Do you think Debate is going to change a single mind?

[Le Roi de Pot]

Seriously - Does there exist a person - a rational person - who is struggling to make a choice between the two candidates based on policy positions / other objective measures - for whom the debate will be illuminating?


BULL SHIT.

BULL FUCKING SHIT.


This debate is as pointless as a pissing contest is.

[BlueTsunami2018]

1. I think everyone is already locked in.

You’re either for this asshole or you’re not.

[TheBlackAdder]

30. I want to watch it, knowing Trump will sweat out when Biden will mention his taxes. Do it last.

.

I hope Biden makes him sweat out the whole debate before dropping that shoe.

.

[BlueTsunami2018]

33. I'll be watching just to see how it goes.

Joe should beat him like a rented mule. It won’t matter to the cult it it’ll be cathartic for me.

[Journeyman]

2. No, it will solidify. Remember: It's not the peeling away that matters, it's the piling on . . .

[Statistical]

3. No. I mean maybe 1%. It could lead to some people just not voting at all.

The good news for Biden is when you are on top you want the numbers to be firm and unchanging. When you are on the bottom you want a race that has wild swings and lots of undecideds.

I know everyone fears a repeat of 2016 but the fundamentals for 2020 are quite different from 2016 and they are all headwinds for Trump.

[Le Roi de Pot]

10. All Biden needs to do is hold his own .. make a safe play.

Have some witty lines in your pocket - use them when the opportunity arises.

Otherwise stick to bread and butter issues.


If this is a game of poker - Biden doesn't have to pray for good cards ... He has a much bigger stack to play with .. and Trump is fucking tourist playing with pocket money

[Sherman A1]

4. I believe it will, but a very few.

Just as the many revelations of the past weeks have changed a few and there, each pealing away just a little support. It is the totality of what we are hearing, not an individual item.

[Trumpocalypse]

19. FYI

[OhZone]

5. I think it may -

Believe it or not, there are uninformed people out there still.

There are people who think "I don't like tRump, but is Biden senile?"

There are people who who are considering third party who might say, "damn, Biden isn't so bad and tRump really is a clear and present danger."

Yeah, most people are locked in, but not all. Lets try to convince that little group.

And maybe the majority of tRump's base will always support him but a few maybe be less motivated to make the effort.

[NewJeffCT]

6. The debates changed things in 2012 and 2016

In 2012, Romney was on the verge of a landslide loss to Obama and then completely re-invented himself as Moderate Mitt for the first debate. He knocked Obama off his game and made up a lot of ground, making it a lot more competitive than 2008.

After the 3rd debate in 2016, Hillary was starting to pull away in the polling. It did change things. However, right after that 3rd debate is when the Comey letter was illegally leaked by Chaffetz and her debate gains disappeared and late deciders broke heavily to Trump.

[llashram]

7. no, not of his fellow

swamp creatures who makeup his cult following. Independents and undecideds? Maybe some. I hope Joe will be able to logically show just what trump and his grifter family are all about. Conning the American people, gaming the system to make themselves richer and to drag trump out of debt. 800,000,000 million has gone missing in campaign funds.

[DBoon]

8. It might change motivation but not choice

[jayfish]

9. It's One of the Things I Believe Might,...

but I'm not holding my breath. He doesn't get to scurry out the door when he gets a question he doesn't like. It could be a meltdown the likes of which we haven't seen.

[Le Roi de Pot]

13. That will be so sweet to watch

[MineralMan]

11. Hmm...there also exist any number of "irrational" persons out there.

Some of them will be watching the debate as well. Such persons also vote.

[Hoyt]

12. Pretty much locked in, but it might solidify a few trumpsters leaning to Biden.

[Johnny2X2X]

14. We don't need it to!

Biden is winning. Trump needs to change minds, Biden needs to hold serve.

[Le Roi de Pot]

18. Please dont bring in Tennis Anologies --- Roger Federer fan here.

Two Championship points on Serve will haunt me for a long time

[MineralMan]

15. I clearly remember the 1960 debate between Nixon and JFK.

I watched it on our 17" black and white TV. Nixon's sweaty brow and disheveled appearance during that debate was probably the cause of his loss to JFK, who looked young and vibrant and was well-spoken.

