Will Trump debate Clinton?

[wheniwasincongress]

Do you think Trump will actually show up to face down Clinton, or will he decline to participate like he did with the second Fox debate? What will his excuse be?

I think he WON'T debate her! (First debate in September 26)

[TreasonousBastard]

1. He'll try to find a way out. A lot depends on how the party feels about it.

[yeoman6987]

8. If we keep having attacks every week. He won't

He'll believe he will win on that alone.

[Gabi Hayes]

13. hate to say it, especially if there are more in the US. it could already be over

by then

that is THE crucial variable in this election

I think he'll self-destruct if the media cover his abnormal behavior the way it should

[Wounded Bear]

2. Not if he knows what's good for him...

Actually, that's a good question. Given his recalcitrance about the tax returns, it wouldn't surprise me if he tried to weasel out somehow. Don't know how he could refuse, though. I guess he expects to do it "his way" like his whole campaign has gone.

Again, nothing will seemingly affect his base, but I don't see any movement on the general electorate.

[MohRokTah]

3. I think his ego will force him to debate her.

He's an egotistical psychopath, so he thinks he'll mop the debate floor with her.

[onecaliberal]

4. He knows she will destroy him.

[Johonny]

5. Sort of, I imagine they'll pick a townhall format with "feel" questions rather than

a 1 on 1 debate. I imagine you'll see a 1 on 1 first where expectation are so low Trump breathing at the end of it will be declared a victory. Expect many email, Benghazi etc questions...

Debate 2 town hall with lots of room to BS to people 1 on 1 like a used car salesmen.

[doc03]

6. No doubt and he will address her as Crooked Hillary ever chance he gets nt

[melman]

7. Yes

[mainstreetonce]

9. I predicted he would not debate

I heard Chuck Todd say he predicts one and done.

That sounds right.

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

10. No doubt he will do as much as he can to screw it all up

before it makes it's way to national /international viewing . such a series of terrible deeds will without a doubt be part of the trump show. If Trump becomes a no show,his intent will be to become the show-making it all about him.


The League of Women Voters is withdrawing sponsorship of the presidential debates...because the demands of the two campaign organizations would perpetrate a fraud on the American voter. It has become clear to us that the candidates' organizations aim to add debates to their list of campaign-trail charades devoid of substance, spontaneity and answers to tough questions. The League has no intention of becoming an accessory to the hoodwinking of the American public.

According to the LWV, they pulled out because "the campaigns presented the League with their debate agreement on September 28, two weeks before the scheduled debate. The campaigns' agreement was negotiated 'behind closed doors' ... [with] 16 pages of conditions not subject to negotiation. Most objectionable to the League...were conditions in the agreement that gave the campaigns unprecedented control over the proceedings.... [including] control the selection of questioners, the composition of the audience, hall access for the press and other issues."[12]

The same year the two major political parties assumed control of organizing presidential debates through the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD). The commission has been headed since its inception by former chairs of the Democratic National Committee and Republican National Committee.

Some have criticized the exclusion of third party and independent candidates as well as the parallel interview format as a minimum of getting 15 percent in opinion polls is required to be invited. In 2004, the Citizens' Debate Commission (CDC) was formed with the stated mission of returning control of the debates to an independent nonpartisan body rather than a bipartisan body. Nevertheless, the CPD retained control of the debates that year and in 2008.

[yeoman6987]

19. Reading your reply was depressing

Why bother having them? I might be exaggerating but temporarily that's how I feel.

[tonyt53]

11. At least show up for one, and Hillary might piss him off so much that he walks out of it.

When Hillary doesn't respond like the clowns did in the GOP primary debates, it will infuriate Trump. He wants no part of substance and explaining how he will do something.

[tinrobot]

12. Yes. He'll see it as a chance to throw insults at her.

Insults are the only weapon he has.

If the debate turns to policy, however, he'll be up the creek.

Hopefully, the moderators will keep things on track.

[joshcryer]

14. He can't pass up the opportunity to say "crooked Hillary."

But it will backfire so badly I'm not sure he'll do more debates.

[TheCowsCameHome]

15. LOL! You think he has a choice?

[bigwillq]

16. I'm sure he can't wait to (nt)

[OldHippieChick]

17. It's free air time which he can't resist and

his ego is so over-the-top I'm sure he thinks he can abuse her the way he did his primary opponents and walk away w/ a win, or worse, w/ her in tears.

