Running significantly behind Biden in virtually every poll, last night was a debate Trump HAD to win

[Tom Rinaldo]

His campaign already burned through 800 million dollars attempting to negatively define Biden in advance. They failed trying to smear him as a sex abuser (remember that?) They failed trying to smear him with Hunter and Ukraine. They failed at insinuating Biden is senile (the scope of that failure is illustrated by their pathetic attempts now claiming that Biden must be using performance enhancing drugs.)

There are no more game changer moments left for Trump. Running on the economy has not worked out for Trump. Running against Anarchy in the suburbs has not worked out for Trump. Running against Black Lives Matter has not worked out for Trump. The Republican National Convention has come and gone and it did nothing to halt Trump's slide. The next wave of Covid-19 hospitalizations has already begun, it only gets worse from here. The eyes of the world were on Trump last night and they saw him at his worst. His cult may stay locked in, but nothing anyone saw will draw new supporters toward Trump.

The clock has run out on any Trump come back. Next week voters get to see Kamala Harris debate Mike Pence. Does anyone seriously think that event will help Trump's floundering campaign? Far fewer viewers will tune into a second Trump/Biden debate in two weeks after having suffered though watching the first one. Right now Trump is essentially basing his hopes to remain in office on a right wing insurrection. As unpopular as Trump already is with most Americans, all that can win Donald Trump is hard time in prison. Americans won't feel secure with Right Wing militias attempting to storm state capitals. There will be no more fig leafs for Trump to hide his fascist beliefs behind. The public will demand that order is restored. One way or another, the American people will not tolerate allowing Trump to remain in power four more years. He increasingly is seen as loathsome.

[Kitchari]

1. "Trump is essentially basing his hopes to remain in office on a right wing insurrection"

succinct and to the point

[pandr32]

12. Shocking and terrifying

How can this be the U.S.A.? We've watched fomenting hate and insanity get to this point day by day.

[Newest Reality]

2. On the other hand,

On the other hand, I am really looking forward to the Harris, Pence debate.

Having seen them both speak, my assessment is that Kamala Harris is going to clean, rinse and dry the floors with Pence's Q-Tip head. He is no match for her whatsoever, across the board.

[woodsprite]

7. But I fully expect him to be more civil so it won't be so painful and embarrassing for America. nt

[CaptYossarian]

10. That should be fun.

Senator Harris will have 100% of the charisma on that stage. In fact, a pimple has more charisma than Pence.

As I read the first paragraph, I realized that Trump's campaign spent $800 million without a primary challenger. Most states wouldn't allow Weld or Walsh to even appear on the GOP ballot. That is insane!

His true campaigning involves his daily whining about everything on Twitter--and that's free. Most political ads are provided through PACS or shadow groups, so not only is he fiscally irresponsible, but so are the other insects who surround him.

It's all pretty consistent with his business failures and the trade and budget deficits that have exploded in the last four years. He should be called "Donnie Bankrupt".

[jmowreader]

13. There is no way that campaign spent $800 million

Don’t get me wrong, they used $800 million of their donors’ money, but most of it went to pay Trump’s personal debts.

[Pluvious]

18. And legal costs n/t

[CaptYossarian]

25. Just add the campaign violation to the rest of his crimes.

His rap sheet will look like Tolstoy wrote it. At least 1,500 pages.

[BeckyDem]

3. Yes and why Trump intends to cheat.

Voting in high numbers for Biden is a must.

[bluewater]

4. K&R

[dalton99a]

5. Kick

[Demsrule86]

6. You are correct...I was thinking this election would be like 2008...a good year

for Democrats and a bad year for our nation with the great recession in full swing. But now, I think we may be looking at a 1964 realignment election. It could be a 1932 type election also. Roosevelt won but the GOP took 42% of the vote that year. And yet no Republican won the presidency until Eisenhower. Roosevelt sent help to the American people and was revered by the time he died in office. My Grandparents had Roosevelt's picture proudly displayed. Trump and down ballot Republicans are going to lose.

