# What will be Trump's conditions for the debates? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 10, 2016, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-be-trumps-conditions-for-the-debates/762356 "2016-08-10T16:33:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-be-trumps-conditions-for-the-debates/762356/21 "2016-08-10T22:29:00Z")
Well, now, there may be some exception about which I’ve forgotten or was unaware, but in my years of watching presidential debates, one of the requirements I recall is that the audience remain quiet and not applaud except at the beginning and the end. Trump seems to feed off the mood of his ugly crowds, and because of that, I wonder if he would try to change this customary rule. I have a hard time picturing his schtick playing very well to a silent hall. In fact, the more I picture it, the more it makes me smile. ---
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-be-trumps-conditions-for-the-debates/762356/22 "2016-08-11T00:22:17Z")
Weren’t all of the particulars of the debates already agreed to by both sides? ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-be-trumps-conditions-for-the-debates/762356/23 "2016-08-11T00:45:57Z")
I’d like to require that Trump abstain, cold turkey, from his typical daily regimen of cheap amphetamines for at least 48 hours before appearing onstage. He will be shivering and sweating from the withdrawal horrors and will appear weirdly shrunken in his crappy suit, but he might be able to speak in full sentences of proper English. ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-be-trumps-conditions-for-the-debates/762356/24 "2016-08-11T01:08:28Z")
> [@Anny\_Middon](#): > > According to [this article](http://time.com/4445182/donald-trump-debate-terms/), Trump wants “very badly” to debate Hillary, but he’ll negotiate the conditions of the debates. Trump did not say he wants “very badly” to debate. What he actually said is textbook Donald horrible phrasing. He [actually said](http://time.com/4445182/donald-trump-debate-terms/) **“I want to debate very badly”** , which is an incredibly likely result, but surely not what he meant to say. You know, because he is an idiot. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-be-trumps-conditions-for-the-debates/762356/25 "2016-08-11T01:29:21Z")
> [@MindsEye\_Watering](#): > > Weren’t all of the particulars of the debates already agreed to by both sides? Dates, times and formats have already been announced (they’re decided on by an independent commission). I think the campaigns usually haggle over some of the details, like podium placement and such, but the meaningful decisions are made by the commission. Moderators are also chosen by the commission, but I can’t google-up who they are this year. Not sure if they haven’t been announced, haven’t been chosen, or my google-fu is just weak. Maybe they just wait till the closer to the debates to spare the moderators months of partisan complaints about how they won’t be fair, are being bribed, etc. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-be-trumps-conditions-for-the-debates/762356/26 "2016-08-11T01:51:47Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Trump wants all questions to be submitted in writing twenty-four hours before the debate. Along with Clinton’s answers. And, obviously, he must be supplied with far better answers prepared for him. Clinton must always be asked the question first, and then The Donald gets to respond with the prepared zinger, emphasized by stabbing the air with his grotesquely foreshortened stubby index finger. The flashing “Applause!” sign must then be illuminated and the audience is required to respond accordingly; anyone failing to be sufficiently enthusiastic is to be ejected from the venue and detained for questioning by The Donald’s personal _Geheime Staatspolizei_. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-be-trumps-conditions-for-the-debates/762356/27 "2016-08-11T02:43:53Z")
Also, NO questions about the enormous NAMBLA donations. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-be-trumps-conditions-for-the-debates/762356/28 "2016-08-11T03:21:21Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Also, NO questions about the enormous NAMBLA donations. Why would you need questions when it’s an established fact? ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-be-trumps-conditions-for-the-debates/762356/29 "2016-08-11T03:41:04Z")
• No babies in the audience • Clinton must not be on her period • Must only use Trump owned properties as debate venues • Clinton must rent plane from Trump organisation to fly to debate • Only Trump brand bottled water to be sold at venue (yes I know clinton almost certainly doesn’t have periods any more, its a joke) ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-be-trumps-conditions-for-the-debates/762356/30 "2016-08-11T04:41:55Z")
Trump will want to have a visual advantage. He would like to stand on a giant platform surrounded by American flags. Trump will insist Hillary sit in a dirty ditch with an Islamic State flag behind her. This is perfectly reasonable because [Hillary is the “co-founder of ISIS.”](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/11/us/politics/trump-rally.html) ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-be-trumps-conditions-for-the-debates/762356/31 "2016-08-11T13:18:37Z")
> [@AnalogSignal](#): > > Trump will want to have a visual advantage. He would like to stand on a giant platform surrounded by American flags. > > Trump will insist Hillary sit in a dirty ditch with an Islamic State flag behind her. This is perfectly reasonable because [Hillary is the “co-founder of ISIS.”](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/11/us/politics/trump-rally.html) And she will have to wear a hijab. ---
**Author:** ![Malden\_Capell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malden_capell/32/5274_2.png) [@Malden\_Capell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malden_Capell)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-be-trumps-conditions-for-the-debates/762356/32 "2016-08-11T13:35:46Z")
His conditions are: Let’s _say_ we debated, and I won. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-be-trumps-conditions-for-the-debates/762356/33 "2016-08-11T15:58:33Z")
I would love to see a debate with NO studio audience. Just imagine it… ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-be-trumps-conditions-for-the-debates/762356/34 "2016-08-11T16:03:16Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > And she will have to wear a hijab. No, they will also have a swimsuit competition- him in a Speedo and her in a thong bikini. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-be-trumps-conditions-for-the-debates/762356/35 "2016-08-11T16:50:32Z")
> [@coremelt](#): > > • No babies in the audience > • Clinton must not be on her period > • Must only use Trump owned properties as debate venues > • Clinton must rent plane from Trump organisation to fly to debate > • Only Trump brand bottled water to be sold at venue > > (yes I know clinton almost certainly doesn’t have periods any more, its a joke) All red meat thrown to the rubes will be Trump steaks. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-be-trumps-conditions-for-the-debates/762356/36 "2016-08-11T18:54:23Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > No, they will also have a swimsuit competition- him in a Speedo and her in a thong bikini. :eek: Where’s that flash-thingie from _Men in Black_– I need it! ---
**Author:** ![DrumBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@DrumBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrumBum)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-be-trumps-conditions-for-the-debates/762356/37 "2016-08-11T19:27:48Z")
Moderator will be one of those “2nd Amendment people”, just in case. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-be-trumps-conditions-for-the-debates/762356/38 "2016-08-11T19:33:02Z")
Drunk, I hope. (OhPleezeprettypleeze…) ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-be-trumps-conditions-for-the-debates/762356/39 "2016-08-11T20:46:51Z")
> [@Malden\_Capell](#): > > His conditions are: Let’s _say_ we debated, and I won. I guarantee, no matter what happens at the debate, he’ll say he won. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-be-trumps-conditions-for-the-debates/762356/40 "2016-08-11T21:03:03Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Drunk, I hope. > > (OhPleezeprettypleeze…) You know how some people are happy drunks or mean drunks or depressed drunks? Watch it turn out that Trump is a Presidential drunk. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-be-trumps-conditions-for-the-debates/762356.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-be-trumps-conditions-for-the-debates/762356.md?page=3)