Former White House Counsel Bob Bauer discusses debate prep for Biden, Trump's response to Fox News poll, and reflections on political ethics and democracy in crisis
Effective debate prep involves understanding the candidate's style and arguments without resorting to impersonations.
Candidates must anticipate and address personal insults and challenging attacks during debates.
Simulating contentious scenarios in debate prep helps candidates acclimate and navigate challenging situations during live debates.
Deep dives
Role Preparation for Debate Practice
In debate preparation, embodying a specific role involves immersing yourself in the candidate's style and expected arguments without resorting to theatrical impersonations. The emphasis is on assisting the candidate in anticipating and responding to potential lines of attack with the appropriate tone and arguments.
Dealing with Personal Insults in Debate Prep
In debate preparation, candidates must be primed to expect personal insults and painful attacks, including topics like family members' legal issues. This process ensures candidates are psychologically prepared and can strategically address such attacks during actual debates.
Addressing Uncomfortable Scenarios in Debate Preparation
While uncomfortable, debate preparation necessitates simulating challenging scenarios, such as levying false accusations or contentious claims about the candidate's record. This approach helps candidates acclimate to and effectively navigate contentious situations faced in real debates.
Navigating Unpleasant Debate Practice Scenarios
Debate preparation may involve confronting unpleasant allegations, such as false statements or contentious critiques, which can be challenging but are essential for candidates to anticipate and skillfully respond to expected attacks during live debates.
Debate Preparation and Structure Impact
Candidates need to prioritize thorough preparation and aim to convey an authentic sense of themselves in debates. Leveraging the opponent's excesses in a strategic manner can be advantageous. Recent debates have faced criticism for not serving the electorate well, leading to changes like muting candidates' microphones and removing studio audiences to enhance discourse.
Institutional Reform and Ethical Sensibilities
Institutions face challenges but reform initiatives can be successful through bipartisan efforts behind closed doors. Engaging in candid, fair conversations can lead to institutional improvements. Balancing defense of imperfect institutions while acknowledging flaws is crucial to addressing public frustrations and maintaining a democratic culture.
Joe Biden heads to Camp David to prepare for next week's debate, Donald Trump bungles the expectations game, and both sides prepare for the post-broadcast clip war. Meanwhile, a new Fox News poll shows Biden ahead, and Trump lashes out at the betrayal. Then, former White House Counsel Bob Bauer stops by to talk about playing Trump in debate prep in 2020, the Supreme Court, and his new book, The Unraveling: Reflections on Politics without Ethics and Democracy in Crisis.
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For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.
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