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Back to site Election 2016 Election debates The Strangest Debate of the Weirdest Election Ever It wasn’t much of a surprise when the candidates skipped the customary handshake at the beginning. By D.D. GuttenplanTwitter October 10, 2016 Facebook Twitter Email Print Hillary Clinton,Donald Trump Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, left, and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump arrive before the second presidential debate at Washington University in St. Louis, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016. (Jim Bourg / Pool via AP) St. Louis— In this weirdest of all possible elections, we’ve now had our first quantum debate, for which the only fitting summary is: Anything that can happen will happen. One of the strangest things happened before the debate even started. Two hours before the broadcast began, Trump staged a surprise “debate preparation” event featuring three women who have long accused Bill Clinton of sexual assault, and one woman who was raped and whose rapist, represented by a very young Hillary Clinton over 40 years ago, was freed on a technicality. For those of us wondering whether, in response to the firestorm of criticism provoked by his language on the now infamous Access Hollywood recording, Trump would “go there” in the second debate, the answer, delivered live on Trump’s Facebook page, was clear: Yes, he would. Ad Policy “Mr. Trump may have said some bad words, but Bill Clinton raped me and Hillary Clinton threatened me,” said Juanita Broaddrick, who like the other women spoke only very briefly at the event, but attended tonight’s debate as Trump’s guests. So it was not much of a surprise when neither candidate offered the customary handshake at the start of proceedings. Nor did it take long for the topics of Trump’s tape—and Bill Clinton’s own history as an alleged sexual predator—to surface in the debate itself. Though the first question from a member of the audience—“Do you feel you are modeling appropriate and positive behavior for today’s youth?”—gave both candidates enough room to avoid the obviously intended topic, which they did, Anderson Cooper soon made matters explicit: “You brag that you have sexually assaulted women. Do you understand that?” In response, Trump admitted “locker-room talk,” but denied ever actually assaulting women—and neither Clinton nor the moderators mentioned the pending lawsuit accusing him of rape. Trump then went on to claim that Bill Clinton repeatedly abused women, who were then smeared by his wife. To which Hillary Clinton replied by saying that Trump was “unfit to be president.” Yet that was far from the most bitter exchange of the night. On the very next question, when Clinton suggested that Trump needed to apologize not just for his crude language on the hot mic tape but also for “the racist lie that President Obama was not born in the United States,” Trump began on familiar ground with his claim that the “birther” phenomenon originated with the Clinton campaign—only to swerve into a stunning threat regarding Clinton’s e-mails: “If I win, I am going to instruct my attorney general to get a special prosecutor to look into your situation.” And when Clinton responded, “It’s just awfully good that someone with the temperament of Donald Trump is not in charge of the law in our country,” Trump interrupted: “Because you’d be in jail.” Thanks to the town-hall format, though, there were also substantive exchanges: on health care, energy policy, and the Supreme Court. In each case Trump hewed to current Republican orthodoxy, promising to repeal Obamacare, loosen controls on oil companies (and also declaring, “Coal will last for a thousand years”), and repeating his pledge “to appoint judges very much in the mold of Justice Scalia.” But environmentalists will have been disappointed to hear Clinton repeating the fracking industry’s line that “producing a lot of natural gas…serves as a bridge to more renewable fuels.” And civil libertarians should be distressed that, instead of denouncing Trump’s demand that American Muslims prove their loyalty by acting as informants—“Muslims have to report the problems when they see them”—Clinton effectively echoed the suggestion: “We need American Muslims to be part of our eyes and ears on our front line.” There was even a moment of light relief, on Russia, with Trump first claiming, “I know nothing about Russia,” then immediately clarifying: “I know, I know about Russia, but I know nothing about the inner workings of Russia.” For me the strangest moment came at the end, when, in response to an audience question challenging each candidate to “name one positive thing” about the other, Clinton praised Trump’s children—and then Trump, sounding for all the world like a Clinton campaign ad, called her “a fighter” who “doesn’t quit.” At which point the two candidates shook hands. Perhaps next time they’ll sing a duet. 9 Comments Facebook Twitter Email Print D.D. Guttenplan Twitter D.D. Guttenplan is The Nation's Editor-at-Large. To submit a correction for our consideration, click here. For Reprints and Permissions, click here. Leave a Comment Cancel reply In order to comment, you must be logged in as a paid subscriber. Click here to log in or subscribe. Sort comments By: [Chronological Order] 1. Donald Heaney says: October 11, 2016 at 7:42 am The major problem with the "debates" is the moderator. May recommend Jerry Springer! upimg (0) downimg (1) 2. Charles Jacoby says: October 11, 2016 at 1:26 am It took only about 10 minutes to log in here. Please, editors, can we get this log in thing fixed, once and for all? It was an old The Nation. columnist, the late Christopher Hitchens. who called Bill Clinton a serial rapist, which whether accurate or not has nothing to do with Hillary, and perhaps a whole lot to do with Trump, whoʼs character reveals to me a like serial rapist. I donʼt for a second believe Trump regards women as equal to men. I suspect the man suffers serious penis envy, (pardon Dr. Freud) but far more likely in men than in women. Again, Trump appeals to the worst in men and in a whole lot of women too, evidently. And I never thought Iʼd find myself defending Hillary. But