At this point, it's just hard to believe there are many people who are actually undecided. I'm sure there are lots who say they are. And it's really more about Trump than about Biden. Of the people who would ever consider voting for a Democrat, some love Biden, some aren't excited by him, a few hate him. There's a whole spectrum. With Trump, I think it's more binary, even among Republicans. They generally love him or loath him. I'm not sure I've heard anyone recently say "Hmm, that Trump guy says some things I like, but I'm not sure if he has my vote or not."
I guess what I'm saying is that I doubt a debate would change anyone's mind unless one of them said something to really alienate their base. "I want to see them discuss their differences on foreign policy before I decide." I don't think so. It's probably more risk than benefit for either of them.
The undecided voters are probably the ones considering jumping from Biden to 3rd party over current hot buttons (e.g Palestine) than any ever would be Biden to Trump or vice versa.
I don’t think you have to worry about it. While Trump claims he wants to debate, he will refuse when offered, whining about the “liberal media’s” rules that he finds unfair (which will probably include the ability to cut his mic when he resorts to his only strategy of talking over everyone else).
Recently answered this in another thread: by debate Trump means he will childishly shout over anyone he’s on stage with constant bullshit and juvenile rhetoric - no thanks. having seen trump in debates I honestly question anyone silly enough to try, he’ll never ‘debate’, he just gish gallops bullshit until his minders come to change his diapers.
Supreme Court can't make you engage with an insurrectionist. Diapered coward is not a legitimate candidate for office, don't work to legitimize him by going through the motions of what the non-traitors do while running.
"We're gonna pass on Donny's circus. I've got a country to run and also, I'd feel guilty taking his focus away from prep for whichever of his 90 criminal charges he's whining about in court this week"
It is a catch 22 for Biden he doesn't debate Trump - he looks weak. They hit him on being old and weak. He debates Trump - Trump look like a more legitimate candidate and Trump get to hijack the debate to spew bs.
Not debating is probably the better of the two but both is a loss. The best Biden can do is try to say that Trump won't debate on good faith but that despite being true will only get so much traction.
I actually agree. Analogies about mud wrestling with a pig and playing chess with a pigeon come to mind..
And then there's the added problem of giving him false legitimacy by acting like he's just another legitimate candidate rather than a career criminal fascist conman who should never have been allowed anywhere near ANY public office.
The problem is if Biden doesn't debate Trump Trump can use that on the campaign trail. Probably a lot more usefully than if he didn't have that argument of "Sleepy Joe's too scared". They're both old af. In their heads probably neither of them wants an open debate.
What we need is 2024 SOTU Biden mopping the floor with him but who knows how likely that is.
if Biden doesn't debate Trump Trump can use that on the campaign trail
And if he DOES, Trump can use a twisted version of something Biden says at the debate, no matter how it goes.
When you're dealing with someone who has no compunction about just making shit up and whose cult following will believe him literally no matter what nonsense he spews, "that would give him ammunition" is never a good reason to do or not do anything.
What we need is 2024 SOTU Biden mopping the floor with him
As I touched on above, even if that DOES happen, Trump will still twist it into a win for himself. Reality and truth simply don't matter to him and his cult and pretending that it does gets us nowhere.
Donald is going to call him Sleepy Joe, and the cultists are going to be "lid" this and that regardless. Donald has been an incoherent lying dumbass since forever and they haven't clued in to that yet.
No, no that is a terrible idea. It will just make Biden look old. He needs to challenge him to laser pistols at dawn. That way he looked young and hip.
Yes, let's undermine the current system by deplatforming those we don't like.
A better option is to have a strong moderator who is able to turn off microphones when candidates go off the question. Make Trump look like an idiot when he only gets a few seconds to speak because he can't put meaningful words together... But Biden would probably have a similar issue.
Or maybe we could get some candidates who are below life expectancy? That might interest people.