GOP lawmakers and analysts virtually unanimous that Trump was second best to Harris in first presidential debate

Donald Trump’s campaign was in damage control mode on Wednesday amid widespread dismay among supporters over a presidential debate performance that saw Kamala Harris, his Democratic opponent, repeatedly goad him into going wildly off-message and missing apparent opportunities to tackle her on policy.

Even with Trump insisting to have won the debate “by a lot”, Republicans were virtually unanimous that Trump had come off second best in a series of exchanges that saw the vice-president deliberately bait him on his weak points while he responded with visible anger.

The Republican nominee – who took the unusual step afterwards of visiting the media spin room, a venue normally frequented only by candidates’ surrogates – was non-committal on Wednesday to the Harris campaign’s proposal for a second debate. Despite widespread opinion to the contrary, Trump suggested she needed it because she had lost. “I’d be less inclined to because we had a great night. We won the debate,” he told Fox & Friends.

  • elrik@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    What kind of lame equivocation is “second best?” If he’s “second best” in a debate with two people, then that means HE LOST.

    Are these GOP lawmakers and analysts so spineless and beholden to Trump that they cannot discuss this as just one more - in a long list - of his failures?

  • rustyfish@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    Second best?! Really? Now we think participation trophies are fine? Ok whatever.

    As for the aftermath of the debate. I like it. I enjoy that orange fuck getting made fun of and the memes are superb. But as expected, he could have yanked his pickle out and jerked off live on TV and his cultists would still defend him. I am 100% sure that this would have been the case. And there still would be people who are undecided!

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    Also, I forgot to ask about this last night…

    “Where is he?” Trump asked. “They threw him out of the campaign like a dog.”

    Does Trump think you just kick dogs out of your home and they go away?

  • doggle@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    2 months ago

    Hey now, let’s be fair!

    It’s entirely possible he rigorously prepared and that was genuinely the best he could do.

  • CileTheSane@lemmy.ca
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    2 months ago

    Kamala’s campaign: we’re going to bait him at the debate.

    Trump’s staff: she’s going to try to bait you.

    Everyone: Kamala is going to bait Trump.

    Trump: LOOK! BAIT! NOM

    They specifically tried to prepare him for this, they knew it was coming, and this was the result. How can he possibly be prepared to meet with world leaders?

  • Letsdothis@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    First, im no trumpster, i dont like the guy. The MM is really pulling out all the stops on spinning this one. Trump did just fine, Republicans think he did just fine, and some even consider it a win. It’s crazy how strong the MM is pushing it a major Harris win and that Trump did very badly, and that even Republicans think he lost, the headline “Republicans dismayed” is just bullshit, I know a lot of Republicans, and none have claimed to be “dismayed”. That’s the spin. I know everyone here thinks it was a big Harris win and no one denies it, so I’m just here to tell inform yall that those of us who live in reality don’t consider it a big win for Harris or that Trump did badly. All the big news stations are helping to push that narrative of a MAJOR Harris win. As always, MSNBC, USAtoday, CNN, NBC, NYtimes, Washington Post etc. I know most of yall trust these news outlets and don’t think they have bias, but they most certainly do.

    Kamala pissed me off with all the stupid faces she was making, she also just sounded like a whinny B---- several times. My personal opinion is that it was more like a tie than anything, Harris had no content to what she said. But Trump did let her get under his skin. They both lied… and quite a bit.

    Anyway, I know where I am, I know the responses I’m going to get in this liberal echo chamber. So come on.

    • ulkesh@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      First, im no trumpster

      Perhaps, but you are clearly thinking and writing like one.

      those of us who live in reality

      I’m not so sure you do. Trump said some of THE most inane things he’s ever said, yet you are effectively equating that to what Harris had said, which had more substance in a few words than Trump had in the whole debate.

      she also just sounded like a whinny B----

      Right out of the Fox News talking-point playbook. And the proper spelling would be “whiny”. Unless you’re comparing her sound to a horse’s neigh.

      in this liberal echo chamber

      Right out of the Fox News talking-point playbook.

      I wish you luck in your endeavors. This “both sides”-ing doesn’t really work when they are most definitely not the same.

    • wanderingmagus@lemm.ee
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      2 months ago

      Okay, let’s be generous and give you the benefit of the doubt. What would you consider to be an unbiased, credible source of factual information? Be specific. You’re the one putting out the blame, before you say anything along the lines of “it’s not my job to educate you” or “do your own research”. You’re the one making the claim of bias.

      • Letsdothis@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        What would you consider to be an unbiased, credible source of factual information?

        Oh geez… I don’t think they make those anymore… the best we can do is try to recognize the bias when we see it.

        I did find a cool app recently, though. It’s called “ground news”. It attempts to show bias of news articles. Being left, right, or center. It is very useful, I would recommend it.

        • CileTheSane@lemmy.ca
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          2 months ago

          I did find a cool app recently, though. It’s called “ground news”. It attempts to show bias of news articles. Being left, right, or center. It is very useful, I would recommend it.

          I did find this on ground news:

          Articles that Harris wasn’t compelling have a strong right bias, are you taking that into account?

          Also, articles about Trump losing have a much stronger Central bias. I wonder what we can conclude from this…

          • Letsdothis@lemmy.world
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            2 months ago

            Well, everyone can and should come to their own conclusion. One thing…

            articles about Trump losing have a much stronger Central bias.

            It’s about 1/3 central 2/3 left. I think that is a good way to look at that.

            • CileTheSane@lemmy.ca
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              2 months ago

              The “it was about equal” has a higher right bias than the “Trump losing” has a left bias.