Trump blows off debate tune-up

[Night Hides Not]

Excellent point, CofA.  It's his supporters and their trust in him that are being betrayed.  He must think they're idiots (indeed, he's essentially admitted as much).  And the way they continue to defend his shenanigans,  it's certainly hard to fake any respect for them.   

Trump is Otter, Trumpsters are Flounder: "You effed up, you trusted us!"

[corbe]

[Silver Pines]

You obviously don't understand six-dimensional chess.

Trump supporters think this is brilliant strategy, as evidenced by his supporters on TBR & TOS.

However, I'm not sure how one prepares for a town hall forum, where half the questions will be coming from "plants" with questions usually on the low-info side.

I would hope his strategy is refined, i.e. how to turn any question into a dissertation on Hillary's failures as SoS, or emails.

We'll see.  I personally don't think he has the discipline to stay on point.

Part of me wonders how many of his diehards at TOS have given up and are just parroting what they know Jim wants to hear at this point.

[Wingnut]

Trump is Otter, Trumpsters are Flounder: "You effed up, you trusted us!"

Very fitting!  Nailed it.

[Silver Pines]

Excellent point, CofA.  It's his supporters and their trust in him that are being betrayed.  He must think they're idiots (indeed, he's essentially admitted as much).  And the way they continue to defend his shenanigans,  it's certainly hard to fake any respect for them.   

@Jazzhead
@HoustonSam

This is an actual, serious tweet from a Trump supporter.  It's being mocked all over the place.

Bill MitchellVerified account
‏@mitchellvii
Trump's groundgame isn't in a computer, it's in our hearts.

[GrouchoTex]

All this lends credence to the stalking horse theory.

Maybe Trump is realizing how demanding and the awesome responsibility that comes with being POTUS.
Perhaps, he wants it to look like he made a good run to save face, but doesn't really want the job.

Either he's a stalking horse or having an "Oh, snap! This stuff is for real!" moment.

[Night Hides Not]

We'll see.  I personally don't think he has the discipline to stay on point.

Part of me wonders how many of his diehards at TOS have given up and are just parroting what they know Jim wants to hear at this point.

Good question, though the 4th quarter fundraiser is off to a good start. It will be interesting to see what happens after 11/8.

[Resp3]

Good question, though the 4th quarter fundraiser is off to a good start. It will be interesting to see what happens after 11/8.

As usual, Jim is manipulating the Begathon numbers to reflect the amounts he wants to use as he games the system.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

All this lends credence to the stalking horse theory.

Maybe Trump is realizing how demanding and the awesome responsibility that comes with being POTUS.
Perhaps, he wants it to look like he made a good run to save face, but doesn't really want the job.

Either he's a stalking horse or having an "Oh, snap! This stuff is for real!" moment.

I'm confused.  Is it:

1) Trump really has no interest in winning the election, and was just there to clear the road for Hillary before returning to his hedonistic, selfish ways, or;

2) Trump is the next Hitler, driven to acquire absolute personal control over the entire country, and to stamp out all opposition.

Because there are people here making both arguments against the guy, and they are polar opposites.

[Resp3]

It's going to be a slaughter.

If Trump failed miserably with Lester Holt - then how in the world does he even stand a chance with Martha Raddatz and Anderson Cooper?

Trump is toast. His only hope is to go all "Kaine" on them and ignore the questions; ignore the protocol; ignore the 3 on 1 attacks from Cooper, Raddatz and Shrillary and speak as if he is alone on a campaign speech.

[HoustonSam]

@Jazzhead
@HoustonSam

This is an actual, serious tweet from a Trump supporter.  It's being mocked all over the place.

Bill MitchellVerified account
‏@mitchellvii
Trump's groundgame isn't in a computer, it's in our hearts.

Professions of heart-felt faith frequently indicate that one's rational appraisal of circumstances is unfavorable.  I think some pro-Trump folks are reaching the unavoidable conclusion that they've bet on the wrong horse, and that they've compelled the entire GOP to place that same losing bet.

