Clinton, Trump poised for must-see debate showdown
ASSOCIATED PRESS
People waited in the hall for the presidential debate between Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. today.
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. » With millions watching and the American presidency on the line, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are poised for a must-see showdown today, pitting the Democrat’s call for steady, experienced leadership against the Republican’s pugnacious promises to upend Washington.
The 90-minute televised debate comes six weeks before Election Day and with early voting already getting underway in some states. Despite Clinton’s advantages, including a sophisticated get-out-the-vote operation and a favorable electoral map, the race is exceedingly close.
For Clinton and Trump, the first of three debates is a crucial moment to boost their standing with voters who view both candidates negatively. Clinton struggles with questions about her trustworthiness, while Trump has yet to prove to some voters that he has the basic qualifications to serve as commander in chief.
National interest in the race has been intense, and the campaigns are expecting a record-breaking audience to watch today’s event at suburban New York’s Hofstra University. Both candidates were continuing intensive debate prep nearly until air time.
Clinton aides spent the days leading up to the debate appealing for the media and voters to hold Trump to a higher standard than they believe he has faced for much of the campaign. Their concern is that if the sometimes-bombastic Trump manages to keep his cool onstage, he’ll be rewarded — even if he fails to flesh out policy specifics or doesn’t tell the truth about his record and past statements.
Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook said today that he was “concerned that Trump is going to continue to lie.”
On the other side, Kellyanne Conway, who took over as Trump’s campaign manager last month, accused Clinton’s team of engaging in “very public and very coordinated attempts to game the refs.” She said the effort reflected worries among Clinton supporters about the Democrat’s debating skills.
Trump and Clinton have spent months tangling from afar and are divided on virtually every major issue facing the country. They’re sure to face questions about domestic terrorism and police shootings given recent incidents in New York, North Carolina and elsewhere.
The centerpiece of Trump’s campaign has been a push for restrictive immigration measures, including a physical wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and an early proposal to temporarily bar foreign Muslims from coming to the U.S. But he’s been less detailed about other ideas, including his plan for stamping out the Islamic State group in the Middle East, and Conway suggested he’d be similarly reticent in the debate.
“You will get his view of how best to defeat the enemy — without telling ISIS specifically what it’s going to be,” Conway said.
Clinton, a former senator and secretary of state, is banking on voters seeing her as a steady hand who can build on the record of President Barack Obama, whose popularity is rising as he winds down his second term in office. She’s called for expanding Obama’s executive orders if Congress won’t pass legislation to overhaul the nation’s immigration system and for broader gun control measures. Overseas, she’s called for a no-fly zone in Syria but has vowed to keep the military out of a large-scale ground war to defeat the Islamic State group.
For Clinton, victory in November largely hinges on rallying the same young and diverse coalition that elected Obama but has yet to fully embrace her. Mook told “CBS This Morning” that she understands she still needs to earn voters’ trust.
“When she’s had the opportunity to talk about not just what her plans are to make a difference in people’s lives, but how this campaign is really part of a lifelong mission to fight for kids and families, she’s done really well,” Mook said.
Former President Bill Clinton planned to travel to the debate with his wife, but it was unclear whether he planned to watch the event from inside the debate hall.
Trump has tapped into deep anxieties among some Americans, particularly white, working-class voters who feel left behind in a changing economy and diversifying nation. While the real estate mogul lacks the experience Americans have traditionally sought in a commander in chief, he’s banking on frustration with career politicians and disdain for Clinton to push him over the top on Election Day.
Trump was often a commanding presence in the Republican primary debates, launching biting personal attacks on his rivals. But at other times, he appeared to fade into the background, especially during more technical policy discussions — something he’ll be unable to do with just two candidates on stage.
Clinton has debated more than 30 times at the presidential level, including several one-on-one contests against Obama in 2008 and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in 2016. But today’s contest will be her first presidential debate against a candidate from the opposing party.
Associated Press writer Josh Lederman contributed to this report.
23 responses to “Clinton, Trump poised for must-see debate showdown”
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34 will be he number of lies told by Donald Trump tonight. Vegas has odds on it along with how many minutes before he blows up.
Take the Saints -2 1/2. Try counting the number of times HiLIARy tells the truth. We are talking negative numbers. Trump 2016
Has the Donald ever told the truth? He sure didn’t tell the truth when he promised to release his tax returns. Face it, when you vote for the Donald, you are voting for politicians to lie and to with hold their financial information. The Donald is the number one liar of all time.
Ms. Clinton, a former elected/appointed official who took an oath of office, has lied to the people while in office. That is, of course, unless she “couldn’t recall”. Benghazi video? Email interview? What did the head of the FBI say?
Boots, Trump didn’t lie on his taxes. He didn’t say when.
lespark, you actually like Trump’s evasiveness? That might work if a person is a crook and wants a sneaky liar to help commit crimes.
Without mentioning Trump’s opponent: If you are a good American citizen, don’t you want someone who speaks the plain truth running your country?
