Clinton and Trump meet for their first presidential debate

by Hans Izaak Kriek*

From the first question, Trump described a nation that was in dire straits, at home and abroad. “We have to stop our jobs from being stolen from us,” he said, denouncing the threat from Mexico and China in a signature lament. “We have to stop our jobs from leaving the United States and with it firing all our people.”

From the first question, Clinton described a country that has problems but has been making progress — and in a signature of her own, crammed a dozen bullet-point policy proposals into a two-minute answer, from infrastructure investment and a higher minimum wage to equal pay for women and debt-free college.

The setting inside the debate hall at Hofstra University looked dignified enough to fit in the White House itself, with a dark blue backdrop, a discrete band of white stars and a depiction of a golden eagle soaring over the two contenders. But the mood surrounding the opening forum was almost gladitorial.

It was exating to watch the the battle between the two presidential nominees Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump for the first time on stage. No presidential election in modern times has defied the conventional wisdom as much this one, which has ended up pitting a political neophyte and reality-TV star against the wife of a former president, a member of the family that defines the Democratic establishment. And no presidential debate in the television age has been more hotly anticipated.

For Clinton it was historical, the first woman in a battle for president of America and Trump the first non-politician. Who is the winner of the first presidential debate? Clinton or Trump? I think it’s fifty – fifty. In the first part of the debate Trump was stronger about work, jobs and economic and in the second part Clinton was better in a lot of issues.

In a debate that was scheduled to last 90 minutes but headed into overtime, Trump and Clinton jabbed each other in the fiercest series of exchanges in a presidential debate in modern times. He portrayed her as one of the political hacks who has led the nation dangerously astray. “It’s all words, it’s all soundbites,” he said dismissively, repeatedly interrupting her and at times audibly snorting as she spoke.

Hillary portrayed him as a questionable businessman with few specific plans and a limited grasp of the facts, advocating economic policies she repeatedly dubbed “Trumped-up trickle-down.” She accused him of racist behavior in questioning President Obama’s birthplace and questioned what he was trying to hide by refusing to release his tax returns while they are being audited.

Trump said on the end: “I will absolutely support her if she wins” and Clinton, she will accept the results of the elections if Trump wins. The next debat will be held on Sunday October 9, at Washington University in St. Louis, Minnesota.

*Hans Izaak Kriek is a former Dutch political television-journalist and now editor-in-chief of Kriek Media