It's not over until the Cat Lady sings - Trump thread #133

[Spandauer]

Bigly Thanks to BruceAndNosh for the thread title.

Hopefully people can open this link OK.
https://x.com/amy_siskind/status/1818015701023735951?s=46&t=sQEeBsNjiTta_B_D1Qh6IQ

Previous thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/politics/5058103-trump-trial-time-banish-all-memories-of-mueller

I suppose you're both right. I just get so tired of him trotting out the same lies because I know that there are people who believe him.

But that's not the audience that Harris is trying to reach, is it? I hope there are people out there who were waffling or wanting to 'stick to the party' that are now saying 'What the actual fuck?' when they saw the difference between her reasonableness and his bombast.

Now watching Rachel & Co discussing things. I know I'll feel better after a good dose of Rachel's common sense & political savvy.

Yes, watching the same and telling myself to go to sleep! Dogs are going to be up in 3 hours and I have two back to back meetings in the morning. Going to be a tough one.

I don't think it's possible to have done better than she did

Looks like Taylor Swift has finally endorsed Harris

What a relief, sounds as if Harris held her own well.
Whilst trying to find out the exact words she used to provoke him about the size of his rallies, I came across this: https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/09/10/trump-harris-presidential-debate-tonight/billboards-crowd-size-matters-00178364
What kind of election is it when one candidate is able to "troll" another like this? Is this normal in the US? Has it been done to such effect in the UK and I missed it (I live abroad and recently got my vote back)?

I'm glad about Taylor Swift, if her endorsement will mean more votes for the Harris/Walz ticket. Will it make a difference for first time women voters in "Red" states, for example? (I don't know the answer at all.)

Reading more descriptions of the debate, it seems to me that Harris has eschewed Michelle Obama's original advice and decided to go low, by making what some have called personal attacks on Trump. I think it serves the bastard right, and may well be the right approach to take, given Trump, but will it work for the swing voters?

You can't retain the moral high ground against someone with no morals, like Trump

The sense has been for some time that this is an election that will be fought on ‘vibe’ and I think Harris played to that really well. She showed her moral character and allowed Trump to showcase his own.

Part of the issue when Clinton debated Trump was that she came across as too wonky and policy driven. I get the sense that Harris avoided that trap well. You can’t debate a person on policy who has no interest in grown-up conversation.

Whether she did enough to bring potential Trump voters to her side I don’t think we’ll know for some time, this felt like a debate of both sides playing to their bases. What it might do though is help drive turnout and to give people leaning towards Trump pause for thought.

Great post from TS. Measured and sensible. So nope, it won't touch the sides with the ardent MAGA crowd but it may well win some young voters over.

Yes, I think you're right there, going high did the Dems a disservice overall. My gast is still flabbered that apparently 50% of the US electorate intend to vote Republican, despite Trump being at the helm, ready to impose a hereditary dictatorship in order to keep himself out of prison.

As above with Harris’ performance, this too will drive turnout. Swift is so incredibly popular with young women, many of whom will be registering and voting for the first time.

Making him look stupid might be the best way of reducing his support. These debates aren't about winning an argument. Trump has never been interested in that. He just uses them, as he uses everything else, as a way to carve a vote. There's a good argument for Harris doing the same and taking the moral high ground once she's won the election.

I'll take that as a win for Harris (with Tay Tay's icing on the cake!)

Excellent effort by Kamala - she's the only one who has managed to get through the Gish guff! She really did her homework. Hopefully the undecided voters in the swing states will be swayed to vote for her.

Tim Walz summary of the debate - Trump is like an old man yelling at clouds

Mute the mic - apparently the networks did a split screen for most of the time. Harrislooked at Trump and kept up a commentary of expressions while Trump was speaking that spoke volumes. Trump looked ahead while she was speaking, kinda "not interested". Very childish.
Reading summaries, it sounds like he parroted familiar rally soundbites and didn't come up with any new material, like the past it stand-up comedian he is.

Americast is interesting, discussing body language and rhetoric of both parties.
I like that every time they say "cat eating" they add that it is a totally unfounded assertion.
Harris clearly rattled Trump about crowd size.
Great to see that Taylor Swift signed off her endorsement "childless cat lady"

I seriously wonder if it was actually organised by some desperate republicans ...

I subjected myself to the 2-min highlights version.

OMG, that was hilarious!

"She is trying to get away from Biden. I don't know the gentleman, she says."

No Donny, Harris has never done any such thing. But I know a man who has...

Here he is admitting this is a deliberate technique – and he doesn't realise that he's given himself away!

Sorry, I'm still laughing now.

I watched it live. Republicans know he was everything they worried he would be; unhinged, rambling, devoid of policy, negative, petulant. Harris was the opposite. Hopefully this debate has reminded people of why they binned Trump last time.

Unlike the UK the Americans have a clear choice, it's all down to the swing states now and how many voters they can get out to vote.

Reading the summaries of the debate it sounds like Kamala’s debate prep team took the advice of The Mooch and hit Trump in his insecurities! Putting him on the ropes so that he ended up waffling about crowd size instead of policy was a smart move.

Mooch said if she could work in references to size and age it would throw him off enough that his rambling, ill disciplined self would come to the fore.

Can’t wait to hear Katy Kay and Mooch dissect the debate in TRIP US later today.

I’m watching a recording of the debate but why do they keep addressing him as President Trump? Over & over? I’m worried about the subliminal message.

It’s a title for life. Once you’ve been President you are forever “Mr (Madam) President”.

It’s about respect for the Office rather than respect for the individual.

Its standard practice, ex Presidents get the right to use the title for life.

Maybe, now one is a convicted felon, it's time to retire the practice ?

Indeed, never mind his convictions the man has entirely disgraced the office!