'Get under his skin': Expert lays out 3 ways Harris can 'help Trump hurt himself' in debate

Many GOP strategists have been urging former President Donald Trump to keep his cool when he debates Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday, September 10 and hammer her from a policy standpoint rather than resorting to personal attacks.

But veteran Democratic strategist James Carville, in an op-ed/listicle published by the New York Times on September 3, argues that Harris, during the debate, needs to do everything she can to make sure Trump doesn't keep his cool.

Carville's op-ed/listicle lays out a strategy for defeating Trump in November. And his recommendations are: (1) "Help Mr. Trump hurt himself in the debate(s)," (2) "Break from President Biden on policy," and (3) "Display a clear growth mindset from the 2020 Democratic primaries."

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The Democratic strategist, now 79, emphasizes that the more Trump rants, raves and rambles during the debate, the better it will be for Harris.

"If there's one thing Americans love," Carville writes, "it’s a train wreck... Mr. Trump must be the train wreck, and it's on Ms. Harris to lay the tracks... In the September 10 debate, Ms. Harris must enable exactly what his campaign is scared to death of: letting Trump be Trump."

Carville continues, "She should let him talk over her. Not just let him but goad him into spouting insane conspiracy theories about the previous election."

During a recent interview, CNN's Dana Bash asked Harris about Trump claiming that she "happened to turn Black" as a political move. Harris responded, "Same old tired playbook. Next question, please."

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Carville applauds that answer in his op-ed/listicle, arguing that Harris needs to take a similar approach in the September 10 debate.

"She should use her sense of humor at key moments to get under his skin and show he's not getting to her," the Democratic strategist recommends. "And she should welcome the personal attacks as a badge of honor. And each time, no matter how many times he does it, respond with this refrain: It's the same old tired playbook, and I'm focused on a new way forward."

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James Carville's full New York Times op-ed at this link (subscription required).