Clinton,
Democrats, Allies
and the Third
Presidential Debate
Democratic National Committee
Oct. 20, 2016
A
Decisive Victory
Journalists
and
editorial boards across the country are in agreement: Hillary
Clinton scored a decisive victory over Donald Trump in the third debate:
Denver Post: Editorial Board:Abandoned
by much of his party and shooting for analmost non-existent path
to victory, Donald Trump needed somethingWednesdaynight. Unfortunately, it is
likely too late in the game for that something to be a victory in a
well-reasoned, substantive debate. So instead, when Fox News anchor
Chris Wallace asked if Trump would honor the outcome of the election he
said: “I will tell you at the time. I will keep you in suspense.”
Cincinnati Enquirer: Editorial Board:Donald
Trump’s claims of a rigged presidential election aren’t only
unprecedented
and
irresponsible. They are dangerous. He crossed yet another line
duringWednesday’sfinal debate when he
doubled down by refusing to say if he would honor the election results
and concede to Hillary Clinton if he lost.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Jim
Galloway:As
was
the
case in the
previous debates, Hillary Clinton exhibited a forceful non-verbal
presence. She was disciplinedand did not regularly
interrupt Donald Trump. When Donald Trump interrupted her, she
did a better job of finishing her answers than she did in Debate One.
She was measured and forceful in these exchanges. This practice will
pay dividends with undecided voters who may beincreasingly concerned
with Donald Trump’s treatment of womenand were looking for
someone to stand up to him.
Baltimore Sun: Cathleen Decker:Donald
Trump needed a compelling victory inWednesday’sdebate to alter the course
of a campaign that has increasingly moved toward Hillary Clinton both
nationally and in key states. He did not get it. . .Themost immediate damage
came with the line that dominated post-debate news coverageand is likely to be the
debate’s most memorable moment: his refusal to say he would accept the
results, win or lose, and conform to the country’s tradition of a
peaceful transfer of power.
Cleveland.com: Andrew J. Tobias:DuringWednesdaynight's third and final
presidential debate, Republican nominee Donald Trump would not commit
to conceding the November election if he were to lose the race. In
doing so, Trump left open the possibility that he will obstruct what
moderator Chris Wallace referred to as "one of the prides of this
country ... the peaceful transition of power."Election officials —
Republican and Democrat — have responded with alarm as Trump has raised
the specter that somehow the election could be stolen from him at the
ballot box, even though evidence shows that voter fraud is rare and
not significant enough to swing a national election.
Miami Herald: Patricia Mazzei:Instead of broadening his
appeal to undecided and swing votersWednesday,
Trump
appeared
aware
at the start of debate of his recent political
losses among Republicans. He spent much of the time articulating
positions — on the U.S. Supreme Court, gun rights and abortion rights —
aimed at reassuring conservatives. “The Supreme Court: It’s what it’s
all about,” he said. Despite hisongoing
trouble
winning
over
female voters, Trump at one point interrupted
Clinton to call her “such a nasty woman.”
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Craig
Gilbert:In
another
blunt
departure
from the norms of presidential politics, Donald
Trump refused to sayWednesdaywhether he would accept the
results of the upcoming election. “I will look at it at the time,”
Trump said at his third and final presidential debate with Hillary
Clinton, his last chance before a mass television audience to turn
around a contest in which he has lost ground for weeks. “I will keep
you in suspense,” Trump said when moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News
cited his claims of a rigged election and asked him whether he would
honor the outcome of the voting. Clinton replied, “That’s horrifying …
that’s not the way our democracy works.”
Boston Globe: Scot Lehigh:With
Trump,
there’s
always
a moment when the curtain opens on the true
nature of his mental processes. InWednesday’sdebate, it wasn’t just a
moment, it was an epoch. It came when moderator Chris Wallace of Fox
News — who did a terrific, probing, even-handed job — asked if he would
accept the result of the election. . . But all Trump would say was: “I
will tell you at the time.” He then launched into a multilayered
conspiracy theory: The media was poisoning the minds of the voters. .Most voters have come to
the conclusion that he’s just not a good fit for the White House.This final debate only
reinforced that impression.
Las Vegas Sun: Megan Messerly:In one the more surprising
moments of the debate, Wallace asked Trump whether he would accept the
results of the election, given the fact that Trump has recently been
stoking concerns that the election might be “rigged.” Wallace noted
that, no matter how fraught elections have been, there is always a
“peaceful transition of power” in the U.S. Trump, however, declined to
say that he would outright accept the results of the election. “I will
tell you at the time,” was Trump’s response. “I will keep you in
suspense.”
Detroit Free Press: Editorial Board:That
Republican nominee Donald Trump has suggested that American elections
are rigged is an accusation barely worth addressing. Aside from the
sheer scope of such an endeavor – voting in Michigan, for example, is
conducted by city and township clerks, tabulated by machines that are
not connected to the internet –there
is
simply
no
evidence that intentional voter fraud is a serious problem.
Dallas Morning News: Robert T. Garrett:Clinton's best attack line,
though, was this: "We have undocumented immigrants in America who are
paying more federal income tax than a billionaire. I find that
astonishing."...But the TV networks' immediate takeaway had to do with
a self-inflicted wound -- the moment when he was asked if he'd accept
the election's outcome, win or lose. "I will tell you at the time. I
will keep you in suspense," he said. That gave Clinton an opening, and
she took it, noting thatfor
240
years,
the
losers of our presidential elections have conceded defeat.
Los Angeles Times: Staff:What
will
be
remembered
from this debate? Three things: Trump’s refusal to
say he would accept the result of the election if he loses. Trump’s
inability to answer charges that he has behaved abusively toward women.
