Prepare for the debates...before Joe pulls out.

 

RealityBites by Broc Smith

Trump’s June 27 Debate Strategy In Three Easy Steps – Issues & Insights (issuesinsights.com)    . . ."Moderators aren’t moderate. These days, moderators consider themselves celebrities and do often insert themselves into debates. The classic case: Candy Crowley breaking Mitt Romney’s unmistakable momentum by fact-checking him in the midst of a 2012 contest. But Chris Wallace also memorably, repeatedly, and unfairly shut down Trump in his first debate with Biden in 2020. Trump indeed may find himself with no friends in the room without a studio audience and with CNN’s leftish Jake Tapper and Dana Bash posing the questions.

So here are three (count ‘em!) ways Trump can capitalize on these truisms to create defining moments, set and control the tone, and rein in the moderators.

1. Put the CNNers on the defensive from the word “go.”

"Trump, with the best-known brand in America, can dispense with the customary introductory opening statement and instead establish some ground rules. Specifically, he should leverage the near-universally held expectation that the two CNN anchors will favor Biden and the certainty that the Delawarean will toss an insulting, condescending or rude utterance his way.

"To wit:

“ 'Four years ago, a so-called moderator allowed Joe Biden to get away with telling me, the sitting president of the United States, to ‘shut up’ on national television, and with personal insults like ‘clown’ and ‘racist.’ And moderators in both debates shut down exchanges about Joe’s corrupt son Hunter, which polls show might have changed the election result. 

“ 'So will you allow outrageous behavior and insults like that, and protect him from tough questions, or play it fair? Tell us now – the American people are watching.”

"Then, every time a moderator gives the remotest appearance of taking sides with or shielding Biden, revive the aforementioned Gipper line: “There you go again.” If that approach doesn’t tame the CNNers, it will set The Donald up for an “appeal” to the American public on fairness." . . .