68 Comments

Trump and his campaign KNOW that he could lose many votes just over the abortion issue; and he also KNOWS that the religious far right will vote for him because Trump's SCOTUS is responsible for doing what they can to end access to abortion (and IVS and contraception)--Trump wants votes from all sides of this issue. As with everything else in his life he wiggles like a snake away from telling the truth. Dana should be the one to ask this question on "behalf of woman" (although it involves everyone).

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He will duck it by saying it’s up to the states to decide. Anyway, why even have a debate if CNN isn’t going to fact check his lies? That is no different than just giving him a platform to advertise. Might as well not have a debate because the whoppers he and Rs are telling are so beyond belief that CNN is aiding and abetting the spreading of those lies by not challenging them. Freedom of the Press will end if Trump gets power to shut down the media he hates. Either get with it and speak truth to power or cancel the debate because CNN is as guilty as Trump otherwise.

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Yes. I've heard him say before how with his wonderful work via the SCOTUS this will now be decided by the states. Sounds as empty and meaningless as he typically demonstrates.

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He cannot afford to lose anymore votes - after the criminal conviction last month, independents have begun to support Biden. So Trump is torn between alienating more potential voters (most Americans want mifepristone to remain freely available) and alienating his base.

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Ah the old “two week” ploy. Wonder how many times he’ll pull that one out.

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We all are still patiently waiting for the sparkling, brand-new, cheaper and better healthcare plan that's still on the way.

In about er, 2 weeks.

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Don’t forget “beautiful”

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YES!!!

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Don’t forget “Infrastructure Week.” I think tRump meant to say, “Infrastructure Decade,” or maybe “Infrastructure Century,” “Infrastructure Millenium”…

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Ha. Infrastructure Never.

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Getting Trump on the record is pointless. He changes his positions on issues as often as he changes his Depends. And if he says something about abortion that offends the majority, it will thrill the MAGA horde. If he says something about abortion that implies moderation, the MAGA horde will go ballistic, they've done it already when he seemed to back away from a national ban.

I want to see him asked questions about his crimes, both adjudicated and pending. I want to see him pushed over the edge, and maybe to the point that he strokes out. If Tapper and Bash won't do it, then Joe should.

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So instead he says “Always go by your heart. But we must win. We have to win."

We know where those “hearts” are.

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Well, since we know Trump has no heart and no brain and no courage, I assume you are talking about Biden?

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That is a trump quote to evade being specific on abortion bans etc.

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-abortion-states-rights-issue/story?id=108976038

Because CNN says the moderators are not going to fact check in real time - it’s Biden’s job Biden is at a disadvantage. If Biden were to factcheck him in real time on everything he’d never have a chance to state his own positions or plans.

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I try not to hear anything trump says, so sorry I missed that. Joe can't possibly fact check him, he should laugh at him and use his patented "C'mon Man!"

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Trump is the consummate expert at injecting doubt.

Whether in answer to a question or in generating his own statements, nothing can make him pass up a chance to leave listeners doubting their own logic and senses.

This is a skill of hucksters and hustlers throughout the ages.

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Can't wait to hear the word salad he'll puke out on this one. I also don't believe either of the 'moderators' have the guts to ask. Or to follow up on the nonsense answer.

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I've heard both Basch and Tapper confront and follow up many times. Problem: the format doesn't offer them many minutes to persist in the way we'd like.

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So how do we fix the format? I'm so relieved that the mics will be 'controlled'; how do we now control the questioning? Do we stay on one topic until a realistic, mostly truthful response is garnered? And while the CNNers have some good qualities, I don't think they will expose the ugliness of trump. I hope I'm wrong!

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Daniel, CNN is owned by a very conservative billionaire. So don’t expect challenges!

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Exactly my point. It's why they won't have the guts.

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CNN has already stated it is not the job of the moderators to factcheck. That it is Joe Biden’s responsibility. CNN will do their factchecking later.

Of course if Biden followed that playbook he would have no time to talk about his issues, accomplishments or answers to the questions.

