Trump on CPD: It’s a ‘Rigged Deal’ and ‘I’m Done'

[Adam Griffin]

Good, bring Stein, Johnson, McMullin and Castle instead.

[HisGrace]

It doesn't really matter either way. He'll take a hit in the polls for delivering another crap performance (especially since this is the foreign policy debate) and he'd take another hit in the polls if he skipped. Clinton should just show up by herself to make him look silly if he does. Have an empty podium sitting there. Inviting any of the 3rd Party candidates (except for possibly McMullin) wouldn't help her so she shouldn't do it.

Good, bring Stein, Johnson, McMullin and Castle instead.

They should have all been there all along.

Being a Trump supporter, I'm sure you would have liked it if there was another big crowd at the debates so that he could skate by with soundbite answers like he did in the primaries. I really think this has proven how much more effective small debates are at showing people about the candidates. Trump has really been exposed to a lot of people as a fraud by his two debate performances.

[GeorgiaModerate]

It doesn't really matter either way. He'll take a hit in the polls for delivering another crap performance (especially since this is the foreign policy debate) and he'd take another hit in the polls if he skipped. Clinton should just show up by herself to make him look silly if he does. Have an empty podium sitting there. Inviting any of the 3rd Party candidates (except for possibly McMullin) wouldn't help her so she shouldn't do it.

I don't know if many people remember this...

Before the famous Reagan-Carter debate in 1980, there was another debate between Reagan and John Anderson, the Republican Congressman running as an independent (and in the 20's in some polls.)  The League of Women Voters had tried to organize a 3-way debate, but Carter refused to participate with Anderson, while Reagan refused to participate without Anderson.  So they went ahead with an R/A debate and originally planned to have an empty third podium for Carter.  The White House threw a fit about this, and the empty podium was dropped.

Conventional wisdom at the time was that the R/A debate was a draw, but I thought Anderson won (although I may have been a tad biased, being an Anderson volunteer.)

[Hammy]

Trump is increasingly not acting like somebody who actually wants to win, and I think he's realizing he doesn't want the job (if he ever did to start with) and looking for a way out, but in a way that he doesn't have to admit he isn't interested in being president.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Trump is increasingly not acting like somebody who actually wants to win, and I think he's realizing he doesn't want the job (if he ever did to start with) and looking for a way out, but in a way that he doesn't have to admit he isn't interested in being president.

I used to think the same, but now I think that's giving Trump too much credit.

The spoiled, abusive man-baby knows, on some level, that he's going to lose. So he's throwing a YUGE tantrum.

If there's any thought at all, it's devoted to trying to avoid being a LOSER. He's going to point at Ryan and the GOP and whine "My big brother made me do it! They stabbed me in the back!"

[Xing]

oh please skip debate #3 please please please

[Statilius the Epicurean]

This would be a godsend for the decorum of American democracy. I can't imagine how ugly the third debate would be.

[Hermit For Peace]

oh please skip debate #3 please please please

[Stranger in a strange land]

It doesn't really matter either way. He'll take a hit in the polls for delivering another crap performance (especially since this is the foreign policy debate) and he'd take another hit in the polls if he skipped. Clinton should just show up by herself to make him look silly if he does. Have an empty podium sitting there. Inviting any of the 3rd Party candidates (except for possibly McMullin) wouldn't help her so she shouldn't do it.

Yes, agreed. For maximum salt they should ask questions to the empty podium.

[wolfsblood07]

I agree that we don't need a 3rd debate.  
Trump has only one more failed politician to beat. 17 down, 1 to go.  And now that he's free of the shackles, it will be much easier.

[‼realJohnEwards‼]

I agree that we don't need a 3rd debate.  
Trump has only one more failed politician to beat. 17 down, 1 to go.  And now that he's free of the shackles, it will be much easier.

Um... remind me again when "free(ing) (Trump) of the shackles" has worked in the past?

[HisGrace]

I agree that we don't need a 3rd debate.  
Trump has only one more failed politician to beat. 17 down, 1 to go.  And now that he's free of the shackles, it will be much easier.

Um... remind me again when "free(ing) (Trump) of the shackles" has worked in the past?

