think her best bet is to give zero shits about being called “shrill” or “nasty,” address Trump with every bit as much of the insulting and contemptuous attitude as he tries to use on her while also calling out his bullshit directly and expressing coherent policy positions, and then – crucially – respond to anyone who calls her “shrill” afterwards by derisively laughing and mocking weak crybaby Trump for whining that he can’t handle her.

      Even then, it will be an incredible challenge for her to be perceived as the winner, no matter how much sh wipes the floor with him in any objective sense.

    • Encephalotrocity@biglemmowski.winEnglish
      81·
      2 years ago

      I could see a situation where Trump just doesn’t allow her to get a word in edgewise. Even if he says nothing but his usual incoherent word salads, if he can essentially bully her into silence by just throwing her off with his usual interruptions, firehoses of lies, and shouting down her responses

      You know they have closed mics. How do you think this situation possible?

        • Optional@lemmy.world
          101·
          2 years ago

          That’s not his thing. He has zero interest in communicating anything to her that isn’t broadcast loudly. He’s all about the circus, the was never any substance there.

            • SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca
              2·
              2 years ago

              Actually the Harris campaign wanted the mics on and it was the Trump campaign that wanted them muted.

              He knows his base will still see it, even if they don’t hear everything. That is what he cares about. Messaging the base.

              And that’s exactly why. His base is going to vote for him no matter what he does. If he wants to pander to the base, then let him. Harris will look good to moderates that are tired of their racist uncle going on rants during family get-togethers.

              As it is, if Trump rants while his mic is muted it makes him look nuts. Sure his base will like it, but how many independent voters is he going to pick up from doing this?

    • SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca
      61·
      2 years ago

      Harris was in debates during the Democratic primary in 2020 (her and Joe Biden got into it over his past voting record) and debated Mike Pence in the VP debate.

      Also Trump’s mic will be off when it’s not his turn to speak. So he won’t be able to interrupt her.