In 2016, during one of her first prep sessions for the presidential debates with Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton listened to a litany of attacks from Philippe Reines, a longtime aide who was playing the role of Trump and tormenting her with zingers about taxes, jobs, and immigration.Trump’s tax plan was endorsed by Larry Kudlow, one of the greatest economists of all time!Clinton sat down, chastened. This was not going to be easy. ”That’s a devastating argument,” she said.
But the conventional wisdom about Trump arriving in Cleveland Tuesday as a manic and extremely, well,, debater could be wrong. Trump won the Republican nomination partly on the strength of his debate appearances. And while post-debate polls were generally favorable to Hillary in 2016, Trump’s three general election debates were crucial to his victory.
Trump, standing in the center because he’s already at the top of the polls, is wearing his candidate uniform of blue suit and extra long shiny red tie. He looks around, sees that nobody else is raising his hand and puts his own in the air. The crowd loudly boos him and Trump responds with an exaggerated shrug and outstretched palms.
At the end of the first debate Bush wags his finger at Trump’s obnoxious tone. “We don’t have time for tone,” Trump responds. He lies: When Jeb Bush accurately says Trump lobbied him on casino gambling in Florida, Trump admonishes, “Don’t make things up!” He cites unnamed experts endorsing his views: “Some of the greatest scholars agree with me,” he tells Carly Fiorina about birthright citizenship. He brags about his scandals: “I used the laws of the country to my benefit,” he said of his company’s multiple bankruptcies. “I’m sorry.
In the early moments of the first debate, which was the most-watched period of the three matchups, the two candidates outline their economic visions. Clinton was cogent and talked about a series of specific policies like raising the minimum wage, paid family leave, affordable child care and debt-free college. There was a dash of populism when she talked about “having the wealthy pay their fair share” and closing corporate loopholes.
Trump was visceral and unencumbered by any sense of what might work or what was possible to get through Congress. There was a Trump formula for almost every question a moderator posed that might be uncomfortable for him. In the first debate, Lester Holt asked Trump about releasing his tax returns, a topic certain to come up tonight. His response set the pattern he would use for all three events.
RyanLizza You were right. Trump proved he truly is a MASTER deBATER.
alexroth3 RyanLizza This tweet didn’t age well
RyanLizza So what's your opinion now, after last night's debate?
RyanLizza A debater has a grasp of the issues. Trump is jus a bullhorn on a stage. He doesn't debate the issues.
RyanLizza Care to retract?
RyanLizza
RyanLizza
RyanLizza Like a fine wine Ryan
RyanLizza When I was drunk, I used to yell a lot and belittle the masculinity of any man withing 30 feet if me. I was a great debater.
RyanLizza I was a little disappointed with the debates. Nothing changed. I’m not sure Wallace asked the right questions. There needs to be another real soon.
RyanLizza Ryan is just as bad in 2020 as he was in 2016.
RyanLizza Why are you guys so bad at this ?
RyanLizza Ryan Lizza is on crack. He's a terrible debater.
RyanLizza This is a disgusting bit of hero worship. Hillary mopped the floor with him, time after time. But... woman.
RyanLizza How? By always going off the topic because he can’t answer the question honestly or intelligently? Watch him tonight. When asked a question he’ll almost immediately start talking about something else. His tactic is to distract from and confuse the real issues. TrumpIsAFraud
RyanLizza I was absolutely appalled at Trump’s debate performances. But then, I don’t watch reality TV shows because they are fake and manipulative.
RyanLizza
RyanLizza That’s only true if facts don’t matter and what you value is grievance and resentment.
RyanLizza Your mistaking masturbator for master debater.
RyanLizza It's not a debate if you constantly talk over someone so they cannot respond..
RyanLizza
RyanLizza You all are underestimating Biden he will win tonight’s debate hands down everyone knows that Trump will lie through the whole debate
RyanLizza Well that was four years ago. He seems pretty rattled these days. Besides I would never vote for him no matter how many debates he won!
RyanLizza
RyanLizza So... is it just RyanLizza or everyone at Politico that's thoroughly fucked up and lacks even a hint of journalistic integrity?
RyanLizza Caption: During 2016 debate realDonaldTrump & HillaryClinton break into song with, 'Baby It's Cold Outside.'
RyanLizza No surprises there. Trump is very good at weaving lies.
