Trump ranted as if he were reading the Facebook tirade of a conspiracy-theory-obsessed lunatic, his face twisted in frustration and anger.
And now a quick message to Republicans in the wake of Tuesday night’s presidential debate: HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAAAA! Are you kidding me? This babbling idiot is your standard-bearer? Great job!
With a clever comment early in the debate, Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris shattered any facade of reason around Donald Trump and let him slip into his true, babbling, insane self. Often incomprehensible, full of anger and resentment, he was a fool for the ages and a tragic figure to whom Republicans cling.
Harris did what is unthinkable for Trump. She aptly said that people often left his rallies “out of exhaustion and boredom” because it was always the same old thing.
A dig from Harris and Trump was thrown out of the debate
And that was all it took. Trump hadn’t made much sense to begin with, but after that subtle jab, he went berserk, and there aren’t enough antacids in the world to settle the stomachs of the honest Republicans who watched the rest.
He got angry, ranted about immigrants, and even made a baseless, racist claim that has been making the rounds in the right-wing nutcase sphere lately.
When asked about his recent statement that he lost the last election “by a whisker” – the first time he admitted to losing the 2020 presidential election – Trump replied, “I said that?” He then insisted that he actually won the last election, which is utter nonsense.
Trump ranted angrily and showed the viewers of the debate who he really is
On the subject of race, Trump said of Harris: “I read that she was not black.”
When asked about a health care reform plan, which he has essentially promised for ages and never delivered on, he said he had “concepts for a plan.”
At one point he said he was listing two things regarding immigration, but in fact he was listing three things: “We need two things, we need walls… we need to have borders and we need to have good elections.”
What?
Trump has gone crazy: Trump is 78 and barely in his right mind. Where is everyone who questioned Biden’s age and fitness?
Biden’s debate flop seemed unmatched. Trump did his equivalent – and more.
As much as the first debate was a disaster for President Joe Biden – a disaster that resulted in his resignation and Harris taking over as the front-runner – this debate was a deep embarrassment for Trump and Republicans in general.
Trump ranted as if he were reading the Facebook tirade of a conspiracy-theory-obsessed lunatic, his face twisted with frustration and anger, and he hurled words and ideas that make sense only to those who live in the deepest fever swamps of the MAGA universe.
Rally Trump is the worst kind of Trump for the GOP
The last thing his campaign or the party at large wanted was for Debate Trump to sound like Rally Trump. The rallies are for the fanatical base, and they are, if you haven’t seen them, festivals of vile rhetoric and insanity. The debates are supposed to give Trump the appearance of being a serious person who has… you know… ideas and stuff. A man who understands politics and can at least make people believe he’s remotely qualified to return to the White House.
Oops. Harris’ jabs at the former president’s fragile ego quickly provoked Rally Trump, and boy, did he blow it.
GOP can still save itself: Dick Cheney chooses Kamala Harris, giving conservatives one last chance to save the Republicans from Trump
“I was one of the pioneers in the field of fertilization,” he said, speaking about abortion and IVF, which probably caused at least five of his advisers to lose consciousness.
When asked whether he would oppose a ban on abortion, he did not answer.
At times he was fully conscious, not answering questions but spitting out lies as if he had just stuffed himself with the mere thought of dishonesty.
Harris knew exactly how to beat Trump in the debate
And Harris had him under control at every turn. After he denied the result of the 2020 election, she said, “It’s obviously very difficult for him to process this.”
It was merciless, sending Trump into a chaotic display of bizarre babble designed to scare the crap out of voters and leave Republicans muttering, “Dear God, what have we done?”
Harris once again aptly responded to Trump’s loud, dishonest and extreme rhetoric: “Let’s turn over a new leaf. Let’s not go back.”
Amen to that.
She said: “The American people are exhausted.”
I can imagine that many Republicans feel the same after this colossal chaos. Exhausted, not hopeful about the poll results, and Really i wish they would have chosen a candidate who wasn’t whatever the hell that was.
Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on X, formerly Twitter, @RexHuppke and Facebook facebook.com/RexIsAJerk
