Monday, September 26, 2016

Quotes of the Day: Andrew Sullivan Live Blogging


Watching the presidential debate is painful in many ways, not the least of which is Donald Trump's lies and Texas sized bull shit.  Sadly, Trump's supporters are as delusional as he is and as immune from being tethered to objective reality as The Donald himself.   Andrew Sullivan is live blogging the debates and here are some reflections.  Here is a sampling:
9:50 p.m. What he has just said in a presidential debate is indistinguishable from what a drunk at a bar might say before he is thrown out. It’s incredible to me that this ranting, incoherent bigot is actually a nominee of a major party in the U.S.
9:47 p.m. Trump’s response to the racial divide question is simply to tout his endorsement from the police union. Then he pivots to the notion that inner city violence is caused by illegal immigrants. His answer on stop and frisk is an argument against the constitution. He has contempt for the Constitution because it might actually impede him from doing what he wants.
 
9:43 p.m. It’s clear that Trump has no idea what a debate is and has never actually debated an equal. He rants and then shouts over and interrupts his debate partner. This is the performance of a tyrant – someone utterly unsuited to the give and take and reasoned debate that’s integral – essential– to a liberal democracy.
9:42 p.m. I have to say that Clinton’s spiel on Trump’s foul business record was effective. And what’s up with his nose? Why is he constantly sniffing?
9:40 p.m. A little fact-checking:
The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.
 
9:30 p.m. He’s now full bonkers – attacking the Federal Reserve. And then repeating the absurd lie that he cannot release his tax returns because of an audit. He’s just doubling down on the bullshit. If this performance works, it’s the end of any kind of rational discourse in a liberal democracy.
9:16 p.m. Clinton is doing far better than I anticipated. And he’s flailing – and gives us the first interruption.
9:12 p.m. A terrific response from Clinton on “trumped-up trickle down economics.” And her attempt to contrast her more modest upbringing with Trump’s astonishing privilege. Trump is responding with slogans. And suddenly it’s not “Crooked Hillary”, it’s Secretary Clinton. So he switches tactics and plays his strong card – that he is the new thing and Clinton has been around for ever.
He has no answer on how to bring manufacturing jobs back.

1 comment:

Stephen said...

I was disappointed that Clinton did not translate $14million into 2016 dollars, did not mention the outsourcing of manufacturing for Trump enterprises, and that the moderator did not cut Trump off. I think that future moderators should be able to switch off the microphone after the allotted time expires.