and I doubt Harris really wanted to do that, because arguing with him on factual issues is fundamentally impossible. And I think she knows that. If she wants him to snap I think she can do that within the constraints of the debate format and without challenging him directly.

trump's crappy lies were ignored because of the shock people felt watching the President muted responses

...she's an experienced (and highly successful) prosecutor, she's gonna clean the floor with him.

he looks weak for refusing.

I wonder if Trump will pull that tactic .... try to tie her to Biden and blame her for everything inflational.

Will he stalk and lloom over the podium

He will do to her what he did to Biden, babble on while she’s answering the question making it very difficult to focus and we will not hear his babbling.

and can handle some background noise but we'll see.

It's always one thoughtful intelligent person trying to engage discussion on a focused topic, and one person simply spewing propaganda apropos of nothing except disconnected nonsensical foggy notions.

People can see a side by side view of what a compulsive delusional liar looks like, and a dignified prosecutor who put liars like that away.

She was a prosecutor. She’s used to talking to juries and in a way this is no different.

I think the Trump campaign may have made a huge mistake here.

I'm sure knowing his mic was muted helped, but Trump was able to control himself in the Biden debate largely because he felt like he was winning by letting Joe talk. Trump did not win that debate by anything he did; that debate was lost by Biden, Trump was simply the beneficiary of a poor performance by his opponent.

When Kamala starts kicking his ass, he's gonna lose it and start trying to talk over his muted mic, and it's going to look really bad. And I'm willing to bet the audience for this debate is going to be bigger than the first one, especially the undecided voter contingent.

Remember how he was against Hillary? Remember "YOU'RE THE PUPPET!!! I'M NOT THE PUPPET!!!! YOU'RE THE PUPPET!!!"?

Kamala will push those buttons and stinky pants won’t be able to keep his nasty looking mouth shut. I think he will start trying to interrupt her when his mic is muted and he will look like the idiot he is (at least to sane folks- his cult is a lost cause) just like you said!!

If he babbles off mic she can point that out, roll her eyes and go on. She doesn’t have to engage him. She has to engage America. Point out briefly that he’s lying in his responses and go on to give HER replies. Talk policy. Lean in.

Talk to the voters and stay focused and composed.

Harris advisers are scrambling! Ya. Sure. Whatever.

That’s why she’s a hack.

Holly adores Bernie (who doesn't, after all, eh?) and only writes good things when it comes to Bernie (or Nina.) But Holly's contempt with the Democratic party, proper, and with our candidates and party leaders was always something that was very obvious. Holly wears her contempt on her sleeve and isn't afraid to show it. Even positive stories had a negative slant... it's no accident that there's a running joke that goes something like this: "Unemployment Down. Stocks Up. Gas prices stable... Here's why that's bad news for the Democrats." Our friendly "reporter", Holly at Politico, checks all the boxes when it comes to things like that, and it's why Politico itself is a joke.

needs to shake her head, laugh and say something like, "wasn't that something", then continue on with her answer.

Call out his lies. But don't spend too much time on it. And then quickly pivot to a positive message about your vision for the future.

Except for the blatant lies, the strategy is simple. Republicans have no new ideas. They want to take us backwards. Democrats are about positive change. Since Clinton, Democratic nominees have done well when they stick to this formula.

I believe it’s quite the opposite.

And I doubt it very much. I see no one who currently works with her said anything. 2020 was a long time ago, and they have ZERO idea of what is going on. No actual sources except Axelrod, who is complimentary.

Wow.

Politico, too.

The actual question that Letch won't!
Donold is toast, this is more humiliation and gonna enjoy it!

anointed, over preparing. Can't be "holed up" and campaigning at the same time. Long pointless article with mysterious top secret sources like my hairdresser's cousin's roommate's boyfriend who worked at a coffee shop down the street from the Harris campaign headquarters four years ago.

Can't wait for the nitpicking that she was over prepared!

dialougue with the opponent. You know, an actual debate.

....she's extremely good at laying out her case without on-going discussion with the other side.

This won't help that trump thing at all.

the criminal so she could use her prosecutorial skills to call him out and respond to his lies.

But she'll still look great in contrast to lies and gibberish.

It’s Team Trump that is having charlie-horses from having to adjust to a campaign without President Biden as their foil.

I think Mme Veep can turn on a dime against her foes.

I literally have to turn off the TV because all the cross-talk makes it unwatchable.

Let's take this one tiny step back to at least the appearance of civil discourse. Let the other person have their say and then fact check them on rebuttal.

. . . precisely because I know that a debate is nothing like a prosecutor's cross-examination. Trump will spew lie on top of lie so that Kamala simply won't have time to counter all of them. This is what he does, and he's very good at it. I see no good coming from it for our side.

The muted microphones, no interruptions by the panel, no audience and no back and forth makes for a weird debate especially viewing it at home.

I think the original idea from the Biden team was to neuter Trump as much as possible so it wouldn't be a repeat of the 2020 debate when Trump wouldn't shut up.

They may have gone overboard. Trump will probably pop a couple Ativan before the debate and impersonate a normal sounding politician for 2 hours.

Unfortunately his fear of losing and going to jail helps him focus when he has to.

mistake and he was off for sure. Maybe just answering the last question or part of question and hitting Trump back on the most recent lie would have been a better strategy. Trump never really answers any question so why should our side feel obligated to respond to every point?

I'm looking forward to the debate. Harris should slap the shit out of him! Figuratively speaking.

OUR MEDIA IS PLAYING TIDDLY WINKS.