[calimary]

8. Seems like he's running ON Anarchy in the suburbs.

Trying to stoke it any way he can.

[honest.abe]

9. Not just win.. he had to make Biden look like a fool or force him to make a major gaffe.

Which he didnt. In fact quite the opposite.

[yuiyoshida]

11. I am sure that the

Proud Boys will vote for him... the KKK, Neo NAZIS... AND a few stragglers. EVERYONE ELSE?? nope.

[Pluvious]

19. And the cultists, nurtured by Fox/Rush/etc n/t

[Yavin4]

14. And no Comey as well. n/t

[bucolic_frolic]

15. Trump's strategy

1) Drag Biden into unpresidential behavior. Shouting, interruptions. Biden had to compete, no choice.

2) Alienate independents from both of them so independents stay home.

3) Motivate his base. That's easy for him.

4) Convince Biden voters that Trump is so bad he's already lost the election.

5) Fear monger to keep people away from the polls, particularly D's and I's.

Two more debates? Next session Trump has no place to go but up. More respectful, more courteous.

Then third debate, Barr drops legal bombshells, and Trump dirties up Biden with accusations.

Don't tell me this election is over. We're being played. Last night was the equivalent of stalking Hillary around the stage. A narcissist will always create drama to make himself the center of attention. It's going to get nastier and closer.

GOTV is our only option! We need independents too!

[roscoeroscoe]

20. Very interesting analysis

It's not over. Not by a long shot

[bucolic_frolic]

21. TY. To defeat a Republican

think like a Republican. When you need to move public opinion, you first have to make everyone cringe, angry, disgusted. Then you change the narrative. Hope someone pays attention. It doesn't seem too widely followed here on DU.

[Tom Rinaldo]

23. There are two pretty much conflicting theories, both wrong IMO

I've seen some people here embrace one or the other. One is that Trump is trying to increase despair among Biden voters that nothing they will do can make a difference since Trump will only steal the election anyway no matter how many people vote for Biden. The other is that we can't take any satisfaction from all indications that there is no way for Trump to win because he is so far behind, because that will lead to over confidence, which leads to lowering our guard and relaxing our efforts, which will lead to Trump coming from behind and narrowly winning.

We agree on the strong need for GOTV because Trump not only must be defeated, he and those who enable him have to be crushed. The best defense against Trump "stealing the election" is a combination of overwhelming Democratic turnout AND a widely shared public perception that Trump is losing big. When too many people disparage the evidence that Trump is facing a major defeat, it fosters people thinking that the outcome is in doubt and that the final count will be close. If people buy into that scenario it actually becomes easier for Trump to "steal the election" because it stops being so obvious that there is no way for him to legitimately come out the winner.

Regarding whether overconfidence might result in Democrats slacking off in our efforts, I believe the opposite. The smell of victory is exciting us, and we are giving more and more money to Democrats running this November because we are starting to belief that we are now within reach of sweeping out the trash if we just give it all we have

[bucolic_frolic]

24. That's very perceptive and identifies the competing broad themes very well

thanks for taking time, and for the OP

[RegexReader]

16. this is why Biden should demand

more debates so that this behavior will be ingrained in the pysche of the voters.


my 2¢

[FakeNoose]

17. Good points Tom Rinaldo

I believe in two weeks time - even if there should be another meeting between Biden and Chump -- it will be irrelevant. This was the only one that mattered. So many Americans are voting early, by mail or in person. Most of us already know how we're voting.

If anyone's mind got changed after last night's shitshow, I'd say it was the soft Trumpies who finally decided "Enough of this!" I can't believe that Chump gained a single new voter last night, and I'll bet he lost more than "a few hundred."

I'm proud of Joe's performance, he stood up to the bully and he landed a few punches. Nobody was going to score a takedown either way.

[BlueWavePsych]

22. K&R