He will most likely get destroyed at the polls on Tuesday, so let him have this. Biden will have no problem defending himself and the party.

I hope his heart can take it.

He's too far gone. Biden won't need the practice.

When you debate someone as immature and a cult leader, you really can't lose. Hillary in a way "lost" every debate with this idiot just because he is so base, infantile and likes working the audience. The media adored and lavished him.

He will do the same with Joe, but people really should not concentrate on any Presidential debates to "win." Just GOTV -everybody!!

The "fake news" knows a lot more about him

Now, he has a record he has to defend. Probably 20,000 lies to defend by then.

Joe goes into that debate loaded with zingers and starts pushing Trump's buttons. We know Trump's volcanic because he can't handle much. He's a mental midget. Call him on his BS and he'll go off. It was harder for Hillary because he had no governing record.

He can't end the press conference - he's got to stand there and take it.

You get him like that and he'll blow. Biden will win the debate and Trump will be exposed for the uncool fool he is - to many of his own supporters.

Hillary had a lot more baggage going into her debates. Joe doesn't have that. Not nearly as much. Hillary was a woman. Trump a misogynist. Biden is the candidate Trump fears most.

Trump is not the candidate of change this time. He's the incumbent.
He's got a nasty temper. Time for America to see it.

I think Trump will find some petty excuse not to debate before the three debates are done.

whatsoever takes a completely different approach. It would be interesting to rewatch HRC debates with him. And that was when we were still living in the "dignified gloves still on world" with him.

If there is a Joe/Donny debate, I hope they don't try to make Joe recall a lot of numbers. Just main themes..."that is NOT true, it is much higher or much lower" said with utter incredulity will do.

And hope like hell someone digs into what trump has reversed on regulations. Gold mine. And you know trump hasn't a clue about what he actually got rid of. Like Obama's reg that stopped coal companies from dumping sludge with known cancer causing materials into our water. Mentioning this would really catch him flat footed

Where did you see that? I get your frustration with "Media", but I never heard or read that. I don't watch the Right Wing Noise Machine, however.

"Welcome to DU".

Someone left his cake out in the rain and it took so long to bake it and he'll never have that recipe again.

I raised two gay boys.

I'm starting to think his ego is at play here—and it's more important to him than what is best for our dying nation.

His followers are already spreading GOP lead phrases against Biden—and many are posting them here. I'm seeing them on in meme format on FB by Bernie people, as well.

The GOP is using Bernie, I wish people would stop and think before they post that bull.

reiterate his far superior qualifications, experience, and job-specific knowledge, so superior he
will have to go a little easy so as not to make Sanders seem sympathetic for lack of them and of accomplishment too.

WTF....

Anything short of that is the “MSM” controlling it. Understood

and spirited debate between two great democrats, without an audience. Hopefully that will cut down on the bombast, and they can focus on policy.

besides Joe?

You will be sorely disappointed.

The last chance for that was when Warren was still in the race.

I'd feel a lot more comfortable if Joe Biden can do well in a one-on-one debate with Bernie throwing everything he can at Joe. We know Trump isn't going to hold back on anything if the two of them debate.

Biden doesn't need to respond to every point. That's where many debaters get in trouble while under attack. Just stick to your positives and make them in brief memorable style. When I'd host the debate watching parties it was amazing how frequently they responded preferably to a short response after a longwinded barrage.

This is just desperation; hoping that Biden will step on his dick. He won’t.

but if I do, it won't mean anything. I've already cast my early vote in Florida for Joe.

I think the only potential result is some nastiness that will come across badly. I hate that Biden attacks Sanders' ideas as totally unrealistic. I wish they could show some cooperation toward problem solving in the areas of health care, college debts, etc. I don't want to even imagine how this debate is likely to go.

asking for my support in the upcoming primaries. I complemented her on her service, passion and advocacy, but my wife and I were both committed Biden voters. And the Bernie campaign need not text us anymore. She said that our names would be taken off the list but she recommended us watch the debate on Sunday because we might change our minds. I told her we would be watching but nothing in the debate would change our minds because a debate was just one type of measurement. We had already decided based upon Bden's years of achieving things that Bernie only talked about. Action over rhetoric.

we had our primary yesterday. I told her I had already voted for Biden, but thanks anyway. She said "okay, well you have a good evening," and I said "you too," and we hung up. Even though I don't support Bernie, I hated to tell her that. It's hard to campaign for a losing candidate, and I felt like I was hurting her feelings.

It’s warm up for trump. I hope bernie is tough on Joe.

I resent the fact the Sanders want to prolong and then tell Biden what progressives want. To the victor goes the spoils. I'm sure Joe Biden will deal with the issues when they come up. Now Sanders needs to muzzle his pit bulls, whose only mission is to attack Democrats. Especially Thelma & Lousie.

He didn’t think about what’s good for the party in 2016 and he won’t do it now. I was once a Bernie supporter but I saw how mean and selfish he can be. I get nothing but good vibes from Biden. He’s tried and true!

It is a trap to make Biden make some fatal gaffe so they can either dream of defeating him or weakening him to get a bargaining position which they currently don't have.

This is surely among the most dispiriting things I've read in a political context. What's left to politics if the issues are stripped away? Just naked tribalism? We can do better than that.

