A pair of Democratic strategists who helped President Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign laid into J.D. Vance and Donald Trump ahead of the Tuesday debate — with one even saying he gave Donald Trump a "dead cat bounce" and both agreeing that Trump will bring a "stale" playbook. (Screengrab via CNN)
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Two Democratic strategists made each other and a CNN host laugh Wednesday as they laid into J.D. Vance and Donald Trump ahead of next week's debate — with one saying Vance gave Trump a "dead cat bounce" and the other saying Trump will bring a playbook as "stale" as an eight-year-old, sun-soaked milk carton.
James Carville and Paul Begala, who helped President Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign, joined CNN's "OutFront" with Erin Burnett to talk about the upcoming Sept. 10 debate, with Carville saying he fully expects Vice President Kamala Harris to "drag" Trump "all across the debate platform."
"I think she is very well prepared," he said. "I think his whole act is stale and is going to be exposed at this debate. I'm very optimistic and I'm not supposed to say that. I might have to eat my words, but I don't think I'm going to."
Begala told Burnett that Trump's signature playbook of attacks won't work at the debate.
"No way," he said, noting 75% of Americans want change and calling Harris "change incarnate."
Begala likened Trump's playbook to a "carton of milk" left in the sun for eight years.
"It's stale and it stinks and nobody wants it," he said.
When the strategists were asked their thoughts on Trump's running mate J.D. Vance, Begala walked back his previous suggestion that Trump may ditch Vance for someone like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Begala opined that Vance isn't funny "haha" but funny "strange."
"The guy can't even order a donut," said Begala, referencing a clip of Vance ordering the pastry.
Carville went even further, saying Trump got a "dead cat bounce" after picking Vance.
"That's exactly what he got," said Carville, to laughs from the panel. "He's got this turkey strapped around his neck and they're going to choke him with it. I promise you."
Begala finished with a piece of advice for Harris: "Don't be 81 years old."
