Presidential Debate 9/29/20 Discussion Thread

[Peeps]

I also don’t think the ability to perform wonderfully in a debate or make brilliant speeches matters all that much to doing the work of an elected office. Debate or speeches done well are an art form and can feel stirring and uplifting to watch. But at the end of the hour and a half, it’s all a bunch of hot air, whether it looked pretty or not.

This is an excellent assessment.

I’ve said it many times here on CAF and in real life–Donald Trump is and always has been a businessman, not a politician. He is definitely not a debater, he is a brawler.
Throughout his life, any arguments that he was involved with were about business transactions and the results of the argument would determine employment or unemployment for many people, new buildings, new places for people to live, and of course, personal gain for himself and his family (which we all want, so don’t condemn him!–I would love to have a bigger income for me and my family and I’m not ashamed to say it!).

But he’s never been involved in the type of “debate” that lawyers get involved with, using point and counterpoint and “rules” of debate and decorum, and a moderator who is often a judge!

Public debating is a form of “entertainment”, a mental exercise. A good debater is able to effectively argue BOTH SIDES of any issue in the debate, and it is interesting to watch debates in which this is required. Debating is a skill that used to be taught in high school, and many of the students who became involved in the Debate Team were/are future lawyers and philosophers.

Pres. Trump is not a good debater. Neither is VP. Biden. I’m not sure that any of our politicians are good debaters these days. It’s a lost art form, and highly unlikely to be restored in public schools because teens these days are simply too fragile to face opposition.

 

[RidgeSprinter]

Too bad Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau passed away, grumpy old men.

I watched the last hour and that was exactly what it was.

Trump is going to win again.

Yep

I’m embarrassed for our country

We got to go put our heads in the sand, but we have 2 more to go

This is like watching a fight at the nursing home.

LOL

Hopefully the whole world isn’t watching this. How embarrassing.

Being on Safari in 2017, I can imagine the bar room talk.

Yeah, SNL doesn’t have to do much since 2016. This stuff just writes itself.

Can’t wait for the skit.

Imagine both of this guys in a wheel chair, doing this debate.

You killing me Smalls.

Also I heard Trevor Noah say that Chris Wallace’s debate performance reminds us that kindergarden teachers are underpaid.

ROFL

 

[ThinkingSapien]

But how do you think that the white supremacist groups should be dealt with?

In the debate, when asked for a clear rebuke of white supremacy, how about this.

“I condemn white supremacy.”

Clear. Unambiguous. Simple.

 

[puer.dei]

One part got me to use a bad word in front of the family.

1: when asked if he would denounce White Supremacy. Answer should have been “yes!”

He told the proud boys to “stand back and stand by”

And of course, they are celebrating that:

Proud Boys celebrate after Trump told them 'stand back and stand by'

Members of the far-right group immediately posted about the shout out Tuesday. Their account on Telegram posted: 'Standing down and standing by sir.'

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Peeps]

The debates with Hillary were better. Trump was a little more restrained. Not much, but some. I have wondered if that’s because she was female, or if perhaps it was because they used to be at least social friends prior to the campaign and liked each other okay until the Presidency was in play.

I get the feeling he just plain doesn’t like Joe and thinks Joe is incompetent. When Joe started calling him names like liar and such it just turned into a schoolyard fight. I have thought for some time that Joe has a bit of a mean streak that has also come out in past debates and remarks. Last night it was on full display.

Very astute and IMO, accurate assessment!

Tis_Bearself, I wish YOU could be commenting on the debates on TV/other media right now instead of all the journalists who just keep shaking their heads and murmuring “trainwreck.” Have you been trained in debate at some point in your life?

And you are peaceful in your assessments. I agree with your surmise that VP Biden has a “mean streak”–that smirk on his face, all the eye-rolling and under-the-breath comments–that was just babyish.

At least Pres. Trump, for the most part, listened to his opponent with a serious expression on his face, and only a few times did he shake his head–which many of us at home did, too. I found VP Biden’s criticism of Pres. Trump’s COVID-19 response especially frustrating–I truly think that any other President would have stumbled along, too, as we didn’t know much about COVID-19 (and still have a lot of gaps in knowledge) and had to make decisions day-by-day rather than come up with a comprehensive plan as more information came in every day.

 

[RhodesianSon]

Proud boys are fine young men. It’s not a racist group.

