Trump Says He Will Request Drug Testing Of Biden (And Himself) Before Debates
[guest post by Dana]
This strikes me as yet another indication of how upside-down things are right now. We are in the midst of a pandemic where a highly-contagious disease just won’t quit, yet at Melania Trump’s Rose Garden speech this week, with 70 guests spaced about 2 feet apart, the White House only administered coronavirus tests to the guests seated “in the rows near the President and vice-president”. Further, the White House did not take guests’ temperatures before entering the premises nor require them to wear masks. Playing fast and loose with the virus is normal with this administration, and it becomes more significant when contrasted with Trump’s demand that Biden take a drug test before the debates…as a precaution:
President Trump says he will call for drug tests for both former Vice President Joe Biden and himself before the first candidates’ debate on Sept. 29. In an Oval Office interview Wednesday, the president expressed suspicion at what he said was a sudden, marked improvement in Biden’s debate performance during the Democratic primary season and suggested that he believes the improvement was the result of drugs. The president offered no evidence to support his speculation.
…
“Nobody thought that he was even going to win,” Trump said. “Because his debate performances were so bad. Frankly, his best performance was against Bernie. We’re going to call for a drug test, by the way, because his best performance was against Bernie. It wasn’t that he was Winston Churchill because he wasn’t, but it was a normal, boring debate. You know, nothing amazing happened. And we are going to call for a drug test because there’s no way — you can’t do that.”
When asked what he thought was going on, Trump responded:
“I don’t know how he could have been so incompetent in his debate performances and then all of a sudden be OK against Bernie,” Trump answered. “My point is, if you go back and watch some of those numerous debates, he was so bad. He wasn’t even coherent. And against Bernie, he was. And we’re calling for a drug test.”
Apparently, there was no basis for Trump’s claims other than his own um, knowing eye:
“All I can tell you is that I’m pretty good at this stuff,” he said. “I look. I watched him in the debates with all of the different people. He was close to incompetent, if not incompetent, and against Bernie, he was normal … and I say, ‘How does that happen?'”
…
“Go back and watch his performances in some of those debates,” Trump continued. “He didn’t know where he was. And all of a sudden, he was not good, he was normal, and I don’t understand how. I don’t know if there is or not, but somebody said to me, ‘He must be on drugs.’ I don’t know if that’s true or not, but I’m asking for a drug test. Both candidates. Me, too. I take an aspirin a day.”
Trump did not say what sort of drug test he wanted, nor did he name any specific drug, or make any suggestion about who should administer the drug tests.
As a reminder, Trump made the same request of Hillary Clinton in 2016:
Donald Trump suggested Saturday that his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, has been “getting pumped up” with performance-enhancing drugs and challenged Clinton to take a drug test before the final debate next week.
Trump argued that Clinton was more energetic during the beginning of their debate last Sunday, but lost her steam by the end of the debate. He offered no evidence to back up his wild claim.
“I think we should take a drug test prior to the debate,” Trump said during a rally here. “Because I don’t know what’s going on with her, but at the beginning of her last debate, she was all pumped up at the beginning, and at the end it was like, huff, take me down. She could barely reach her car.”
Obviously, no drug testing was administered in 2016, nor will it be in 2020. This move by Trump is yet another pre-emptive strike in case he loses the debates bigly. First, remind people that Biden is old and too feeble-minded to come out the winner in a debate unless he has taken some unknown, unnamed performance-boosting drug. Then, if when Biden comes out the winner, Trump can blame his loss on Biden’s drug use as well as pointing to it as proof that it’s a “rigged election”.
–Dana
He is just so predictable…
Dana (292df6) — 8/27/2020 @ 9:41 amA Juiced JoeyBee.
He is literally doing his ‘Max Headroom’ routine on MSNBC as I type this.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 8/27/2020 @ 9:58 amWith Vice Admiral (Vice being the operative word) Ronny Jackson no longer Trump’s doctor, mutual testing might not be a bad thing. It might even be honest.
nk (1d9030) — 8/27/2020 @ 10:12 amThe one defamed by john tester by proxy, this is why duels were invented.
Bolivar di griz (7404b5) — 8/27/2020 @ 10:13 amIt’s amusing Trump is so intimidated by Biden’s cognitive performance that he considers it superhuman, and evidence he is getting unnatural help. A couple weeks ago the talking point was that Biden is brain dead, they are playing weekend at Bernies, but after that 25 minute speech, which was just OK, Trump’s in full panic. His one attempt to define Biden as an absentee incompetent has failed, so now it’s drugs.
