Maggie Haberman shares big lesson Trump has learned since 2020 debates
Former President Donald Trump is doing a debate gut check.
Before returning to the big stage June 27 to rematch President Joe Biden, the former president is realizing he played too loud and rude the first go-around.
"He has said to people multiple times that he knows that he interrupted too much in the first debate with Biden in 2020 and having just re-watch that debate recently, it's really striking," New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman told CNN's Anderson Cooper. "I mean, we all talked about it at the time, but Biden could barely get a word in edgewise and Biden was kinda smiling throughout as this was happening."
When the two presidents squared off in 2020, Trump's constant hectoring hindered the former vice president from much of a chance to speak, essentially shooting himself in the foot and turning off swing voters.
Trump has already touted the showdown as one where his Democratic foe will likely appear high on cocaine.
"He’s gonna be so pumped up. He’s gonna be pumped up,” said Trump. “You know all that stuff that was missing about a month ago from the White House? What happened?”
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Trump went off the scripted teleprompter while speaking at a rally in Racine, Wisconsin, on Tuesday.
He also suggested hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of cocaine was found in the White House.
“...and somebody didn’t pick up hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of cocaine," Trump said. "I wonder who that could’ve been.
"I don't know. Actually I think it was Joe," he said with a laugh.
A small amount of cocaine found at the White House triggered an investigation by the Secret Service, but no conclusive explanation was ever determined for who brought the drugs inside.
Haberman noted that the 45th president, who just turned 78, is determined to perform well.
"I mean, in public, his aides often downplay the prep that he does," she said. "He's been doing not standard debate prep. He doesn't have stand-ins as of now for Biden in these debates."
Instead, Trump engaged in a policy session with seasoned pols Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Eric Schmitt (R-MO), according to Haberman's reporting in The New York Times.
The session, which also included members of Trump’s staff, was held at the Republican National Committee headquarters near Capitol Hill, where Trump held other meetings with lawmakers earlier in the day.
One cause of concern: what Trump will say when asked about the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Haberman suggested Trump will take a more nuanced approach than he has previously, such as saluting those charged in the riot as "patriots" and promising pardons.
She added: "What they are hoping he is going to say, and again who knows what he'll we'll actually say, but what they're hoping he is going to say is some version of it depends on the case."
Watch the clip below or at this link.