this post was submitted on 11 Sep 2024
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Even so devoted a bootlicker as Senator Lindsey Graham declared the debate a “disaster” for the ex-president.

Donald Trump is so feral and narcissistic, so unrestrained and so outside the norm of American politics, that he’s difficult to debate. It’s disorienting. Very few people have been able to stand up to him without being pulled into the muck. In the past, even when he lost debates on points, he dominated his opponents.

But on a Tuesday night in Philadelphia, Kamala Harris cracked the code.

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[–] Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world 191 points 2 months ago (3 children)

Trump was always broken. Harris just drew attention to it in the right way.

[–] pyre@lemmy.world 89 points 2 months ago (2 children)

no but she really hacked him like a cyberpunk runner.

the issue of immigration is her worst and his best polling issue. so when she was answering that question she added this part about crowds leaving his rallies early. the moderator moved past that and almost helped him by refocusing the question on immigration but he just couldn't let it go. he not only focused on the crowd remark, but also went immediately unhinged, screaming about people eating cats.

it's like a fucking cheat code. look at his reaction to her saying people have early. it's like the sound the game makes to let you know the cheat code is activated.

[–] jagermo@feddit.org 37 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Right? Such an obvious trap and he jumped into it, head first. Fascinating to see

[–] kata1yst@sh.itjust.works 30 points 2 months ago (1 children)

To attack a narcissist, you need to attack the cracks in the reality they paint for themselves.

It just so happens that as someone who has been an enthusiastic and professional grade debater for 40+ years, Harris also knew exactly how to do this without getting his mud on herself, and she knew to do it just as he was hoping to hit his stride.

It was great to watch. So many politicians from so many walks of life have been completely humiliated by Trump's ridiculous persona. He's so inflammatory, so full of lies, and so narcissistic professional politicians have been reduced to flinging his poo back at him. Instead Harris made him wallow in it.

[–] WoodScientist@lemmy.world 11 points 2 months ago

I'm just pleased to see that they finally recognized how to debate Trump. He's a fat fart of a narcissist who debates with a cloud of grievance and endless lies. He isn't a regular candidate; he is simply a bully. And like all bullies, deep down he needs to make other people feel small because that's the only way he can not feel small himself.

The mistake that so many others have made is that they treat Trump like any other ordinary candidate. Instead, it seems like team Harris actually sat down with a few psychologists, got to the core of Trump's fragile psyche, and figured out how to break him. If he wasn't such a cruel villain himself bent on ruining the lives of countless others, I would actually think such a trick is unfair and cruel. But sometimes you have to do what's wrong in order to do what's right. Trump is so consumed with his own ego that he is literally willing to order the extrajudicial imprisonment and summary execution of people who offend his ego. He is a dangerous man that cannot be allowed near any real power. And if taking advantage of his mental deficiencies is unfair play, so be it. I am willing to break the mind of a signal malignant narcissist if it means saving the Republic. I have no more sympathy for his mental illness than I do for those of countless dictators through history. The worst tyrants of the 20th century may have had some legitimate psychological illnesses that made them act the way they do, but that does not excuse their actions. Mentally deficient or not, they need to be taken down by any means necessary.

Hell, the only reason I don't endorse violence to keep these people out of power is that it's counter-productive to create martyrs. These people need to be shown as the fools they truly are. Only then can the spell be disrupted. If Trump's attempted assassin had succeeded, a dozen baby Trumps would have quickly risen up following the same playbook. Trump instead needs to be defeated not with violence, but with total abject humiliation and defeat at the ballot box. He needs to die not as a martyr at the height of his power, but from old age, as a sad, tired old man, repeatedly defeated and ranting at the clouds, repeating facebook rumors, til his dying breath. THAT is how you defeat Trumpism. You have to break his psyche so fundamentally that he never recovers. He needs to be defeated resoundingly and made such a fool that no one will ever attempt his playbook again, or at least until his humiliation has passed from living memory. Ideally he will end up dying in prison. But regardless he needs to live to til the end of his natural life, making a greater fool of himself with every word he speaks, from now until the end, digging his pit of shame ever deeper. THAT is how you defeat a demagogue like Trump. You don't out-logic him. You don't kill him. You break him. You shatter what his left of his ego and mind. Leave him a blubbering fool trapped in the remnants of his own shattered ego. That is how you deal with Trump. You have no mercy, and you break him.

[–] Landless2029@lemmy.world 23 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Holy crap she got me too!

I didn't realize she pulled out that bait on the immigration issue! That was calculated as fuck!

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[–] FunderPants@lemmy.ca 37 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Yea, I feel like I didn't see anything new from him. Kamala just lead him around like a dog on a leash, and exposed it better than anyone else has.

