Posted on 09/26/2016 10:49:16 PM PDT by EinNYC
Hillary Clinton won that debate. Or, rather, Donald Trump lost it.
Here’s what I mean by that. Normally, what really lingers in the mind after a presidential debate is an own goal. Think of Al Gore looking like an uptight prig as sighed through his debate with George W. Bush in 2000, or Marco Rubio’s New Hampshire malfunction at the hands of Chris Christie.
That brings us to Trump’s Monday night and a performance that could be very charitably described as uneven. What was the worst moment, I wonder, the one that we’ll all be talking about in a week?
Was it when he directly attacked Clinton’s looks before that ugly pivot to her “stamina” at the end? His “birther” answer and shots at Sid Blumenthal, a person most Americans have never heard of? Or how about his persistent interruptions of the first female major party nominee, a tactic unlikely to endear him to Main Line mothers?
I think my favorite was when he said Clinton had been fighting ISIS her entire adult life. Usually, I think I understand what Trump is trying to get at, trying to communicate. That one, however, left me totally stumped. Please feel free to leave your suggestions on how that should be interpreted in the comments.
Clinton’s performance was less-than-stellar, which may be just a meaner way of saying it was good as we ever could have expected. She has this tendency to look very self-satisfied after delivering a zinger that’s clearly been crafted by someone else in Brooklyn and then tested on voters in a fish tank. It’s grating.
But Clinton looked presidential, in command of the facts, in command of the room. Trump sensed that he’d lost the initiative early, and lashed out. He looked cornered, his eyes at times flurrying around the room as if he were facing off multiple enemies at once. Newt Gingrich has a similar tick when he feels he’s losing; at his worst, in moments like these, Trump comes off like Newt without the intellect, which is a scary thing indeed.
So two scenarios, moving forward. The first is that Trump is finished. He got smoked on Monday night, coming across as too ignorant, narrow-minded and, most importantly, erratic. (Here’s a word you’ll be hearing a lot the next few days or weeks: temperament, as in the one Trump doesn’t have to be president.)
Clinton clearly hoped to have Trump lose his cool, she succeeded, and maybe – to make a reference her team will get – this is the moment when President Bartlett sent his Bush-esque opponent packing.
Scenario two begins with the observation that Trump had a tendency to, by many accounts, lose debates during the primaries, yet always kept his lead. “Maybe this really is the start of a decline that will be as quick and remarkable as his rise to the top of the polls,” some idiot wrote at The Daily Beast after Trump’s performance at the Reagan Library debate in September 2015. (Full disclosure: that idiot was me.)
Yes, yes, this isn’t the primaries anymore, but there should always be a hesitancy to proclaim that Trump has been vanquished. In fact, there have been so many “Trump is finally finished” pieces written since the late 1980s that it might qualify as some kind of journalistic subgenre.
But he’s still there, still standing, still quite close to the presidency. So maybe this does not lead to some collapse. And if doesn’t, well, there are two more of these presidential debates to go. Some will remember that Mitt Romney was widely seen as the winner of his first presidential debate with President Obama in 2012, an outcome that led to some genuinely entertaining liberal pundit freak-outs.
My bet is that Trump manages to survive this. He’ll take a hit in the polls, perhaps a bad one. But this doesn’t quite feel like the moment that finishes him off completely, if only because Clinton’s flaws are still there in abundance, and the more fire Trump takes, the more weirdly sympathetic he can look.
Plus, just to repeat myself: there are two more debates left, in addition to a Mike Pence vs. Tim Kaine fight. In a presidential year, October can be very long month.
I think he wrote the review before the debate.
Holt made this all about what the libtards view as Trumps negatives. Trump put all that bull to sleep and now can address her negatives which are enormous in the next debates.
hilLIARy was very arrogant and came off as an elitist snob. She was up there and represented everything that has gone wrong with America. I think Trump got in his jabs pointing some of that out and needs to continue to do that.
CGato
While I don't disagree with your observation(s), I do find a flaw in your logic. Which is, that those who were "undecided" heading into the debate are mostly uninformed voters and, they found a politician who said (mostly) the right things -- and it wasn't Trump.
For those who don't follow politics as we do, Hillary scored a point or two with the electorate - which ain't good in a national election. Trump *easily* allowed half a dozen softballs go by unchallenged --- and he is way too smart for that. I am curious as to why he let that happen and hope that he will correct that in the upcoming debates...
The homo who wrote this writes with a lisp.
For those who don't follow politics as we do, Hillary scored a point or two with the electorate - which ain't good in a national election. Trump *easily* allowed half a dozen softballs go by unchallenged --- and he is way too smart for that. I am curious as to why he let that happen and hope that he will correct that in the upcoming debates...
I was really speaking for myself. I could care less about the undecideds. If they can't decide by now, the difference between good and evil, they never will. If we do get hilLIARy by their choice, then they will get the leader they deserve.
I will do my part to try to make that not happen but if it is God's will for this nation because so many have turned away from him, then so be it. I humbly say, his will be done.
CGato
I will do my part to try to make that not happen but if it is God's will for this nation because so many have turned away from him, then so be it. I humbly say, his will be done.
CGato
No argument at all there, my FRiend. God Bless to you and yours...
And the new marching orders are in— “erratic “ is now going to be the word they try to tie to Trump.
Well at least he’s stopped being “dark and dystopian.” I look forward to 30 news outlets calling Trump “erratic” later today. Not.
I’ve always wondered how dems/libs are able to smile and chuckle as they misdirect what was said about something. Over the years has anyone else noticed this? They smile, chuckle and shake their head and dismiss what was said, all the time behaving as if they know better yet don’t if one hears what they say rather then read their body language. I’ve always found d this odd as it is out of sync with truth/reality. The words chide and reprove suddenly come to mind to describe their behavior.
I’d say he’s building up her confidence since there are two more debates to go.
I saw what you did there....! ;)
The petro dollar banksters don't want someone winning POTUS who they have not bought already...
It is very hard to buy someone who is considered a Billionaire.
Trump missed some golden opportunities.
Income. No mention of the Foundation, gets beat up over tax return.
No mention of the crooked Haiti dealings.
Economy. Let the ‘wonderful recovery ‘ scenario stand mainly because he has no numbers to spout. Preparation.
Emails. Details of deliberate wrongdoing. Let her slide with the ‘ I made a mistake and won’t do it again. Again, Preparation.
Bone up on some facts and numbers. Obviously Hillary’s preparation paid off.
...”Hillary came across as “presidential” and Trump came across as commander-in-chief. In a fight of 2-against-1, Trump emerged slightly rumpled, but not bloodied and certainly not bowed. For undecided voters, that overall tone may be more important than little rhetorical points.”...
I agree. It was the way they looked, perhaps more than what was said. Clinton came off smug and the fake smile was off-putting. Trump’s honesty projected and a his demeanor put forth a big hearted man who loves this country and is REALLY worried about her and her people. Hillary’s sense of personal importance was grossly assisted by Lester Holt, her tag team partner. Body language speaks louder than words and I think it certainly did last night.
Dude, no closing statements and Trump knew it so he made one. Then answered the question.
It was probably half written before the debate even started, I’m sure.
I think Dow futures are bouncing off a technical floor. I don’t think the debate had much to do with it.
To that end, Trump should prepare for the next debates the way he would prepare for a major business deal negotiation, to bring discipline to the table as he deals with the voters to elect him as President.
-PJ
Trump’s eyes were “flurrying around the room?” What about Clinton’s blinking and looking in two directions at once?
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