Debates can make a difference. Donald Trump risks a great deal by appearing. He may well not be at his best tomorrow evening.

[Atticus]

24. This. nt

[LiberalFighter]

16. You apparently haven't been around long.

[Le Roi de Pot]

20. What are you basing that on .. 45 years old and have been following politics seriously from Al Gore

onwards

[Thekaspervote]

17. Debates do little to change voters minds. Do an internet search & you get pages all in agreement

[kimbutgar]

21. Not his cult members

I saw a snippet on TV yesterday and a guy said he still hasn’t made up his mind! I thought what friggin planet are you on? How could you not see what you see and hear everyday from the maniac in the White House?

[empedocles]

22. To use a stock market analogy; one economic report, one scandal, etc. does not

usually break or make a market.

However, the compiled/compounded stuff may well have a big impact.

[stillcool]

23. it's part of the beauty pageant

no idea if it would change anyone's mind.

[Rorey]

25. What debates really are

They're the opportunity for sound bites to be used as ammo for each campaign to use against the opponent.

The people who watch the debates mostly already have their minds made up. Those sound bites lifted out of the debates will be used in ads to appeal to those who are still undecided, or who could be swayed.

That's the way I heard it explained.

[gratuitous]

26. No idea

But if it provides permission for just one person in each precinct in the country not to vote for Donald Trump, I'll take it.

[Tom Traubert]

27. It's pure theater.

Everyone who watches will be hoping that the candidate they support will embarrass the other. There are no undecided voters given this President’s divisiveness.

[andym]

28. Yes it will-- those who have had doubts placed by Trump and Fox News about Biden

people are manipulated to varying degrees--not the majority of people but enough to potentially matter. Also people who are apolitical (don't assume everyone is rabidly following politics) might make their decision based on what they see.

[Drunken Irishman]

29. Yes I do.

There's plenty of history that suggested debates can move the polls. I don't believe it will decide the election but a strong Biden performance tomorrow night could be the difference between a big win, and a decision on election night and a close win that might not be decided on election night.

In 2012, Obama often panned first debate got Romney back in the race and while it didn't ultimately impact the final outcome in terms of who won, it narrowed things consistently and possibly cost Obama a win in North Carolina, while also bigger wins in Florida and Ohio. It also possibly impacted some House races, as the Democrats cut into the GOP majority. Though they probably wouldn't have won back the House, maybe they come closer than they do and 2014 is less a wipeout.

So, debates do matter. This is Biden's chance to maybe calm some lingering doubts about his mental stamina. He does that and he may just blow Trump out of the water on election day.

[lettucebe]

31. It will certainly expose the lie of the Biden has cognitive issues BS

The man knows his stuff -- can explain the different types of vaccine candidates and actually does know and understand the Constitution of the United States of America. tRump will spout nonsense and never answer a single question but try to flip the script to nonsense of how Biden is corrupt or some such. It will just further cement the voters for Biden and could sway a tRump voter on the fence (who knows?). Do they even watch the debates?

[edhopper]

32. The whole election is about the 8%

undecideds. So maybe some of them.

[Chainfire]

34. A man hears what he wants to hear and he disregards the rest.

To Trumpets, Trump will win. To Biden fans, Biden will win. Both will accuse the other of lying and the listeners will believe their respective candidate.


If Trump melts down, it will not bother his followers, I am not sure it is the same with Biden voters.
You have to wonder about the wisdom in participating in a battle that can't be won, but could be lost.

Barring some super surprise at the debate, I don't see the chains moving.

[Fiendish Thingy]

35. It might move the needle slightly more in Biden's favor, but more likely, it will lock in his lead

The debates may serve to prevent any further tightening in polls, and maintain Biden’s 8-10 pt lead right through early voting into Election Day.

There have been some polls with unusually high undecideds/3rd party (8-10%, rather than the more typical 2-4%), so we may see some movement in those polls.

[DavidDvorkin]

36. Depends on what happens during the debate

If it goes the way previous debates have, then no.

If Trump has a meltdown, it could change quite a few minds -- certainly enough to knock Trump out of serious contention.

[BlueWavePsych]

37. If is makes a Drumpf supporter abstain or complacent Biden voter get out and vote, why not.

[mcar]

38. What do you suggest?