Debate Date: The First 2016 Presidential Debate

First, watch the debate. It is your responsibility to be an informed voter. Grab some goldfish, maybe a beer and form an opinion of each candidate and then read this article.:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=855Am6ovK7s

Well that was fun wasn’t it? Now on we go!

Last night, Monday, September 26th, was the first of three presidential debates. This one was held at Hofstra University in Long Island, NY. Moderator Lester Holt picked a series of questions focused on three segments, Achieving Prosperity, America’s Direction, and Security.

Secretary Clinton opened the debate, with elegance, thanking Hofstra University and Holt, before leading into the question by mentioning her granddaughter’s second birthday. Clinton summarized how she wants to raise the minimum wage, achieve equal pay for equal work, and increase benefits for parental leave, and family care as a whole. Conversely, Trump used his 2-minute response time to criticize the current government on their international trade policies. His plan to create jobs includes business tax cuts, higher import tariffs, and renegotiations of trade deals with countries like Mexico and China who is “the best ever at” stealing our jobs. He used many generalities, using “all” and “best” and “beautiful.” I was not convinced that Trump had much proof behind these claims and his lack of specifics created gaps in his argument that Clinton was able to profit off of in her counterarguments.

In fact, Trump went specific-free almost the entire debate. The only plan he stated clearly was a plan to increase tariffs as an incentive to keep business on home soil, and therefore keeping manufacturing jobs in the US. Manufacturing in a major job creator in New England, Pennsylvania and Ohio, he mentioned, all of which are potential swing states/regions. Trump was most likely pushing the no-foreign jobs agenda to earn more of the votes in these split areas.

Clinton seemed pleasant toward Trump, even when he asked her if calling her Secretary Clinton was alright because he “wanted her to be very happy.” (I found it interesting that he called her Secretary Clinton, while she referred to him as Donald.) She laughed a good number of times throughout the debate, which is something she is called out for. Last year I went to a women-in-tech event where a female entrepreneur said the best way to be a woman in the business world was the embrace the woman and laugh and smile, instead of trying to be serious like our male counterparts. Clinton was diplomatic, put together, and confident, but I think she still lacked definitive strength, something many Americans are concerned about.

Another topic that both candidates tried to use to their advantage was their previous experiences. Trump is known as a businessman, and wants to show the American people he can run our economy like he runs his private business, and will thereby generate millions of dollars. Clinton on the other hand has a long list of political titles, including First Lady, Senator, and Secretary of State. Her political resume is much more diverse than Mr. Trump’s but he attempted to use it as an argument point, asking if she had so many great ideas, why did she not implement them previously in her career? Clinton countered with the fact that the American public does not know how successful of a businessman Trump is because he has not yet released his tax returns. Every candidate for the last 40 years has released their tax return information, and Trump has yet to release his, claiming he cannot release them while he is under audit. Hillary Clinton’s private email server was also brought up, but Trump was not able to gain as much momentum with this comment as I suspect he had hoped for.

Secretary Clinton did an excellent job of stripping down Trump’s business image, stating that he had taken business bankruptcy 6 times, and reminding the audience that in several instances he has refused to pay workers for their labor. Trump retaliated that he was simply doing what was best for himself and his business and was taking “advantage of the laws of the nation” and that “people love [him].”

The section on security seemed to lose focus on both ends as Clinton tried to pin Trump down on early support of the war, as well as his friendliness with Russia. Trump countered that cyber threats could come from anywhere even “someone on their bed that weighs 400 lbs.” and that Sean Hannity will clearly say he opposed the war. (Are you sure he mentioned Sean Hannity? I think he said Sean Hannity. In case you missed it, ask Sean Hannity. Hannity, Sean. Sean Hannity.) Trump’s temperament is better than Clinton’s. She laughed.

Clinton’s final statement made it clear she wants to be a leader that American’s can count on, one that will continue to help America be a global force.

Trump concluded that he wants to make America great again.

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