Presidential Debate #1: Wrap-Up
An evaluation of the debate of the century
By Isabella Garcia
The Progressive Teen Staff Writer
THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE WAS ONE OF IMMEASURABLE MAGNITUDE that left viewers’ eyes glued to the screen and Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee, as the winner in the war of words and facts. Where most of America expected a new, calm Donald Trump, the country instead received the man it had seen from the start, a narcissist with no concern for reason or fact. However, the country received the Hillary it expected, a woman who was levelheaded under pressure and ready for every question, remark and critique presented to her.
Lester Holt moderated this CBS debate, and from the moment the candidates took the stage, it was clear that this was the match-up that had been anticipated for months. Hillary cornered Trump on almost every pressing concern for the average voter, from tax returns to the TPP, her email scandal to race relations. She portrayed herself as the candidate of the community, one who was composed and accessible, and one who was able to use the ludicrous temperament and claims of Trump to her advantage in that effect. She hit him hard while still maintaining her classic well-mannered persona. However, her intellectual rationale didn’t limit Trump from proposing outrageous and outlandish claims. He continued his tangent on birtherism, claiming that it wasn’t his issue in the first place and that he ended the controversy (something proven incorrect by partisan and nonpartisan outlets alike), but that was nothing compared to his lengthy remarks about the Iraq War. Donald Trump interrupted Mr. Holt the moment he brought up Trump’s previous position on the Iraq war. He started by refuting (unsuccessfully) the evidence that he supported it in 2002, then went on to blame Secretary Clinton for the evidence’s mere existence, and when all else failed, blamed the media. He even referred to his private conversations with Sean Hannity, which appeared to have very little bearing on an issue-based presidential debate. He ended by contending that he had a better temperament for president than Hillary Clinton, something the audience laughed at due to the mere audacity of the claim.
“She portrayed herself as the candidate of the community, one who was composed and accessible, and one who was able to use the ludicrous temperament and claims of Trump to her advantage in that effect.”
There were a few moments in which Hillary skillfully shut down preposterous comments from Mr. Trump. In response to his attempt to backtrack on the blatant misogyny in his statement about Hillary not “having a presidential look,” she replied with a hard-hitting answer: “He tried to switch from ‘look’ to ‘stamina.’ But this is a man who has called women pigs, slobs and dogs and someone who has said pregnancy is an inconvenience to employers, who has said women don’t deserve equal pay unless they do as good of a job as men….he called this woman Miss Piggy. Then he called her Miss Housekeeping because she was Latina. Donald, she has a name. Her name is Alicia Machado. And she has become a U.S. Citizen… And you can bet she’s going to vote this November.” Secretary Clinton also shut down Trump’s debate preparation critique with the fact that she was happy to prepare for the debate because she is also “prepared to be president.” Everything else she faced with grace, poise and an immeasurable amount of control in front of a man who consistently interrupted her and the moderator, and blatantly disregarded normal debate rules and timings.
In a nutshell, Secretary Clinton maintained dignity and decorum while staying on the offensive, proving herself as the candidate for the people, the community, and the best choice for the nation going forward. Round one of the debates is over, and it is 1–0 for Hillary Clinton.
