How do you think the Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump presidential debates will go?

[Seeinghope]

Hillary Clinton had a hard time with Bernie Sanders at times and had some looks on her face that was not very favouring to her. Donald Trump knows no boundaries and will hit below the belt. What do you think we should expect to see?

[chillfactor]

1. Hillary can hold her own against dumdum...

with no script for dumdum to follow.....he will crash and burn.

[yeoman6987]

20. The Repugs will say trump won.

The democratic supporters will say Hillary won. Same thing every debate.

[karynnj]

27. They will say that unless completely obvious that one of them won

Remember the Bush team did not really try to argue that Bush won the first debate. They spoke instead of how great a debater Kerry was, but how great a President Bush was. On the other hand, remember the almost instantaneous concession that Romney won the first debate with Obama and the search for what we t wrong.

This year's debates will be weird because Trump is weird
I suspect, that even more than the bizarre Biden/Palin debate, it will look like (and be) 2 people playing 2 different games with totally different rules. Remember Palin claiming she did have to answer the question asked in her time to speak.

Hillary has the normal debate down pat. A big question her team will have is who can play Trump in her preparation? No one in a normal political role has much in common with Trump. However, if she can hide her disdain and show the qualifications she has, it could be the biggest blow out in presidential debates.

[rock]

31. +1

[karynnj]

51. I recommend Biden as the main practice person for several reasons

1) He did nearly the same thing well -- being seen as polite while he thoroughly owned Palin in the one debate they had. Note that the gender optics were the opposite so it was more important that he both seem respectful. This while, he gently showed just how little she knew.

2) Biden at least seems to be someone who could act a role that is utterly unlike him and he is creative enough to play with being as undisciplined as Trump. Not to mention, he is not in the inner core of the Clinton team, who would likely be too protective, which would mean that she would not be tested against the truly strange Trump tactics. (Maybe Bill could help with getting her to show a combination of skepticism and amusement at the most extreme things that Trump himself likely does not believe even as he says them. She needs to show anger only when attacks are not against her (or Obama), but against a powerless group of people.

[chillfactor]

53. AMEN! n/t

[Seeinghope]

90. I don't know how old you are but if you remember when W was debating Gore or Kerry everybody swore

that he was wearing an ear bud giving him the answers...or something like that? Trump could wear full earphones underneath the mop of red clown hair! LOL!!!!

[Skid Rogue]

2. He'll be macho...

she'll be articulate and ridiculously well informed.

[Duckhunter935]

3. If there are any

[L. Coyote]

8. ^^^ THIS ^^^

Who would want to share a venue with Trump? Besides, if you are afraid to debate Bernie Sanders and last time you agreed to debate you just backed out ....

[pnwmom]

13. Hillary and Bernie had more than twenty nationally televised debates and Town Halls.

At the end, they were redundant and repetitive. There was nothing to accomplish by having any more.

If anyone is afraid of having a debate, it won't be Hillary. She will, carefully and thoroughly, chew Trump up and spit him out into a napkin.

[SaschaHM]

44. Nothing is ever accomplished by beating a dead horse...

which is why there was no debate before the California primary.

[KingCharlemagne]

47. Well, beating a dead horse proves beyond a reasonable

doubt that the horse is, in fact, dead.

[MyNameGoesHere]

55. Should I take the two click plunge?

Or do I already know where this comes from? It's not even fun finding out anymore.

[OnDoutside]

30. There will be debates because the Networks demand them, and would hammer him if he pulled out.

[Duckhunter935]

32. They did not the last two times

Why change. It would be mutual, they could not reach an agreement, podium height or some shit like that.

[AgadorSparticus]

4. She can handle herself just fine. HE'S the one who should be worried.

This woman has gone through hell and back and been called everything in the book. You don't think she could handle a mental midget like Trump who knows so very little about politics and world events?

Trump is screwed just like the party he represents. If he attacks her, he is going to look like an ass. If he sticks to issues, he won't be able to find his way out of a paper sack.

