7 Debate Gaffes Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton Will Regret
Both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump will have some regrets after their first presidential debate.
But Clinton’s regrets mostly involve things she may wish others did differently — and Trump’s were of his own making.
Trump made at least two very obvious factual errors. Clinton has also been second-guessed by fact-checkers — but you didn’t need to do much fact-checking to know Trump was very wrong when he said Clinton has been fighting ISIS her entire adult life. Because ISIS hasn’t existed for her entire adult life.
Also Read: Hillary Clinton Wins First Presidential Debate, According to Twitter
Here’s what Clinton and Trump will regret in the morning.
DONALD TRUMP: THE INTERRUPTIONS
Before the second debate, you can bet that someone on Trump’s team will show him a supercut of all the times he super cut Clinton off. (Twenty-five times in 26 minutes, by this count.) Like when she noted that Trump had talked about how he could benefit financially from the 2008 financial collapse.
“That’s called business by the way,” Trump interrupted Clinton.
DONALD TRUMP: THE GLOBAL WARMING LIE
Clinton argued that Trump believes climate change is a “hoax created by the Chinese.”
“I did not, I do not say that,” Trump said.
But actually, he did.
The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 6, 2012
Also Read: Donald Trump Supporters in a Fury Over Lester Holt's Debate Performance
DONALD TRUMP: THE UGH
After Clinton said it was “really unfortunate” that Trump has painted a dire negative picture of African-American life,” Trump replied, “Ugh.”
That could be interpreted a lot of ways, including as arrogant.
DONALD TRUMP: THE ABSURD ISIS CLAIM
Trump’s claim that Clinton has been fighting ISIS her entire adult life was totally wrong. Also: How is that even an insult?
HILLARY CLINTON: HOWARD DEAN
While Clinton mostly stayed out of the muck, her cheering section didn’t. Former Democratic National Committee chief — and failed presidential candidate — Howard Dean asked on Twitter if a sniffling Trump might be on cocaine.
Taking the level of discourse down to Trump’s level gave Republicans ammunition to argue that Dems are fighting dirty, too.
Notice Trump sniffing all the time. Coke user?
— Howard Dean (@GovHowardDean) September 27, 2016
HILLARY CLINTON: TPP
The New York Times’ Mark Landler noted that Clinton’s insistence that she conditionally backed the Trans-Pacific Partnership — only to revoke that support once final terms were negotiated — was off.
By more than 40 public appearances. That’s the number of times Landler said she spoke out in favor of the trade deal without saying that her support depended on its final terms.
Also Read: Howard Dean Asks If Sniffling Trump Is On Cocaine
HILLARY CLINTON: HILARY CLINTON
It isn’t her fault, but Clinton probably wishes that on her big night, the souvenir tickets had spelled her name right.
HONORABLE MENTION: HILLARY CLINTON: LESTER HOLT
This one isn’t really a gaffe, but it does arguably drop a little rain on Clinton’s parade.
Lester Holt scored high marks from many media pundits, but Trump supporters accused him of going after their candidate unfairly. Clinton probably wishes Holt had been so meticulously fair that no one could claim he had his thumb on the scale for her.
Make no mistake, she won the debate — but her win might be a tiny bit sweeter if no one was claiming anything was rigged in her favor. Then again: Has there ever been a debate where the losing side didn’t blame the moderator?
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