Encouraging signs, part 2
Florian Galler
While Biden had his best debate, Trump might shun presidential debates:
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The Hill.com, Dec. 20, 2019 Five takeaways from the Democratic debate The final Democratic debate of 2019 took place in Los Angeles on Thursday, with less than two months to go before the Iowa caucuses. What were the main takeaways? … Biden brings a new sharpness Biden had his best debate of this election cycle. On other occasions, the former vice president has been meandering and gaffe-prone, raising questions about whether he is up to the rigors of a full-tilt presidential campaign at age 77. There was none of that in Los Angeles. Biden was sure-footed throughout, effectively making the basic rationale for his candidacy — that he is the best candidate to beat Trump, in part because of his instinctive understanding of middle-class concerns. Trying to turn back criticism that he has an overly generous view of Republicans in Washington, Biden said that he had more right than most to be angry with the GOP given “the way they’ve attacked me, my family” — a reference to his son Hunter Biden who worked for a Ukrainian energy company. Biden remains at the top of national polls. His performance on Thursday should maintain that resilience.
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The Hill.com, Dec. 16, 2019
Trump slams debate commission, raising questions about his participation President Trump on Monday hammered the Commission on Presidential Debates, raising questions about his participation in debates next year with the eventual Democratic presidential nominee. The president, in a trio of tweets, said he looked forward to debating "whoever the lucky person is who stumbles across the finish line" in the Democratic primary. But he chastised the nonprofit commission responsible for organizing the presidential debates and suggested he might avoid them. That group has scheduled three general election debates next year. … |
While Trump was able to survive 2016’s debates with Hillary Clinton undamaged, he possibly would not make the same experience with Biden in 2020.