This article is part of TPM Cafe, TPM’s home for opinion and news analysis.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=1318427
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=1318427
I don’t know enough about impostor syndrome to weigh in, but one thing I do Know: trump wants to build up his campaign war chest to unprecedented amounts. It’s all about the grift: It’sss “His precious” and he wantsss it. (Gollum voice).
The rubes who love the taunting are getting eaten alive off by the insatiable maw of the MAGA campaign.
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Democrat pundits are once again letting Republicans dictate the rules of engagement. They’re letting Republicans set a hurdle in front of Democrats that Republicans don’t want to ever have to jump over.
Got a Republican candidate too stupid to complete a sentence? Accuse your opponent of senility, have the Republican media repeat it over and over, and watch Democrats fall over themselves to try to combat it. All the while your stupid Republican candidate doesn’t have to lift a finger to learn anything.
Just stop already. The watchword for this campaign is “competency”. Biden has it, Trump can’t even find that hurdle let alone lift his fat ass over it.
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Um, sorry, but no. Biden doesn’t have to prove anything and absolutely shouldn’t play Trump’s game. The idea that Dems need to prove that they’re not whatever Repubs accuse them of this week is stupid and dangerous. That’s playing defense and looks weak, and is what led Dukakis to pose in that tank, Kerry to go goose hunting and Clinton to overemphasize her national security position.
Dems have to play to their own strengths and values and not try to pass artificial tests posed by the other side. Biden just has to be Biden, running on his record, accomplishments, experience and qualities, and let Trump be Trump, and attack him on that. Trump has to be put on the defensive and forced to prove that he’s not what Biden accuses him of.
He won’t be able to. He won’t even try. He’s doubling down on the racism and idiocy, and that will be his demise. Let Biden be Biden and let Trump be Trump: No contest.
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Mr. Russo -
Your concern is duly noted. I’ll place it on my shelf, right next to Chuck Todd’s “Hillary was overprepared.”
Jesus Christ, were you actually PAID to be a “media executive.” Someone should try to claw back whatever it was they overpaid you, if this “commentary” is in any way indicative of your performance.
As Kovie said: Biden doesn’t have to prove anything, except to concern trolls like you.
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My reading of this piece didn’t suggest any trap the Dems should avoid. The main point seems to be that if you hammer away at this senility thing and it happens not to be true, and it isn’t, your whole sales pitch collapses. Biden is old, and he shows it, but he’s mentally sharp and if you’ve ever heard him on a good ramble he brings in a lot of detail from a lifetime in politics. He’s been deep into the intricacies of foreign policy for decades now. Remember that question about whether it matters that you know the prime minister of this or that country’s name? He knows the name and his party and the history of that party’s interactions with the other parties and all that fun stuff.
The real questions (and the answer to the questions is “yes”) are about Trump’s own health. Biden doesn’t jerk or twitch or stand bizarrely or shuffle down ramps or have sudden and increasingly frequent spasms where he twists his shoulders and garbles the words he saying. This is all projection.
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Biden’s Path To Debate Victory Is Simple: Prove He’s Not Who Trump Says He ________ And he can easily do that by simply refusing to debate in the same room with Trump. Do a Zoom-style, Covid-safe debate and have rehearsed teleprompter answers all practiced, loaded, and ready to go. DO NOT GIVE TRUMP THE CHANCE TO STALK BIDEN LIKE HE DID HILLARY.
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Trump’s time in the spotlight has reached its sell-by date. Just like every other media-created celebrity, the public eventually reaches a saturation point and the media coverage turns from “Wow, look at this shiny object.” to “Wow, can you believe this shiny object is so horrible?”
All Biden has to do is to continue to make the occasional coherent and thoughtful commentary, point up what we all know to be true about Trump’s many failures, and wait for the election, assuming that Trump stays in the office that long (not a 100% certainty).
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That ain’t happenin’, bro.
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Pundits keep making this mistake:
“He insulted everyone. His base loved it, and swing voters either forgave him or overlooked his non-normative presidential antics.”
Swing voters didn’t forgive him, they just thought he was the lesser of two evils. They didn’t vote for Trump, they voted against Hillary. “Likeability” matters far more in elections than most people give credit for, and Biden won’t have that problem.
I’m also not buying the Impostor Syndrome diagnosis for Trump. He’s too stupid and willfully ignorant to realize how unqualified he is, because he still thinks that running the Executive branch of government is exactly like running a business. Or at least it should be. And of course he thinks he’s a total jenius at running a business. I also don’t think he gives a rat’s ass about being “loved.” Nothing in his background supports that idea.
Nah, it needs to be a live debate. If Trump tries to repeat his stalking of Hillary, all Biden has to do is turn around and cough. Trump will go scurrying away.
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I’m of two minds: I sort of agree, but I also would like to see Joe turn around and say to the Traitor-in-Chief “Back the fuck OFF! Or I’ll pound the crap out of you until the Secret Service pulls me off of your fat ass.”
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I think he does, or at least wants to have people cheering him and telling him how smart/strong/whatever he is. But outside of that, I agree with your comment
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I suppose for a certain definition of love, he does want the adoration of cheering crowds. The way people “loved” Mussolini. I can’t see any sign that he cares about it in his personal life, but yeah, he’ll take it in the form of mass affection when it translates to power.
Trump can’t rattle Biden if they’re not in the same room together.
Trump can’t rattle Biden, period. Biden did fine in the primary debates, including against direct attacks from the other candidates. He’s been battle-tested in recent debates.
Meanwhile, Trump hasn’t had to debate anyone in four years, and he doesn’t have the attention span for any real debate prep. If he agrees to debate Biden at all, then Biden will mop the floor with him.
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When Trump says something stupid, insulting or bizarre during the debates, I want Biden to shake his head and say “Can you believe this guy? We have serious problems facing this country. Let’s stop this childishness. Let’s get to work America.” Just dismiss him, don’t play his game. (And definitely call him a child.)
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The last thing Biden needs to do is to let Trump influence how he campaigns by doing the opposite of every allegation hurled at him. Biden is just fine being Biden.
Every insult Trump hurls is a projection about himself. He’s corrupt, sleepy, old, senile, etc. Don’t worry, be happy.
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Biden needs to do a Willie Wonka entrance. Hobble in on a cane like a feeble old man, wobble, summersault and pop up and wipe the debate stage with the hide of the real dotard, Donald Trump.
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It’s probably too late now, but I had been sending messages to the Democratic contenders months ago urging them to declare that they wouldn’t debate someone who so shamelessly lies. WHAT is the point?!?
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That would be amusing (and Welcome @Dieslafa!). I think Biden needs to be Biden: honest man with bedrock integrity, warm and welcoming. The video of him giving his flag pin to a little boy is the perfect example.
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