Let the debate begin?

[LDAHL]

The percentage of Americans with a DD-214 is small and rapidly shrinking as the Vietnam generation passes from the scene. A small percentage of that could claim to be combat veterans. While not rising to Dick Blumenthal’s level of valor theft, making ambiguous statements about carrying weapons of war in war and hoping people draw certain conclusions is not particularly honorable. But 24 years in the National Guard or four years in the active USMC, even without a Homeric service record, strike me as more of a commitment than most are willing to make.

I’m hoping the current flap over service records will caution the image engineers of both campaigns against exaggerated claims that drift into truly despicable territory. We can then get back to the hillbilly made good and DFL candidate from Lake Woebegone narratives.

[jp1]

The odd thing is he made the comment as part of a discussion around gun control laws. His point would have been just as well made if he’d said more accurately ‘weapons of war like I carried during my time in the national guard’. Or ‘…carried during my deployment with the national guard.’

But whatever. The swift boat asshole has not succeeded in swift boating a second democratic candidate. Which would be remarkable if he’d succeeded given that the head of the ticket he’s working for is a draft dodger who thinks veterans are suckers and losers.

[LDAHL]

This is the kind of thing I dislike. He allows the interviewer to say he served in Afghanistan without correcting her. Just nods in acknowledgment.

https://www.c-span.org/video/?c51278...et-description

[Alan]

I think Harris could stop that sort of thing if she would speak to reporters without a script in hand. I don't think she's done that yet and it doesn't look like she will anytime soon. That's why I think she'll never agree to a debate considering how terribly she fared in 2020. I know she says she's ready and waiting for Trump on ABC but she knows he won't go there due to a lawsuit and if he should change his mind she can always fall back on refusing to debate a convicted felon. I think she's channelling Nancy Pelosi's "We won't know what's in it until we pass it", only this time we won't know her unscripted thoughts until we elect her.

It looks like I was wrong! I just read that Trump today agreed to the ABC debate on Sep 10th as well as two others, one on Fox and one on NBC. Harris then told reporters that she was looking forward to the ABC debate but apparently hasn't agreed to the two additional ones. Maybe she's waiting to see how the first one goes.

Just an update on debate strategy. Since my last post on the subject Trump went through a period of suggesting he didn't want to be held to the same rules as the earlier Biden debate which featured closed mic's, no audience and no pre-written notes. The Harris campaign responded that the previous rules must still apply to the upcoming ABC debate and Trump's desire to change them showed just how frightened he was to debate a strong, knowledgeable woman. They also flat out refused an opportunity to debate on Fox and would not commit to one on NBC, ones which Trump did commit to.
In the last day or so Trump has agreed to the rules for the ABC debate which the Harris campaign required, so now they are reversing their previous insistence and saying that mic's must be open at all times and pre-written notes must be allowed. I've always believed that the last thing Harris wants is to repeat her terrible debate performance from the previous election cycle and wondered how she would extricate herself from that particular nightmare this time around, all while blaming her lack of cooperation on her opponent. While there's still two weeks to go I think we're seeing a possible debate killer in the making.

[Rogar]

Harris is going to have to come up with a pretty convincing excuse if she doesn't want to end up with egg on her face. Trump seems pretty open to about anything. I suspect there is more to the story and the finger pointing isn't over. The whole thing could be an act to garner publicity, with both sides playing.

I see where Donald is offering pieces of the suit he wore during the debate with his Donald trading card collection. A possible year 2075 RoadShow find?

Former President Trump is offering parts of the suit he wore during a debate with President Biden to supporters who purchase a new series of digital trading cards.

The Republican presidential nominee announced the new trading card collection Tuesday in a video posted on Truth Social. The new card batch, dubbed the “America First Collection,” includes 50 new images of Trump.

[Tybee]

Harris is going to have to come up with a pretty convincing excuse if she doesn't want to end up with egg on her face. Trump seems pretty open to about anything. I suspect there is more to the story and the finger pointing isn't over. The whole thing could be an act to garner publicity, with both sides playing.

I see where Donald is offering pieces of the suit he wore during the debate with his Donald trading card collection. A possible year 2075 RoadShow find?

Former President Trump is offering parts of the suit he wore during a debate with President Biden to supporters who purchase a new series of digital trading cards.

The Republican presidential nominee announced the new trading card collection Tuesday in a video posted on Truth Social. The new card batch, dubbed the “America First Collection,” includes 50 new images of Trump.

That is so strange. I have a rosary that contains part of a cassock Padre Pio wore (a third class relic) that means a lot to me and brought me a lot of comfort when my mother was dying. I certainly hope he is not going in that direction with his suit.

[catherine]

That is so strange. I have a rosary that contains part of a cassock Padre Pio wore (a third class relic) that means a lot to me and brought me a lot of comfort when my mother was dying. I certainly hope he is not going in that direction with his suit.

haha! That's funny... So now Trump thinks fragments of his clothing are going to be sacred relics (or at least lucrative ones!)

[HappyHiker]

haha! That's funny... So now Trump thinks fragments of his clothing are going to be sacred relics (or at least lucrative ones!)

omg, I just threw up a little bit in my mouth...gag me....

[iris lilies]

haha! That's funny... So now Trump thinks fragments of his clothing are going to be sacred relics (or at least lucrative ones!)

It IS funny.But it doesn’t make me throw up.

sometimes things can be taken as funny whether or not they are intended as such.

[frugal-one]

Saw today that John McCain’s son is going to vote for Harris. The republican party is no longer getting his vote. Made me wonder previously what changed the minds of LDahl, Alan and others here to decide that they no longer endorsed trump? Early on no matter what trump did was ok and then not so. What was the tipping point?