The Barbershop: Dennis Byrne, Proprietor

If Trump keeps talking like this he’ll lose the debate and the election

Is President Donald Trump stupid? Why would he stumble over a White House press conference question about the transfer of presidential power?

The AP reported:

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday again declined to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he loses the Nov. 3 presidential election.

“We’re going to have to see what happens,” Trump said at a news conference, responding to a question about whether he’d commit to a peaceful transfer of power. “You know that I’ve been complaining very strongly about the ballots, and the ballots are a disaster.”

“Get rid of the ballots and you’ll have a very peaceful — there won’t be a transfer, frankly. There will be a continuation,”

There’s some slight room in the comments and context to suggest that Trump didn’t mean that he would forcibly obstruct Biden from become president if Trump lost the election. As in, “Roll out the tanks to protect Trump encamped in the White House.” Trump’s answer sounded as confusing and incoherent as as anything that Biden has mumbled. Trying to read Trump’s mind, he probably wanted to intend to keep his options open to legally challenge in court any questionable vote counting. But as Al Gore did.

But what Trump said was enough to leave many Americans aghast that he would even consider it and for Democrats to launch another attack on the Mouth that Roared. For sure, Biden will press Trump during the debate to clarify this remark. Thankfully, Sen. Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Senate Majority Floor leader, and other Republicans jumped in to assure Americans that there will be a peaceful transfer of power in January.

It’s no bulletin is that Trump is his own worst enemy, and gaffs (hopefully, that what it was) like this will lose the small number of undecided and moderate voters–exactly those that he needs to win the election.

Trump and Republicans have lowered the bar so low on Biden’s expected performance next week that if the former vice president leaves on both legs, he will have won. At the same time, the Trump camp has set his bar so high (“He’ll make mincemeat out of Biden” etc.) that the president, even in his own mind, can not rise to those heights. Trump’s compulsive narcissism will expose him to Biden’s attacks on his person, policies and performance. It might take only a little to set Trump off on a wild, disconnected or untruthful rant,

Trump is pigheaded enough to ignore any smart advice, convinced as he always has been that his “unbelievable,” “strong” and “incredible” talent will carry the day. In the meantime, he’ll be betraying ever voter who thinks the conservative path is the best way forward.