Live Blogging Debate #2
To get us primed for the debate tonight, at a press conference earlier today Donald Trump trotted out four women who have accused Bill Clinton of sexual assault in the past, pretty much laying the groundwork for what we might expect tonight…
No handshake as they walk out. First question concerns whether the language in the debates is setting a good role model for children. Hillary answers by talking about coming together to make a better America. Trump agrees and then talks about the economy, Obamacare, the Iran deal, trade, law and order. He still has that sniffing problem. He wants to make America great again.
Next question is about the tape from Friday and whether Trump understands that this was sexual assault. He says it was just locker room talk but that he will take care of ISIS. The follow up asks whether he has ever done the things he describes in the tape. He denies it and goes back to taking on ISIS. Hillary responds by saying that Trump is not fit to be President. She relates all his aggressions against women during the campaign, as well as his verbal assaults against immigrants and Latinos and others. Hillary goes back to bringing people together to build a better country. Trump responds that Hillary is all talk and no results. Third question is that Trump says the campaign has changed him so when did that change occur. Trump again goes to the fact that it was just words. And now he goes for Bill Clinton for his deeds as opposed to Trump’s words. He recites all the accusations against Bill. Hillary responds by quoting Michelle Obama that “when they go low, we go high”. She says Trump never apologizes – for what he said to women, the Khans, the racist birther lie. Trump says Hillary’s campaign started the birther lie and that she should apologize for the 33,000 emails. Trump will appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Hillary if he wins. Hillary responds that everything Trump just said was a lie. Hillary says that a person with a temperament like Trump should not be in charge of the law. Trump responds, “that’s because you’d be in jail”.
9:26 – question is about the email server. Hillary says she takes responsibility for the decision to use private server. She points to being exonerated by the FBI and that no classified material got into the wrong hands. Trump goes back to the deletion of her emails. Hillary tries to respond but Trump keeps on interrupting her. Trump then goes after Anderson Cooper for not asking about the emails. Net question is about the rising cost of Obamacare. Hillary says she will work to fix those problems. Says Trump will repeal it, but she points out all the benefits, especially the fact that 20 million Americans will lose coverage. Trump says Obamacare is a disaster and he will repeal it and replace it with something and that Hillary wants to go to single-payer. Next question is about Bill Clinton call Obamacare ” a crazy system”. Hillary repeats her prior answer. Trump’s answer for Obamacare is basically that we need to get competition across state lines and block grants to states for Medicaid.
9:38 – Question re Islamophobia. Trump says Islamophobia is terrible but Muslims need to report what they see and we need to say “radical Islamic terrorists”. Hillary says Muslims are part of the American fabric and we need to make them feel part of America say they can also be our eyes and ears; Trump’s words only feed into ISIS propaganda. Next question was about Trump’s Muslim ban. Trump says the Muslim ban has morphed into extreme vetting. Hillary is asked why she supports letting more Syrian refugees into the country. She responds the millions are suffering and it is the nature of America to be compassionate. She won’t let dangerous people into the country. Goes back to Trump’s words being propaganda for ISIS. Trump denies he wanted to go into Iraq. He then goes after the moderators for allowing Hillary to go over her answer by 25 seconds and launches into an attack on Hillary’s bad judgement.
9:48 – Question about the WikiLeaks that showed Hillary saying that politicians need to have a public and private position. She responds that it was part of a class on Lincoln trying to work with a recalcitrant Congress. She then turns on Wikileaks working with the Russians to interfere in the election; goes after Trump’s Russian connections and his not releasing his taxes. Trump responds Lincoln never lied but Hillary does; we don’t know whether Russia hacked this stuff; goes back to the answer that when the audit is done he will release his taxes.
9:53 – Question about what to do to make sure rich pay their fair share. Trump will get rid of carried interest and will lower taxes for corporations; cutting taxes for the middle class “big league”. Trump says Hillary will raise taxes. Hillary says Trump’s plan will make the wealthy richer and raise taxes on the middle class; she will not raise taxes on incomes below $250,000; will raise taxes for those over $500,000 and a millionaires surcharge as well. Trump is asked about whether he paid federal income tax. He avoids the question and says he was just taking a deduction that everyone else takes; then launches into Clinton’s bad judgement that Clinton hasn’t done anything in 30 years. Hillary responds listing her accomplishments over the years regarding children, health, women; 400 pieces of legislation have her name on it; she recognized you need to work with others to get things done in Washington and her record shows she has done that and will do it.
10:03 – Question re crisis in Syria and Aleppo. Clinton goes after Russia on Syria, saying they want to keep Assad in power; Russia wants Trump to win but she will stand up to Putin and Russia. Trump talks about Obama’s line in the sand and says Hillary was responsible. Hillary responds she was not Secretary of State then. Trump goes into our weak nuclear arsenal; goes after Hillary about after Iran deal; goes on rant that Russia and Iran are killing ISIS. Question re Pence’s comment that we need to go after Russia and set up safe zones in Syria. Trump says he doesn’t agree with Pence; that Aleppo is already lost; wants to know why we don’t have a sneak attack on Mosul as opposed to announcing we are going to attack. Hillary is asked about using American forces in Syria. Hillary does not want to put boots on the ground and wants to specifically target the ISIS leader as well as arming the Kurds.
10:13 – Trump complains that the moderators at biased by letting Hillary run over on her answer. Question is whether they can lead all Americans. Trump goes into economy, NAFTA, and Hillary’s lie about TPP; he talks about the disaster for blacks and Hispanics; Hillary will get nothing done. Hillary answers by talking about her record working for children and families; will make sure that every American feels they have a place in her America; talks about how Trump’s rhetoric is coarsening our Republic. Follow up on her statement on “deplorables”. Hillary answers that her issue is really with Trump. Trump talks about a divide nation because Hillary has tremendous hate in her heart.
10:21 – Question re Trump once said discipline was important to be a leader so how does he explain his comments about Alicia Machado. Trump goes off on Benghazi and tweeting is an effective form of communication. Hillary responds that Trump does not have the discipline to be a leader. Trump starts talking about 1929. Question re Supreme Court. Hillary talks about the importance of “real-life” experiences for Supreme Court justices; Citizens United; voting rights; and women’s right to choose; calls out the Senate for not doing their job. Trump talks about appointing another Justice Scalia and the respect for the Constitution and the Second Amendment; Trump is claiming he is still self-funding and calls out Clinton for not self-funding her own campaign. Hillary tries to talk about background checks and closing the gun show loophole.
Last question re energy policy. Trump says EPA is killing our energy companies; he’s for wind and solar and clean coal; he will bring energy companies back and they will pay off our national debt. Hillary claims China is dumping steel in the US and Trump uses that steel in his buildings; says we are now energy independent and must remain so; need to fight climate change by moving toward renewable as quickly as possible; talks about her plan to revitalize coal country. One last question is for the candidates to name one positive thing to say about the other. Hillary says she respects Trump’s children; that the reason the election is so combative is because the staked are so high. Trump says Hillary’s statement about his kids was a compliment and that Hillary is a fighter and doesn’t quit.
And we’re done. The candidates shake hands.
Hard to read this debate a Trump is so scattered in all his responses while Hillary was pretty wonky. Obviously, probably a better debate for Trump as he did get in his points to attack Hillary but whether that countered his basic admission that he hasn’t paid federal income tax. Basically, this was a rehash of everything we’ve heard before so I doubt it will change much. Will come back with more thoughts tomorrow.