The Bern Out Continues

Apparently this whole horrible idea of a Bernie Sanders/Donald Trump debate in California is not only a real thing, but apparently may actually happen.

Donald Trump late Wednesday said that he is ready and willing to debate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) for charity. 

“Yes, I am,” he said on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!" "How much is he going to pay me? If he paid a nice sum toward a charity, I’d love to do that.

“If I debated him, we would have such high ratings and I think I should take that money and give it to some worthy charity,” the GOP’s presumptive presidential nominee added. 

Sanders, a Democratic presidential candidate, later accepted Trump’s offer, even offering a potential battleground site.

I'm with Steve M. on this.  It's an atrocious idea that only plays into Trump's stubby little hands.

Trump will spend most of the "debate" either agreeing with Sanders (on trade deals, on the need for more jobs) or chiding him gently. Trump will have no motivation to bang heads with Sanders -- remember, in the primaries he attacked opponents only when they seemed to be gaining on him in polls of upcoming contests. Trump's goal will be to use the words of Sanders as a club to beat Clinton with. Sanders won't see that coming, though he certainly won't object when it happens. He'll pile on. 

It's not going to be a great moment in the history of Western democracy. Sorry, kids.

Agreed.  This is going to be a slag fest on Hillary, and Sanders won't lay a glove on Trump. He'll be too busy trashing Clinton. I don't see any reason for doing this unless Sanders is willing to destroy the party for his own ego (entirely possible at this juncture.)

And can you imagine the howling of "Arrogant!" and screaming of "What a bitch!" from the Sanders camp if Hillary debated Trump before the California primary?

Nope, there's zero upside for Sanders here other than to be used as a tool to attack Hillary with by Trump, and at this point Sanders is okay with that.

Right now any possible goodwill I've had left for the Sanders camp is gone. The man was never a Democrat, and with this stunt, he clearly shows that he doesn't care if he fractures the party and hands the country over to Trump.

But the joke's on Bernie: Trump has no actual intention of debating him.

Chances of a @realDonaldTrump @BernieSanders debate? From 3 #Trump sources: #NeverHappen "0" & "It was a joke." #TooBad #PayPerView

— Major Garrett (@MajorCBS) May 26, 2016

I'm done with him at this point.