Should you blindly put someone hiding major skeletons in a position of authority? As a Trump fan, YOU should want him to disclose his taxes. You should read articles about him with a critical mind. Then, if you still want to vote for him, go ahead. But do real research first. That’s a better use of your time than posting here all day long.
Money Laundering Scheme Exposed: 14 Pro-Clinton Super PACs and Non-Profits Implicated….http://www.thecitizensaudit.com/2016/09/19/money-laundering-david-brock/
In the first minute? lol
85. The percentage of progressives who will wet the bed after Hillary coughs and lies her way through a sound beating by Trump. The other 15% will be curled up in a catatonic fetal position until the anti-depressants kick in.
And how many so called “conservatives” will still be with the Donald after tonight’s debate? After all this a guy who thinks Putin is fine and dandy. I wonder if the Donald ever becomes president, Russian will become America’s second language?
CEI..but in a total collective breath all 100% of them will exhale in unison…”Oh Joe Biden baby WHY in GOD’s name didn’t you run!!!???”
Yep, buyer’s remorse anyone? The DNC ran crazy Bernie out of town on a rail to force Hillary down the throats of democrat voters. Uncle Joe as batty as he is probably would have bet the Donald handily. Let’s face it Bill’s wife just isn’t a natural politician. Joe connects to people. Even Bill as much of a snake in the grass as he may be is affable and a politician’s politician. He could sell ice cubes to eskimos or sand to an Arab. Hillary turns people off the minute she opens her mouth. No voter enthusiasm for the old gal. Bummer for democrats.
“Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook said today that he was “concerned that Trump is going to continue to lie.”
He should be more concerned with Hillary’s lies and let Trump’s people worry about Trump. Mook wants Lester Holt to Fact Check Trump during tonight’s debate. Isn’t that Hillary’s job? Shouldn’t she be the one to “set the record straight?” Only she can save her slipping numbers.
The “liberal” mass media sure doesn’t need to continue to provide the Donald with all the free advertising they have been providing him. It would be nice if the moderator stands up to the candidates when they make a questionable statement. Sadly though since the Donald lies so much, any such moderator would be speaking as much as the candidates.
What the moderator should do is offer the other candidate an opportunity to rebut (or agree with) any statement, questionable or otherwise. They shouldn’t be offering their opinion one way or another. The moderators job isn’t to behave the way Candy Crowley did in 2012. Holt needs to keep it moving and keep it civil or Trump will be yelling ‘rigged’ and Mook will be yelling ‘unfair.’
Agree.
You can bet she will remember she is a attorney.
This is going to be epic. Hillary’s aids and medical team have had her on lockdown all week to make sure she’s physically capable of going 90-minutes without collapsing, and for good reason. The Donald can and will say just about anything, no matter how ridiculous or absurd, and his followers will hoot and holler and beat their wives/sisters and still vote for him…but if Hillary has even ONE of her regularly-occurring epileptic/coughing/collapsing fits, SHE IS DONE.
Sorry, folks, but that’s the truth of it. I don’t like either of them, but if the choice is between an egomaniacal buffoon who sees this as nothing but an awesome way to promote his hotels, or a career-criminal sociopath who might actually drop dead after a month in office, I think I might just go with the buffoon, enjoy the show and wait for impeachment.
This is going to be fun.
“Enjoy the show?” Are you kidding? We aren’t talking about changing the quarterback on the UH football team. We are talking about choosing the leader of the most powerful country in the history of the world.
hillary’s america, the secret history of the democratic party, by dinesh d’souza: new york times best seller.
stronger together, by clinton and kaine: barely sold 3,000 copies.
debate expectations;
the female felon will need help getting onto and off her booster step. a visual lie even before she says a word. her podium better be bolted down to avoid toppling over if the female felon stumbles or faints. the congenital liar’s hair will cover both ears. cuban’s theatric reactions will be highlighted on cnn and other clinton news networks. doctors bardack and okunola will be off stage, on stand by in case the female felon has a “short circuit” or coughing fit, but out of sight to avoid negative visual impact on her major declining health issues.
the orange one will glow, orange. his lack of political background will be an issue for those voters looking for a political outsider to lead this nation. no flowers in the audience. but, dr dorothy woods would have been a substantial rebuttal sitting next to cuban.
Over-hyped debate coming up. Trump will say his usual meaningless rhetoric that has no plan behind it. Hillary is no Bill Clinton, probably won’t say anything memorable or that will convince people to change their vote.
The main point of interest is if Trump will come up with new entertaining insults, and if Hillary will surprise us by responding with her own zingers. I bet she’s been practicing that, too.
Hillary will have done her homework. Trump will probably wing it.
going to be an interesting debate.
the female felon will be performing before her largest crowd since the democrat convention. her campaign failed to fill large audience venues and resorted to busing in high school students to fill empty seats and shutting room dividers to mask the vast sea of empty seats in huge empty halls. media pool feeds limited shots to tightly controlled views of the fifty or so audience members in the front rows or back bleachers during the female felon’s speeches in smaller confined venues.