Trump The Debates

Over the weekend Donald Trump tweeted Hillary and the Democrats are “trying to rig the debates.”  He complained two of the debates are scheduled on the same nights as NFL games.

"I'll tell you what I don't like. It's against two NFL games," he said. "I got a letter from the NFL saying, 'This is ridiculous.'"  An NFL spokesman said Saturday, “While we’d obviously wish the debate commission could find another night, we did not send a letter to Trump.”

Because Trump skipped one of the GOP primary debates in January, there has been speculation among media types that he may threaten to not show up. 

One such site, The New Civil Rights Movement (you’ll pardon me for not linking to them), posited this:

“Donald Trump spent the better part of Friday night scrambling to get back in the spotlight after the Democratic National Convention blew even conservatives minds over how great it was—and how much better it was than their own. At one point Trump, who some are accusing of violating the Logan Act after he called on Russia to hack Hillary Clinton's email account—demanded (in a grossly misspelled tweet) his Democratic opponent not receive classified national security intelligence briefings, something over 150,000 people have demanded about Trump.” 

“Irresponsible ‘leaders’ work to sow mistrust in the system, then present themselves as the only ones who can fix it.  All that accomplishes is to create an angry electorate who are misinformed and will ultimately fight against what they wrongly believe is a ‘rigged system’ or a system rigged by the wrong parties.”

Trump smells blood in the water…and so do the rest of us out here in TV land.  These debates may well be the most anticipated political events of our lifetime.  We will wait with bated breath for Trump to look into the camera and detonate zinger after zinger.  Hillary, irrespective of her debate prep and oppo research, cannot anticipate the shock and awe of Trump’s mouth.  He has demonstrated over and over again his ability to hijack a live media moment and sabotage the script.  That is something that keeps the Hillary camp up at night.

Trump has been grinding away at Crooked Hillary, just as a shark would do; instinctual, relentless, unstoppable.

Can you hear it?  The beach-emptying, menacing duh-duh, duh-duh sounds signifying a mysterious, menacing monster?  It paralyzes you with fear.  Something’s coming after you no matter what you do.

Hillary’s gonna need a bigger boat.

NOTE:  The first debate of 2016, slated for September 26, coincides with "Monday Night Football" on ESPN.  The vice presidential debate is scheduled one week later on October 4, a Tuesday.  The second presidential debate, on October 9, coincides with "Sunday Night Football" on NBC.  The final debate is slated for October 19, a Wednesday.