Bannon doubts Dems can match Trump on debate stage

Former White House strategist Stephen Bannon said in a new interview that he doubts any of the announced 2020 Democratic primary candidates could stand up to President Trump.

In an interview with AM 970’s The Answer in New York, Bannon told host John Catsimatidis that Democrats’ failure to address foreign policy on the debate stage, particularly concerning China, would be their downfall.

{mosads}“The key to the Democrats right now … is that they really don’t talk about foreign affairs or national security. It’s like they’re running for student council president. Eventually they’re going to have to wake up to the fact that climate change may be a problem in the long term, but right now you have an existential threat today by the Chinese Communist Party,” Bannon said.

“You don’t hear a peep from the Democrats talking about this,” Bannon added. “They are not stepping up to the central issues of our time, which is a direct threat to the economic well-being and the national security well-being of the American people.”

“I just don’t see any of these people…being able to stand up against Donald Trump on a debate stage and convince the American people that they should be the commander-in-chief and not Donald Trump,” he added.

Bannon left the White House in 2017 after clashing with then-White House chief of staff John Kelly. The former Breitbart News chief has remained an ardent supporter of Trump since leaving the administration, and previously served on Trump’s 2016 campaign.

The top ten Democratic primary contenders are set to meet next week for the third debate of the 2020 cycle.