Some Debate notes

Ever since the phrase “spin doctors” was used, presidential debates have devolved from policy into personality and from positions into childish games of “gotcha” and “liar liar, pants on fire”.

As long as we agree on the reality of what will happen tonight, some predictions.

Joe Biden, the cool calm technocrat, turns into a populist shark devouring Donald Trump with bites at his policy failures, legal problems, and impending sentencing in two weeks.

Donald Trump will lash out at CNN as well as Dana Bash and Jake Tapper. He'll also claim President Biden has rigged the debate and that the rules are unfair.

Biden will mention Trump's conviction at least 5 times. He'll specifically bring up Trump's statements about running for president while under indictment during his closing statement.

Donald Trump will make faces and weird gestures while President Biden is speaking. Trump will have at least 4 non-sequiturs while answer questions.

No, we are unlikely to learn anything new; but if history teaches us anything, either Trump or Biden will say or do something that will affect members of the Corporate Fourth Estate into focusing on ad nauseum until Labor Day or Trump's first contempt hearing or the next mass shooting.