The best analysis of last night's debate I've seen!
"...Donald Trump Showcases His Dark Soul"
(Sorry if someone else posted it.)
David Corn: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/10/hillary-clinton-donald-trump-second-debate-st-louis
Most election years, candidates and pundits nobly assert that policy issues are the important stuff. Taxes, the economy, national security, health care, climate change, education, social welfare programs, reproductive rights, immigration, tradethat's what the contenders are supposed to debate, at least when they face off directly. And, certainly, presidential contests are also driven (perhaps largely) by questions related to the personality and experience of the candidates. And much of this did come up during Sunday night's debate. Trump and Hillary Clinton sparred over Syria, Obamacare, taxes, and energy policy and tussled over whose past best prepares them to be president. But one matter loomed larger than all of that: what's inside Trump?
Throughout the 100-minute-long face-off, Trump did not change his style. He was combative, angry, and mean, as he stalked about the stage during the town hall-style event. He said that were he to win the White House, he would prosecute Clinton and promised to toss her in jail. This was throwing a blood-dripping bone to his "lock her up" base. Were this anything like a normal election, this Trump vowwhich undermines democratic rulewould be the screaming headline out of the debate. This year, it's just another thing Trump said. He also declared of Clinton, "She has tremendous hate in her heart." As if threatening to imprison your political opponent is not a thuggish act of demagoguery and hatred.
As for the video, Trump repeated his weak spin that it was just "locker-room talk." (So was he lying to Billy Bush about having actually groped and kissed women without their consent?) There was no contrition. And Trump quickly pivoted to assail Bill Clinton, noting that the Trump campaign had invited to the debate several women who had accused the former president of sexual assault or harassment. Yes, the fellow who claimed that it was time to put the video to the side and move on was arguing that an important matter these days is Bill Clinton's behavior two and three decades ago. Kellyanne Conway and David Bossie, two top Trump campaign aides, are veterans of the right-wing get-Clinton cabal of the 1990s. But they may have forgotten that the Clintons did manage to win the Clinton wars. Ultimately, this creepy move was born of frustration. Much of the Republican Party had finally dumped Trump, and, as one former Trump adviser told me, Trump and his inner circle believed he had only one play: go nuclear. It was a crude step, debasing this campaign further, but one in sync with Trump's pettiness and malice.
SunSeeker
(51,659 posts)vlyons
(10,252 posts)a hateful, mean-spirited, vindictive man. It was very difficult for me to not change the channel. His over-the-top charge that HRC's heart is one of hatred made me wince. HRC, on the other hand, altho not as strong as in her last debate, was calm, measured, and likeable. Nothing in Trump's performance last night was likeable.
The last question of the night is so telling about where people are with this election. We are damn tired of all the slimey muck, mire, and mud slinging, and want to hear something positive and pleasant. Trump has dragged this country down into the political sewer. He will go down in history as the WORST EVER candidate. More denigrated than Richard Nixon. Trump's name will live in infamy. His karma will be the fruit of great suffering, because who would ever want to do business with him again?
ginnyinWI
(17,276 posts)and let him just show himself, unedited, to the viewers. She doesn't talk down to us and assumes we can see with our own eyes. But the best thing was just to let him go on and on and on with his crazy-talk.
Seems like Martha R. was the better of the two moderators, not afraid of the jerk at all.
relayerbob
(6,551 posts)backed off though. I agree, Martha was a little better, literally laughing at him at times, but they both took him to task. Good for both of them
NewJeffCT
(56,828 posts)he does it so well - he knows nothing about Russia, he doesn't know how a bill becomes a law, he wants to toss Clinton in jail, he doesn't speak with his VP and disagrees with him on Russia, etc.
question everything
(47,521 posts)and would not let him walk away from a direct question. While he knew what "Aleppo" is, he had no idea how to handle the Syrian crisis or the refugees.
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)He reminded me of an angry gorilla, she just let it be, which was wise.
Amonester
(11,541 posts)from Don Caligulawannabe dRumpf & family
Maybe the Chinese too...
Fast Walker 52
(7,723 posts)I hope ALL his businesses go under for good.
marble falls
(57,157 posts)his dismal crap look even more desperate and foul.
longship
(40,416 posts)He's one of the best. Always on target.
Happy to R&
underpants
(182,868 posts)Rec'd
Granny M
(1,395 posts)That black hole that threatens to suck the country, and then the world into it. The Republican Party has already fallen in.
elmac
(4,642 posts)a former Secretary of State and someone running for president. This sets a precedent, now president Clinton can go after Bush, Cheney, ect... for crimes against humanity and Trump for hate crimes against women.
Wounded Bear
(58,698 posts)Repubs have been aiming at this for many, many years. It is no surprise to anybody not in denial that this endgame was inevitable since Reagan first announced his presidential run in Mississippi as a dog whistle to the Southern Strategy. Their base has shrunk to the worst people in the country: mysongynists, racists, isolationists, religious fanatics, etc.
relayerbob
(6,551 posts)Trump unloaded all of his heavy artillery against Hillary last night and it bounced right off and/or stuck to him. She ignored the Bill Clinton stuff entirely and it's been either forgotten by today or is just used as another example of how classless he is. And the lock her up shit, while it will play to his base, is freaking people out and backfiring badly. He now has no more weapons, his ship is fire and listing, the rats are jumping on lifeboats. She didn't unload her main guns on him, to keep the ship afloat long enough that she can blast the hell out of him in the next debate and take out a big chunk of the GOP fleet. The next four weeks are going to get very ugly. I expect we'll hear language that will even make sailors blush
lillypaddle
(9,581 posts)ginnyinWI
(17,276 posts)He might as well play to his precious base. Maybe his main mistake was thinking we all wanted another Putin to be dictator of the USA. He's been in a bubble filled with his own adoring fans. What a shock to think that we don't all just love him!
Hillary does need him to stay in until November, and lose fair and square.
lillypaddle
(9,581 posts)Hekate
(90,773 posts)BlancheSplanchnik
(20,219 posts)I like motherjones.