(09-27-2016 11:23 AM)chrisc Wrote:  Couple of things I noticed. [Disclosure - I've voted for a mix of R's & D's in the past 6 presidential races, and will probably vote for Gary Johnson this year.]

1) It sure seemed like Lester Holt had many more negative questions targeted towards Trump vs Clinton. He pressed Trump on his tax return, the birther controversy, his support for the Iraq war, and Clinton's "presidential look". The only time Holt pressed Clinton on any of her trouble spots was after Trump brought up the private email server, and Holt ask her "Do you want to respond to that?". Did anyone else pick up on this?

2) I know all politicians do this, but I was simultaneously impressed and frightened by Trump's ability to deflect questions and turn them around 180 degrees. Here's a relevant example from the transcript. He essentially convinced Lester Holt that he had asked a different question!

Quote:HOLT: Mr. Trump, this year Secretary Clinton became the first woman nominated for president by a major party. Earlier this month, you said she doesn't have, quote, "a presidential look." She's standing here right now. What did you mean by that?

TRUMP: She doesn't have the look. She doesn't have the stamina. I said she doesn't have the stamina. And I don't believe she does have the stamina. To be president of this country, you need tremendous stamina.

HOLT: The quote was, "I just don't think she has the presidential look."

TRUMP: You have -- wait a minute. Wait a minute, Lester. You asked me a question. Did you ask me a question?

From what little I could stomach of the debate, Trump performed poorly. At least IMO.

However the exchange you just posted, sounds like a pretty direct answer, rather than a deflection:

"What did you mean by that?"

"She doesn't have the stamina."

That's a direct answer to the question. It may (or may not) be a fair assessment of her health and physical ability to handle the rigors of a full-time job at her age (or his, I get it). It may not make sense to some, but it gets a point across. People will understand the point he's making, and it's about their perceptions of her.

As I said a couple of posts up, I am not voting for Trump, nor defending his candidacy. But as I read that exchange, that's probably a clearer answer than most that were given by him last night.