[Eric J in MN]

5. Trump will attack HRC

...saying her husband signed NAFTA and that she voted for the Iraq War. He'll falsely claim to have opposed the Iraq War before it started. He'll promise to renegotiate trade deals and bring factories back to America.

[cheyanne]

7. You're right: he will make false claims.

Hillary should go on the offense and should not get caught up in denouncing his claims, but, using his own words, show the previous stances he has taken on the same issue.

There is an article, I think from the ACLU, listing all the unconstitutional positions Trump has espoused. Highlighting the unconstitutionality of his stances is another way to discredit Trump.

But Hillary must avoid getting mired in mud that Trump will be slinging.

[nolabear]

75. I agree. Using his own words against him ceaselessly and not taking bait.

She can beat him and she can bait him and if we're lucky he'll revert to type.

[emulatorloo]

17. more likely he'll continue to be obsessed with the Clenis.

Eric, Trump's not "to the left" of HRC. Looking foward to Warren and Bernie enviscerating him on any fake left bullshit he pulls.

[greymattermom]

37. That's it!

She should look Donald straight in the eye and ask him why he is so obsessed with Bill's penis. Compare to his obsession with Megyn Kelly's periods. Tell him she does her thinking above the waist.

[KingCharlemagne]

48. Were she to do this, I would move frim tepid to full-throated support of her. Her doing so

would put it away for the win among female voters (who already have a 77% disapproval rating of Il Douche and are looking for that disapproval to be clearly articulated).

[cheyanne]

6. I fear that Hillary will not be able to hit Trump's moving target.

It will be hard to debate someone who can change his policy positions on a dime. I think that Hillary will have to go after all the different positions that Trump has taken. If he espouses a stance, she will need to counter with his previous stances on the same issue. She doesn't need to delve into whatever he says at the debate; that will be a morass of what he "means" etc. She should show that he has said the opposite. He will deny that he ever took another position, but it will be obvious that he has.

Yes, he will want to debate on rumors, conspiracy theories, unproven allegations, personal attacks, but Hillary will need to avoid all that and keep harping on policies and his waffling and his lack of experience.

[glennward]

14. She just needs to stick to her agenda, talk about what she and her administration will do to

1. create good jobs
2. take down ISIS, keep us as safe as possible
3. mind the environment
4. get rid of Citizens United
5. make college affordable and free in some instances
6. guard the economy/curtail Wall Street greed
7. improve our healthcare
etc.
Trump has given her enough material for her to take in down with simple one-liners that even his base will understand.

[RBInMaine]

43. Your problem is you need to stop being "afraid." She will demolish him!

[emulatorloo]

9. She'll rip his heart out

He'll explode, as he hates smart women.

[CK_John]

10. IMO, there will not be any debates.

[mainstreetonce]

26. I agree

He finds an excuse to not debate.

[Duckhunter935]

36. Yep, both really do not want to debate

[Control-Z]

73. I hadn't heard that Hillary didn't want to debate.

It doesn't sound like her, to me. Do you have a link/source?

[Seeinghope]

86. There will have to be debates. Trump loves the limelight and will be anxious to attack Hillary

Clinton face to face. Depending how it goes will determine how many debates that they will have.

[pnwmom]

11. Hillary did a great job in the debates, against a worthy opponent,

as opposed to Trump.

She will chop Trump into little bits and spoon-feed him to a national audience.

[KingCharlemagne]

49. i prefer 'puree' but I take your point! - nt

[DemonGoddess]

12. She'll obliterate him

no, she really DIDN'T have a hard time with Bernie.

[merrily]

15. He'll be a lying, loudmouth asshat, as usual.

And, yes, he'll attack her personally, perhaps even with sexist remarks. I don't think that is what Americans care about. They want to know about terrorist attacks and the economy, I think, not what Trump thinks of Hillary.

I think Scott Brown lost Massachusetts the second he mocked Warren's looks when bs-ing with a local radio talk show host.

[EffieBlack]

16. It's possible there may not be any debates

I wouldn't be surprised if Trump refuses to debate. And as in many other instances when he behaves this way, after a couple of days of frenzied coverage, the media would then probably treat this as a "new norm" and move on to something else.

I hope I'm wrong . . .

