Debates

Recently marked the 56th anniversary of the first televised presidential debate in 1960 between then Vice President Richard Nixon and then US Senator John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Both of those men became president, however, it was Kennedy who got elected President in that cycle.

I watched the video taped broadcast of Beyond the Beltway for the first time in years. Host Bruce Dumont suggested that with the help at least of the University of Chicago perhaps it's time to host a presidential debate in the windy city again and in time for the 60th anniversary of that debate.

Now as for Monday's debate and granted it has been two days since I saw most of it as my TV remote saw great use it seems like a win for Hillary Clinton and Trump stumbled badly. It seemed for most of the month Trump was gaining on Clinton although we have almost another month until the elections in November. Time will tell if Secretary of State Clinton is able to clinch the White House and there are two more debates to go.

Now to be honest I never seen Trump debate his Republican opponents during the primaries earlier this year. He shut them down for the most part and whatever they tried to do on him during that period only served to make him stronger with Republican primary voters. Perhaps he tried his same tactics with Hillary and it didn't seem to work on her.

Regardless, time will tell if Trump will add or Clinton will add support. Conventional wisdom suggests that in this first debate neither side really gained support that whoever was already for them will remain for them. Perhaps Trump needs to change strategy and that means he can't speak over moderator.

I must admit though I thought Trump would have trouble if his general election opponent is a woman. Mrs. Clinton isn't the most ideal candidate she has no charisma and I'm concerned about her health and the continuing scandal over email doesn't help either.

This election is going to be interesting and here's hoping Trump learns something from the first one. Hopefully he'll have an answer for this idea for not paying taxes makes him smart. Perhaps he needs an answer for Clinton's proposal to tax the wealthy.