USA TODAY International Edition
FIGHT NIGHT
Clinton, Trump tangle over jobs, race in first of 3 debates
HEMPSTEAD, N. Y. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump went after each other early and often during Monday’s opening debate, arguing over race, gender, trade, government regulation, and whose economic approach would best generate growth and job creation.
“Donald, I know you live in your own reality,” Clinton said during the highly anticipated showdown at Hofstra University, saying the New York businessman constantly tells untruths, promotes “trickle down” economics that benefits the wealthy, and dabbles in racism and sexism.
The first debate of the general election campaign saw Clinton needle Trump throughout, as she called him by his first name and noted his inconsistent policy statements and claims. He pushed back, often raising his voice and sniffing. One focus
group of undecided voters led by Republican pollster Frank Luntz showed Clinton the winner.
After the debate, Trump made an unprecedented appearance in the “spin room,” where campaign officials try to persuade reporters that their candidate won.
Trump said the “holier than thou” former secretary of State, senator, and first lady is a “typical politician” who has pushed bad policies for 30 years — particularly in trade — and wants to increase taxes and regulations on businesses that are already struggling to survive.
“Hillary has experience, but it’s bad experience,” Trump said. He and his Democratic rival have two more debates to go before the Nov. 8 election.
Issues of race and gender drew some of the many sharp exchanges in what may be the most watched political debate in U. S. history.
Trump avoided explaining why he suddenly announced this month he now believes President Obama was born in Hawaii, after years of suggesting otherwise. He again accused Clinton partisans of spreading “birtherism” during the 2008 Democratic primaries, though no evidence ties it directly to her or her campaign. Officials from the 2008 Clinton campaign said they did not spread the birther claim that year.
Clinton said Trump built his political career by promoting the “racist lie” that Obama was not an American citizen. Noting that a Trump company was sued for housing discrimination back in the 1970s, “So he has a long record of engaging in racist behavior,” Clinton said.
Trump answered by saying the Justice Department sued numerous companies for racial discrim- ination at the time.
Asked about the recent spate of police shootings and racial unrest, Clinton said, “we have to restore trust between communities and the police,” and Trump does not understand the challenges facing cities. Trump said “we need law and order in our country,” and that crime falls heavily on African- American and Hispanic families.
At another point, Trump did not retract previous comments that Clinton lacks “the look” and “the stamina” to be president. In a possible reference to her health, Trump said “I don’t believe Hillary has the stamina” to endure the burdens of the presidency.
Clinton replied that when Trump travels to 120 countries and engages in marathon testimony to congressional committees, as she has done over the years, then “he can talk to me about stamina.”
Citing Trump’s past references to looks, Clinton said “this is a man who calls women pigs, slobs, and dogs.”
In another one of the rough ex- changes that punctuated the evening, Clinton joked that “I have a feeling that by the end of this evening I’m gonna be blamed for everything.” Trump shot back, “why not?”
Clinton replied, “Join the debate by saying more crazy things.”
Taking an aggressive approach to her Republican opponent, Clinton hammered Trump for refusing to release his personal tax returns, as has been standard for presidential candidates for four decades. “There’s something he’s hiding,” Clinton said, suggesting it might be that he is not as wealthy as he claims, hasn’t given much to charity, or in some years hasn’t paid any taxes at all.
Clinton accused Trump of “rooting” for the housing crisis a decade ago, ignoring the threat of climate change, and failing to pay contractors on various projects he has sponsored. Trump responded by saying, “that’s called business.”
Playing defense, Trump said he won’t release his taxes because they are are under audit.