Well here we are, post-debate. I'll be honest, I didn't really have high hopes for this one. I thought that the first debate between these two infamous candidates was going to be a constant spewing of insults and lies. There was a lot of that, but overall it could've been a lot worse. Without further ado, here is the good, the bad, and the ugly of the first presidential debate of 2016.
The Good:
Hilary's Composure: Now I'm not huge fan of Hilary Clinton. But holy shit was shit good last night. She was faced with constant insults from the Donald and yet she managed to stay professional and "presidential" looking. When she did attack Trump, they were cold and calculated. Then again we should expect as much from a career politician.w
The Moderator: I think we have to applaud Lester Holt. He's received some harsh criticism for "not controlling the candidates". But let's look at the bigger picture. He allowed each candidate to debate their actual disagreements without letting them get too far off topic before bringing them back. And let's face it; One does not simply control Donald Trump. With regard to the two candidates he was moderating, I'd say he did a hell of a job. \
The Split Screen: I think the split screen was one of the best part of the debate. It gave a lot of insight on how candidates act when faced with criticism.
The Bad:
Trump's Composure: At the beginning of the debate Trump seemed to be showing his tamer side. But as the debate went on he began to unravel.
The "Race Question": At one point in the debate the moderator asked about race relations in the United States. I'll be honest, neither candidate impressed me on that one. Hilary's answer seemed very scripted. She was saying the right things but it seemed robotic. Donald Trump was a mess all the way through. Suggesting that we bring back unconstitutional laws and claiming he has a good relationship with black Americans.
Facts: So Hilary had a few exaggerations. Donald Trump had flat out lies. It was almost as if he was making up data on the spot and it showed.
The Ugly:
The "Birther" Question: Donald was an absolute train wreck when faced with the question of why he continued to bring up the issue of Obama's citizenship after the birth certificate was released. He once again tried to blame others for starting the rumor and dodged the question constantly. I would recommend looking up the clip and you'll understand just how ugly it was.
Taxes: Admitting you don't pay taxes because you are "smart" is not a good thing to tell the American people.
Trump v. Women: When confronted about his multiple degrading verbal attacks on women, Donald assured America most of his comments were towards Rosie O'Donald who deserved them.
All in all I think it is safe to say Hilary won this battle. I honestly expected Trump to do a lot better. However, his clear lack of preparation and constant habit of making up facts really brought him down. If Trump wants any chance of winning this election, he's going to have to up his game in the next debate.