As are we.
The simple answer is that if Biden had also lied, promoted conspiracy theories, refused to answer reasonable questions, and generally blustered and talked crap, he would also have been given a hard time. Since he didn’t, he wasn’t.
Yup. He probably thought this Town Hall Debate would be like his MAGA rallies. ‘Town Hall’ sounds so comfy and easy. He has no clue that over half of the country truly despises him.
Didn’t watch either. Wouldn’t be surprised if networks handled their town halls differently. Certainly would expect each to be pressed to give answers on issues. Biden on the avoided court packing one and Trump, well Trump as the incumbent and as someone who has said all that he has said has more to be pressed on. Individual networks having biases? I could buy it. If Trump wanted softballs he should have gone on Fox. Or his new favorite platform.
But my consideration of the take of the op need go no farther than reading “Fakebook”.
No need to consider the ourve of past posts or the elevation of conspiracy theories current and past (poor poor Sanders, how the powers conspired against him, no one but him deserves the vote of the op!) It identifies.
To know him is not to love him, focus group reports:
Except on the one question I saw where Biden tried to refuse to answer - the SCOTUS one. And George pressed him repeatedly until he forced him to say he would have a position on expanding the court prior to the election depending on how the GOP handled the issue in the Senate.
When a reporter repeatedly attempts to get someone to ANSWER A QUESTION when all they do is evade, waffle, back up, say the same stuff over and over, and just plain lie– that is neither “antagonistic” nor being an “investigative bulldog.”
Seriously, I have to laugh… “make them answer the question” = “investigative bulldog” – that is nonsense.
Related to a take I read in the NYT. Trump uninterrupted disgusting more drew viewers away from Biden potentially flubbing. Biden apparently didn’t but that happening and watched by many was Trump’s best hope.
Apparently the GOP ding on Biden was that he’s like Mister Rogers. They don’t get that that appeals to many of those who gave Trump’s something completely different a chance and have seen how badly it has failed, how divisive it is. Many, including some who voted Trump before, would love the soothing safe feeling Mister Rogers gave right now.
Yeah, that’s fair. I think I basically said as much - the nature of the debater (Trump v. Biden) will color how the moderator is perceived.
But obviously moderators have styles too, and I believe George S. is known for being a rather soft interviewer - that’s how he’s always been perceived by me. Guthrie is not seen the same (some of it is likely gender bias, as well).
Given that (a) there was a town-hall debate scheduled for last night, (b) Biden quite understandably insisted on doing it virtually, given Trump’s recent Covid status, (c’) Trump refused to do it virtually, so (d) Biden scheduled a town hall event for that time slot, and then (e) NBC let Trump schedule his own televised town hall for the same time frame, letting him try to bigfoot Biden,
I’d say if anyone was getting the breaks here, it was Trump.
Yeah, like the corporate world in general these days, they’re starting to go, “the Dems may regulate us a bit more, but that’s starting to look like a small price to pay to continue to have a functioning nation.”
Here are the questions Biden was asked:
1. What would “following the science” mean for you on Covid-19, both at the beginning of the pandemic and moving forward?
2. How can you contain the pandemic without crushing the economy?
3. If a vaccine were approved between now and the end of the year, would you take it, and if you were to become president would you mandate it for everyone?
4. Do you expect the next debate to happen? Will you demand that Trump take a Covid-19 test?
5. What is your plan for extending tax cuts for the middle class or replacing it with a new plan?
6. Is it wise to raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans and corporations in the midst of an economic crisis?
*7. So there won’t be any delay on tax increases? *
8. The president is president for all four years, isn’t he?
9. If you lose, what would that say about the state of America today?
10. Besides “You ain’t Black,” what do you have to say to young Black voters who see voting for you as participation in a system that fails to protect them?
11. I’m a proud mom, my youngest daughter is transgender. The Trump administration has attacked the rights of trans people…How will you as president reverse this dangerous and discriminatory agenda and ensure that the lives and rights of LGBTQ people are protected?
12. What’s your view on the crime bill that you wrote in 1994 that showed prejudice against minorities? What’s your stance on it now?
13. Was it a mistake to support the crime bill?
14. You’ve said more cops mean less crime. Do you still believe that?
15. What do you think about ideas from people like Pete Buttigieg to put in safeguards to put in more balance and stability in Supreme Court decisions, and what do you say to LGBTQ Americans and others who are very worried about the erosion of their rights?
16. You said “I would not get into court packing.” Is the nomination of judge Barrett reason enough for you to rethink your position?
17. Don’t voters have a right to know where you stand? Will you have a clear position by election day?
18. Today we have highly partisan politics. As president, how will you avoid temptation to exact revenge and instead take the high road and restore civility?
19. Is there tension between political accountability and bringing people together? What would the Biden administration do with the evidence from Robert Mueller’s investigation?
20. You say that you committed to entering the race after Charlottesville in 2017. Hypothetically, if you lose, how will you use your platform to urge Donald Trump and those following him toward the idea of a more perfect union?
21. In 2012, fracking was discussed, and its possible implications to the waterways. Fracking has made populations sick and killed wildlife in southwest Pennsylvania. What industries that aren’t harmful to human health and the environment are you planning for Pennsylvania and the nation?
22. You said you don’t want to ban fracking. What do you say to people who doubt your denial of wanting to ban fracking?
23. You’re saying you’re not for the Green New Deal, but your website says it’s a crucial framework?
24. Peace is breaking out all over the world, troops are coming home…Does president Trump’s foreign policy deserve some credit?
