Some canned answers would have helped Trump

Me, last night: "Did he do any debate prep?"

Rich Lowry, today: "Is It Too Much to Ask That Trump Prepare for Debates?"

We’ve now had two presidential debates, and at neither one has Trump managed to say one specific thing about his economy (the stock market was up and inflation was low don’t really count). He hasn’t deployed one figure about how real wages were up in his first three years and have been stagnant under Biden-Harris — perhaps the best argument for himself. It’s all been foggy generalities.

Same on immigration, his signature issue. All he ever says is that millions of people are coming in, they commit crimes, and foreign countries are emptying their jails — over and over.

He never makes any arguments that are designed to convince anyone or that connect outcomes in his administration to his specific polices.

Trey Gowdy is right: this was a "Land of Missed Opportunities."  The very first thing Trump should have said on the economy question was a prepared response like: "When I left office, inflation was 1.4% and now four years later, after spiking to 9%, inflation is costing Americans 20% more for everything from bread to shampoo."  Solid, specific, and relevant to the concerns of Americans.  Instead, brother, I can't even remember what he said except for the Haitians eating cats.

I feel like his debate prep was "we'll wing it - it'll be fine."