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It's funny or ironic that two people want the same thing, the election of Donald Trump and the defeat of Hillary Clinton, find themselves diametrically opposed to the others ideas.

I believe that Trump had created the momentum to win this election prior to the debate and he has squandered it since. He does not need to win on issues, he merely needs to tell the people that he isn't crazy, that he isn't a misanthrope, that he isn't a racist and he won't blow up the world. Actually he doesn't tell them he shows them. He has done the opposite in the debate and in the week since. Let me state my belief in the boldest version leaving it most vulnerable to attack: it does not matter what issue Trump takes on, it matters how he presents it.

Here is my view stated in two recent replies:

Hillary's biography offers a target rich environment and you have done a good job of identifying several targets. But more important than the targets selected is the manner of exposing and attacking her record.

The problem for Trump is not that the people are unaware that Hillary is a criminal and a liar, the problem for Trump is that Hillary is successfully bringing him down to her level. The only way she can win this election is to bring both campaigns down to the gutter where her advantages in the electoral college, Democrat infrastructure, money and media support will prevail because people are distracted from her criminality.

So Hillary must bring Donald down to fighting about beauty queens. Trump as a whole different agenda.

Trump has the same challenge in presenting his affirmative case to be president, the manner of its presentation is as important, indeed more important, than the issue itself. In other words, the world, fully cognizant of who Hillary Clinton and her liabilities is looking for an alternative, they want reassurance that Donald Trump is worthy of the office. They want to know if he will be a safe president.

That means that Trump does not have to win on the issues, he already owns the issues for the majority of people, Trump must sell himself as fit for the Oval Office.

I believe he failed signally to do so in the last debate, I believe that Hillary prevailed by looking good on the issues and Trump looked at best unappealing and perhaps even unpresidential. All of this was totally unnecessary, all Trump had to do was to moderate his voice, slowdown his speech, decline to become defensive and appear to be reasonable. That he could do with any one of his issues and that he should have done in the face of the personal attacks against him.

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A television pundit on Fox said that Trump's willful neglect to prepare for the debate amounted to malpractice, that is, a breach of his duty to his supporters who nominated him and support him today, of whom I count myself one.

This mindless gutter brawl with a whore is likely to cost more than battleground states and begs the question whether he is incorrigible.

He can still win this election if he will just act like a potential president should!

This mindless gutter brawl with a whore is likely to cost more than battleground states and begs the question whether he is incorrigible.

He can still win this election if he will just act like a potential president should!

I agree. He needs to step away from the tweets and buckle down. Otherwise, I'm afraid he will throw this thing away on petty nonsense.

Thank you for your reply. On the whole I still disagree. Trump is not distracted; he is just setting the record straight and talking truth to power. Hillary having picked & showcased this porn star as a part of her campaign demonstrates much about her character, judgement and duplicity. Trump is just pointing that out, clearly.

I do not agree at all that Trump has squandered his momentum. Watching the turnout at his rallies this week and the sharp rise in people following him on social media suggests just the opposite. I will be very relieved when this election is over and Trump has assumed office.

“I believe he failed signally to do so in the last debate, I believe that Hillary prevailed by looking good on the issues and Trump looked at best unappealing and perhaps even unpresidential.”

Based on the reaction of my circle of female friends and associates, including my spouse, you are correct. Most despise Hillary and while they don’t like many of Trump’s positions, they up to now have been willing to overlook his negatives in order to keep Hillary out of the oval office.

The debate changed things. All of them say Trump came across as a self-centered egomaniac. Hillary looked disciplined, mature, confident, and in control. Trump appeared to be shooting from the hip and unable to speak coherently. Most said they turned off the debate after it was clear Hillary was in command and Trump was not acting presidential.

The white female vote will decide this election, just as it has the last few elections. If enough educated white women decide Trump is unfit for the job they may not vote for Hillary but they will vote 3rd party or stay at home. A few hundred thousand vote swing in a handful of states will decide the election. Trump needs to demonstrate to this critical group he is fit for office.

Of interest, these informed female voters saw the collusion between Lester Holt and Hillary. They understand the debates are rigged and the press is actively working to defeat Trump. However, what they are looking at is how Trump, as an aspiring leader, behaves when the cards are stacked against him. They want to take the measure of the man’s behavior when he is working through a difficult situation. Instead of a cool, confident problem solver they saw a hot head reacting emotionally. This is not the image Trump should be conveying to win the undecided, particularly educated and females who use reason, not emotion, to pick a candidate.

Democrats understand the importance of the white female voter group. The entire “war on women” effort in the 2012 election was about changing female perceptions of Romney as a decent man. Bait is now being thrown at Trump by the Democrats and media. Instead of brushing it off and staying on message he is reverting to his street fighting instincts which do not make him look mature, thoughtful, self disciplined, and cool under fire. Hillary and Holt succeeded in provoking Trump so he came across as an emotional hothead who might act out irrationally if faced with a situation where a foreign leader got under his skin. Trump’s behavior in reacting to the current Miss Universe bimbo affair is only contributing to doubts about his ability to handle even trivial situations.

At this point in the campaign, most undecideds are thoughtful and informed people. It is Trump’s job to convince them to vote for him despite their reservations. If he can’t demonstrate mature leadership skills when under attack, the self proclaimed great dealmaker isn’t going to seal the deal. No matter what any of us think about the importance of the election to the country, no voter has an obligation to vote for Trump or any candidate.