Debate Prep: Hillary, Trump and the Biggest Night

It's unlikely the debate will change the race much if at all. The only real chance for change are for independents and soft supporters of either candidate. Trump's hardcore supporters will still be there no matter what kind of performance he delivers. The same can be said for Hillary Clinton's hardcore base of support.

Currently, Hillary's lagging group of support is in the under 30 crowd. If one is to believe the polling data available, it fairly grim. 45% in some polls compared to President Obama's 2012 reelection numbers of 60%.

The remaining Bernie supporters are being split between Johnson-Weld, Jill Stein, and even Trump. It's about voting against the establishment for many. These voters are not going to be swayed by logic, Hillary, her supporters, or by a terrible Trump performance either.

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This could be discouraging as Hillary has the toughest road in these debates. She can't make a mistake, and she has to get Trump to make colossal ones. No matter what she says or how she performs for many, it'll never be good enough. 

Trump is graded by an entirely different set of criteria than her. And, the expectations for him couldn't be lower. All he has to do is minimally exceed them to be seen as winning the debate or at least matching her. 

It's a rough road for her, but one I think she could and will rise to the challenge and meet. 

Her internet haters will be out in full force during and after the debate. They will, as usual, flood the zone in those unscientific web polls in order to give the appearance that Trump won. 

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That is what we should anticipate. 

If anything is accurate, millennials aren't the most reliable of voters. However, it should be of some concern that 66% and 60% respectively voted for Obama in his two elections. Hillary has made up for some of that in white college educated voters and women voters. 

A lot of this is connected back to the behavior and rhetoric of Bernie, his campaign, and the hardcore of his base of support that still exists. It makes no sense why people would flock to Johnson-Weld, and Stein's only real issue is the Native American pipeline, where an arrest warrant was even issued for her.  

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It might be of some surprise, but the 20% of LGBT voters supporting Trump isn't off the mark. Trump did make a point of including Q in some high profile speeches.

However, Trump still opposes marriage equality, would appoint judges that would overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, the case that made marriage equality the law of the land, and has an extensive and murky record and statements regarding the LGBT community, including supporting discrimination on the basis of religious beliefs, as Governor Mike Pence signed into law in Indiana.

Of course, 22% of LGBT voters supported Romney in 2012.

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So, Trump certainly has the hardest path to 270 electoral votes. It can be done.

Best advice. Become more informed. Watch the debates. Talk about what's important to you.

These choices are difficult for those who have yet to make up their mind. Take the time to look at what these candidates have actually done with their lives. What work have they done, for whom did they do that work, how long have they been doing it.

I can't wait to see how this debate unfolds.