Answering his GOP critics tonight in his second debate at Washington University in St. Louis, 70-year-old GOP nominee real estate mogul Donald Trump rebounded strongly from a lackluster first debate Oct. 26. Trump had his game face on for the entire ninety-minute debate, prosecuting his case against 68-year-old Democratic nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. After defusing an 11-year-old video secretly recorded about Trump making lewd comments about women with former Access Hollywood host Billy Bush, Trump turned to former President Bill Clinton’s past abusive behavior toward women, including allegation that he raped Juanita Broaddrick while Arkansas Atty. Gen. in 1978. Calling the Access Hollywood recording “locker-room talk,” Trump apologized for his indiscretion, quickly pivoting to more substantive campaign topics.
Trump responded directly to moderator CNN’s Anderson Cooper. “You bragged that you sexually assaulted women,” Cooper said to Trump. “I didn’t say that at all,” denying that he ever abused any women. “Have you ever done those things?” asked Cooper. “No I have not,” said Trump, moving on to other topics. Creating a media firestorm for the past three days, Trump put into perspective the difference been crude chitchat and actual sexual abuse. “Nobody in the history of politics in this country has been so abusive” to women as Hillary’s husband, former President Bill Clinton said Trump. Pivoting to Hillary’s emails, Trump reminded the audience that Hillary ordered her staff to delete and “bleach” over 33,000 emails after getting a Congressional subpoena. Trump promised if he’s elected president to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Hillary’s misbehavior.
Hillary’s campaign never thought Trump could so forcefully prosecute the case against the former Secretary of State. Trump reminded voters of Hillary’s bad decisions on Iraq, Libya and now Syria where she backs arming Syrian rebels to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. When asked about Syria, Hillary blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin whom she holds responsible for the carnage around Aleppo. Trump told voters that Hillary showed her bad judgment in Syria, where she previously favored toppling Iraq’s Saddam Hussein and Libya’s Col. Muammar Gaddafi. Hillary made clear she has no intent of improving U.S.-Russian relations, something so bad today both countries have openly talked of going to war. Trump pointed out that Hillary seeks to topple al-Assad by backing Syrian rebels that have ties to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria [ISIS] and al-Qaeda’s Jabhat al-Nusra Front.
When questioned by ABC’s Martha Raddatz about the Syrian-Russian siege on Aleppo, Trump disagreed with his VP pick Gov. Mike Pence who said Oct. 4 at the VP debate at Longwood University in Farmville, Va. that he’d be willing to confront Syria and Russia to protect civilians in Aleppo. Asked about Pence’s statement, Trump said he “disagreed,” admitting he hadn’t discussed the matter with Pence. Trump warned voters about Hillary’s bad judgment, whose tough talk toward Russia could only lead to more problems. When pivoting back to Hillary’s emails, Trump said if elected he would pursue Hillary with a special prosecutor. “If I win, I’m going to instruct the attorney general to get a special prosecutor to look into your situation because there’s never been so many lies, so much deception,” Trump told Hillary. Trump’s supporters at campaign rallies like to chant, “lock her up!”
Keeping the debate focused on Hillary’s shortcomings both domestically and in foreign policy, Trump kept Hillary off her game. Stealing away her momentum from the last debate, Trump turned the tables, showing his game face, staying laser-focused on Hillary’s foreign and domestic policy failures. ABC’s Raddatz tried to turn the tables on Trump, questioning his Dec. 7, 2015 Muslim ban after Islamic radicals Dec. 2, 2015 slaughtered 14 San Bernardino, Calif. co-workers at a baby shower party. When questioned about his Muslim ban, Trump said it’s morphed into “extreme vetting,” calling voters attention to Hillary’s plans to let thousands more Syrians into the U.S. Unlike the previous one-on-one debate at Hofstra University in Hemstead, Long Island Sept. 26, Trump looked in control, knowing exactly what he had to do to salvage what looked like a sinking ship.
Out of sorts for most the debate, Hillary lacked the command seen in the first debate. While trying to ignore Trump’s charges, Hillary looked defensive through most of the ninety-minute debate. Whether Trump’s performance can reverse his campaign tailspin is anyone’s guess. What voters saw tonight was a presidential looking Trump, not fitting Hillary’s stereotype of a person unfit for the White House. Undecided voters saw Trump at his best prosecuting the case against Hillary. Silencing GOP critics over Trump’s Access Hollywood video, Trump proved he’s the only GOP candidate capable of competing against Hillary. Whether admitted to or not, anyone watching Trump tonight saw the GOP’s best rival against Hillary. Trump showed he could take a punch and go the distance with the media and his own party stacked against him heading to Election Day.