Do I care? If the president is prescribed something, do I care? I imagine all these 70-90 year old judges and politicians have a whole cocktail and a phalanx of doctors and therapists. It’s unfair that my grandma doesn’t get all that, but it’s not like I want the leader of the free world to do without what he or she needs.
Like Dana says, this is just a predictable distraction. Trump would wreck any issue or cause, he would probably let everyone you love die, for a minor improvement in whatever his goals are. And with everything heating up between the US and China, and both governments in need of distractions, I wonder how obvious Trump wants to make this.
Dustin (5418f4) — 8/27/2020 @ 10:13 am1. What drug would you take to do better in a debate? Some kind of stimulant?
Time123 (dba73f) — 8/27/2020 @ 10:15 am2. I think this is a great idea and would love to see the independent lab toxicology report from a hair follicle test for Biden and Trump with prescriptions that will be used to explain any odd results submitted ahead of time.
Good Lord, if there really is indeed a drug which helps to mitigate Joe Biden’s dementia, isn’t it a good thing that he’s taking it? This isn’t the Olympics where competitors have to do it all without any pharmaceutical aide (or at least, any that can be detected through regular testing).
JVW (ee64e4) — 8/27/2020 @ 10:16 amDustin, I care if Biden / Trump is taking a mood altering drug, such as adderall or provigil, to try and counteract the natural loss of energy that comes from getting old.
Time123 (52fb0e) — 8/27/2020 @ 10:22 am@6. What was Reagan on?
Beau knows.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 8/27/2020 @ 10:23 amIf Biden did take some kind of drug to make him more lucid and articulate – why isn’t it being administered intravenously to Trump?
Dave (1bb933) — 8/27/2020 @ 10:25 amI don’t know, JVW, Trump has equated the debates with prizefights and gladiators, so in his mind, it’s right up there with the Olympics, no??
Dana (292df6) — 8/27/2020 @ 10:27 amIt’s a distraction, but it’s a distraction intended to rile his base. If he loses the debates bigly, his loyal supporters will scream rigged election just as loudly as their leader demands they do. This is just putting the bug in their ears.
Dana (292df6) — 8/27/2020 @ 10:28 amHeh! Drugs leave residue in saliva, hair, and nails. I just had a vision of Trump’s Secret Service team meticulously vacuuming up his hair and nail clippings for the incinerator, and bagging his tableware for a boil wash.
nk (1d9030) — 8/27/2020 @ 10:32 amYou have an extraordinarily low standard for john gill, who can barely appear in front of the curtains.
Bolivar di griz (7404b5) — 8/27/2020 @ 10:34 amThe demon sperm lady would be an obvious choice.
She could also detect any space alien DNA in whatever Biden is on.
Dave (1bb933) — 8/27/2020 @ 10:35 amHa! Good one, Dave. I have to admit that I was surprised she didn’t make an appearance the convention this week.
Dana (292df6) — 8/27/2020 @ 10:37 amBiden should agree to a drug test if Trump releases his tax returns.
“Which one of us has something to hide, Mr. President?”
Dave (1bb933) — 8/27/2020 @ 10:38 amI think it was a few weeks ago that Biden mocked taking a cognitive test, and drug test. I can’t remember the details, but the Trump campaign “pounced” on his pushback to the reporter because he was irritated by the question and demanded to know if the reporter was a coke addict or something.
Dana (292df6) — 8/27/2020 @ 10:38 am1. What drug would you take to do better in a debate? Some kind of stimulant?
I would look for something that temporarily changes the sleep cycle, and thereby the time of “sundowning”, the most common symptom of early dementia. Ambien? Risperdal in Trump’s case?
nk (1d9030) — 8/27/2020 @ 10:39 amHere’s the story.
Dana (292df6) — 8/27/2020 @ 10:39 amWe can keep destroying cities, but celebrating america is verboten got it.
Bolivar di griz (7404b5) — 8/27/2020 @ 10:40 am@10. Are you kidding???
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRZofakC2Nw
Sing along: Introducing… Diet Coke! You’re gonna love it just for the taste of it!”
See you can spot him in the crowd at Radio City!
DCSCA (797bc0) — 8/27/2020 @ 10:41 am…and nk should be pleased with who closed out the spot.
urbanleftbehind (312524) — 8/27/2020 @ 10:46 am@23. Who loves’ya, baby?! 😉
DCSCA (797bc0) — 8/27/2020 @ 10:48 amIf hes the guy behind Ben Vereen before the crowd is seated, he looks a lot like Tucker Carlson.
urbanleftbehind (312524) — 8/27/2020 @ 10:49 amAlso penicillin.