The only time I started to feel like Trump might have a real chance was in September when his campaign staff finally convinced him to be mellower and give teleprompter speeches. That all came unhinged with that first debate, which is why I think it, and not PussyGate, was the real turning point in the election. I knew when the debate ended that he had no chance.

[Young Conservative]

Good, bring Stein, Johnson, McMullin and Castle instead.

This. Would be interesting, though Clinton would destroy them.

Oh god especially Stein. I loathe her.

McMulling would beat Clinton in a debate.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

I agree that we don't need a 3rd debate.  
Trump has only one more failed politician to beat. 17 down, 1 to go.  And now that he's free of the shackles, it will be much easier.

Um... remind me again when "free(ing) (Trump) of the shackles" has worked in the past?

The only time I started to feel like Trump might have a real chance was in September when his campaign staff finally convinced him to be mellower and give teleprompter speeches. That all came unhinged with that first debate, which is why I think it, and not PussyGate, was the real turning point in the election. I knew when the debate ended that he had no chance.

I think I agree with that.

With the muzzle on him, all he really needed to do was offer his usual fuzzy vagueness on "economy", "immigration", "jobs", "corrupt establishment" and the like and he actually would have been in a decent position. That holds doubly true with all the minor crap getting thrown at Clinton.

Even the tape and drip-drip of creepy sex-related allegations wouldn't have been as damaging if Trump had stayed solidly on-message (even if it was a crappy, incoherent message that no one believed). But during the debate he just had to wander off into incoherent conspiracy land and bite at everything Clinton tossed in his general direction. Then afterwards he went back into his usual petty, crazy BS... which the tape then served as a spotlight for.

And now he's basically abandoned trying to communicate his successful talking points to undecided voters and is locked in a feel-good echo chamber with his gradually evaporating base as one thing or another convinces a few more "committed" Trump voters that maybe they'll be voting for someone else, or just staying home.

The all-out personal assault on Clinton and the GOP is a direct line from that first debate. Trump could have had a very real shot, but instead he just had to be Trump.

[Nym90]

Clinton could debate Johnson without Trump there. There's precedent for this; Reagan and Anderson debated without Carter in 1980.

[Likely Voter]

Well the League of WOmen voters invited Reagan, ANderson and Carter to a debate and Carter didn't show up. This is different as Johnson doesn't meet the criteria and isn't invited. It Trump drops out, there is not going to be a debate unless Clinton and Johnson decide to do one on their own, perhaps outside of the CPD structure. But there is no way she would do that, so no Trump, no debate.

[America Needs R'hllor]

Good, bring Stein, Johnson, McMullin and Castle instead.

This. Would be interesting, though Clinton would destroy them.

Oh god especially Stein. I loathe her.

McMulling would beat Clinton in a debate.

It's not about who do you support though. Johnson and Stein are just not good orators and McMullin doesn't have nearly enough professionals to advice him and prepare him for the debate. Clinton, as much as you may dislike her, was at this for years and has top-level professionals.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Apparently he hasn't actually told the CPD "No" yet:

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http://debates.org/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=72&cntnt01origid=27&cntnt01detailtemplate=newspage&cntnt01returnid=80

[Shadows]

This guy is an idiot. It's a fox debate & he is losing!

CPD has GOP guys as well - Isn't it natural for Dems n GOP to have their ppl!

There should be a minimum IQ Test for idiots like these not to contest elections

[GeorgiaModerate]

Clinton could debate Johnson without Trump there. There's precedent for this; Reagan and Anderson debated without Carter in 1980.

Yes, but there are a couple of important differences in this situation.  Reagan wanted Anderson in the race, figuring that he'd draw more votes from the left than the right, while I'm sure Clinton doesn't want to build anyone else up as a credible alternative.  Also, at the time Anderson was very much in the race; he was polling in the 20's in some polls in August or so, although he faded considerably and only got 7% on Election Day.

[7,052,770]

Good, bring Stein, Johnson, McMullin and Castle instead.

This. Would be interesting, though Clinton would destroy them.

Oh god especially Stein. I loathe her.

McMulling would beat Clinton in a debate.

Good. All the more reason to invite him. I hope he's awesome and gets millions of Republicans to vote for him or write him in. Maybe she could even tank on purpose.