RyanLizza
RyanLizza
RyanLizza Dumb people. Trump is a 'good debater' if you're a dumb person who thinks Idiocracy was a cool documentary.
RyanLizza Biden is a hypocritical and corrupt political hack. Also, he has cognitive impairments he can't hide anymore. That's why he will lose. Trump will win.
RyanLizza i can sound very authoritative if i can just lie, too. you are not very bright.
RyanLizza Lying isn’t being good at debates. 🤷🏻♂️
RyanLizza It's true. RyanLizza rewatched all of Trump’s 2015-16 debates. His takeaway should be: Trump is a much better liar than you may remember and it is Trump — not Biden — who is being underestimated for how much he’ll lie going into tonight. fixedit
RyanLizza Ryan Lizza like Politico, is a joke.
RyanLizza This is such bullshit. I watched those “debates” and his performance was an embarrassing mishmash of bullying, grandstanding and threats. Not a debate by any definition of the term
RyanLizza Is this comedy?
RyanLizza I rewatched the debates. No one legitimately thought he did well last time and you need to stop trying to gaslight us, thanks.
RyanLizza Never underestimate an unethical criminal lying bullshitter. 45 has gotten this far by lying & cheating his way through life discrediting every honest ethical human being he has used 4 his own purposes. He has bred a litter that can do the same. Biden is like a babe in the woods.
RyanLizza Who is Ryan Lizza and what are his credentials?
RyanLizza This image however makes me think it's Dolly and Kenny singing Islands in the Stream. Trump has learned that the more extreme and over the top accusations he makes the more his base gets excited. Nobody is going to be changed by these debates, just more extreme support.
RyanLizza 😂
RyanLizza Who cares? Who's undecided at this point?
RyanLizza Certainly not a good debater, but a great bully. He can’t string 10 words together in a coherent fashion. Fabulous liar, too.
RyanLizza
RyanLizza 😂
RyanLizza One difference: She wasn't prepared
RyanLizza Trump never created 100,000 jobs. He couldn't even produce his guaranteed 13,000 LCD screen manufacturing jobs in Mt. Pleasant, Wisconsin.
RyanLizza Trump is a bully period who lies..people don't like to be bullied 😔 his goal is to show the American people he doesn't deserve to be President...
RyanLizza The difference however is that the people now know that he’s full of BS and will say anything that he thinks they want to hear. He talks from both sides of his mouth so whatever he says just won’t resonate for many like it did in 2016.
RyanLizza I disagree.
RyanLizza What about the fact that virtually everything Trump says is a lie? Can one be a “better debater” when everything one says is demonstrably false?
RyanLizza If you can lie unchallenged it is rather an advantage.
RyanLizza The pathetic POSER'S cognitive decline will be on full display tonight IF he even bothers to show.
RyanLizza No - it is not true...
RyanLizza Is he high? Hillary mopped the floor w him. On substance, on presentation. He had the debate skills of an infant, w vocabulary to match. wtf, Ryan?
RyanLizza Really, I remember him as rude and nasty butting into the middle of Hillary's responses with a the totally worthless response 'Wrong!'. We need real time fact checking to halt trump mid-lie.
RyanLizza Like a comic he needs people to laugh! Not many people tonight so I assume he will bomb. Probably get angry and look like a moron!
RyanLizza Thanks for murdering western civilization with this both sides baby bullshit takes that allows anyone, no matter how despicable, to gain 50% legitimacy in any horse race
RyanLizza nytimes CNN washingtonpost BostonGlobe chicagotribune Might be true, but very little fact checking in 2015-16. Even most in the media were happy to give him the benefit of doubt against any Clinton. Every single figure & comment he makes tonight would be fact checked.
RyanLizza Different this time around. No audience. If Wallace keeps control of the debate and Biden calls BS and then attacks Trump, President Big Baby will be wallowing in pity as he claims people don’t like him and are mean to him.
RyanLizza He doesn’t debate; debaters talk about issues and platforms. He simply goes on an insult tirade.
RyanLizza RyanLizza So you counted all the times he lied , did you?
RyanLizza I fucking hate this place...Trump IS NOT A GOOD DEBATER! ALL HE DID WAS LIE! Goddamn the media!
RyanLizza Trump is going to be loud and obnoxious. That’s his debate style. Lying is a given.