Dave (1bb933) — 8/27/2020 @ 10:51 am@25. LOL I remember wehn they were filming this and it first aired in NYC. It’s so perfectly 1980s.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 8/27/2020 @ 10:51 amBiden never made any sense, even before the brain operation, thats why obama picked him and had him oversee the stimulus and afghan policy.
Bolivar di griz (7404b5) — 8/27/2020 @ 10:54 amAt the time of that commercial, Trump was calling up reporters and pretending to be “John Barron”, trying to lie his way into the Forbes 400.
There are tapes.
Dave (1bb933) — 8/27/2020 @ 11:03 amThe same idiots who fell for christopher stteeles band of drinking buddies.
Bolivar di griz (7404b5) — 8/27/2020 @ 11:08 amHm, what timing… Pelosi is now calling on Biden to skip the debates . What does she know that we don’t know??!!!
Dana (292df6) — 8/27/2020 @ 11:08 amThey clearly need to test her, shes barely more aware, but that was the trial ballon from tumulty friedman et al
Bolivar di griz (7404b5) — 8/27/2020 @ 11:13 amShe knows Trump has a speech tonight and has a hard time staying on task when given an opportunity to punch back.
Time123 (66d88c) — 8/27/2020 @ 11:14 amTheres no crime that the democrats will perpetrate that they can be held accountable for, and the press is in almost complete lockstep, wikileaks revealed that and they have continued the pattern
Bolivar di griz (7404b5) — 8/27/2020 @ 11:16 amIt is real easy to ‘take a side’ here and because of my contempt for Trump has a person full Biden with qualities he doesn’t have. Some presidential qualities that I like, stoic resolve, optimism, they are very easily faked. Biden has had a really, really long time to show me he’s a great leader. He has some great ads, and he is running against the bad guy, but he is not a great leader.
It is frustrating that we need leadership, a nation at war for 20 straight years with some of the most successful inventions and corporations, and we can’t produce a leader. Someone who is above the fray, wise, smart, brave, honest. Just can’t do it in this political system. And neither party sees that as the main issue, of course.
Dustin (5418f4) — 8/27/2020 @ 11:20 amOops. I guess I forgot to take my biden chewables today.
Dustin (5418f4) — 8/27/2020 @ 11:21 amDustin, Biden is not, and never has been a great leader. But it’s possible he wont’ try to stop testing that’s useful in dealing with a pandemic just because the results undercut his lies and claims based on wishful thinking.
I am deeply disappointed at our options.
Time123 (66d88c) — 8/27/2020 @ 11:29 amHave you tried chanting “Lock her up”? Maybe that would get Trump/Bar to take some action.
Time123 (66d88c) — 8/27/2020 @ 11:30 amI think it was a few weeks ago that Biden mocked taking a cognitive test, and drug test. I can’t remember the details, but the Trump campaign “pounced” on his pushback to the reporter because he was irritated by the question and demanded to know if the reporter was a coke addict or something.
Ah yes, good analysis. You’re likely right that this is just Trump trolling Biden for his comment to the reporter. But Trump could have done more to make that clear:”We should undergo the same sort of drug test that he proposed for the black reporter a couple of weeks ago.”
JVW (ee64e4) — 8/27/2020 @ 11:48 amHeh. Pelosi is just trying to give drug-addled Biden an escape from the drug testing before the debates that would doubtlessly expose his snorting, sniffing, injecting and pill popping habits!!
Dana (292df6) — 8/27/2020 @ 11:48 amJoe Biden has been an exceptional leader leading his family to millions of dollars through the congressional and vice presidential hackorama.
mg (8cbc69) — 8/27/2020 @ 11:50 amIt’s like a high school dynamic for very old students.
Time123 (53ef45) — 8/27/2020 @ 11:51 amhes a piker compared to our president donald mr mg
Dave (1bb933) — 8/27/2020 @ 11:56 amSee that, you put drug in the heading and you get spam comments trying to sell you some.
[Yeah, I sent that comment to spam. – JVW]
NJRob (eb56c3) — 8/27/2020 @ 11:58 amA test on Biden would probably indicate the ingestion of a lot of paste.
Hoi Polloi (2f1acd) — 8/27/2020 @ 12:00 pmIt’s like a high school dynamic for very old students.
Hey, somebody figured that out a year ago.
Though in fairness, I totally stole the idea from P.J. O’Rourke.
JVW (ee64e4) — 8/27/2020 @ 12:09 pmYes, really, what drug?
Caffeine? Prevagin? Acetylcholine?
Exercise?
Sammy Finkelman (86c6e0) — 8/27/2020 @ 12:10 pmJVW, I thought I was ripping off Bowling For Soup.
Time123 (66d88c) — 8/27/2020 @ 12:11 pm7. Well, you don’t want any drug that’s he’s just taking on a temporary basis. That could be misleading.
