ISABELLE MULLEN: Trump’s advisors want him to stick to a script at the US presidential debate. It’s not likely

Donald Trump has been told to take a different approach heading into the US presidential debate.

Fewer insults, more policy.

This will be one of Trump’s biggest tests this campaign.

He has a lot to lose heading into the debate.

The outcome of this election could either put him in the White House, or behind bars.

Now a convicted felon, he is staring at the prospect of four years in jail.

Sentencing for his felony conviction has been postponed until after the election.

So tomorrow, he needs to convince voters to give him another go.

History suggests Trump is brutal under pressure. His opponents are subjected to relentless attacks on their race, gender, and appearance.

But as he prepares for this debate, his advisers have reportedly told him to “stick to script,” be “happy Trump” and keep his arguments “policy-based”.

The script is along the lines of cost of living, the economy, inflation, and immigration.

But will a toned-down Trump work?

It’s not something he likes doing and it’s not something he’s good at.

Trump has defined his career with stinging attacks which are popular with his base, and unpopular with his critics.

His comments are often labelled misogynist, racist and insensitive.

But the bottom line is that every time he puts down his notes and goes off-script, he gets more attention from the media.

Much more.

And it pays.

It’s a strategy that he’s tried and tested.

In 2016, Trump rode $5 billion in free advertising all the way to the White House.

A Times study found he had more free media attention than all his former Republican competitors combined and more than twice as much coverage as his Democratic competitor Hilary Clinton.

Why?

Because he says outrageous things.

In this case, the saying “any publicity is good publicity” applies.

General sentiment towards a woman in the Oval Office may have changed since 2016 but the media hasn’t.

The latest data from AdImpact shows that between now and election day Harris’s campaign has booked $US340 million worth of ad space, while Trump’s team has booked just $US187 million.

Trump’s money problems are well documented, but it could also be argued he doesn’t need to spend as much money on advertising because the media does it for him.

In 2017, Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie wrote a book about it, Let Trump Be Trump.

He can be crude, shocking and offensive but most importantly newsworthy.

Trump’s outrageous remarks range from those made in relation to his political opponents, like this 2015 remark about Clinton: “If Hillary Clinton can’t satisfy her husband, what makes her think she can satisfy America?”

To this, when he said of actor Robert Pattinson in 2012: “I’m getting a lot of heat for saying you should dump Kristen (Stewart) — but I’m right. If you saw Miss Universe girls, you would reconsider.”

And even his family, describing his daughter Ivanka Trump in 2004: “She does have a very nice figure … if she weren’t my daughter perhaps I’d be dating her.”

The ruder the comment, the more media attention he seems to receive, which means his brand is advertised again and again.

Polling conducted by Siena College and the New York Times has Trump marginally ahead of Harris, up one percentage point to lead Harris 48-47.

The presidential debate will be interesting because microphones will be switched off while the other candidate is speaking.

Kamala Harris’ team wanted that rule overturned, believing she would have an advantage if Trump was caught talking over her and “going off script”.

But that’s arguably where Trump holds his power.

If the debate gets ugly it will be up to Harris to turn the conversation back to policy. A subject Trump doesn’t seem to enjoy talking about and one which will attract fewer headlines.