By Cesar Zafra
The second presidential debate of the 2016 election took place yesterday at Washington University in St. Louis. This debate differed from the first in that it was held as a town-hall style debate, allowing voters to submit questions on issues they wanted the candidates to discuss.
Republican nominee, Donald Trump, and Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, immediately drew the attention of viewers when they entered the stage and did not shake hands, instead choosing to stand and wave at the audience.
A question reflecting on the appropriateness of the portrait the two candidates are painting for the watching youth started the debate off.
Clinton explained that her campaign aimed to draw “a very positive and optimistic view about what we can do together,” referring back to her slogan “Stronger Together.” Although Trump said he agreed with everything Clinton said, his campaign’s narrative contrasted drastically with hers, showing a more bleak and damaged country.
Moderator Anderson Cooper then recognized the impact of Trump’s recent sexual assault tape as several viewers submitted questions over the matter. Trump denounced it as “locker room talk” and claimed he has “tremendous respect for women.” He dismissed the subject by claiming there were more important things to talk about, such as the disenfranchisement of ISIS.
When Clinton was asked for her opinion, she argued that this scenario represents Trump for the person he truly is; a candidate who has attacked minorities over the course of their campaign.
The next audience member question was on the high costs of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, that turned out to be not-so-affordable.
Clinton agreed that the costs have become very demanding for people and wanted to fix the problem by providing one hundred percent health coverage to the country and “[getting] costs down and [keeping] quality up.” Trump’s solution was to “repeal it, and replace it with something absolutely much less expensive. And something that works.”
A Muslim audience member asked the candidates what they would do to combat the intensifying Islamophobia affecting the Muslim community’s image. Trump said that “Muslims have to report the problems when they see them,” and that to truly solve the problem, one must recognize “radical Islamic terrorism.” Clinton identified Trump’s rhetoric revolving Muslims as divisive and dark and envisioned “a country where citizens like you and your family are just as welcome as anyone else.”
The following topic was that of taxes and ensuring the people at the top pay their dues. “We’re cutting taxes for the middle class… we are cutting them big league for the middle class,” Trump answered, also criticizing Clinton for not enforcing any change as a United States senator.
Clinton acknowledged that he could have escaped his taxes for “maybe 20 years,” and pointed out the Buffett rule as a step towards the solution.
Afterwards, the debate turned towards a more personal tone as an audience member asked if the presidential candidates could be devoted to all people.
Trump supported his response of “absolutely” by explaining that the poverty and hardships of minorities is an issue that needs remodeling, something that Clinton has not done. Clinton expressed her ambition to create a country that every American can feel has a place within and to diminish the “Trump effect” of bullying.
Concerns over how each candidate’s energy policy would affect the environment and the jobs of fossil power plant workers were expressed in the next question.
According to Trump, the nation’s energy business is failing in part to the Environmental Protection Agency being “so restrictive that they are putting our energy companies out of business.” Meanwhile, Clinton believed that America had the potential to “be the 21st century clean energy superpower and create millions of new jobs and businesses.”
The concluding moments of the debate, and the final question asked, were given to the two candidate’s opinions on one another — one positive aspect they respect within another. Clinton, unable to directly compliment Trump, said she respected the endeavors of his children, calling them “incredibly able and devoted.”
He took this as a compliment, and paid due to her durability, claiming “she doesn’t quit. She doesn’t give up.” Finally, the two shook hands.
The final presidential debate will take place on October 19th, but until then, check out our storify on the second debate here.
