Donald Trump is going to the debate on September 10th. Kamala Harris should make it a court case.
Before she entered politicsKamala Harris was a prosecutor, and she has undoubtedly handled detention proceedings where she must convince a jury that the defendant is guilty. Mental disorders that put them at risk.
A good trial isn't just about the evidence, it's about weaving that evidence into a compelling story. Sometimes it's the clever combination of small, seemingly unrelated pieces of evidence that really convinces a jury.
With Trump, that should be easy.
For years, Trump's Strange statement and A complete lie It has been said that “Trump is Trump.” “Seriously, but not literally.”By normalizing Trump's behavior as it is, we have given him permission to say and do things that would have been devastating for any other candidate.
In other words, even President Trump's future misdeeds have already been “priced in” by voters.
That works to Trump's advantage, unless he takes what everyone already knows about him and reframes it. Lying about the 2020 electionFor example, when it comes to the Biden administration’s record, the polls, etc., Kamala Harris should go on camera and say, “What I just heard is nonsense, but I don’t think Trump is lying, I think he believes all of the stupid things he says. A phone call at 3am, You have to keep both feet firmly planted in reality, and Donald Trump is not that.
“The first thing a president needs to do is get a grip on reality before embarking on any policy,” she continues. “Donald Trump wants to solve a lot of problems that only exist in his head. He thinks violent crime is out of control, but the crime rate is Drop and For yearsHe says “Dig, dig, dig” to fight a fictitious energy crisis. Increasing oil and gas production This time is more important than any other time in history. Obsessed with attendance and ratingsHe thinks he can. Control the weather To his advantage.
“This is not funny. This is very sad. Let's call it what it is. This is a delusion and it's getting worse. We cannot afford a delusional president in today's world.”
Every time Donald Trump lies, whether it's denying the election, January 6th: Attack on the CapitolRussia or not, Harris should begin her counterargument by casting the lies as part of his delusional disorder. And if Trump becomes infuriated by this treatment, his overreaction will be further evidence of the case she is building against him.
The big advantage of this approach is that you don't have to spend all your time fact-checking Trump, which is a losing battle in a debate because he can confidently assert lies and misinformation. Much faster Rather than explaining why he's wrong, it would be better to confidently assert that Trump is spewing nonsense and then explain why that matters, rather than trying to unravel the lies themselves. Even his supporters Recognize that Trump often lies and exaggerates.
Now there is a dispute between the two camps. Should candidates' microphones be turned off? During the discussion, another person speaks. What's interesting is that Contrasting the Trump vs. Biden Debate This summer The Trump campaign wants to keep their microphones muted. The Harris campaign wants Trump to be Trump and have his microphone on so everyone can hear it.
This strategy works better with the microphones off. If Trump can't get in the way, Harris has a better chance to make the case that Trump is delusional and mentally unfit to be president. And given how forceful and relentless Harris is, When she wantsThere is no doubt that Trump will set off a ton of fireworks after being humiliated by Harris and forced to stand in silence.
Think Trump is off to a bad start with the National Association of Black Journalists? Wait until Kamala Harris starts publicly putting Trump in a straightjacket.
In comparison Trump 2015 Trump's todayIt is immediately clear that he is in a gradual decline. Eight years ago I opposed his policies because I thought they were dangerous. I still think so, but now many of those policies are dangerous and out of touch with reality. It's one thing to want to build a border wall. Sending US troops against American citizens Fighting a fictional crime wave is another story.
Harris should not debate Trump but rather prosecute him in the court of public opinion, and if she does, god knows there will be no shortage of evidence.
Chris Trucks is an appellate lawyer who served as Southern California chairman for John McCain's 2008 primary campaign.
