Quote:
Originally Posted by albionmoonlight
Honest question. Why do you think he will do worse in these debates than in the primary debates?
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I don't think he did particularly well in the primary debates. He was somewhat insulated by sharing the stage with multiple opponents and the short time limit on responses. Regardless, he still provided a good amount of fodder for Steven Colbert and other comedians.
There's no question that the Joe Biden of the 1980's and 1990's was an excellent debater. Razor sharp, and he could think and respond on the fly. The Joe Biden of 2020, not so much. As he's aged, he's also developed a short fuse that periodically rears its ugly head at town hall meetings and interviews, where he lashes out at the questioner. Yes, Trump does the same thing, but it's expected, or "the norm" for him. With Biden, it's out of character. I think the Trump operatives are going to make a concerted effort to get Biden rattled, whether it succeeds or not remains to be seen.
I think Biden's age has significantly affected his memory and ability to articulate coherent responses. I know most folks on the forum do not agree with that assessment. I don't know if Biden will have a James Stockdale type moment (where the latter responded that he didn't have his hearing aid turned on in the 1992 debates), but I wouldn't rule that out either.