10-21-2020, 04:30 PM
(10-21-2020, 11:10 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: You don't think Trump struggles unscripted? He goes off on tangents when left to his own devices on a regular basis. He has had many, many gaffs. When unscripted he merely feeds off the audience and reverts to tropes that do well with his base. That isn't good for a debate.
Trump is "off script" and "on tangents" only to people expecting him to detail and set policy.
I don't think his supporters are much interested in that. In their view, a "lock her up" chant is not off script, nor is a long rant about Hunter Biden's "criminal history" a tangent, though to us that may be WAY off the topic of how to lead the nation through a pandemic.
I'd say its the opposite--he struggles when scripted. He senses his audience is not interested in a step by step presentation of CDC guidelines or any approach to the pandemic that requires self-discipline/personal responsibility. "Get your state back open!" is what they want to hear. "Fauci is an idiot." "Biden is hidin'!" That IS the script for them.