Neither Trump nor Biden has debated since their final clash in the pandemic-disrupted 2020 campaign. And their preparation for one of the most important nights of their lives has reflected their character and political personas.
The president has been out of sight for days, huddled below the oaks, poplars and maple trees at the Camp David retreat with advisers, strategizing how to handle the most challenging debate foe in history. Fueled by lasagna and tacos, he's taken part in mock debates in a hangar, immersed himself in briefing binders and tried to anticipate Trump's wild twists and diversions. It's in keeping with Biden's view that he's locked in an existential election duel with the soul of the nation on the line.
The president will be ready for whichever version of Trump shows up — whether it's the bombastic opponent who talked over and insulted him in their first meeting in 2020, or a more restrained challenger seeking to project stability. If Trump aims for a presidential bearing, Biden has a locker full of practiced attacks and rebuttals designed to provoke him into making the outbursts that could turn voters off.
The former president hates mock debates and has instead honed his preparation at rallies and events, trusting his instincts and intuition and a feral sense of an opponent's political weakness.
Trump has also claimed that Biden will be "jacked up" for the debate on drugs, as his aides frantically have tried to dismantle the expectations trap that the ex-president constructed for himself by suggesting that Biden is so mentally diminished that he can barely stand up or finish a sentence.
And Trump, as usual, is also obsessing about golf, accusing Biden, who is quietly one of the best presidential golfers, of being unable to drive a ball 10 yards.
It would be a lot less stressful for everyone if they could settle their differences on the links rather than the debate stage.
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