The highly anticipated debate between Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on Tuesday will be the first face-to-face encounter between the two candidates. Harris, a former prosecutor, has been prepping for the debate; Trump, a raging narcissist, has not.
The Daily Beast noted some reactions from Team Trump. They're praying. Thoughts and prayers, you guys.
"I think—I pray—he can be disciplined," Republican strategist Tricia McLaughlin told Politico, voicing concerns about Trump trading personal attacks over focusing on policy.
House Speaker Newt Gingrich theorized that could be exactly what Harris wants, and she could try to "bait him."
"She'll be personal and try to demean him," Gingrich told Politico. "I think, I hope, what he'll do is be a guy who's been a real president—while she has been kind of a semi-vice president—and a guy who knows all the world leaders, and a guy who has been through an enormous amount, and just be calm and steady and stick to the real differences."
However, if Trump is indeed backed into a corner with personal attacks, all bets could be off, said McLaughlin, who served as a senior adviser in Vivek Ramaswamy's presidential campaign.
McLaughlin added that Trump could feel like "it's three on one, that could be a problem," referring to the debate's moderators, David Muir and Linsey Davis of ABC. Trump publicly slammed ABC as "dishonest" and referred to star anchor George Stephanopoulos as "Liddle" George "Slopadopolus" in a stream of posts on his Truth Social platform.
In a New York Times op-ed published on Tuesday, Repubican Sen. Lindsey Graham said "the road to the White House runs through a vigorous policy debate, not an exchange of barbs."
And this is interesting:
An official close to the former president seemed convinced, claiming that Trump's preparation for the debate has been minimal.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, they said Trump does "gives unscripted hour-plus press conferences, he gives speeches that include a lot of material, extemporaneously. They added, "The idea that he has to 'prepare for a debate' is absurd."
They're praying that the felon doesn't lash out, while Lindsey hopes for a policy debate. Another doesn't think the felon needs to prep against a former prosecutor. I don't know, guys. I think it's going to take more than prayers. You know, like a better candidate who isn't inundated with scandals and doesn't think he's a Stable Genius. Keep underestimating Harris, though. She's ready:
