Somewhat to my surprise I ended up watching the first presidential debate last night between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. To my eye in essence it met my expectations. I found it troubling and difficult to watch.
If there was a winner, it was probably Hillary Clinton. I thought her strongest moment was when she explained why Trump’s birtherism was problematic. I don’t know that Trump had a strong moment. He probably did, however, accomplish what he needed to. He didn’t sound like a lunatic.
I thought that Trump rambled and frequently stepped on his own points. Clinton, well, was Clinton. I was surprised at Cokie Roberts’s observation that Trump was rude to Sec. Clinton. If anything, I thought it was the other way around.
Watch the debate, at least for a few minutes, with the sound off. In effect that’s the way most non-political junkies saw the debate.
The debate’s moderator, Lester Holt, acquitted himself well, rather better than I expected. Good for him.
Pundits’ assertions to the contrary notwithstanding neither Sec. Clinton nor Donald Trump is a particularly good debater. The measure of a good debater is the ability to convince someone who comes into the debate disagreeing with your position that you’re right. I doubt there was much of that going on.
I thought she won by a mile (in part, I suppose, because of the lowered expectations due to her recent health issues.) as the pundits say, she did what she had to do- which was look strong and healthy and provide a contrast in temperaments.
He had a few good moments, and of course expectations were low for him too, but mostly he rambled and let her put him on defense far too much. For someone whose sole credential is closing dels, he left a heck of a lot on the table last night.
The moderator wasn’t terrible but he let the crowd cheer and react positively to Clinton and admonished them only when there was a reaction that favored Trump. It probably wasn’t intentional but I got the sense that it boosted Clinton’s morale and performance quite a bit, while he was flummoxed since he is used to playing to crowds of fans.
I watched up to the moment Holt said that the last question would be about whether the candidates would accept losing and turned it off. I think the first half or so was fine, and easy to follow, with Trump mainly seeking to make everything about trade and Clinton about trickle-down economics. It felt like the debate became increasingly about biography and my wife started rubbing her forehead in pain and then left somewhere around the discussion of birtherism.
We probably aren’t typical consumers, but the overall sense as this debate continued was one of chaos. I think these biography questions, which Trump will discuss ad infinitum, clog the center of the pitch, making it difficult for any real points to be scored. It may be that for the remaining voters, character and personality are the most important considerations, but I think these are points established when something else is being talked about than self, particularly when dealing with two very well-known personalities.
I watched a special on the life of Arnold Palmer. From every bit of commentary I’ve seen this AM I think I made the right choice.
Birtherism? Really? Really?
That probably sounded more dramatic than intended, my wife was already under the weather.
As to the Roberts comment; I wonder the medium in which she watched it, because on TV with the split screen one did see Clinton make some attacks (and perhaps had more personal attacks on Trump, at least at first) and we can see Trump restraining himself from interrupting her. So one could come away with the impression of restraint (particularly if one already believes that Trump is irrepressible), or one could simply count the interruptions as it appears some bloggers are doing. What stood out to me more was the moderator arguing with Trump, which I guess what some people like in moderators.
Pundits’ assertions to the contrary notwithstanding neither Sec. Clinton nor Donald Trump is a particularly good debater. The measure of a good debater is the ability to convince someone who comes into the debate disagreeing with your position that you’re right. I doubt there was much of that going on.
That is true about real debates but as is often noted, presidential debates are not real debates. You even alluded to this when you suggested watching with the sound turned down.
The objectives for each candidate can vary a bit but the overarching one is to appear presidential.
Trump’s best moment was when he said, “Argle bargle gloompf snork call Sean Hannity! chach chacccchhh SNIIIIIIF Rosie O’Donnell is fat! Gack ackgackgack, wheeeeze. . .” in answer to a question on his fitness for office.
Yes, it was the complete post-coke meltdown that I really enjoyed. He was holding onto the podium like a Titanic survivor on flotsam. You know what he lacked? Stamina. Well, stamina, and even the vaguest notion of what the hell he was rambling on about.
Won’t someone call Sean Hannity!
Presidential debates are like SOTU addresses – once you skip one you will never want to see another one. Someone probably could pay me to watch it, but not until the bidding reached the mid-three digital range.
Fwiw, some of Hillary’s online surrogates turned her into the loser, for those following those surrogates. They were making the point that Trump talking over Hillary was very rude and how dare he and this bullying would hurt him with women, etc. Since I didn’t watch, I don’t know if that happened, but regardless, if Hillary can’t get a word in against that buffoon, it just makes her look weak & ineffectual. In other words, not presidential.
Hopefully those weren’t her paid spinners at work. If it was, that’s another reason to vote against her – incompetent choice of underlings.
Did her surrogates get immunity deals first?
Didn’t watch it. In my discussion group people on the right think Trump won. People from the left think Clinton won. The Trump surrogate in the group had to sign a deal to never, ever criticize Trump about anything. He says Trump has the best brain and best words so he clearly won.
Steve