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Chris's avatar

I've been entertaining a dark thought for these past few days. I think Trump would stand to gain immensely if he swallowed hard and said that Biden won without equivocating or fussing.

I don't know that it's in him to do it, of course, but staring down the barrels of criminal investigations can do wonders to focus the mind.

I wonder if his debate prep team sees the same opportunity that I do. The more he looks normal on TV, the better he will do with right-leaners that want permission to vote for him and cast us all into darkness. Trump is already ahead, if within the range of a normal polling error like we see most years. He could step out into a definitive lead tonight if he just says the words and makes them sound meaningful. He can go back to his standard horseshit at the next rally afterward.

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Sumi Ink 🇨🇦's avatar

If Trump actually did that (which he won't), we would hear the sound of tens of millions of MAGA cultist heads exploding simultaneously.

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Chris's avatar

I agree that I don't think he'll do it. He might half-ass it, but he can't get himself to where he needs to be to say that. But, I don't think MAGA writ large reacts like that. They believe his orange ass.

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Sumi Ink 🇨🇦's avatar

They believe him, unless he says something they really don't want to hear. Then they'll decide it wasn't really Trump -- he was temporarily replaced by a digital double controlled by the deep state. But their heads would still explode until they've taken the time to rationalize it away with another crackpot conspiracy.

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Jeff's avatar

This is an interesting thought for sure. I have to wonder how much that would wound him with MAGA. I think it would depend on what happens after the debate. Does he go back to the lie? Does he continue to tell the sober truth? What part of the lie could he still tell while being seen as telling the truth?

If he were to go back to the same old song and dance after the debate, I think that would hurt him immensely. It would cast everything else he said during the debate as suspect. Most people would not accept that just that part was a lie after so many years of trying to sell the big lie.

I feel like we only scratched the surface of what this would mean if it were to happen, it would be such a surprising event! There have to me a few more ways this could go if Trump were to do something like that. Its also kinda so out there, that it feels possible if that makes sense.

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Chris's avatar

His people already understand that there's a Public Trump and a My Trump. They are inoculated against the truth about him and his very stable genius. Also, where is a true believer going to go if they don't vote for Trump?

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Hugh's avatar

I agree that admitting he lost would be ... an interesting choice. But Biden could just pivot to "why did you spend 3.5 years lying then?" and "look how many people's lives got ruined by J6 trials because of you", etc..

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Chris's avatar

I think that kind of chaos serves him, a la throwing more shit into the air. Also, he only really needs the sound bite. Peggy Noonan and Ross Douthat would be swept off their feet.

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