If I am and there are debates, if Hillary stays cool and doesn't let Donald drag her into his rabbit holes, she'll do fine. But if she plays his game, she'll be in trouble.

I have a wonderful mental picture of her just looking at him like he's crazy and then turning to the moderator/camera and going back to her clear, well-reasoned and obviously superior point. If she dismisses and ignores him, it will drive him crazy and she'll totally throw him off his game since nothing upsets him more than being treated as if he doesn't matter.

[Duckhunter935]

33. Like not releasing his taxes

New norm or SQUIRREL

[EffieBlack]

35. Exactly

It's being treated like it's not a big deal.

But EMAILS = breathless, nonstop coverage and when they aren't the central story, they underpin and contextualize every other story.

[Lil Missy]

18. Trump will make an ass of himself and Clinton willbury him.

Not necessarily in that order.

[OhioBlue]

19. I'm really nervous about the debates.

I know she will be prepared and I'm sure the campaign surrogates will throw everything at her in prep from Monica and Vince Foster to emails and Benghazi, but he is so completely unpredictable... has no respect, no filter.... oy... Look at how he rattled every R in the primary. He could sink lower than we expect and go after Chelsea. (btw - I'm not implying there is anything to legitimately use against Chelsea but it is in Trump's character to make something out of nothing)

Or, what if he comes out in the debate completely out of character like Romney did (only opposite) and instead treats her with the utmost respect, acts presidential, seems knowledgeable, etc.

[Hekate]

21. She spent 11 hours in front of the Benghazi Committee, and at the end was fresh as a daisy

...while Trey Gowdy looked like he'd been rode hard and put away wet.

Hillary will have Trump's guts for garters.

The only hazard -- and I mean only -- is that the moderators will choose to go with short choppy incomplete Q&A. That will benefit Trump.

To benefit Hillary, they need to let Hillary complete her thoughts. They need to let Trump ramble.

On the other hand, Trump may weasle out of any debates, just as he is weasling out of publicizing his tax returns.

[bluestateguy]

22. I'll be too nervous to watch the debates

So I will likely shut off my phone, turn off my computer and go to a coffee shop (that doesn't have a TV inside).

[Cosmocat]

23. There will be dabates

Hillary will perform well, trump will be a low grade buffoon, rs will say he won, media will vacilate between acknowledging how it went in reality and trying to handicap for trump.

[bettyellen]

24. "Looks on her face"? Seriously? To me her extraordinary- and superior - intelligence showed through.

[ChazII]

25. +1 n/t

[Seeinghope]

62. You don't think that the cameras will try to pick up on anything that they can?

Some of the shots can be used for wither of the campaigns. Just look at all of the "ads and articles in the media. That is what they live for. Have you never heard "a picture is worth a thousand words"?

[bettyellen]

63. I think it's sexist bullshit to worry about her looks.

and totally not what voters and WE should be taking about. But knock yourself out with concern, Mmm hmmm.

[Seeinghope]

68. OMG!!!! Reverting to the sexist outrage? Glaring, disgust and frustration are only female "looks"

that "women" show on their faces? Really? Who is sexist?

[Seeinghope]

66. You also forget the audience difference. While many of the Clinton supporters will appreciate the

Intelligence and knowledge of Hillary Clinton. Look who voted Donald Trump to be the presumptive Republican Nominee? They are not looking for intelligence and knowledge. They seem to want the dumbed down version of his style of communication. So yes, the "looks on her face will most definetly" get attention from the media, his campaign, supporters and possibly some others. Don't judge by just your own standards because not everybody has your standards. We all know that, right?

[bettyellen]

67. It's mostly sexist white men who want to judge her like the Dinald does and

Like its some sort of moronic beauty pageant.
We don't have their votes, don't need them either.
We should not be indulging their sexist bullshit here as if they matter. They left the party a long time ago. Fuck them.

[Seeinghope]

70. I hate to say it but she has taken a hit in the e-mail problem. I have spoken with WOMEN that

are educated...surprising enough.....that are fully outraged enough about the e-mail and The Clinton Foundation to be concerned about how she handles every aspect of her responses if confronted, which I am expecting that she will be. Her body language is most definetly crucial and that does include facial expressions. Deny what you must deny but Trump will cross the line and do it frequently...UNLESS HE DECIDES to try to look Presidential.