Room temperature also affects how well people think.
As does having or not having a cold. Or suffering or not suffering from pain.
Sammy Finkelman (86c6e0) — 8/27/2020 @ 12:15 pmTHis is actually another case where Trump is somehow doing something that will help Biden. (unless he really thinks that he will have trouble in a debate.
If Trump is taking anything at all, that won’t be on the drug test list.
Sammy Finkelman (86c6e0) — 8/27/2020 @ 12:21 pmTest them all.
BuDuh (daaed0) — 8/27/2020 @ 12:27 pmwe saw how twelve and eight years ago, the press through the journolist, put their thumb on the scale, vis a vis the huntress, and later ryan, but they don’t want a debate, when biden’s minders tip the hand to ady barkin and cardi b, (hey I didn’t pick those idiots) and they refuse to acknowlege the implication,
and need I remind that sanders surrogates, in south carolina and iowa promised what has come to pass, but lets pretend otherwise,
bolivar de gris (7404b5) — 8/27/2020 @ 12:30 pmSay it ain’t so, Joe:
Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FhOH5ZdEIA
Making America- -and Pizza Hut- Great Again.
I love this guy. Ball’s in your court, JoeyBee: pitch Lady Liberty a little Geritol!
DCSCA (797bc0) — 8/27/2020 @ 12:34 pmHonestly pizza sounds pretty good
Dustin (5418f4) — 8/27/2020 @ 12:43 pmfancy that,
bolivar de gris (7404b5) — 8/27/2020 @ 12:51 pmhttps://babalublog.com/2020/08/27/chinese-dissident-and-survivor-of-communism-rejects-democrat-partys-policy-of-appeasement-endorses-trump/
MSNBC reports Trump will “address the storm tonight.”
Hope he uses a Sharpie.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 8/27/2020 @ 12:54 pm53, he’ll pitch her a roofie.
urbanleftbehind (312524) — 8/27/2020 @ 12:58 pmyes it was about this time, last year with hurricane dorian, that devastated the bahamas,
https://pjmedia.com/vodkapundit/2020/08/27/insanity-wrap-37-fiery-but-peaceful-is-a-thing-now-n848030
bolivar de gris (7404b5) — 8/27/2020 @ 1:05 pm@57. Can’t stop laughing- this guy is so 10,000% American– and making it great with every pitch. But how did that Pepsi spot sneak in:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zYqFaygkGU
DCSCA (797bc0) — 8/27/2020 @ 1:06 pmMaybe Trump will agree to a drug test if Bornstein the White administers it. He’s so good that all he has to do is wave his stethoscope over Trump’s pee cup and declare, “Clean! Purest sample known to man!”
Paul Montagu (a2078e) — 8/27/2020 @ 1:18 pmBTW, the last time Trump was in a debate was over 46 months ago. Biden’s last debate was 5 months ago, the 11th over a 9-month span. If there’s a person looking for an excuse to bail, it’ll be the less-practiced Trump, but he’s going to have to think of a better excuse than demanding Biden take a drug test.
60. Biden’s debate performance with his now-running mate was less-than-stellar IMO. Harris raked him over the coals.
Gryph (f63000) — 8/27/2020 @ 1:28 pmYou don’t suppose Bornstein is still upset about the time Trump sent two thugs and a lawyer to raid his office, do you?
Dave (1bb933) — 8/27/2020 @ 1:42 pmcheck the watercooler at espn,
https://dailycaller.com/2020/08/27/max-kellerman-sec-football-fans-immune-to-facts/
bolivar de gris (7404b5) — 8/27/2020 @ 1:42 pmI’m pretty sure he’s doing this because of the RNC opening night. Certain speakers displayed so much enthusiasm that cocaine started trending on Twitter.
So he makes a random accusation and it is all a big who-cares mess to low-information voters.
There have of course been the open rumors about Don’s affinity for Adderall for years.
john (cd2753) — 8/27/2020 @ 2:36 pmPoliticians are Masters of the Universe and normal physics, chemistry and biology does not apply to them. See Jon Corzine and seat belts (not to mention financial laws)
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 8/27/2020 @ 3:33 pmHe’s just a Love Machine; And he won’t work for nobody but you:
https:/www.youtube.com/watch?v=96-Ob2xdHuc
DCSCA (797bc0) — 8/27/2020 @ 4:59 pmhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96-Ob2xdHuc
DCSCA (797bc0) — 8/27/2020 @ 5:00 pmBiden should take drug test if Trump releases his tax returns. Biden should take drug test if Trump releases all women from their non disclosure agreements.
charles (286767) — 9/25/2020 @ 12:26 pm