The 5-Minute Fix from The Washington Post

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By Amber Phillips

If I were a betting woman, I'd bet Republicans are in for another week of turmoil with Donald Trump.

I'd confidently place that bet for two simple reasons:

1) Sunday is the second presidential debate (9 p.m. Eastern in St. Louis, on every cable news channel and live at washingtonpost.com).

2) Trump is giving no indication he'll do anything other than be his controversial self in it.

Being himself is not necessarily a good political strategy for him. In their first foray on the debate stage on Sept. 26, Hillary Clinton managed to drag him into a week-long controversy about his beef with a Latina beauty queen, and Clinton subsequently nearly doubled her lead in the polls. (It's now a 4.5-point race, whereas it was a 2.5-point race before the debate.)

Here's why we think Trump is going to favor insults over policy solutions

Donald Trump in his town hall Thursday in New Hampshire. (Robert F. Bukaty/AP)

He participated in a town hall Thursday night, where, despite getting softball questions from a pre-vetted audience, he struggled to stay on message, give a coherent answer and do much other than try to settle personal grievances.

Just a few examples: He opened by dumping a conspiracy theory that the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates was trying to mess with him by messing with his mic in the first debate.

Then, in response to a softball question about jobs he 1) complained the dishonest media said he was sweating, 2) talked about bringing back iPhone manufacturing to the United States, and 3) pointed out he has the biggest and best rallies, far better than those of Bernie Sanders.

Oh and to wrap it all up, Trump chatted with border patrol agents Friday, where he implied, without evidence, that immigrants will enter the country illegally and "go and vote" — for Democrats, of course.

Trump "is just simply incapable of executing a plan, writes Fix Boss Chris Cillizza, that runs counter to his freewheeling, stream-of-consciousness approach."

More evidence Trump is Trump is Trump

Donald Trump talking to Larry King in 1999, when he was thinking of running for president. (AP)

Trump has long embraced many of his personal attributes that worry his critics, writes The Washington Post's Michael Kranish.

Kranish dug into decades of Trump's writings and statements and came away with the same conclusion we've come to after watching Trump campaign for president for more than a year: He's drawn to saying inflammatory and controversial things.

In 1999, Trump hired a ghostwriter to write a book for him, on which Trump would presumably launch a presidency. But the writer, David Shiflett, apparently captured the real Trump too well. Kranish:

The draft alarmed Trump’s aides. They demanded Shiflett come to Trump Tower for a meeting, where he said they told him to “turn the temperature down a few notches” by making the businessman sound less strident and more “inclusive.” The result was a relatively restrained and wonky book, with chapters on Social Security and foreign policy.

5 ways town hall debates can go very wrong

FILE - In this Oct. 15, 1992 file photo, President Bush, left, talks with independent candidate Ross Perot as Democratic candidate Bill Clinton stands aside at the end of their second presidential debate in Richmond, Va. Finally, the fall season delivers the matchup Americans have been waiting for, President Barack Obama goes one-on-one with Republican Mitt Romney in three prime-time debates. With the race a dead heat, the debates take on an oversized role in the few weeks between now and Election Day. One small mistake or impression _ a glance at a watch, repetitive sighing _ could roil the campaign for days and linger in voters’ mind. This is especially true for two polished candidates who will have the soundbites and rhetoric down cool. (AP Photo/Marcy Nighswander, File)

President Bush, left, talks with independent candidate Ross Perot as Democratic candidate Bill Clinton stands aside in a 1992 town hall. (Marcy Nighswander/AP)

When Trump and Clinton meet Sunday, they'll be doing it in what is, for many politicians, a dreaded format.

No podiums. Just some stools, some microphones, and real people asking questions. It's a format that has long tripped up politicians. And because we always like to look on the bright side of things, the Fix's Callum Borchers looked back in history to detail five ways Sunday's town hall debate could go very, very wrong:

1) The poorly worded question: You know the kind. Long, rambling. The kind that allow presidential candidates to basically ignore it and give their stump speech instead.
2) The poorly vetted questioner: Are they really "uncommitted voters" as the debate bills them? You can bet the Internet will be vetting to find out.
3) The time check: Note to candidates: Do. Not. Check. Your. Watch. Actually, don't even wear a watch. (Not convinced? See George H.W. Bush checking his watch while a woman asked a question in '92. It was not good.)

Don't do this.

4) The long, rambling question: Similar to problem No. 1. This would be the equivalent of those C-SPAN callers who are calling to ask a question but aren't really calling to ask a question. And yes, it's happened in a presidential debate before.
5) The lack of follow-ups: Always the trickiest part for a moderator. Do you fact check the candidate or not?

PSA: Is it too late to register to vote?

By the time Trump and Clinton start answering town hall questions Sunday night, four states will have closed voter registration — Mississippi, Nevada, Rhode Island and Alaska.

So, because we're nice people, we put together a guide of when each state closes its voter registration. And if you want to know when early voting closes in your state, check here. You're welcome, America. Now, go vote. And read The Fix.

Also, have a good weekend!

It's Friday! (giphy.com)

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