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topicnews · August 27, 2024

Kari Lake needs one more mute button for debates than Donald Trump

Kari Lake needs one more mute button for debates than Donald Trump

Things didn’t quite go according to plan for Lake and her guru, and now both seem to be in trouble.

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Donald Trump and Kari Lake used to be a team, a duo, MAGA’s version of Bonnie and Clyde, Boris and Natasha, Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling.

Just last year, People magazine even published an article with the headline: “Kari Lake appears at Mar-a-Lago more often than Melania Trump and ‘practically lives’ in a suite.”

But as Lake’s craziness grew and her popularity in Arizona declined, the big hugs she once received from the “Beloved Leader” seemed to have been relegated to polite handshakes – especially now that both of them are facing a full-blown election campaign.

So perhaps it should not surprise us that Trump and Lake seem to pursue completely opposite strategies in debates.

Trump’s camp wants to turn off the microphone

Trump’s camp seems interested in silencing its fickle and at times incoherent candidate, while Lake’s camp wants to strengthen its own candidate.

Over the weekend, Trump hinted that he might withdraw from a debate with Vice President Kamala Harris scheduled for September 10.

On Sunday, he wrote on social media: “I watched ABC FAKE NEWS this morning, both lightweight reporter Jonathan Carl’s (K?) ridiculous and biased interview with Tom Cotton (who was fantastic!) and their so-called panel of Trump haters, and I’m wondering why I should have the debate against Kamala Harris on this network?”

Trump’s team had previously complained about the debate procedure, which did not mute Trump’s microphone when it was not his turn to speak. Harris’ camp wants to keep the microphones on throughout the debate.

Brian Fallon, a senior adviser to Harris’ campaign, said: “To our knowledge, Trump’s advisers prefer to mute the microphone because they do not believe their candidate can act as president for 90 minutes alone.”

Kari Lake always wants to wear microphones

Lake, who previously refused to debate her Republican opponent in the primary, Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, is now extremely eager to debate her Democratic opponent in the U.S. Senate, Rep. Ruben Gallego.

To achieve this, it is even prepared to make major concessions.

Normally, Lake seems to prefer a debate where she is the only person wearing a microphone and knows she is being recorded.

Kari Lake’s latest makeover? She is just a middle-aged mother

Some time ago, there was a filmed argument with Gallego over immigration at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

And, of course, the secret recording of then-Arizona Republican Party Chairman Jeff DeWit telling Lake there would be money if she decided not to run for Senate. The public release of that recording cost him his job.

Lake is also known for recording conversations with reporters and wearing microphones at campaign rallies.

Nobody wins a debate, but someone often loses

However, I believe that in a debate about clean elections both The candidates are equipped with microphones.

The danger for a politician, of course, is that his words will be heard. As we have learned over time, a political debate is not something a candidate can win, but it is certainly something a candidate can lose.

Given reports that her campaign is not receiving much money, Lake is willing to take that risk.

Or as Jessica Taylor, Senate and gubernatorial race editor for the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, put it: “Money makes the world go round. It shows that Republicans currently see other elections as winnable than the Arizona Senate race.”

Ouch.

Meanwhile, the Arizona Police Association announced Monday that it would support Gallego in the Senate race, just days after its president endorsed Donald Trump on stage in Glendale.

Ouchagain.

All of this probably makes Lake, even more than Trump, ask: Where is the mute button when you need it?

Reach Montini at [email protected].

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