Mostly, though, remember that image is paramount. It doesn’t matter if the other guy’s the radical if you’re the man who, to the uninformed, seems like one
President Trump is masterful at his rallies. I’ve never seen anyone work a crowd better. Able to control the microphone, he’s loose, conversational, fluent, interesting, funny and even sometimes charming. He connects with people.
That’s not what he did September 29, however, during the first presidential debate. Many conservatives won’t like hearing this, but Trump underperformed while Joe Biden exceeded the very low expectations set for him. The ex-vice president simply had to show up and not exhibit dementia; the president had to impress. This he did not do. And he can — and must — up his game at the next debate, which also happens to be the last one.