With the next debate in the 2016 presidential race not far away, people are wondering how Trump and Clinton are preparing for the second presidential debate topics. While Hillary Clinton might have little reason to change her strategy after her huge win over Donald Trump in the first presidential debate, Trump quite naturally has every motivation to embrace a new strategy. The question is whether he will – or can – change his approach next time.
The first debate was a defeat for Trump. Here’s why the second could be an outright massacre. https://t.co/ZZPlMDLj2A
— Al Toth ? (@rocketman7117) October 1, 2016
Hillary Clinton came – as she said in the first debate – well prepared for anything the moderator or Donald Trump might throw her way. Trump on the other hand seemed to feel that he could simply wing it the way he had in a Republican primary debate. That approach didn’t quite work out for Trump when facing Clinton.
Any number of Republicans stepped forward after the Trump debate debacle offering advice and perhaps even chipper little pep talks intended to reassure Trump that he wasn’t a “loser.” But as reported by CNN , Speaker of the House Paul Ryan advised Trump that he might actually want to prepare for the next one.
ABC News reports that Trump’s advisor’s agree . But according to CNN , Trump feels the reason he lost the first debate – although he alternately claims that he did in fact win it – is that the moderator was against him, there was a conspiracy, his microphone wasn’t working, and his overall decency as a human being restrained him from saying terrible things to Hillary Clinton. Once you’ve finished laughing, please read on.
Sadly for Trump, his after-debate activities seem to revolve less around preparing for the next debate than obsessing about the first one. As reported by CNN , Donald Trump’s ability to hold a grudge trapped him in a week-long argument with former Miss Universe Alicia Machado. Trump didn’t come away the victor in this second confrontation with a woman either.
In fact, it’s only because Trump decided to accuse her of being a porn star that his own participation in a softcore playboy video came to light. As reported by NBC , the Trump adult film video scandal joins an endless parade of other scandals, gaffes, and offensive statements Trump has managed to self-generate. Any of these could make an appearance as one of the next presidential debate topics.
Then there’s the revelation by Newsweek in the post-debate aftermath that Donald Trump – during the 1990s – apparently carried out business transactions with Fidel Castro’s communist Cuba at a time when it was absolutely illegal under United States law. The impact of this bit of news on the Hispanic vote in Florida will probably be – as Trump would put it – “Yuge.”
But @realDonaldTrump I thought you “won” the first debate?? Now it was rigged?? Hahaha. What a loser! #NeverTrump https://t.co/OQjSq3KFPD
— Humanity vs Trump (@Humans_vs_Trump) September 30, 2016
These three incidents – as well as countless others throughout the 2016 election year – are going to make it next to impossible for Trump to safely use his new improved strategy of viciously attacking Hillary Clinton during the next debate. With the ammunition that Donald Trump has supplied just this week, Clinton is likely ready to pounce the second Trump steps out of line.
But as mentioned above, all Clinton has to do in the next debate is precisely what she did in the last one. If she shows up well prepared for the questions from the crowd and the moderator, as well as for any rants or insinuations Trump throws her way, the results should be at least as good as they were the first time.
But lest we forget, it should be noted that there is actually another debate going on prior to the second presidential debate on the 9th. The next debate in the election cycle features the vice presidential candidates Sen. Tim Kaine and Gov. Mike Pence. While it’s unlikely to be quite as exciting as the Trump and Clinton confrontation, Donald Trump might want to watch it anyway just to pick up a few tips.
[Featured Image by Drew Angerer/Getty Images]