Trump v. Bernie: Yaaasss! Please!
In what has felt like the longest, most grueling, soul-sucking election season in modern history, finally a bright spot.
Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump have agreed to debate each other.
Can you think of a better gift? And it’s not even Christmas.
Details have yet to be worked out — and there are doubts it will come off — but late-night talk-show host Jimmy Kimmel seems to have played the role of Henry Kissinger in getting these two characters at least to say they want to come together in a televised debate before the June 7 California primary.
The Nixon-Brezhnev summit probably had only slightly more at stake than this wacky spectacle would though. After all, Sanders has practically no shot at becoming president, and no matter what Trump says at this thing it’s unlikely to have any effect on his poll numbers.
As for when and where, Trump believes it would be a ratings bonanza, and he’s probably right. Sanders tweeted, “I am delighted that @realDonaldTrump has agreed to debate. Let’s do it in the biggest stadium possible.”
Trump has said he would do it for charity — “something over $10 million” — which he and Sanders would donate to “maybe women’s health issues or something.” Planned Parenthood, perhaps?
Assuming all this can be worked out in the next week, whomever you support for president this year, this debate has something for everyone.
If you want to “Make America Great Again,” you’d likely revel in the expert counterpuncher’s savvy swings at the self-described Democratic socialist. Personally, I’m hoping Trump calls Sanders “Swedish Bernie” or “Comrade” once or twice. For Sanders’ critics, who assert he can’t deliver on all of his unrealistic campaign promises, Trump can do them proud. “Free college? Trust me, Bernie, as a businessman, I know … nothing’s ever free.”
If you’re feeling the Bern, imagine how deftly the senator would be able to expose Trump’s total ignorance on domestic and foreign policy? Maybe Sanders can finally explain to Trump that he can’t overturn the Geneva Conventions, that he probably shouldn’t unilaterally arm Saudi Arabia with nukes, and that he might want to brush up on the policies he says he supports.
These two might even bro out from time to time. They share similar positions on trade, Super PACs, and preserving Social Security. They are both anger candidates who made the calculation not to quell their constituents’ fears but to foment them.
Both emerged unexpectedly as contenders despite most election watchers’ dismissals. Expect to hear the words “rigged system” as many times as both candidates like to say, “Yuge.” And just this week, Trump told Bloomberg Politics he wants to make the GOP the “worker’s party.” Music to a socialist’s ears.
The only loser in this equation would be Hillary Clinton, who decided she didn’t want to do another debate with Sanders before California.
The Sanders/Trump debate retaliation would be sososo evil-genius, locking her out of a huge story, a big ratings event, and, to be less cynical, an important conversation. It would elevate Sanders to be debating the Republican nominee with Clinton nowhere in sight, and make her look weak for ducking an opportunity that Trump is tough enough to take on.
In a contest between Trump — who can’t tell us what exactly he plans to accomplish as president — and Sanders, who can’t tell us how, it’s hard to predict who emerges the winner here. But one thing is certain. As marketing goes, this would be P.T. Barnum’s “Greatest Show on Earth.” I just hope it happens.