[–] RecklessBoon@lemmy.world 18 points 2 months ago

I don't even think the immigrants would eat that dog

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[–] Rapidcreek@lemmy.world 157 points 2 months ago (4 children)

One thing I've come to believe is that the extended media reaction to a debate affects public opinion more than the debate itself. The media don't quite dictate viewers' judgments, but they shape and solidify them. And what this string of posts is making clear is that on the day after Donald Trump is still losing the debate. He's probably going to try to stage some dramatic bullshit to derail this media train.

[–] Coelacanth@feddit.nu 37 points 2 months ago

Very astute observation. I think the only thing I disagree with is that I personally think the media do to a large extent directly dictate viewers judgements. Which makes the rest of your points even more salient.

[–] Zombiepirate@lemmy.world 21 points 2 months ago (1 children)

He's going to eat a live dog to prove how hawrable it is.

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[–] Cryophilia@lemmy.world 15 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Absolutely. If the media outlets had decided that Trump won, then Trump won. Almost no one actually watched the debate. They only looked at "highlights" curated for them.

[–] taiyang@lemmy.world 18 points 2 months ago (3 children)

I mean, overnight numbers suggest it's a second most watched TV event since Superbowl, but you're not wrong in that people don't necessarily pay attention or process it. Highlights are the part people grab onto and boy do we have a lot of good ones.

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[–] geekwithsoul@lemm.ee 11 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Wouldn’t be surprised if he replaced Vance with RFK Jr now as that would kill discussion of the debate.

[–] NuXCOM_90Percent@lemmy.zip 17 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

He arguably can't.

He and vance are on the ballot. So is RFK, funny enough. Which is why RFK is trying to get off the ballot in swing states. The reason Biden could tag Kamala in is that the DNC had not actually chosen a candidate yet.

My suspicion is that an exception would be made rather than run into the mess of leaving republicans unelectable in states. But it would still be a giant shitshow and not in a good way.

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[–] NineMileTower@lemmy.world 69 points 2 months ago (1 children)

That motherfucker been broke.

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[–] FunderPants@lemmy.ca 57 points 2 months ago (1 children)

He should resign. Clearly he isn't capable.

[–] krashmo@lemmy.world 41 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Resign from what, life? I'm on board that's just an odd phrasing

[–] Coelacanth@feddit.nu 16 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Would not object. It's been a good run, Donald.

[–] HappycamperNZ@lemmy.world 13 points 2 months ago

Hes never had a good run

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[–] kmartburrito@lemmy.world 57 points 2 months ago

🌎👨‍🚀🔫👨‍🚀

[–] Makeitstop@lemmy.world 50 points 2 months ago

On that stage we saw the two things most capable of utterly destroying Trump: A prosecutor, and Trump.

[–] DontMakeMoreBabies@lemm.ee 27 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

She should have mentioned his tiny little hands after shaking them - dude has such a LDE vibe, I bet he'd have lost his shit.

[–] EtherWhack@lemmy.world 20 points 2 months ago (2 children)

She's more mature than to stoop down to his level and ridicule someone's appearance or anything like that. The handshake was enough to get to him and plant that seed, a complete and total power move.

[–] taiyang@lemmy.world 11 points 2 months ago (2 children)

The moment I saw that handshake I was like "oh. Power move". I think he even said "have fun" lol

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[–] twistypencil@lemmy.world 26 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Did nobody notice the moment when he tried to silence her and added, 'sound familiar' to make some sexist remark about telling women to shut up? "I'm talking now, sound familiar?"

[–] TheKracken@lemmy.world 36 points 2 months ago (3 children)

She said "I'm speaking" to shut up pence in the 2020 debate. That's what he was referring to. Still he's a dick.

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[–] molten@lemmy.world 21 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Wish I could read the article.

[–] MyOpinion@lemm.ee 18 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king's horses and all the king's men Couldn't put Humpty together again.

Trump is Humpty Dumpty.

[–] ThePowerOfGeek@lemmy.world 27 points 2 months ago (3 children)
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[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 17 points 2 months ago

Even so devoted a bootlicker as Senator Lindsey Graham declared the debate a “disaster” for the ex-president.

Lindsey Slam!

[–] NocturnalMorning@lemmy.world 16 points 2 months ago (1 children)

What did they expect Kamala Harris used to be a prosecutor?

[–] 800XL@lemmy.world 16 points 2 months ago (2 children)

He thought he could take her because everyone around him always tells him what a good smart special big boy he is and they let him win at everything. As we all saw, his temper tantrums when he loses are something special.

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[–] ValorieAF@lemmy.world 14 points 2 months ago

New "aight I'ma head out meme" just dropped

[–] Fedizen@lemmy.world 13 points 2 months ago

It was super effective. I am surprised he didn't faint

[–] breakfastmtn@lemmy.ca 13 points 2 months ago
[–] Vandals_handle@lemmy.world 11 points 2 months ago

Cautious hope that this may a "Have you no sense of decency sir?" moment.

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