RyanLizza And like with everything else...it’s not 2016 anymore. Remember how the presidency ages people quicker? Yeah...that. 🙄🙄🙄
RyanLizza Hes an interupter
RyanLizza I have to disagree with Ryan Lizza. Trump is a terrible debater. He just makes shit up. Do you really believe Trump took the proper time to prepare for this. Wake up this guy has failed the American people at every turn. Quit trying to make him something he's not .
RyanLizza The media is so bad at this that they're normalizing 'lying your ass off' and 'no-selling questions' as 'good debate skills.'
RyanLizza Let's remember Trump has a special hatred for women of power, he bullied, yelled over her, stalked around her. Then Jared brought in all Bill's ex-lovers. He outplayed her.
RyanLizza It's pretty easy to debate when you don't have to worry about those pesky facts getting in the way of your argument.
RyanLizza Well yeah, if you like bullying and choose to totally disregard lies and total BS, then Trump's your man....
RyanLizza Clinton wiped the floor with Trump so will Biden enough with this horse race crap
RyanLizza The media will have their horse race! No matter what!
RyanLizza That is such garbage. I watched every debate and he was awful. It was very clear he didn't know what he was talking about.
RyanLizza I just can’t with this bullshit.
RyanLizza Oh, FFS. Just stop.
RyanLizza He was a lying, walking predator and he lost every debate.
RyanLizza Low blows and cheap shots is what makes a good debater?
RyanLizza Trump never should have been allowed to roam the stage The moderators who allowed this should never moderate another debate
RyanLizza His debate objectives were much different then. Show up, insult everyone, say they r 'The Swamp' and ineffective, make vague promises about how to make it better, insult anyone that asks for specifics Now he's the incumbent and he's got a lot to answer for (200K deaths)
RyanLizza That depends on what you are looking for in a debate. I judge debates on substance, knowledge of subject matter, vision, and factual and ideological rebuttals of the opponent's talking points. But if you think trumping someone with off-topic oneliners is winning, sure, he's great
RyanLizza That was before he had a record to defend.
RyanLizza I've said this before - the moment I went all-in for Hillary (whom I have never been a fan of and remain so) was the moment when Trump, during a debate, followed and stood over her on stage like a stalker. Not that I would not have ever voted for Trump before.
RyanLizza he wants to lose. he's doing everything he can to lose. he doesn't want the job. he wants the power, the glory but none of the responsibility. he's just trying to find a way to Re-direct all of the anger he's inspired toward the Dems before he leaves his supporters high and dry.
RyanLizza Actually what I remember is the moderators allowing Trump to continually speak over and interrupt Secretary Clinton. I assume that since Biden is a white guy that will happen a lot less in tonight’s debate. But I am sure I should listen to sh**ty media man Ryan Lizza.
RyanLizza Ryan is just as ignorant as Trump is.
RyanLizza Oh please!!!!
RyanLizza What Trump does during a debate is not called 'debating'. He provides little to no supporting facts to his comments, and bullies the other side by using personal attacks. That's not debating.
RyanLizza Trump is losing his marbles.
RyanLizza I too can shout nonsensically. Am o a great debater?
RyanLizza Also the constant SNIIIIIIF
RyanLizza Lol, sure. I watched him creep and stalk Clinton, watched him utter absolute nonsense and constantly speak out of turn. “Not a puppet, not a puppet, you’re a puppet” isn’t good debating.
RyanLizza Anyone can debate well if you are allowed to lie, distort, misinform all you like. Sadly, salivating over someone’s lies is what I expect RyanLizza to do.
RyanLizza If you call lying and defecting a debate strategy then yeah Joe is in trouble.
RyanLizza Bully Trump is far more nastier.
RyanLizza He didnt debate, he lied and bullied. Thinking he is a good debater is symptomatic of what is wrong with America right now.
RyanLizza No it’s not true. Trump is a horrible debater. Lizza is incorrect and probably believes that Veep episodes were real life events. Maybe Ryan meant he’s a better masturbater.🍄🤣
RyanLizza Trump keeps saying Biden has dementia and calls him sleepy Joe. Couldn’t underestimate a candidate much more than that. Trump just needs energy and the addreral will supply that. Sounds like you have low expectations for your own candidate.
RyanLizza this picture looks like they're singing a duet
RyanLizza Trump doesn’t debate he attacks with name calling and personal threats. He’s too stupid to debate facts. He’s a liar and a selfish man
RyanLizza 'Debates' They're not really even debates anymore.
