The first debate is going to be on major topics to be selected by the moderator, and announced

[still_one]

one week before the debate.


"The debate will be divided into six time segments of approximately 15 minutes each on major topics to be selected by the moderator and announced at least one week before the debate.

The moderator will open each segment with a question, after which each candidate will have two minutes to respond. Candidates will then have an opportunity to respond to each other. The moderator will use the balance of the time in the segment for a deeper discussion of the topic."

They won't be able to pull a Matt Lauer on this one, and if they tried, since they would be both on the same stage, Hillary can nip it in the bud right there and then, and throw it right back at them with everything from trump's birtherism garbage, tax returns, fraudulent donations, and trump's racist hate rants which are deplorable to every NORMAL person on the planet

[C_U_L8R]

1. Trumpus Interruptus

I can see it now. Trump is gonna do what Trump wants to do.
He's gonna talk all over everybody to steal all the oxygen from the
room and every moment of camera time. Trumpeters will go wild
and weaker-willed mediafolk will applaud his commanding performance.

On the other hand (and more awesome possibility), Hillary, expecting
and well-prepared for the Trumposaurus, will be armed to teeth with
campaign killing death moves that will knock Trump dizzy in the first
few questions, rendering him a rambling mess.

[still_one]

2. Your second paragraph will ring true. In addition, there will be Hillary supporters in the

audience who won't sit idly by while abusive behavior goes on

[yeoman6987]

14. If they get through 3, I'll be shocked.

[Mika]

20. And then the msm will attack Hil for being shrill.

Expect it.

[awake]

3. Great this was done so Trump could have time to prepare his answers

Trump could not have answered on the spot what Bull Shit.

[still_one]

5. That bothered me also, however, as I read it they will just announce the topics to be covered

not the actual questions or specifics

[MoonRiver]

4. This is going to be good!

Hillary will make mince meat out of Deplorable Don. You can take that to the bank!

[Orrex]

7. Yes, she will

In the aftermath our objective media will carefully assemble focus groups of "undecided" voters who will tell us that Trump did a great job and now they're leaning toward voting for him. In the days following we'll hear that Trump did "better than expected," and it will be made clear that he's now considered a serious contender rather that as the deranged sideshow barker that we all know him to be.


Happened in 2012, in 2008, in 2004 and in 2000. Probably earlier than that, too, but I didn't watch those in real time.

[MoonRiver]

9. Since this debate will, reportedly, be one of the most watched t.v. events,

it will become a case of 'who you gonna believe, the media, or your lying eyes and ears.' Nuff said.

[Orrex]

11. Yes, they'll believe the media. As always.

In the 2000 debates, Gore trounced Bush by every objective standard.

Clinton will trounce Trump because she's stronger than Gore and he's weaker than Bush, but you can bet that this won't be the deal-sealer that we want (and the nation needs) it to be.

[MoonRiver]

12. And Gore won the election.

[Orrex]

13. For all the good it did him. Or us.

[MoonRiver]

15. We don't have Scalia on SCOTUS anymore. Just saying.

[Orrex]

16. LOL. That's true.

In fact, I still do a little dance of celebration every morning that he remains dead.

Alas, this should have been a blowout months ago, and part of me suspect that it still will be in November, but the media is working very hard to maintain Trump's illusion of credibility, so they'll labor mightily to portray the debate either as a stalemate or an outright Trump victory.

[uponit7771]

19. True... sigh of relief

[kacekwl]

6. The topics should not be

released Until 24 hours beforehand . They need to show what they know about the issue not what they can learn in a week or more. Like getting the answers to the test beforehand.

[still_one]

18. You are right, but I am sure that trump refused to debate if that was done

However, they won't know the specifics or the questions so I still think he will have problems connecting the dots on the issues

[Jim__]

8. This definitely sounds like a way to compensate for Trump's general ignorance.

He can't completely master a topic in one week; but he can definitely come up with enough talking points that he can just repeat and repeat no matter what the question.

[MoonRiver]

10. Hillary will be on top of every knowledge gap Rump reveals.

And she will pounce!

[ucrdem]

17. Well Wolf, the only head of state he could name was Chris Rock,

but his fart joke made us laugh so we're calling this a Trump triumph . . .