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Marshall for The Hill: Clinton outshines Trump, but needs knockout

  • September 27, 2016
  • Will Marshall

The biggest asset GOP nominee Donald Trump brings to the presidential race is not his alleged business acumen — which more and more looks like an elaborate con — but his showmanship. So it was a bit surprising to watch Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton consistently skewer and dominate the reality-TV star in last night’s debate.

The confrontation mostly confirmed what we already knew about the two candidates, but it was the first opportunity to see them perform side-by-side — and Trump suffered from the comparison. Clinton was poised, confident and briskly in command of the facts; Trump blustered repetitively, was easily put on the defensive and his free-association ranting — such as his Sid Blumenthal excursion — was often too scatterbrained for anyone but political junkies to follow.

The juxtaposition highlighted once more that Trump hasn’t bothered to bone-up on the complex and knotty issues he’d confront as president. The White House is no place for winging it, yet he appears to lack the mental discipline to prepare himself to succeed in world’s toughest job. Are U.S. voters really so desperate for change that they would entrust a rank amateur like Trump with their highest office? This is the crux of the choice voters face in November.

Continue Reading at The Hill.

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