RyanLizza
RyanLizza He's a proficient bully and he's quick with a cruel insult. Does that make him a good debater?
President Trump is standing up for all Americans! Poor old Joe ask for a bathroom break every 30 minutes! Trump Pence 2020
I hope Trump goes south go Joey
Trump was not a good debater!He was a clown in real time! We all enjoyed seeing him but now many of us Republicans know how Trump ticks!His tactics have become known N I refuse 2 give him my vote I have to vote 4 Biden, coz giving Trump the presidency, he will sell our country!🤦♀️
Trump can bullshit, snort coke and bully his way through the debates but it won't change a fucking thing. His base of low lifes will still vote for him and the majority of sane Americans will vote for Biden. Its going to be a monumental waste of time. VOTE
He doesn't really debate, he insults, demeans and avoids answering the questions.
trump is a manic, drugged up narcissist who will be afraid to go 1-2-1 with a man! He's sent Rudy out today to lower his bases expectations of Joe, Big mistake! Because a very alert Joe is going to wipe the floor with that $70,000 mop!
After all this time all I remember is how he circled Hilary Clinton like a stalker circling his prey. It was creepy behavior.
He’s a school yard bully are you blind?
Would you say he is a master debater?
What?
THIS guy?
This idiot
Trump is not really a debater. He's overbearing and he tries to bully you with ad hominem, personal attacks. In short, he's a punk and 'debates' like punk.
Am certainly not a fan of that blustering idiot. But he did beat Hillary (in my opinion) in the debates...even though we now know that she was being given the questions ahead of time by Donna Brazile.
That was then, this is now...we will see
Trump is a liar. Hard to debate a liar. He shouldn’t be given air time to lie. No one should debate a liar.
Why do I follow politico?
Exactly
No. Debates don't much matter.
NO, Just bigger liar
I saw all three debates and thought he was awful, but then I thought Ronald Reagan was awful against Jimmy Carter.
That’s not debating. It is showmanship.
Please.
Trump 2020
All Biden has to do is get under Trump's skin and sit back and watch him explode.
No candidate should be allowed to talk over the other. never understood why the moderator just doesn't turn off the mic when it's the other's turn to talk. Simple solution.
Trump says and does what he needs to in order to survive the moment. There is absolutely NO strategy involved.
All theater no substance
Who can forget his display of debate brilliance and rapier wit when he countered HRC's point with 'no puppet, no puppet, your the puppet'! The Dons at Oxford swooned at his debate prowerss
Nah.
Yeah, just like the drunk homeless guy at the bus stop is a good debater. I mean, he doesn’t even let me get a word in. And he says things I have no response to.
Factchecker
No, he's really not. See - this is why debates don't matter - because people don't know how to properly evaluate them.
He’s a bully plain and simple
He’s also more batshit crazy than he was 4 years ago.
He’s not a good debater. He had zero grasp of facts. He spews out garbage like personal insults and lies that are convenient to him. He doesn’t let ppl talk and interrupts them. That’s not debating.
I...wait, did you watch the same debate I did Because if so, you'd be a lot less generous.
Biden must be extremely careful tonight. Trump is a salesman and an excellent glib talker. Biden should just focus on Trump's record in office.
Lol he’s not a debater. He’s a shit talker.
Its not a debate if you don't bring truth and facts to the table. It's just someone spewing off propaganda.
I think he has been embarrassed this week. He loathes being laughed at. He is extremely vulnerable.
No, he is really good at cheating on his taxes.
no he isnt
Trumpolitico is at it again
Yeah, sure. Hillary Clinton delivered the facts, while Donald Trump hurled abuse at her.
Trump is not the same as he was then.
Politico’s take: “well, he managed to say words during the debates, and it’s not like he called Hillary a b**** or anything, so he probably won all 3 debates in 2016”
Trump 'created 100,000 jobs.' Trump killed 204,000+ people with virus, and counting.
ALL TRUMP DOES IS DEFLECTING PROJECTING, DISPLACEMENTS, RAMBLINGS, PATHOLOGICAL LYING, NAME CALLING, MISDIRECTION, CUES, DISTORTING FACTUAL INFORMATION, SCHEMING, AND ANYTHING TO DOWNPLAY HIS INCOMPETENCE TO THE PUBLIC ESPECIALLY TO HIS RACIST DEPLORABLES...TRUMP IS A BORN LOSER
This photo looks like they’re singing a duet.