A groundgame does exist in people's hearts, to the extent that it is fundamentally made up of believers expending shoe leather effort on door-knocking, making phone calls, etc.  Trump's ground game however seems limited to pep rallies where he can enjoy worshipful adulation.  The problem is not that his supporters hold this illusion of a groundgame in their hearts, it is that his virtues as a candidate exist solely as delusions in their heads.

[XenaLee]

@Jazzhead
@HoustonSam

This is an actual, serious tweet from a Trump supporter.  It's being mocked all over the place.

Bill MitchellVerified account
‏@mitchellvii
Trump's groundgame isn't in a computer, it's in our hearts.

I have to laugh when I hear someone say that they know something "in their hearts".   Just as my best friend said that "she knows it in her heart that God chose Trump to save America".

The Bible says it quite succinctly about the human heart....

"The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?" -
Jeremiah 17:9

If you "know" something in your heart, you can be 99% sure that it's probably wrong.  The heart emotes, after all.  No logic required there.

And this was the same person that thought David Letterman was a 'good man'.   Nuff said.

[Resp3]

I'm confused.  Is it:

1) Trump really has no interest in winning the election, and was just there to clear the road for Hillary before returning to his hedonistic, selfish ways, or;

2) Trump is the next Hitler, driven to acquire absolute personal control over the entire country, and to stamp out all opposition.

Because there are people here making both arguments against the guy, and they are polar opposites.

Answer is..

3) Trump is in way over his head. His false bravado, bully tactics and his big mouth are now clearly evident to all. Trump will try. His ego will not let him make a miserable failing fool of himself at this debate or at anytime before November 8.

But try as he might - he will lose by double digits to Hillary.

[GrouchoTex]

I'm confused.  Is it:

1) Trump really has no interest in winning the election, and was just there to clear the road for Hillary before returning to his hedonistic, selfish ways, or;

2) Trump is the next Hitler, driven to acquire absolute personal control over the entire country, and to stamp out all opposition.

Because there are people here making both arguments against the guy, and they are polar opposites.

I do not know the answer.
It is Trump, after all, and that makes it awfully difficult to get a clear read.
It appears to me that he doesn't really want the job, is all I am trying to say.
Why?
Either he wants Hillary to have it or he doesn't want the responsibility, and, frankly, the limitations it would impose.

There is a third possibility, that he wants this, but only on his own terms, which, may (but not certainly), lead us into your 2nd statement. That is also an unknown.

Again, this is Trump we are talking about, and his inconsistencies make it difficult to know what this is actually all about, at the end of the day.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

If Trump failed miserably with Lester Holt - then how in the world does he even stand a chance with Martha Raddatz and Anderson Cooper?

Trump is toast. His only hope is to go all "Kaine" on them and ignore the questions; ignore the protocol; ignore the 3 on 1 attacks from Cooper, Raddatz and Shrillary and speak as if he is alone on a campaign speech.

The other thing that might work for him is to be nice to the little kid, answer his question (go whether your parents go) then go off on the moderators and those who selected the question for bias.  Ask them who made the decision that, out of everyone in America, that particular question was going to be asked, and by that kid.  Point out that moderators were perfectly okay with that decision.

Then say that American elections are serious things should be the business of American citizens who vote, not people who are not citizens, not here legally, and/or not old enough to vote. 

Point out that it was clearly an attempt at a pure "gotcha question" by biased moderators, and that he's not going to participate in some biased farce.  Say that he's going to do what anyone should do if they realize they are in the middle of a rigged game, and exactly what the U.S. should have done before it got rolled by Iranian negotiators.

Tell then he's not going to be part of misleading the American people into believing that town hall is not rigged, and walk out.  But he has to answer the kid's question first, and point out that he's not running from a six year old.  It's not the six year old who is the problem -- it is the rigged, biased journalists trying to pass themselves off as something else.

[Silver Pines]

Good question, though the 4th quarter fundraiser is off to a good start. It will be interesting to see what happens after 11/8.

@Night Hides Not

[XenaLee]

I'm confused.  Is it:

1) Trump really has no interest in winning the election, and was just there to clear the road for Hillary before returning to his hedonistic, selfish ways, or;

2) Trump is the next Hitler, driven to acquire absolute personal control over the entire country, and to stamp out all opposition.

Because there are people here making both arguments against the guy, and they are polar opposites.

