64年前共和黨的尼克森(Richard Nixon)與民主黨的甘迺迪(John F.
Kennedy)電視辯論,讓尼克森選情就此崩盤;1988年民主黨總統候選人杜凱吉斯(Michael
Dukakis)和共和黨的老布希(George H. W.
Bush)較量,也因為杜凱吉斯在鏡頭前冷冰欠感情,選情因此走壞,最終輸掉選舉。
川普的團隊以前老宣布拜登老年癡呆,“low-IQ individual”,兩句話都將不完整,這幾天改口了。川普說,他觀看了拜登當年作為副總統候選人和Paul Ryan的辯論,拜登如何摧毀了Paul Ryan,說他不會低估拜登。
“Well, all I can say is this: I watched him with Paul Ryan, and he destroyed Paul Ryan,” said Trump. “So I’m not underestimating him. I’m not underestimating him. It is what it is. We’ll see what happens.”
川普的可能的副總統候選人,北卡州長 Doug Burgum 說,我們看到拜登今年在國情谘文的表現(當時拜登談笑風生,冷靜對待共和黨議員MTG的鬧場),需要的時候,他會站出來。 “This guy has got the ability,” he said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “We have seen him in the State of the Union this year, that, when he needs to, he can step up.”
在2016 和2020總統大選年,每次辯論後,川普的民調就下降。
川普團隊已經開始為這次可能川普輸了辯論找借口:這幾天他們散布陰謀論,說如果拜登表現好,是因為他會吸毒,因為CNN主持人偏向他。
川普自己聲稱,有可能他故意在辯論中輸給拜登,讓拜登繼續留在競選活動中。
“Maybe I’m better off losing the debate," Trump quipped in an interview with Real America’s Voice earlier this month. “I’ll make sure he stays. I’ll lose the debate on purpose, maybe I’ll do something like that.”