Donald Trump did a mitzvah at the first (maybe only) presidential debate, which was held at Hofstra University on Sept. 26.
He brought his true self — not a studied, rehearsed character who could recite the positions scripted for him.
Instead, he dared to say in mixed company what he has been saying to his rabble, letting his words hang in the air alongside the reasonable, practical, solid policy solutions that Hillary Clinton has been proposing for more than a year.
He showed his true colors — and they were a nasty mishmash of clash that didn’t make sense.
He was incoherent, hysterical. With bloodshot eyes, sniffling, guzzling water (recalling his attacks on Marco Rubio) he looked reptilian. (Is he hiding a health issue, I wonder?).
Hillary Clinton had to be perfect — not a single inappropriate word or phrase or misplaced comma or gesture or glance.
She had to strike just the perfect tone between showing that a woman could be powerful, professional and command authority, but also be “likeable,” “pleasing.” And authentic — she elucidated the positions (on addressing income inequality, gender parity, investing in infrastructure, keeping the nation safe, attacking ISIS) she has long advocated, and did it with passion, fully immersed in knowing all the parameters of the issues and seeing the long view. She had to show she could stand up to his attacks, send them back without appearing shrill or shrewish, and still present her own positive solutions that will help this country achieve “broad-based, inclusive growth” which “is what we need in America, not more advantages for people at the very top.” And do it in two minutes.
And she was perfect.
With every answer, Trump’s credibility was shot, he was exposed as the ridiculous Reality TV buffoon he is, crystallized when he accused Clinton of not having the “temperament,” judgment or the “look” to be President.
“I think my strongest asset, maybe by far, is my temperament. I have a winning temperament. I know how to win. She does not have a…” he said, as the audience could not contain its snickering.
The ultimate was when he attacked Clinton, who soldiered on campaigning and putting in a brilliant presentation at the Commander-in-Chief forum with pneumonia, on her stamina, saying, “She doesn’t have the look. She doesn’t have the stamina…To be president of this country, you need tremendous stamina” – it only reinforced his misogyny and his ridiculousness.
She came back, “Well, as soon as he travels to 112 countries and negotiates a peace deal, a cease-fire, a release of dissidents, an opening of new opportunities in nations around the world, or even spends 11 hours testifying in front of a congressional committee, he can talk to me about stamina.”
On the other hand, she used his own words to attack him — he basically admitted he pays zero tax (“That makes me smart.”); that he did in fact stiff contractors (“Maybe he didn’t do a good job and I was unsatisfied with his work” and turned it into an advertorial for his new hotel); that he insults women (“Rosie O’Donnell deserved it”), or how his business was sued for housing discrimination (“We settled the suit with zero — with no admission of guilt. It was very easy to do.”).
When he said, “The single greatest problem the world has is nuclear armament, nuclear weapons, not global warming, like you think and your — your president thinks,” he not only reminded voters that he is advocating countries like Japan, South Korea and Saudi Arabia get their own nuclear weapons, but that he has called climate change “a hoax” perpetrated by China (then lied that he hadn’t said that), and, finally, his pejorative use of “your” president.
When he tried to attack her saying, “For 30 years, you’ve been doing it, and now you’re just starting to think of solutions,” he did her the favor of reminding people that she has had a stunning array of accomplishments and solutions — what has he accomplished that wasn’t for his own self interest?
And she managed to both present her policies for an economy that benefits all, that preserves America as a global leader and keep Americans safe, while at the same time throwing back the question of trust and transparency back on him using how he has failed to disclose his taxes.
This was a contest of substance versus nonsense.
And finally, when he tried to criticize her for not being on the campaign trail for a few days before the debate, she came back with the line that sums up this contest:
“I think Donald just criticized me for preparing for this debate,” she said. “And, yes, I did. And you know what else I prepared for? I prepared to be president. And I think that’s a good thing.”