I think I can answer that.  While I do believe that Trump is not in it to win it (it's either that or he really is just that stupid) .....and is therefore only helping the Hillary Democrats retain the White House (and probably win back the Senate).... I also believe that if Trump were to win, due to his totalitarian-like stance on freedom of speech, his petty vindictiveness and his reckless rhetoric re: foreign policy and/or lack of diplomacy (kill the terrorists' families, why can't we use nukes, etc.) convinces me that he does not have the temperament necessary for a Commander In Chief.  Then again, neither does Hillary.  But that's what we're now stuck with.

[cato potatoe]

Trump is way too clumsy to fill the stalking horse role, even if he wanted it.  He is an attention whore first and foremost.  He does not care about the country or his supporters.  Trump's a user - this is about a good time for Trump before he dies, and a chance to promote his sleazy brand.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

It is Trump, after all, and that makes it awfully difficult to get a clear read.

I have no problem with the argument that Trump is unpredictable.  I have a problem with the argument that is clearly the next Hitler/Mussolini, or clearly only a stalking horse for Hillary.

[Silver Pines]

I have to laugh when I hear someone say that they know something "in their hearts".   Just as my best friend said that "she knows it in her heart that God chose Trump to save America".

The Bible says it quite succinctly about the human heart....

"The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?" -
Jeremiah 17:9

If you "know" something in your heart, you can be 99% sure that it's probably wrong.  The heart emotes, after all.  No logic required there.

And this was the same person that thought David Letterman was a 'good man'.   Nuff said.

Oh, that's a  very good point.  That Scripture didn't even occur to me.

[kevindavis007]

I feel your angst, KD. I didn't ask for much from Trump, only to grow up and be more circumspect when speaking in public. He never delivered. I've moved on.

I didn't ask much either. He needs to grow up and that is me offering advice.

[HoustonSam]

I'm confused.  Is it:

1) Trump really has no interest in winning the election, and was just there to clear the road for Hillary before returning to his hedonistic, selfish ways, or;

2) Trump is the next Hitler, driven to acquire absolute personal control over the entire country, and to stamp out all opposition.

Because there are people here making both arguments against the guy, and they are polar opposites.

Both arguments are being made here, and clearly they are mutually exclusive.  However I'm not sure any given individual is making both arguments; some oppose Trump on one theory, others on the other.  While at most one theory can be true, the existence of both does not question the legitimacy of either.

Of course a given person who did make both arguments would be engaging in self-contradiction.

[XenaLee]

I have no problem with the argument that Trump is unpredictable.  I have a problem with the argument that is clearly the next Hitler/Mussolini, or clearly only a stalking horse for Hillary.

Both (albeit contradictory) theories are based upon Trump's own words, actions and deeds....past and present.  Note the term "theories".  Truth is, we don't know what Trump would be like as president for certain....just as we don't know for certain what his real agenda is.  But drawing conclusions based on a candidate's behavior is what happens every election...like it or not.

[Free Vulcan]

I'm basically giving Trump this last chance to prove something in this debate. We can vote now here in Iowa, if he has another bomb performance, I'm voting third party or write-in for President, simple as that.

[sinkspur]

The other thing that might work for him is to be nice to the little kid, answer his question (go whether your parents go) then go off on the moderators and those who selected the question for bias.  Ask them who made the decision that, out of everyone in America, that particular question was going to be asked, and by that kid.  Point out that moderators were perfectly okay with that decision.

Then say that American elections are serious things should be the business of American citizens who vote, not people who are not citizens, not here legally, and/or not old enough to vote. 

Point out that it was clearly an attempt at a pure "gotcha question" by biased moderators, and that he's not going to participate in some biased farce.  Say that he's going to do what anyone should do if they realize they are in the middle of a rigged game, and exactly what the U.S. should have done before it got rolled by Iranian negotiators.

Tell then he's not going to be part of misleading the American people into believing that town hall is not rigged, and walk out.  But he has to answer the kid's question first, and point out that he's not running from a six year old.  It's not the six year old who is the problem -- it is the rigged, biased journalists trying to pass themselves off as something else.

Right.  Go completely crazy in front of 60 million Americans.   How badly do you want him to lose?