I hope Chris Wallace keeps trump in line. Don’t let him walk all around the stage it interrupt Biden while he is talking. He must stay at his podium and not interrupt
Spouting lies and distractions is not debating.
I remember a bully..not a debater
What could tRUmp possibly say, after purposefully doing nothing to prevent the deaths of over 200,000 Americans, that would convince you he’s up to the job?
Calling names and making up lies is a good debate style?
What until he has to debate a man that knows the job he’s doing better than he does. He’s not comfortable with Biden.
He is not a debater. He is the debating equivalent of an ape that throws his poop at his opponent. Debating issues is not what he does
Will social distancing rules keep Trump from creepily lurking around Biden like he did to Hillary? Will the moderator enforce social distancing rules?
Yeah, and Amy Coney Barrett is a feminist. Right Politico?
Trump is not 1/4 of what he was in 2016. Then, he had nothing to lose. Today, however, is a very different story.
Every poll says Trump will debates; it’s actually Biden who is being underestimated.
So you are trying to tell everyone that we didn’t see what we saw. He’s a horrible debater if you can even call what he did debating. Y’all haven’t learned shit.
TRUMP IS A LOSER...AND IT'S NOT ABOUT TRUMP BAD ACTING, AND LYING IS CREEPY ASS OFF ON STAGE... MALIGNANT NARCISSISTIC ATTENTION SEEKING SOCIOPATHS ARE ACTORS WHENEVER THEY ARE IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA AND AMONGST CROWD BECAUSE THEY NEED PEOPLE FOR THEIR MENTAL ILLNESS TO WORK
Hahahaha hahahahaha okay whatever...he’s a moron and will be taken apart tonight
Remember folks, this is the same magazine Touting Amy Coney Barrett as some sort of new fangled Feminist. Take it with a boulder of salt.
That was then and this is now.
He lies. That’s not debating.
You’re part of the problem. A name calling bully is not a good debater
Watching Trump in 2016 compared to low makes it apparent if either his loss of internet in his presidency and/or a cognitive decline. It feels like he doesn’t have the same vigor anymore.
Another trash article from you guys. He was a terrible debater, y’all just spun it like he was good because you didn’t want to give a woman credit for winning 3 debates.
The conv wisdom is not wrong, Clinton was just inexplicably unprepared to go on the stage with someone who is comfortable saying whatever bat shit crazy thing pops into his head. Dems in general have a magic belief the refs will intercede and make everyone play by the rules.
🙄
I don’t think you understand the meaning of ‘debate’
What trump can say ? I m really really rich ?
Lol....ok 🙄
🙄 Trump has no other game.
He doesn’t “debate”. He’s the drunk at the end of the bar. “Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.”- Mark Twain
Trump is the most overrated politician ever....how does a republican President allow the Dems to be competitive in Texas....ineptitude 😂😂😂
If Hillary would have called him out on his stalking her on stage, it would have been different. I would have said, why can’t you respect rules? And then stalked his ass all over that stage. Show people how offensive he is. He’s a troll.
An effective stalker. Not sure it was the best use of the time. There were other GOP candidates, but he won the nomination because he was arrogant & controlling. Jeb Bush or Marco Rubio would've made much better presidents. They were rational human beings.
Except he like most Presidents has rarely been challenged in 4 years effectively. Obama lost first debate to Romney. He’s surrounded by yes men. Very few tough interviews. The ABC Townhall showed it. He’s out of touch like most in that bubble. He’s not used to what’s coming.
That could be true, but Biden just needs to press one button and Trump will be off the chain after that. Trump doesn’t have any self discipline.
In 2016 There was no record of Trump how he run the government
He is judged by WE the People Not a biased media
This article is total bullshit. It’s premised on the idea that ppl haven’t had 4 yrs to grow numb to his bullshit and see right thru his cellphone insecurity. You realize this ain’t 2016. He’s burned all credibility and can’t hide behind
Mmmm, nope?
He had nothing to contribute. What kind of a “good” debater stalks his opponent all over the stage. He was psychotic plain and simple.
Politico, don't try to become The Hill. The only think Trump did in 2016 was bully and lie. That's not good debating.
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