this is beyond the pale. Trump is a very acute neurotic in need of psychological help. Iʼm thinking too of his rows with Rosie OʼDonnell, during which Trump was more often than not grossly out of line. Indeed, the term, "gross," most clearly characterizes him. That along with, "indecent" and "hateful." I picture in my mind the world looking in on this contest and thinking, "just how silly has the US become, and they think our own candidates are but thugs and dictators, etc., etc." These are our models of leadership? As I have long suspected, the concept, "leadership," is one of those abstractions born of ideology. Give me anarchism every time. upimg (4) downimg (1) 3. David Quigley says: October 10, 2016 at 4:59 pm Iʼd like us to stop worrying about Trump getting elected. He is a fascist fascist sociopath yes. His election would signal the end of America as a free country. But I saw Hillary steal the primary election from Bernie in California. If she can do it once. She can be trusted to steal it twice: my friends: purged from the roles. Their votes: switched to Hillary by the machines. Iʼll be voting for the only non criminal. Jill Stein. But Iʼm sure Hillary will steal it. So be not afraid that my vote will elect Trump!! upimg (3) downimg (6) 1. Denise Lindsly says: October 10, 2016 at 5:47 pm Hillary did NOT steal CA She won more votes by a huge margin Vote for Stein? She canʼt get over 1 nationwide and she, like Drumpfʼs Gen Mike Flynn, went to Moscow to celebrate Putinʼs Russia Today Google it; she was online with her praise upimg (3) downimg (2) Michael B Wisper says: October 10, 2016 at 4:43 pm Iʼm having to read op-eds and commentaries about the "debate" because, frankly, I couldnʼt bear to watch yet another reminder of what a sorry state our countryʼs gone into. I find it hard and frightening that these are the only two people we have to choose from as the leader of our Government...a foul-mouthed, uncontrollable man-child and a compulsive liar are not what I ever dreamed a presidential race would denigrate to, yet somehow this has actually happened, with our nationʼs citizenry and a lazy media complicit in this "choice". Itʼs beyond disgusting, and all over the world people must be either laughing uncontrollably or scared to death that one of these two psychotics will in fact be the leader or America! This is a blot not only on our country but on us as a people that weʼve allowed this to happen. upimg (15) downimg (2) Phil Johnson says: October 10, 2016 at 1:58 pm Forget the content; most of it was either boring or outlandish. I gave both candidates a D. Actually, I canʼt stand it any more. Last nightʼs yclept "debate" was a barely above the waterline Hollywood escapade. Who gives a ratʼs ss about stuff that happened 20 years ago? So, if it is relevant, letʼs have more of the Orange Cheshire Cat who loves to use a feline term in describing what he does to women. Oh, thatʼs right. That garbage got out of its cage last Friday. I am still fighting the nausea that came over me from THAT detritus. We all have to get a grip. This countryʼs in serious trouble, and the main reason, in my humble opinion, is that we all have lost our way. And that happened because we refused to follow directions that were written down for us 2,000 (and more) years ago. I fear for our country, because we are substituting foolʼs gold, like the Israelites did so many times from Mosesʼ time, for the Creator who loves us and wants us to come back to Him. In each personʼs own way. If we donʼt, the prospects look dark, indeed. just my 2c. I understand this is not a popular theme, but it needs to be out there. pj upimg (6) downimg (17) Elaine Bolynn says: October 10, 2016 at 5:11 am Why was this article so badly edited and proofread? As usual, the Nationʼs perspective on the candidates is quirky and idiosyncratic. Do you ever see any issue from an ordinary, middle-America view point? upimg (11) downimg (9) 1. Reginald V Wedge says: October 10, 2016 at 2:20 pm Right on, Elaine! A large part of the problem is that instantaneous, hi-tek, computer "journalism" has dumbed down the process of publishing rational, considered, well-thought and well-written commentary and observation. Newspeople have always had to get a story in on or before deadline, but in the hi-tek computer age, there is no time for a journalist to write coherently about any issue in a considered manner. Blank, white screens have to be filled in the wee hours of Zero Dark Thirty so that weary risers can be assaulted by some kind of "news" when they turn on their computers. Once again hi-tek has undermined crucial fibers of the woven network of society. No one is given time to think, to digest, to reflect, to contemplate, and/or to write in a reasoned rational manner. This is not just an issue that affects "ordinary, middle-America." It affects ALL of America. Hi-tek and BIG MEDIA are the ones who are rigging and stealing this election from WE THE PEOPLE. The Nation, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Yorker, and all of their ilk have become the "new dictators" in The United States. They are no longer the "good guys" employing the likes of Ben Bradlee, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. Media moguls are now just the string pullers behind the curtains. upimg (8) downimg (3) 1. Phil Johnson says: October 10, 2016 at 2:25 pm Well-stated. I would not want to be an employee of Big Media. Especially now. Where is Morley Safer and his kind., when we need him? upimg (5) downimg (1) Election 2016 Election debates Dec 30, 2016 A Resolution for 2017: Keep Reminding Trump That He Has No Mandate By John Nichols Dec 24, 2016 Charles Dickens and the Ghosts of Christmas Present By John Nichols Nov 09, 2016 The GOP’s Attack on Voting Rights Was the Most Under-Covered Story of 2016 By Ari Berman Nov 03, 2016 No Matter Who Loses the Election, the Winner Will Be the National Security State By Tom Engelhardt “AN INDISPENSABLE VOICE IN OUR POLITICAL DIALOGUE.” —ELIZABETH WARREN Subscribe to The Nation Ad Policy [infiloader.gif] The Nation Follow The Nation Get Email Updates Stay connected with everything Nation by signing up for our free daily newsletter. 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