[haele]

18. No, he won't debate. Only losers have to prove their points.

He doesn't think he needs to debate anything, that would imply that he might not be right about his position of the second.
He rules in his own world; he has people to write and re-write the script he wants everyone else in the world to live by.
Why should he even talk to Clinton? He doesn't want to hear what anyone else has to say if it doesn't benefit him. And he certainly doesn't want to risk losing face in public.

Haele

[dawnie51]

20. I will be stunned if he takes the stage....

He knows nothing. He's Palin in a suit. There will be some imagined or made up slight or insult from either a network or the campaign, and he will simply refuse. It's already worked; no income taxes, no show for the primary debate. He can't debate her, and he won't, and that'll be just fine with his minions.

[BigDemVoter]

21. I CANNOT imagine he would under any circumstance. What is he going to SAY?

We're gunna make America GREEAAAT again!

He'll fly off the rails and show what an utter and complete asshole he is.

[demfromWA03]

22. He ran away from a debate with Sanders

I think it's safe to say he'll try hard to stay away from a debate with Hillary. Of course, that would prove that he's nothing more than a loudmouthed blowhard, and would effectively destroy his chances of winning in November.

But who knows.

[uppityperson]

39. Trump is a repulsive oaf who is unfit to lead anything. I still find it astounding that he is so

popular in this country.

[lindysalsagal]

23. HRC will debate.

fRump will rant, incoherantly.

[retread]

24. Trump doesn't debate. n/t

[karadax]

25. Trump will attend. There are only 3.

He skipped one out of 12 Republican debates. In the General Election those are 3 precious opportunities to score against the opponent. I fully expect him to enter each debate and go into full attack mode. It's his style.

[Joe the Revelator]

26. He may not have a choice. Chances are looking better that Johnson will be in the debates.

It's a lose lose for him:

If he lets Hillary and Johnson debate, two adults will be on stage and Johnson will siphon whatever votes Trump still has in a few months away from the republicans. They will really be a dying party at that point.

If he debates Hillary and Johnson, he's going to show that he's no more ready for primetime then a 3rd party candidate and a democrat. He's going to look like a complete fool. The GE crowd doesn't get off on the childishness that the GOP primary crowd bought into.

[yurbud]

32. that's a great idea.

[Duckhunter935]

27. Nope

[Jeffersons Ghost]

28. K&R

[Mike Nelson]

29. I don't think...

...he's decided, yet. But if he doesn't want to, he won't. Trump will talk about ratings or moderators or money if he wants to duck any or all of the debates.

[Will Morningstar]

30. If not, there's always "PLAN 'B'":

If your opponents refuse to debate you, reach out to known conservative pundits, and debate THEM. If the Teflon Don has only one message, he can only stay on message by avoiding rational discourse, so, wheniwasincongress, you're probably right. We can see for ourselves there are thoughtful conservatives out there, and if their colleagues won't listen to them, LET THEM KNOW WE WILL. Ignore the ideologues. They're not listening anyway. Find some impartial group (League of Women Voters, PBS, NPR, etc.) to moderate, recruit national figures from both sides of the aisle -- (Mavericks anyone? Franken vs. Cruz?) Remember the classic debates between William F. Buckley and Gore Vidal, moderated by Bill Moyers? Riveting. Memorable.

I can't imagine the Teflon Don missing a chance to hear himself speak, but perhaps he's more under party discipline now than we realize. If so, ignore him. Find someone worth debating, and make it happen. Focus like a laserbeam on the issues, and let the personalities take care of themselves.

[yurbud]

31. Debating Hillary would be nothing like the GOP primary debates

[brettdale]

33. How many debates are there?

How many debate are there?

[yurbud]

34. He might pull off the same trick Bush did, especially in 2004

he looked like an idiot to anyone with two brain cells to rub together, but sticking to his talking points that work for Republicans fired up the base.

Listening to Trump's convention speech though, he doesn't seem to know what works and doesn't for the mouth breathers apart from a supremely confident delivery.

[rurallib]

37. Will he have an earpiece so he can be coached like Bushy?

[yurbud]

38. unlike Bush, he wouldn't listen

[beachbumbob]

35. I won't be surprise if he doesn't....people..Especially women he

Can't bully he runs away from....I hope he does debate as he is moron...so filled with self delusions of himself....

[smirkymonkey]

36. No. He knows that she will wipe the floor with his ass.

He can't debate on her level, he can only insult and bluster like the idiot he is. All bullshit, no substance.

[roamer65]

40. It's gonna be a 3 way debate...Clinton, Drumpf and Johnson. N/t