What if trump refuses to debate our nominee?

[ecstatic]

Isn't that just another "norm" that he can shrug off, just like all the other norms he's obliterated?

[elleng]

1. We win.

[at140]

12. Place an empty chair and place a howdydoodee

Photo in the chair!

[sheshe2]

16. No No No

This!

[sprinkleeninow]

24. Look! The designer gave him his ma's coiffure for this balloon!

😝 🤣

[duforsure]

34. Put a comedian in for him

To answer his questions .

[ProudLib72]

2. Then we let our nominee debate a lump of dog shit

Which is a slight step up from tRump.

[ChoppinBroccoli]

6. Get Out That Bucket Of Chicken Again

[ProudLib72]

7. Wouldn't it be great if we got a McDonald's bag and labelled it "Hamberders"?

Just set it there on the lectern.

[Marie Marie]

8. Don't forget the covfefe.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. The debate should occur as scheduled.

If Trump doesn't show up he looks like the coward he is, and our candidate gets to speak unopposed.

[UTUSN]

4. Seems like even his Deplorables would call him a coward!1

[Lotusflower70]

18. I doubt it

They would probably blame the Democrats somehow.

[ChoppinBroccoli]

5. Then We (The People) Respond With A Massive Name-Calling Campaign

I remember back in 2004, it was widely suspected that Bush would refuse to debate Kerry, and someone came up with a great idea back then. The idea was to start a widespread campaign of people showing up to Bush rallies dressed in duck costumes and blowing duck calls and handing out rubber duckies, etc., all with signs and banners declaring that Bush was "ducking" Kerry. We could do that. We could also goad Trump into a fight by calling him chicken (an opportunity for props and costumes there too), or otherwise implying that he's scared. Trump's ego would NOT handle that well.

Obviously (or maybe not so obviously), our nominee would need to remain above the fray when it comes to this sort of thing, but we, the folks on the ground, could engage in this sort of name-calling campaign on a widespread level. It might even take on a life of its own (much like the "flip-flop" taunt against Kerry). If Trump is met everywhere he goes with duck calls or chicken suits or whatever, he will not handle it well. And he's too dumb to just ignore it.

[Generic Other]

9. I halfway wish the nominee would tell him to buzz off

Why would anyone want to debate a chronic liar?

[struggle4progress]

10. Ten hours of chicken noises

[Hoyt]

11. Didn't listen to whole thing, but that will work. LMAO.

[sprinkleeninow]

25. Good deal! Dint hit play, but could just imagine! eom

[procon]

13. Trump skipped out on a presidential debate last time,

so he has already established a precedent. He's always been a spineless coward and he's ignorant, it would be in keeping if he dodged debates now.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

26. His excuse was he was going to a fund-raising rally for veterans.

Then he kept it all for himself until a reporter called veterans groups to find out if they had gotten money from the Trump rally. Surprise! Not a single organization had received a penny from Trump, despite his claims to the contrary.

He was finally shamed into making the donations.

[SCantiGOP]

14. Or, based on reality

It would be the same as 1964 and 1968. Neither LBJ or Nixon debated.

[customerserviceguy]

21. That's something you have to credit to Gerald Ford

An incumbent president could duck debating an opponent from the other party, but Ford consented to debate Jimmy Carter. Ford infamously flubbed the hell out of it, but established a sort of precedent that has continued for over forty years, that serious candidates for re-election don't weasel out on the debates completely.

[EveHammond13]

15. Good. He lies and turns any debate into a WWE clown show.

[PoliticAverse]

17. Then they don't hold the debate (unless there's a third party candidate that qualified -

In 1980 Jimmy Carter boycotted the first debate because he didn't think John Anderson should be included https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980_United_States_presidential_debates ).

I don't think that would play well with independents and would hurt Tump's chances in the election.

[TeamPooka]

19. Please. A TV camera and every network broadcasting? He loves that shit.

Plus he thinks he can win it with bullshit

[Dan]

20. With a fact checker

In the background - for both candidates.... smile.

[OnDoutside]

22. There's no way he would refuse a TV appearance.

[pecosbob]

23. Hire Alec Baldwin as a stand-in and give him real Republican comments as lines

or Stephen Colbert

[spin]

27. Trump not debating?

I find that hard to imagine.

[Raine]

28. He'll debate

his ego wouldn't allow him to do otherwise.

[True Blue American]

29. Run this video.

[kentuck]

30. He doesn't have to. He has Twitter.

He can answer all the questions that he wants to answer the way he wants to answer. Why should he stand in front of reporters and answer questions?

[raging moderate]

31. Set up a monitor in his place, and run appropriate clips of him talking.

Have the moderator ask the question, and then run a short clip of trump running his mouth on that subject. Then let our candidate give his/her answer.

[Vinca]

32. That would be great. Our nominee could fill the entire time slot by themselves.

They could address an empty chair as an homage to the Eastwood schtick at the GOP convention.

[beachbum bob]

33. be massive PR win for the democratic nominee as trump can be hammered as coward....

over and over and over

[shanny]

35. Then our candidate gets an uninterrupted hour

to express his/her vision on national teevee.

[sarabelle]

36. So what? Let our nominee have all the air time to push their policies. nt

[uponit7771]

37. ..👍🏼

[lark]

38. That wouldn't happen.

He'd look weak and old and afraid and that's his worst nightmare. Now, will he be a total criminal creep and cretin on stage - yep - we can definitely count on that because that's part of who and what he is. I've spent this year not watching him, turning the sound off or changing the channel anytime his ugly orange ass mouth is moving. Don't know how i'll be able to watch the debates, but hopefully the prospect of his humiliation will get me through.

[Fresh_Start]

39. put together clips of the president talking on all the likely debate topics

so that people can see his answers even if he isn't present

[brooklynite]

40. Then he'll look like a coward...

Remember Trump thinks his communication skills are brilliant.

[Gothmog]

41. If Joe is the nominee, trump will hide like the coward that he is