Trump knocked down 16 Republican primary opponents like they were bowling pins...

[kentuck]

They could not wait for him to do the same to Hillary Clinton.

However, it has not turned out as they planned. Many thought Hillary won the first two debates and Donald did not look good in losing.

He called names, slammed her with accusations, threatened to put her in jail, but she kept her cool and smiled assuredly as his tirades grew in intensity.

There was one sure thing that voters could take from the debates. Hillary Clinton was not an easy mark. She could stand up to any world leader, after parrying off the attacks of the best of the Republican Party. Voters should feel confident that she can do the job.

[Stuart G]

1. Outstanding Post...thanks for your perspective...K and R ...nt

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Yes indeed--she is up to it, and then some. n/t

[Glassunion]

3. Actually I would not use her interactions with Trump as a measuring stick to gauge

her competency in dealing with world leaders. It's like saying well she effectively dealt with a petulant 4 year old who wouldn't put away his toys, so I think she's ready to take on a trade and economic initiatives meeting with Mauricio Macri.

[gratuitous]

12. You wouldn't, and I wouldn't

But for those mythical "undecided" and "independent" voters (which I mentally translate into "embarrassed Republican&quot , recalling how Secretary Clinton pantsed Trump twice in the debates might be useful in nudging them: "If you thought Trump was all that and a bag of chips after the Republican primary, remember how bad Clinton made him look."

[cwydro]

4. K and r.

[beachbumbob]

5. Trump playing con man is an easy sell to Jerry springer crowd...not so

Much in the adult world where we actually hold him to a standard

[paulkienitz]

10. Let this be a lesson to the Scott Adamses of the world

who conflate an ability to fool credulous low-information Republican suckers with an ability to persuade thinking people.

[Helen Borg]

6. It looks like Trump knocked down the 17th one as well: himself.

That is most of what is going on.

[kentuck]

8. That seems to be the case, Helen.

[Chakaconcarne]

9. I still do not understand how they did not know about the GrOPer...

Surely, they all did their research and could have buried him in the primaries....

[paulkienitz]

11. when the Repulican party picks nominees, they're not sending us their best...

Most of those campaigns were basically amateur hour. Not a Romney or a McCain among them, let alone someone capable of actually managing a government, like say the elder George Bush. So it's not too surprising that they failed at campaigning.

[kentuck]

13. Each of them was trying to get his campaign off the ground...

...and when Donald Trump joined the race, he had the advantage of being a star on reality TV. He captured about 30-40% of the vote almost immediately. It was the right-wing of their Party. Some were very right-wing. Some were extreme right-wing.

They identified with the billionaire builder. He was a hero of the blue-collar, working man - even though he had done nothing for the working man in his 70 years on earth. If it sounds like a paradox, it is because it is.

[uponit7771]

15. They also didn't repeat anything that was public knowledge from Howard Stern....

.... They're all just fuckin sloppy.

They could've put together this meme about tRump long ago.

[Brother Buzz]

14. Philippe Reines deserves some credit, too

Hillary Clinton Confidant Philippe Reines Role-Playing Trump During Debate Prep

A longtime Hillary Clinton aide who insiders say has made it his mission to know all the Democratic candidate's weaknesses is role-playing Donald Trump in her debate prep, two sources confirmed to NBC News.

Philippe Reines, who worked for Clinton in both the Senate and State Department, is standing in for the Republican nominee during mock sessions this weekend in and around Clinton's Chappaqua, New York, home.

Philippe I. Reines - joined the State Department as a Senior Advisor to United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton when she was sworn into office in January 2009, and was later promoted to the position of Deputy Assistant Secretary of State.

There was earlier speculation that a bombastic comedian or politician — even the likes of Mark Cuban, Alec Baldwin or Sen. Al Franken — would take on the role. But sources said someone like Reines could be better suited because of his close personal ties to Clinton and knowledge of her strengths and weaknesses.

And like Trump, Reines doesn't usually hold his tongue. In her memoir "Hard Choices," Clinton praised Reines as smart and loyal, and wrote of him, "I can always trust him to speak his mind."

<more>


http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/2016-presidential-debates/hillary-clinton-confidant-philippe-reines-role-playing-trump-during-debate-n653821

[keithbvadu2]

16. She stood up to an 11 hour interrogation while 16 of them whined about sharing a two hour debate.

[TeamPooka]

17. Hillary Clinton has succeeded all her life being underestimated by her opponents.

[calimary]

18. I pointed out something similar the other day.

Those two debates looked like great auditions for how one should stand up to Putin or the North Koreans or the Iranians or even Netanyahu. She's tough as nails. She won't get rolled. Her skin is as thick as the Pacific Ocean is wide. THAT is the kind of thing we need, as America's face to the world. Cool as a cucumber, steady-as-she-goes, strong as American steel, well-prepared, smart as a whip, and classy as can be.

[Ligyron]

19. Good post calimary!

[kentuck]

20. She could become one of our greatest Presidents...

...if she works with Bernie and the Democratic Platform.

I think she will succeed in a lot of ways.

[4_TN_TITANS]

21. That was precisely my takeaway...

She doesn't back down and would be a formidable leader of the USA.

[RobinA]

22. Parrying Off Attacks

of the best of the Republican Party? Now that's damning her with some pretty faint praise. The current crop of Republicans is some pretty thin gruel.

Although I agree with the jist of your post.

[GOLGO 13]

23. This is an outstanding talking point in defending HRC.

CHUMP can't beat a little grandma with the same/worse attacks he did on 16 grown ass men. She is made of steel & her will is absolute. If she could handle Bill she can handle a over indulged man-child.