Were you around for the Gore - Bush Debate when Gore left the podium and approached Bush? How much airtime did that get? How about the Dean scream? One single event can be blown up and used mercilessly over and over and over again. Of course the same thing CAN happen to Trump as well.

[bettyellen]

71. Seems like you have a laundry list of concerns you claim others share....

And you don't seem well informed enough to know there is no Scandal about the foundation. Arms deals were in place for many many years and they do amazing work. I'd think you'd maybe want to educate yourself instead of spreading RW bullshit?

[Seeinghope]

78. You know what? The RW bullshit is already being spread around. I am merely pointing out what is

being thrown in the BEGINNING of this race already. Are we not supposed to be proactive to discuss what Hillary Clinton is going to have to face in the very near future or are do you want to act ignorant when the accusations start flying in?

I would bet anybody that the Clinton team does not "stick their head in the sand" and is operating on the premise that a "good offence is a good defence" realising that it is better, in many cases, to be proactive than reactive". The Clinton team is preparing for every possible attack for all of the "RW bullshit".

To be so hypersensitive that open and honest conversations cannot exist with other Hillary Clinton supporters on what can be countered to accusations cannot exist is just plain naive and counter productive. The real strength comes from PEOPLE coming together and working together to educate each other and brainstorm to face challenges and a fight for our lives.

[bettyellen]

80. Maybe you missed her continuously address this shit as it comes up?

Sounds like you have.

[Seeinghope]

85. It is going to be coming up with more from Trump. The FBI decision has not been fully addressed.

The Clinton Foundation has not either. Hillary Clinton has not been attacked about Libya, Syria and Honduras the way that Trump just has when he announced the decision for Pence for V.P.. He will not be a Bernie Sanders, he has no boundaries or ethics. So when he starts hitting hard below the belt..... don't say I didn't tell you!

[bettyellen]

91. Phony RW bullshit came up and come up all the time- as does

Blaming her for things her husband did or both the Bushes. Very funny you want to talk about it some more out of concern. Lol. Nope.

[Seeinghope]

94. Being in Denial about the attacks that are coming her way in the form on debates, interviews

"Press conferences"....... Are going to include these comments and/or attacks. Why get so defensive about what is merely a fact? Trump will go after her in these ways as well as many others. Do you have anything positive to add to this observation/ prediction or do want to just sit back and feign surprise at how nasty it really is going to be?

I hope that I am wrong, who knows maybe I am.

[chillfactor]

77. are you for real?...

still moaning about the emails?.....there is NO scandal or"outrage" about the Clinton Foundation..they do excellent work. good grief.....give up all of the crap you are posting and quit trying to stir the water. I was really disgusted reading your post...and I am one of those educated women you claim you talk to.

[Seeinghope]

88. Are you "listening" to the "talking points" surfacing more and more from Donald Trump?

If you did then you would have heard exactly that "crap" and more. The final e-mail decision that came from the FBI was not THAT long ago and Hillary Clinton was never again questioned in the way that Trump will question(attack) her. Comey was recently questioned about facts proven on the investigation that were not too favourable regarding the FBI's decision or maybe he was not good under pressure with answering. The Clinton Foundation's questioning is just really beginning to take foothold.

Hey don't shoot the messenger. The Clinton campaign IS preparing for these and many more attacks. They are smart enough to realize that these issues are not just going to go away. Pretending that all Hell isn't going to break loose with someone, especially like Trump, is naive.

If you are so disgusted with my post then you are going to be devastated during the full throes of the campaign. If there cannot be an open and honest "discussion" about what we are about to face then where are we supposed to have this discussion?

Yes, many educated women are disgusted with Hillary Clinton. Just because your educated doesn't mean your smart though.

[Bleacher Creature]

28. The only thing I worry about is a Biden/Palin or Gore/Bush scenario.

In both cases, expectations were so low on the Republicans that the ability to string together somewhat related words to form a complete sentence drew them both praise.

