Debate?

The first Clinton-Trump debate has come and gone.  Clinton showed she could be aggressive.  Trump showed he is serious and controlled.  But what really gagged me was Hillary’s constant broadcasting of “Donald said this!  Donald said that!” and much of it was exaggerated.  This is like gossiping to your girlfriends, reciting a litany of faults and character assassinations.  The weird thing was that Trump was standing right there.  He can speak for himself.  If he’s so bad it will show.  The weirdest segment was when Hill began reciting evil intents that Trump might have for not publicizing his tax returns.  She had 6 or 8 conspiracy theories.  Strange.  If he’s in a corner, let him speak.  You don’t have to exaggerate to your girlfriends. 

            Debates are supposed to be about your policy won’t work and mine will, your ideas are a disaster and mine are good.  I’ve never heard a debater go on like she did.  By acting this way, Clinton does nothing to showcase her leadership.  What’s her vision for the country?  What route does she choose and how can she prove that it is the correct one?  Is she a strategic thinker who can devise a path from point A to point Z?  Why should I vote for her?  Instead it was the constant screed of character assassination.  She was polemical and didactic in the extreme. 

            A few times in a debate a clever logician and word-spinner can come back with a quip that everyone remembers.  That seemed to be Clinton’s goal.  But it was as if her comments were scripted rather than witty.  She had one that I couldn’t follow logically when she said, “I think Donald is accusing me of preparing for this debate.  And you know what else I’m prepared for?  The Presidency of the United States!”  A great line but it was shoehorned into talk about other things.  They have replayed it several times and it doesn’t fit their discussion. I guess she just wanted to deliver it.

            Frank Luntz and his R-I-D tracking of the dialog showed that I’s and R’s were tracking Trump highly.  In only a couple cases, such as when Hill got under his skin about the Iraq war support, did they favor her.  I’s gave Trump an A and Clinton a D, same as R’s did.  That means for the most part, Trump just needs to keep it up.  Hill, though disposing of concerns about her health, choked on her gossipy-sounding screed.