Donald Trump did not fare well at the first Republican Presidential debate in Cleveland, Ohio Thursday night. Like any decent leader, he has taken full responsibility for this. Oh, no wait. He’s pinned it all on Fox host and debate moderator Megyn Kelly.
Trump’s twitter feed for the night began positively enough.
But then he was booed within a minute of arriving on stage. To make matters worse, the panel started asking awkward questions, about how he might actually run the country if the American people were insane enough to elect him. Trump no like questions.
Kelly opened up on Trump with a question about his attitudes to women, citing examples of him calling women he dislikes “fat pigs,” “dogs,” “slobs” and “disgusting animals.” She continued:
“Your Twitter account has several disparaging comments about women’s looks. You once told a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice it would be a pretty picture to see her on her knees. Does that sound to you like the temperament of a man we should elect as president, and how will you answer the charge when Hillary Clinton, who is likely to be the Democratic nominee, that you are part on {sic} the War on Women?”
But according to Trump, treating women with basic respect is a “political correctness” for which he doesn’t have time. Clearly rattled and shooting Kelly the death stare, he stated that he had always been kind to her though he might not be from now on.
Trump also didn’t like being challenged on his comments about Mexican immigrants by panelist Chris Wallace. The trust fund tycoon hollered:
“If it weren’t for me you wouldn’t even be talking about illegal immigration, Chris. You wouldn’t even be talking about it!”
In the world according to Donald Trump, Fox News only started reporting on immigration after he raised the issue in his announcement speech.
Later, Brett Baier challenged Trump on his past support for single payer healthcare:
“You were for a single payer system, a Canadian-style system. Why were you for that then, and not now,” Baier asked.
“It works in Canada, it works incredibly well in Scotland. It could’ve worked in a different age (which is the age you’re talking about) here.,” the billionaire said. “What I’d like to see is a private system without the artificial lines around every state.”
This comment sent Rand Paul into a rage, and he near-screamed at Trump from his podium:
“News flash!”
“The Republican party’s been fighting against the single payer system for a decade. I think you’re on the wrong side of this if you’re still arguing for a single payer system.”
Trump also fluffed answers when challenged about bankrupt businesses, his donations to Democratic lawmakers (including Hillary Clinton), and prior support for abortion. At one point he simply whined: “I’ve evolved.”
After the event, Trump began frantically tweeting and retweeting bitter condemnation of the panel, and Fox News.
But it wasn’t just Kelly who came under fire. According to Trump, the entire debate was a set up from the beginning – orchestrated by GOP strategist Frank Luntz.
He was still busily retweeting Fox-haters this morning.
Not happy with his Twitter parade, Trump went on to complain to MSNBC and the Fox morning show Fox and Friends about the alleged anti-Trump panel.
Overall, Trump’s performance was bellicose, confused, inarticulate and distinctly un-Presidential. Nevertheless, CNN, The Atlantic, The Hill, Breitbart, Drudge, Time and Fox declared Trump the winner. While eager journalists waited for the major gaffe which never came, what really stood out about this debate was how hopelessly dull it was. The highlight of the night was John Kasich expressing his unconditional love for people whether they were straight or gay. Why? Because it was the closest thing to a moment of hope in the entire clown show. While the bluster of Cruz, Trump and Walker may titillate as an opposition – not one of them can express an inspiring vision of hope for America. They are so busy convincing us of the American Nightmare, they have forgotten to engage us with an American Dream.
This might be why the Clinton camp called the debate “a really destructive night for the Republican Party” and declared Hillary “the clear winner”.
Featured Image via Twitter