There's no question in my mind that Clinton will dominate. She'll come across as smart, prepared, polished, and supremely informed. What I fear is that Trump will only be slightly horrific, thereby drawing rave reviews from the "pundits."

[Proud Public Servant]

29. Sadly, it will depend entirely on

the moderators.

Hillary's strength is her wonkishness. That's not usually a strength in debates, but if Hillary's hitting Trump for having no experience and no actual plan, it helps her. Plus, actual facts are like kryptonite to Trump, and Hillary's a walking encyclopedia. The question is: will the moderators let Hillary rebut Trump, and will they challenge Trump when he offers bluster instead of answers? Or will they be afraid of appearing "unfair"?

[dubyadiprecession]

34. He's going to try to throw a monkey wrench into the debates...

by telling the networks to give him money or he won't do it. Trump will try to wiggle out of them with some lame excuse.

[Her Sister]

38. Smart, Sane, Qualified CoCa CoLa VS Deranged, Unhinged, Unqualified Seawage Water!

Ahhh this is HARD!

BTW HRC did fantastic & brilliant in all previous debates. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

[sarae]

39. +10

She will destroy him. In fact, it's not really a fair debate if she's up against someone with a hundred-word vocabulary and half a brain.

[Her Sister]

40. and poor Emotional Control...

[sarae]

57. that, too...

I'd list all his negative qualities, but I'd be here ALL day.

[stevenleser]

41. Carnival barker vs Competence. Each will appeal to the audience that appreciates their performance

Folks who think a loud brash Carnival barker who has no idea what he is doing belongs in a position that requires diplomacy, humility and an immense amount of intelligence and experience will think Trump did well.

Folks who think Hillary demonstrates the knowledge and experience and temperament to be President will think she did well.

[RBInMaine]

42. She's a fantastic debater and will make him look like the unqualified dumb racist buffoon he is.

[doc03]

45. She better not sigh, look at her watch or roll her eyes, the MSM will pick

it up and run with it. Trump he can do or say anything doesn't matter.

[KingCharlemagne]

50. Do you think he could get away with calling her the b- or

the c- word? There's a small part if me that thinks she might just goad him into it.

[doc03]

61. He probably could. It wouldn't make any difference to about 99% of his

followers may even help. I hear stuff like that from other Republicans on a daily basis.

[bettyellen]

64. My only worry is that some delegates at the DNC might.

Nevada got ugly. Would not be shocked but deeply disappointed.

[jcgoldie]

46. I predict

She will beat his ass and wipe the stage with him on every single policy point foreign and domestic and the networks will pick a few stupid one liner sound bytes from each candidate and call it a draw.

[Spazito]

52. Don't be concerned...

Hillary will do fine, Trump will be his usual misogynist, racist self showcasing his total ignorance on every issue of import.

[Historic NY]

54. Its going to be funny when Trumpster fire crashes and burns....

Hillary is going to ever so subtlety get his skin to crawl....that he'll start ranting.

http://www.halcyon.com/jmashmun/npd/traits.html

[mcar]

56. She "had some looks on her face that was not very favouring to her?"

Please elaborate.

[Seeinghope]

59. She did some glaring, also disgust, frustration..... I don't care how great a candidate or person

that she may be, she did show her feelings, at times, during the debates with Bernie Sanders.

If this gets reported and deleted or erased, I will be very disappointed at the level of narrow parameters that discussion is limited to. I have been asked a question and I am answering it.

[emulatorloo]

69. You are overthinking. Trump will get red in the face and sputter incoherently.

"If this gets reported or deleted"

Honestly I am tiring of those making passive-aggressive claims that DU admins are going to censor posts like yours.

Obviously they are not. Please stop slamming DU admins and your fellow DU members.

[mcar]

72. So she's not supposed to show feelings?

Other politicians do. Why is this a problem?

[Seeinghope]

81. Barack Obama has been a phenomenal example of "cool under pressure"

Perhaps he is truly unique and rare for that. Whatever he has it is so classy and may be sorely missed. Not to bash anybody but I guess not too many people can maintain that kind of composure and have that much grace under pressure. I will miss him.