— David Chalian, CNN’s political director, said that Thursday’s live debate “is not the ideal arena for live fact-checking.” Instead, Ms. Bash and Mr. Tapper would focus on “facilitating the debate between these candidates, not being a participant in that debate,” he said, noting that CNN analysts would assess the veracity …. —

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Thanks, Ann. I don't usually watch CNN, so I was not fully aware of their stated "mission". Too bad they couldn't have live fact-checkers running a font to dispute statements or display the actual truth, from EITHER candidate. Would be a benefit to the voting public.

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I miss Ted Turner 🙁

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Exactly.

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Does it matter what he says on day one, when on day two, he'll say the opposite? He says whatever he thinks is the best answer for him that day. More important is what Project 2025 thinks.

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CNN has allowed the orange traitors' statements, as well as other right wing politicians, to be aired on their programs without being held to account, giving them a platform to spread disinformation. I don't think they are a responsible choice to moderate the debate. Someone from WETA would have been a wiser choice.

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CNN is owned by an ultra right wing billionaire. It was previously owned by Comcast. Unfortunately, so many people think it’s left wing!! Once again the Dems make the same mistake as ALWAYS. Choosing a right wing station for questioning. Expect more of the same, that is, no challenge to trump.

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I think businesses just want to have enough workers in the future, the poorer they are the better. The fact that well-off and educated women have a better chance of getting any abortion they need works exactly as the right wingers want it to. Problem I see is that we aren't going to have enough people so we need those we do have well educated with a healthy life growing up. That goes completely against conservative beliefs in this country that all people should be able to do everything themselves, regardless of other circumstances in their lives. Totally unrealistic.

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It has been predicted as the cognitive capabilities of AI increase to and surpass human capabilities that capitalists will no longer consider human labor as a resource to exploit, but come to view human labor as useless. The ages of stone did not end because we ran out of stone. https://ideas.ted.com/the-rise-of-the-useless-class/

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"The ages of stone did not end because we ran out of stone."

Hahahaha! That is a hell of a quote! I mean it. I'd like to borrow that phrase sometime.

Going to the heart of your asssertion, agreed!

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Barrow away. There is nothing new under the sun.

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It's always "I'll tell you in two weeks". Didn't he say that about his healthcare plan, too? I don't know where he came up with that timeframe being the ideal number. But TIME should have followed up in two weeks, and every two weeks after that, and put out updated statements.

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I have read that trump’s strategy will be to link the murder victims of illegal immigrants to Biden policies. I hope Biden counters by pointing out that Trump, himself, is a rapist and there is a current rash of sexual perversion and exploitation exposed among evangelical leaders of the South.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2024/06/23/evangelical-leaders-sexual-abuse-gateway-church-sbc/74127494007/

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Trump never answers tough questions. Always commits to respond "in two weeks" assuming everyone will forget about it. Remember the great Healthcare plan and Melania's press conference to discuss her visa issue? Now it's a contraception plan which we only need if SCOTUS reverses Griswald.

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IF the FELON can make it to the stage, he’ll lie his ass off while the questioners let him interrupt. Dems should have booked Free Speech tv to be the monitors, not right wing owned CNN.

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Even if asked I’m sure his word salad response will be unintelligible. And now CNN won’t have Daniel Dale doing real-time fact checking, so expect the usual firehosing of lies which will overwhelm everyone. But if President Biden pauses for too long while speaking, FAUX News and The New York Post will have it in all caps.

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You can add the New York Times to that list, too.

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Sorry for the omission. They actually would spin 4 articles out of it.

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There’s a very safe and fast way to guarantee abortion will be available. The father of the child, demonstrated through DNA, must support the child for its first 18 years.

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Actually the 1st ? Should be who won the 2020 election?

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WIKI sites that NARAL changed the name of their organization as: Reproductive Freedom For All.

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He has no opinion on it. Hell, we're still waiting foir his health plan he promised 8 years ago.

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