Which questions would you say are softballs?
And for completion, here are Trump’s questions:
1. Do you have symptoms? Did you have pneumonia? When did you test positive?
2. When did you last have a negative test?
3. Wasn’t the unmasked Rose Garden party a bad idea?
4. Do you really believe a military family gave you Covid-19?
5. As president, aren’t you setting a bad example by not wearing a mask?
6. Do you support herd immunity as a strategy?
7. If you knew Covid-19, as you told Bob Woodward in February, was airborne and deadlier than the flu, why did you only put in place a travel ban from China and not put in place other preventative measures?
8. Did your national security advisor warn you that this would be the greatest national security risk of your administration?
9. How are you going to get the US back on track both in terms of the economy and the pandemic?
10. Have your opinions on mask-wearing changed?
11. Why are you hesitant to denounce white supremacy?
12. Will you disavow QAnon in its entirety?
*13. Do you really not know whether there’s a satanic pedophile ring, as QAnon suggests? *
*14. Just this week, you tweeted a conspiracy theory that Joe Biden had Seal Team 6 killed to cover up the fake death of Bin Laden. Now why would you send a lie like that to your followers? You’re the president, you’re not someone’s crazy uncle who can retweet whatever. *
15. Why do you want to lower the corporate tax rate and how does that help Americans?
16. Why won’t you release your tax returns, given that no law forbids you from doing so while you’re under audit?
17. Did you pay $750 in taxes in 2016?
18. Will you accept the results of the election?
19. Why are you laying the groundwork for not accepting the results right now?
20. What would you do to protect people of color from police violence?
21. What do you say to the voter who thinks it’s hypocritical to fast track Amy Coney Barrett after the GOP stonewalled Merrick Garland in 2016?
22. Do you expect Amy Coney Barrett to rule in your favor in a contested election?
23. If Roe v Wade is overturned, what would the rules be on abortion if the mother’s life is in danger?
24. Would you like to see Roe v Wade overturned?
25. What is your plan in 2020 to make healthcare costs more affordable?
26. Isn’t your administration in court right now trying to repeal Obamacare, including the provision about pre-existing conditions?
27. What will you do to get another stimulus bill passed?
28. If you’re such a big dealmaker, why are the stimulus negotiations going so poorly?
29. Will you continue to try to cut DACA in a second term?
30. What would you say to people who want to know why they should vote for you for a second term?
31. Who do you owe $421 million to?
32. Are you confirming that you do owe $421 million?
34. Is it a foreign bank or entity?
He’s very ignorant about government, and is clueless when he’s asked about specifics, which he has no knowledge of, but he seems to know how to play the media, usually distracting them with gossip/trivia (from bigger issues), as well as telling people what they want to hear, including them, “This isn’t my campaign, it’s yours… It’s not your fault, it (COVID) is China’s fault”. Not to mention the constant dog whistles (Barack HUSSEIN Obama).
But any idiot (including his advisers) knows the q-anon folks are already in Trump’s pocket… At least during his last rally he said something like “We got a lot of Bernie people in 2016 because of trade”. He could also pander to “centrists”, but instead repeats himself (probably stuck), but gives answers that only shoot him in the foot.
Lightnin, that’s very helpful, thanks.
Lol at “investigative bulldog.” Republican bullshit doesn’t hold up under reasonable scrutiny.
I’m a bit confused by this topic.
The two parties have a mechanism for handling the debates and town halls and letting the candidates negotiate to try to keep things fair. Trump chose to reject that and pick the more left-leaning of the major networks to hold his own town hall completely outside of that process. So if the result wasn’t fair to him, it’s entirely his fault.
Ever notice how Trump is always the victim of a “hit job” when he can’t control the format and run everything else? Could it be that he’s just not very bright, and is a terrible debater, and holds unpopular positions that he doesn’t really understand?
Okay, memorizing every single media personality’s association to Democrats, in order to portray them as unfair to Republicans, is purely a right-winger habit. As is the use of the term “left-winger”. Left-wingers and right-wingers label each other that way, not themselves. Sorry, your posture isn’t very convincing here.
To return to Guthrie, so when trump tries to “distract” a media rep, and that media rep ignores the distraction and repeatedly brings trump back over and over and over and over to the question, she’s antagonistic and being an investigative bulldog? That’s B.S.
Hypothesis: Done to make victim-claiming more credible to his excuse-seeking followers in case of underperformance.
For someone so much into claiming strength and smarts and that he hits back twice as hard, he luuuuvs to play besieged victim of establishment bullying. Like many of his followers.
If this ever happens again, we need a RedZone Politics.
~Max
All Trump can do is appeal to his base and undermine confidence in the electoral process and then hope that his supporters are mobilized enough to turn out in high numbers and to oppose the peaceful transfer of power. He has to keep appealing to them at the expense of convincing moderate voters because a) he’s a white supremacist radical candidate and b) he needs his base to remain white hot in their anger.
There is no way for a non-white supremacist non-radical to interview Trump without appearing to bully him. The fact that a woman was asking the tough questions triggers automatic accusations of the journalist being aggressive and having a hidden agenda.
And it should be noted that you don’t have to badger the candidate to answer the question when he’s actually making a good-faith effort to answer the question. Biden wasn’t perfect on this, but he was miles above Trump who goes out of his way to avoid ever giving a straight answer.