2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumI think Clinton has a tough task tonight
It's really the debate format that makes it difficult. If Trump goes full on "Bill Clinton cross-examination," Secretary Clinton is put in the position of either ignoring it or defending him. She could do either very well in a dual podium format, but in a town hall, it's somewhat harder to run either line without looking on the back foot. I think she should immediately pivot to issues whenever Trump tries to drag it there, but I can see how that might also look bad, especially if Trump is playing off an audience question that seems to be going unanswered.
I should say that I don't think the debates will matter that much, and I am confident that Clinton is an exemplary debater, who is prepared as usual. But I see advantages for Trump going mad dog in this particular debate at this particular time. Needless to say, it's also possible that Trump either melts down completely or so overplays a hand that he crashes and burns utterly.
spooky3
(34,438 posts)BlueWarrior
(94 posts)bigdarryl
(13,190 posts)Agnosticsherbet
(11,619 posts)Ask him about the economy and he will attack Clinton and the Gop.
underpants
(182,769 posts)There is nothing in Trump's history that suggests he softens or really apologizes. Roy Cohen taught him - threaten intimidate always attack and always declare victory - and he still follows it.
Hillary can let him flail away. She will have retorts but for the most part I think she stays calm and connects to the audience and viewers. I won't be surprised if she has another Miss Universe card to play tonight either.
Trump is going to bring up rape tonight. He directs and reflects his followers and for the last 2 days on Facebook and elsewhere they have been screaming RAPE in every post. I won't be surprised if it actually is worked into a question from the audience tonight, if not Trump is bringing it up.
Cha
(297,149 posts)underpants
(182,769 posts)Nothing. Alters to him but him. He does exist in any form of reality. People keep applying history logic human emotions to him, that's a mistake.
Cha
(297,149 posts)I hope he hoists himself so much on his own petard tonight! Like last time only exponentially worse.
DFW
(54,343 posts)Trump can be contrite and subdued, or he can be the attacking pit bull and do what he likes to do. Trump number one will bore and disappoint, Trump number two will gross out the few people left who are actually open to an option. His hard core supporters are hoping he comes to the town hall armed and dangerous, and willing to use his artillery on camera like he mentioned all those months ago, so they don't figure into the equation.
Hillary Clinton only needs to keep her (very sharp) wit about her, nail Trump to the barn door with subtle humor and logic when she can, and just hold her own what there's no opening. Like has been mentioned earlier on this thread, she has been here before. This is not her first rodeo.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)citizen asking a question, not to Trump. She can address or ignore his statements completely as she wishes.
beachbum bob
(10,437 posts)all she needs is to do...is to have donald keep running his mouth on slut shaming....she has the zingers ready in this debate just like the first one....she will bait trump...she will inflame trump and she will do it very well
the man has no control and he keeps missing the point on how to campaign and debate to ATTRACT NEW voters...feeding the redmeat to his zealots is only an ego boost for trump and turns off the voters he needs most....
still_one
(92,136 posts)running for President of the United States of America. You entire campaign has been based on sexist and racist comments that are disgraceful for someone running for that office. You are NOT qualified to be President. Then she should proceed in her response to say how she will address the problems facing America by uniting people, not tearing them apart
relayerbob
(6,544 posts)Anything Trump says will backfire, her best bet would be just let him dig a really deep hole and then bury him.
Or just say "Well, then it seems like it's time for a woman to be President."
lastlib
(23,213 posts)Take a page from the Obama playbook. Let him dig his own grave.
relayerbob
(6,544 posts)Hand him a gold plated shovel
NoGoodNamesLeft
(2,056 posts)Who lie and say they are undecided. I hope the audience was vetted to make sure they are not nasty deplorables just pretending to be undecided.
Oh man, the conspiracy theories keep getting richer.
Charlotte Little
(658 posts)...you've been watching another election in a parallel universe. And, clearly, you've never heard of Jerry Springer, let alone watched one of his shows.
Trump supporters would do anything to get into that Town Hall for the sole purpose of causing disruption. It's all they know how to do. They are too stupid for any tactic other than yell louder, push harder and burn the place down. That's their MO and that's Trump's MO.
And...that's not a conspiracy theory.
True_Blue
(3,063 posts)I can't wait to watch!
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)"I'm not going to debate my marriage, and I'm not going to address every discredited rumor about my husband. That's not what the voters care about, they want someone who will change the country for the better."
Dem2
(8,168 posts)Period.
wishstar
(5,268 posts)Trump had already gone haywire for days over Miss Universe and losing first debate and had already threatened to get nasty and revengeful by bringing up Bill. But now he has zero credibility- not a shred of moral high ground and only desperation
Coyotl
(15,262 posts)The far right tries to be subtle about this strategy, but too late in this case, subtlety won't suffice. The strategy, as clearly seen in Brazil's overthrow of democracy by propaganda and corruption, is to accuse your opponent of your own weaknesses. So, if you are corrupt and taking bribes, to immunize yourself from damage the truth might cause, you lie that your opponent is guilty of your sins aforehand. Simple Orwellian propaganda tactic, and if you control the media, it works very well, just ask the people of Brazil.
So this is Trump's tactic right now on Twitter, to burn down the house because he's already burned to a crisp. He will just propagate lies that Bill and Hillary are even worse than he is. But Hillary has so much horsepower right now, his gimping limo is doomed. Hillary can cite the long list of Republicans who have condemned Trump. Trump has no where to maneuver his stretch limo as Hillary bashes his fenders to a pulp, he owns his words and cannot escape them, the mic was that good.
What Hillary should do is focus on the House and the Senate, as if Trump isn't in the room any longer. She needs to proclaim that the way to make America greater is to get rid of gender inequality, sexual assaults, and rape culture, and one way to achieve real progress is to throw out the GrOPers.
louis-t
(23,292 posts)Watch for a lot of weird faces from him, and weird breathing.