Our issues really don't matter if he is re-elected. Laser focus on getting Joe elected supersedes any issue right now.

you aren't suggesting either one of them of not being a good Democrat, are you???

Last edited Thu Mar 12, 2020, 09:31 AM - Edit history (1)

...are Democrats is very much involved with issues as opposed to cults of personality.

I think we understand issues and vote accordingly.

Some of us object to being told how stupid we are because we didn't vote for an outsider who burst into our party to lecture us on what's wrong with us.

As of a week ago, the entire Republican party is gearing up to defeat Joe Biden. But by all means, let's have Biden "explain himself" to the landslide loser who spent the last year shrinking his voting base because he still hasn't been heard

... he subtly setup the debate as an opportunity for Biden to be able to win over Sanders voters.

It will matter to success in uniting the party.

Joe wasn't my first, second or third pick- but they were all gone so I voted for Joe. I'm also ok with Bernie- I just think he's toast.

I mean, if he shits his pants with Sanders, imagine what he will do when he is in front of the creature...I think it is a good test, not sure why some people think its not important.

Waving his arms, wagging his finger, peeling his eyes...

Joe will be just fine.

I want to see the differences in positions.

I’d like to see Joe and Bernie sitting at a table telling Americans what trump is doing to our government and our country. Point by point, agency by agency, tell people what’s happening and how it will affect their lives. Describe the people he’s appointed. Name names, describing their backgrounds and things they’ve said.
Then describe how we can repair the huge damages done to our democracy and our planet. Just two old statesmen telling it like it is. My dream.

Forward!

Bernie will predictably rattle his usual stump speech. Joe will be in command of the facts and put to rest the notion that he is cognitively challenged.

I will watch

For the sake of everyone it should not happen. That Bernie wants to insist is BS. We are having a pandemic. Get real about our priorities. Bernie's are questionable at this point.

really not much point to it

I expect Senator Sanders.....to concede.....on National TV...…...graciously.....on Sunday and to announce, that he is throwing his entire support......to President-Elect Joseph R. Biden, to beat, Donald Jackass Trump...….like a drum.

Would that not be heroic? And Noble.

Joey....is the only one I know....who can effectively tell.....the Jackass....how full of shit, he is!!!!

And Malarkey!


And Bernie...…...is a good man.
Let's all...together....
DUMP TRUMP!

Stir more shit? Do we really need that?

Bernie should have shown some class and suspended his campaign today.

I'd be for Sander if he had a chance to win, I don't believe a self proclaimed Socialist can win in America. Personally, to me it's just a word. We are a "socialist" country to start with IMO.

I still blame the butt hurt Sanders supporters for letting Trump win last time. They refused to vote because Hillary won the nomination.

12% voted for him.

Even more voted third party.

Must be nice to be so privileged that they can throw women, minorities, LGBTs, workers, the sick, the elderly, the poor, the environment, education and etc under the bus to maintain their ideological "purity."

Hearing a rerun of their campaign issues isn't going to change them at this point.

I know some are saying the COVID-19 outbreak will help Bernie, but I'm not seeing it happening. The core of his supporters are of an age they aren't that concerned about it. It just seems ghoulish to even go there.

Joe will be much more reassuring. People want leadership. I don't think the idea of dismantling our entire healthcare system during a global pandemic is going to appeal to anyone.

jumping on something to make it a horse race, which means they will attack Biden with anything they can come up with. They need some reason to make an exciting narrative that Bernie can come back and win it. This debate serves no purpose but to get them ratings and something to bloviate about.

To "The Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr. is going to be the nominee and that other guy is going to be there" debate.

Maybe not for the reason you think.

I care about how our candidates are presented to the public, and I especially want to see unity on the central task of defeating Trump.

If this debate is anything like the last one, the moderators will try to to elicit controversy and personal attacks.

Kudos to the candidate(s) who rise above that bait and emphasize the central task -- including how much both wings of our party have in common compared to their "colleagues" across the aisle.

Slinging mud is not good for the party. But then again, one of the ones on stage is NOT in my party.

ASAP.

You really think no debate is what democracy is about?? Some of these posts are pathetic.

Whose self-serving pride refuses to let them concede a loss in a gracious way.

Get used to it.

debate is going to move the needle?

Bernie, what does Bernie want from Joe.

WORK IT OUT GUYS. iTS not my job to figure it out for you.

none of them will ever get passed unless we had some kind of super majority in the House and Senate.
I just want an adult in the Whitehouse.

Let Bernie debate Tulsi Gabbard.

But this one? No.

We voted for joe in Mich...

Joe Biden needs to work on Trump, not Sanders. Sanders has lost.

confronted. He does not handle face to face conflict at all. All Joe's got to do is be Joe.

I pretty much know where they stand already. I am for Joe Biden all the way and it won't change.

I care, it’s good practice - which Biden needs; I’m surprised at how many here are against it.

... for his ideas and stays far away from attacking Biden personally.

sanders not dropping out may help Biden. sanders keeps on losing primaries by large margins nnly strenghten's Joe's position https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/03/11/no-surprise-bernie-sanders-is-still-all-about-himself-never-party/

officially dropped out, when will the first debate between Biden and trump be?