 

[DeniseNY]

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[Tis_Bearself]

Tis_Bearself, I wish YOU could be commenting on the debates on TV/other media right now instead of all the journalists who just keep shaking their heads and murmuring “trainwreck.” Have you been trained in debate at some point in your life?

I should hope so, I’m an attorney

Plus I used to do a lot of appellate work including a few oral arguments. Debate skills are necessary for doing that sort of work.
I don’t do it any more (there’s no money in it) but it was fun while it lasted.

 

[F_Marturana]

As per Telemundo, it wasn’t a “poll“. It was one of those Twitter questions where one clicks the option they want.

There’s no way to ascertain who the participants are, if they watch Telemundo, if they speak Spanish, if they are bots, etc.

 

[Jeanne_S]

Maybe next debate they will do that

 

[ThinkingSapien]

Proud boys are fine young men. It’s not a racist group.

FBI now classifies far-right Proud Boys as 'extremist group', documents say

Group is now designated ‘with ties to white nationalism’ according to report produced by Washington law enforcement

www.theguardian.com

FBI now classifies far-right Proud Boys as ‘extremist group’, documents say​

Group is now designated ‘with ties to white nationalism’ according to report produced by Washington law enforcement​

The FBI’s 2018 designation of the self-confessed “western chauvinist group” as extremist has not been previously made public.

The Proud Boys was founded by the Vice Media co-founder Gavin McInnes. McInnes has insisted that his group is not white nationalist or “alt-right” but the Proud Boys have a history of misogyny and glorifying violence. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) lists them as a hate group.

 

[LeafByNiggle]

Indeed, that’s usually how politics is nowadays.

No, it is usually how Trump operates. That’s all.

And Trump was the conductor of that wreck.

Trump isn’t afraid to speak the truth

What Trump is really afraid of is engaging in a debate. That is why he refused to debate.

 

[Formon]

I loved the mud slinging. The best lines of the night were when they were interrupting each other. From Trump saying that nobody attends Joe’s rallies to Joe calling Trump a clown. This is the time for the gloves to come off. I wish there had been more of it

 

[ThinkingSapien]

When Joe started calling him names like liar and such it just turned into a schoolyard fight.

I’m split on this. I woukd rather there be no name calling, and that only one microphone work at a time. But I also think that if there is no fighting back that it will come across as weak and being a punching bag to some.

There have been past debates in which an insult has received a disarming and humorous response that, for me, invoked laughter. But I dont think we will see much of that in the debates that will follow.

 

[PaulinVA]

I’ve said it many times here on CAF and in real life–Donald Trump is and always has been a businessman, not a politician. He is definitely not a debater, he is a brawler.

I think Trump has had his success as a reality-TV producer/star. His “businessman” cred is pretty much shot, and he’s running the country like a reality TV show.

 

[Dovekin]

The sad thing is, their behavior is not restricted to debates like this. I watched R. Priebus this morning, on CBS with a Biden supporter, and his strategy was a repeat of Trump’s debate performance. Gail King, an African American anchor, asked about the white supremacy condemnation, which should have been expected. Priebus said he missed that part of the debate and then kept speaking without allowing Gail or the other guest to speak.

It was just like Trump, and just as despicable. I cannot believe that anyone approves of that kind of behavior. Decorum is most definitely part of the President’s job, and Trump’s inability to act respectfully has done major damage to international relations.

 

[Jeanne_S]

Good one!

 

[Dovekin]

The best line was Trump telling Biden “Don’t use the word smart with me.”

I will never use the use smart in connection with Trump, as he requested.

 

[puer.dei]

Even his fan club at Fox & Friends knows he blew it:

‘Fox & Friends’ Trashes Trump for Blowing the Debate Over White Supremacists

President Donald Trump might have choked on his Egg McMuffin on Wednesday when tuning into his favorite morning show.Fresh from an aggressive debate performance which his campaign chalked up as a victory before it had even happened, Trump most likely tuned into Fox & Friends expecting the kind...

www.yahoo.com

 

[PaulinVA]

It was just like Trump, and just as despicable. I cannot believe that anyone approves of that kind of behavior. Decorum is most definitely part of the President’s job, and Trump’s inability to act respectfully has done major damage to international relations.

I believe that is something that appeals to his followers. They can chime in if they want.