Orchestrating the conditions, rules, format, and participants of a debate to ensure a specific outcome or perception, long before the first word is spoken. This involves picking a weak opponent, controlling the moderator, choosing restrictive topics, or designing the speaking order to favor one side. It's engineering the battlefield to guarantee victory, then claiming it was a fair fight.
Example: "The political campaign crafted the upcoming debate brilliantly. They negotiated a format with no live fact-checking, picked a moderator known for soft questions, and insisted on topics their candidate had rehearsed relentlessly. The actual exchange was just the ceremonial unveiling of a victory they had crafted in the back rooms weeks prior." Debate Crafting
by AbzuInExile January 31, 2026
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