And Trump’s return to the truculent, angry man of the first debate,
interrupting Clinton repeatedly (saying, at one point, “Such a nasty
woman”). Trump, who’s behind, needed to change the direction of the
campaign and show undecided voters that he can be thoughtful and
measured when the situation requires.He
failed.
Chicago Sun-Times: Lynn Sweet:The pressure was on Trump
to deliver a game-changer. He did not.Clinton prevailed in all three
debates.Nothing
got under her skin because she was ready for anything. In the scheme of
things, Trump calling her “such a nasty woman” wasn’t much. The big
take-away from the debate is that Trump said he may not accept the
outcome if he is defeated onNov. 8.
Instead
of
using
the debate to broaden his appeal, he’s now stuck in a
bad place: How he will handle his defeat?
Detroit Free Press: Brian Dickerson:The
debates
are
over.
The die is cast. Millions of Americans have already
voted, and sometime late onNov. 8,
when
all
the
rest of the ballots have been tabulated, the peoples’
verdict will be clear, and then . . . And then? Well,it depends on what sort
of mood Donald Trump is in. “I will tell you at the time,” he told
FOX News’ astonished Chris Wallace, who’d asked the Republican nominee
to confirm that he, like every other presidential aspirant since the
end of the Civil War, would recognize whoever got the most votes in the
election as the legitimate heir to the Oval Office.It wasn’t a hard question.
_____________________________
Oct. 19, 2016
DNC Statement on Final Presidential Debate
WASHINGTON - DNC Interim Chair
Donna Brazile issued the following statement:
“This was Donald Trump’s last real chance to give undecided voters a
reason to vote for him. Instead, he imploded, saying that he might
refuse to accept the results of the election if he loses, making a
mockery of our democracy. He threw empty slogans at serious questions,
made grossly false claims about his ‘respect’ for women, and sided with
Vladimir Putin and the Russian government instead of accepting the
facts as laid out by the American Intelligence Community. Trump is
simply unfit for the presidency.
“Through all three debates, Hillary Clinton proved that she’s ready to
be President on day one. Tonight was her best debate and she offered
concrete ideas for growing the economy and investing in the middle
class, sharing her values and vision for the future of the
country. She demonstrated her thorough knowledge of the issues
while holding Donald Trump accountable for his divisive rhetoric and
dangerous policies.
“The debates are over and more than 1.5 million voters have already
cast their ballots, but the Democratic Party will be making our case to
the American people until the very last votes are cast. Our candidates
up and down the ballot across the country are fighting to build an
economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top. We’re
fighting to level the playing field, increase wages, expand healthcare,
and we’re ready to work with our allies around the world for a more
secure future for all.” Correct
The
Record
Oct. 19, 2016
CTR Statement on Hillary Clinton’s Commanding Performance in the
Final Presidential Debate
While Trump flails,
Hillary dominates
Washington, D.C.–Tonight,
Correct The Record President Brad Woodhouse released the following
statement on Hillary Clinton’s commanding performance—and resounding
victory—in the final presidential debate of the general election:
“Hillary Clinton just dominated the third presidential debate.
Hillary was substantive, disciplined, prepared—in other words,
everything that Donald Trump is not. With grace and verve, Clinton
systematically dismantled Trump’s thirty years of fraud, bullying and
failure and eloquently made the case for a future where America is
strong together.
“In contrast, Trump spent the debate waging an all out assault on
decency, honesty and the bedrock principles of this country. Trump
repeatedly insulted our country, derided our nation’s democratic
principles and rushed to defend Vladimir Putin while questioning
American intelligence agencies. Trump’s disgust for this country was
literally off the charts. He horrifyingly threatened to upend the
peaceful transfer of power—a bedrock of our democracy. He defended his
use of foreign steel, attacked the women who accused him of sexual
assault and even praised Syrian dictator Bashar Al-Assad. He
misogynistically called Hillary Clinton a ‘nasty woman’—an offensive
smear that is unacceptable and has no place in our politics. Any one of
these comments should utterly disqualify him from being our next
president, but Trump said them all.
“This was a disaster for Donald Trump—and a triumph for Hillary
Clinton. Thank God our nation will not have to ever be demeaned by
seeing that disgrace of a presidential candidate stand on a debate
stage ever again. But make no mistake, after Donald Trump’s disaster of
a presidential candidacy is consigned to the ash heap of history – ever
Republican elected official who stood with this man will have their own
day of reckoning with the voters.”
Hillary for America Oct. 19, 2016
In the afternoon at roughly half hour intervals in advance of the
debate, the campaign sent outone-pagers
on
each
of
the
debate topics (headlines shown below):
5:00
pm.
local
time Tonight’s Final Topic: Fitness to be President
Donald Trump is Unfit to be Commander-in-Chief, while Hillary
Clinton will be Ready on Day One
4:30 pm. local time Tonight’s Fifth Topic: Foreign Policy
Hillary Clinton’s Strong, Steady Approach to Global Challenges vs.
Trump’s Dangerously Unserious Approach
4:00 pm. local time Tonight’s Fourth Topic: Supreme Court
Clinton Will Appoint Supreme Court Justices Who Affirm Our Rights,
While Trump’s Justices Will Roll Rights Back
3:30 pm. local time
Tonight’s Third Topic: Economy
Under Clinton, Economy is “Stronger Together.” Under Trump,
Economy is “Billionaires First.” 3:02 pm local time
Tonight’s Second Topic: Immigration Reform
Clinton Will Fight for Comprehensive
Immigration Reform, Trump Will Deport 16 Million People
2:19 pm local time
Tonight’s First Topic: Debt and Entitlements
Clinton
Will
Fight For Medicare & Social Security, Pay For Her Plans; Trump
Will Risk These Programs & Add Trillions To Debt
Hilary
for
America October 12, 2016email Subject: We’ll fly you
to Vegas for the last debate