[Evergreen Emerald]

58. I think the difference between a President and an Imbecile will show

He looks so UN-presidential and the stark contrast will be evident for everyone to see.

[CanonRay]

60. There won't be any debates

between the Presidential candidates. Trump will find excuse after excuse and then blame HRC. There might be a VP debate.

[NastyRiffraff]

65. There will be debates and Hillary will annihilate Trump

Trump's ego is so great he actually thinks he can beat her in a debate. On second thought, maybe there will be ONE debate; after he's humiliated and beaten to shreds he'll slink back into his tower and refuse any further debaes.

[Expecting Rain]

74. Trump will need the debates...

His fundraising will lag far behind HRC, and the "free media" he got in the primaries will turn a lot more hostile towards him.

I suspect HRC will destroy him, while respecting Trump can be a dangerous counter-puncher.

[unblock]

76. oh the debates aren't the question. the question is how will the post-debate analysis go.

i for one am fed up with the sham coverage of the debates. we consistently see democratic candidates sounding logical, sensible, putting forth constructive proposals and backing them up with solid facts, yet the talking heads pretty routinely give the win to the republican candidate who spouts nonsense and lies and usually does so ineptly.

one the whole the coverage of obama's debates actually wasn't nearly as bad as shrub's. omg how any remotely objective person could see shrub debate and think he was remotely qualified to lead this country i'll never know. well of course, the analysis wasn't remotely objective....


this time round it's hard to say. the media could very well decide that they prefer clinton over trump. normally they want the republican, but clinton won't be a disaster *and* clinton will make the media money because the haters gotta have their scandal machine going 24/7.

[liberal N proud]

79. Hillary will look just as Presidential as she did in the Primary Debates

[katsy]

82. We'll be lucky to get one debate with that pig.

When the gop debates went south for him, he refused an additional debate.

HRC should schedule many appearances in every available venue just in case.

[SheilaT]

83. How she did in the primary debates is completely irrelevant.

This is going to be, I dunno, water polo compared to croquet.

Count on Trump to be vile and offensive with every sentence he speaks. Expect him to vastly oversimplify everything, the extent to which he actually answers a question. He'll goad Hillary into either respond to something grotesquely awful that he'll say, or mock her if she refuses to be drawn in. He'll be throwing When did you stop beating your wife type shit at her.

One change I would dearly love to see in the debate format: No audience. Just whoever is posing the questions, and the two candidates. Heck, they can even be sitting down if they prefer. But I don't want to hear anyone booing or cheering. It detracts totally from the substance of what is said. Hillary would be just fine in that sort of venue. The Donald would be totally rattled by it, because much of what he says depends on how others are reacting.

Perhaps his behavior will turn away even more of his supporters.

Plus, as has already been pointed out, the post-debate spin winds up being all that matters.

[rug]

84. She's dealt with much slimier people over the past 25 years.

[nsd]

87. I remember HRC's performance in the 2008 Democratic primary debates.

I supported Obama, but I thought Clinton was clearly the better debater. It was obvious that she had a strong grasp of nearly every issue, was articulate, and could not be rattled. She made a few missteps (e.g., the Bosnian sniper thing), but for the most part she was cool, knowledgeable, and forceful.

I have no question but that she will dominate Trump in the debates. There will be tricky moments -- because he's a lunatic prone to saying anything, which is hard to counter -- but still I have a lot of confidence in Clinton. She's so much smarter than he is and she has so much experience. It won't be close.

[Seeinghope]

89. I hope so

The only thing I would do if I was debating him would be is to laugh. That would be the only thing that I could do MAYBE, (if I tried really hard) because if I tried to use logic I would not be able to take it.

[cosmicone]

92. I always chuckle when

a member with no Hillary avatar and no signature graphics supporting Hillary is suddenly "concerned."

Transparency is such a wonderful thing!

[reflection]

93. It will be as if I were debating quantum physics with my cat.

He would stare impassively at me, cock his head inquisitively, and then probably find a reason to try to lick his own private parts.