And, no, nothing was silent (apologies to Quentin Tarantino).
Wow. Just…wow.
Did someone get the license plate of the truck that hit Hillary?
I’m having trouble deciding if the release of Trump’s comments from 10 years ago was a terrible thing or a great thing for his campaign. I’m leaning towards the great side.
The first debate was an absolute bafflement to me. What was he doing, what was he saying, why wasn’t he counter-punching? What was going on? I considered the possibility that he was playing Rope-A-Dope, setting the stage for Debate #2, and while this may have been partly correct it doesn’t really feel right as an explanation.
After witnessing last night’s explosion I think the more likely explanation is that Trump let himself get caught up in GOP-correctness or pandering if you will. I think he was trying to cater to the softer side of his constituency (and those that aren’t his constituency) and he failed in epic fashion. Because that’s not who he is and he couldn’t pull it off effectively.
When news of Trump’s comments broke, GOP members ran for cover. Republican Congressmen dropped their support quicker than Mrs. Clinton brushed away the fly that kept landing on her face during the debate. Talk of Trump’s being replaced (pretty much can’t happen) and Pence assuming the presidency if they won (extremely unlikely but feasible) ran rampant.
What happened as a result? Donald felt the shackles fall. He was free. Make no mistake, this was still do or die but now he could do it his way. And do it his way he did – with some thunderous punches and counter-punches.
Mrs Clinton walked out looking a tad uneasy. I’m guessing she had been feeling pretty good about her chances – right up to the moment Trump broadcast a press conference with WMBs (women molested by Bill). Still, she couldn’t lose could she? Trump was going to have to be contrite. He just had to be. He was emasculated. He was helpless. Or, better yet, he was going to go off the verbal deep end – truly and finally burying himself. She had him by the…well, you know.
Except she didn’t. Trump apologized for the recording – as he should – and in the same breath he flatly stated “but these are just words and when you have a world were ISIS is chopping off heads and drowning people in steel cages…” – pushing a theme of real trouble in a real world, real concerns Americans ha…
Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute…you’re telling it wrong! He brought up ISIS executions in an apology? Yeah. He did.
At that moment Hillary swallowed deeply, noticeably and both she and I knew – this wasn’t going to go as she had expected.
She tried two more times to regain the advantage and each time was leveled by a devastating counter-punch. In reference to Bill Clinton “mine were words and his were actions” – the cut to Bill Clinton’s face was beyond priceless – go back and look – it’s worth it.
I think Trump had finally had it. The misdeeds and hypocrisies of the Clintons were so terribly glaring to him that he simply wasn’t going to take it anymore. He decided he was not going to meekly stand there and be made to look like the bad guy while they sauntered off repercussion-free. And so he resolutely stood his ground and leveled a more serious (and true) accusation for each leveled at him. And he won. Easily.
Here’s why I think this debate was a really big deal. Mr. Trump was under immense pressure, coming out into a hostile setting, allies fleeing, calls for his withdrawal from the race itself – the world waiting to see how he can possibly handle this. And what happens? He performs better than we’ve ever seen him perform before. By far.
And I’m guessing it got noticed.
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