Day: September 29, 2016

Debate Showed Trump at His Worst

Buck Banks

If you’re a Republican who has been clinging to the wan hope that Donald Trump might somehow, in his eighth decade on Earth, develop into a plausibly competent president of the United States, the first debate should have been your moment to abandon ship. Trump displayed the factual command of a small child, the emotional stability of a hormonal teen, and the stamina of an old man, staggering and losing the thread as the 90 minutes wore on.

— Jonathan Chait

Democrats Less Likely to Vote This Year

Buck Banks

65%

Of Democrats say they will definitely vote — well below their average for the prior four presidential elections (77%), whereas the 76% of Republicans saying they will definitely vote is only a bit lower than their prior average (81%).“Amid the news frenzy leading up to the first general election debate of 2016, fewer U.S. adults rate themselves highly likely to vote for president than did so in September of each of the past four presidential election years.”
— Gallup

Arizona Republic Endorses Clinton

Buck Banks

Clinton retains her composure under pressure. She’s tough. She doesn’t back down. Trump responds to criticism with the petulance of verbal spit wads. That’s beneath our national dignity. When the president of the United States speaks, the world expects substance. Not a blistering tweet.

— The Arizona Republic, endorsing a Democrat for the first time since the newspaper’s founding in 1890.

Over 84 Million Watched Debate

Buck Banks

84 million

“According to Nielsen, the debate averaged a total of 84 million viewers across 13 of the TV channels that carried it live. Many millions also watched the debate via live streams on the web,” CNN reports. “Nielsen’s 84 million total counts people who watched via traditional TV channels at home. People who watched the debate at parties, bars, restaurants, and offices were not counted. Neither were C-SPAN viewers. This means the actual total audience is even higher.”