Despite harsh reviews, Trump resists new debate approach

[webfact]

Despite harsh reviews, Trump resists new debate approach

By STEVE PEOPLES and LISA LERER

 

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Unmoved by harsh debate reviews, a defiant Donald Trump showed no sign Wednesday of making any big changes before his second faceoff with Hillary Clinton, pressing ahead with a strategy focused on speaking directly to his white working-class loyalists across the Midwest.

 

Democrat Clinton, meanwhile, pushed to improve her standing among younger voters with the help of the president, Sen. Bernie Sanders and other key allies, 48 hours after her debate performance that seemed to spark badly needed enthusiasm.

 

Those closest to Trump insisted the Republican presidential nominee was satisfied with Monday night's debate, even as prominent voices within his own party called for more serious preparation next time following an opening confrontation marked by missed opportunities and missteps.

 

"Why would we change if we won the debate?" former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a key Trump ally and traveling partner this week, told The Associated Press. "Donald Trump is going to prepare for debates the way Donald Trump prepares for debates."

 

The next debate is 11 days away.

 

Unlike Clinton, Trump is not planning to participate in any mock debates, although he is likely to incorporate what one person described as "tweaks" to his strategy.

 

Specifically, Trump is likely to spend more time working on specific answers and sharpen his attacks after spending much of the first meeting on defense, said that person, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal campaign strategy.

 

That may not be enough to satisfy concerned Republicans.

 

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Trump should have been better prepared and he recommended that the candidate work harder with skilled coaches. He said, "What you need is people who are professional debaters."

 

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said simply: "The only advice I could give him, and take it for what it's worth: Prepare better."

 

The New York businessman struggled to attack Clinton consistently on the debate stage Monday night, but he has lashed out at her aggressively in the days since. He attacked her record as the nation's chief diplomat during a Wednesday appearance in Chicago. He went further at a later rally in Iowa.

 

"If she ever got the chance, she would put the Oval Office up for sale," Trump told hundreds gathered in a Council Bluffs convention hall the day before early voting begins in the battleground state.

 

He also mocked Clinton's lighter campaign schedule. The Democrat conceded during the debate that she had taken some time away from the campaign trail to prepare for their first debate stage meeting.

 

"You see all the days off that Hillary takes? Day off, day off, day off," Trump charged, adding a swipe at his opponent's recent bout with pneumonia that nearly caused her to collapse. "All those days off and then she can't even make it to her car, isn't it tough?"

 

Throughout his outsider presidential bid, Trump has refused to deviate from a strategy hinged on an ambitious travel schedule packed with massive rallies that draw overwhelmingly white crowds.

 

Clinton, meanwhile, sought Wednesday to parlay her widely praised debate performance into stronger support from women, young Americans and other critical voter groups. She got help from her party's biggest stars.

 

President Barack Obama hammered the billionaire over his business practices and treatment of women in an interview aired on Steve Harvey's radio show, which is particularly popular among black audiences. The Democratic president said his own legacy was "on the ballot" in November. He also suggested that Clinton wasn't getting enough credit, possibly because she's a woman.

 

And his wife, first lady Michelle Obama, accused Trump of trying to undermine her husband's presidency for years by questioning his birthplace. Trump publicly admitted the president was born in America for the first time earlier in the month after spending years raising questions about the authenticity of Obama's birth certificate.

 

"Trust me, a candidate is not going to suddenly change" once in office, Mrs. Obama said at a rally for Clinton in Pennsylvania.

 

Hoping to broaden her appeal among "millennials," Clinton joined her primary rival, Vermont Sen. Sanders, on the trail for the first time since they held a "unity" rally in July in an attempt to heal divisions within the Democratic Party. Since then, Clinton has struggled to win over young Americans who formed a critical pillar of the coalition that twice elected Obama.

 

Flanked by campaign signs promoting Clinton's college affordability proposal, Sanders and Clinton touted a plan they developed to make college debt-free for millions of students from middle class and low-income families.

 

"None of this will happen if you don't turn out and vote," Clinton said at the University of New Hampshire, after a quick hug with Sanders. He declared, "It is imperative that we elect Hillary Clinton as our next president."

 

Trump's team on Wednesday was hoping to regain its footing after he veered into problematic territory the day before, when he revived his decades-old criticism of a former beauty pageant winner for gaining "a massive amount of weight."

 

Clinton and other Democrats were hoping voters wouldn't forget.

 

"You had somebody who basically insulted women, and then doubled-down," Obama said.

___

Lerer reported from Durham, New Hampshire. Associated Press writers Josh Lederman in Washington, Jonathan Lemire and Jill Colvin in New York and Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report.

 

-- © Associated Press 2016-09-29

[sirineou]

Yes Yes, please keep on doing the same.No need to change anything.You are doing fine.

[Silurian]

Or Trump could turn to bullying his allies into saying how great he did at the debate. Oh wait, he is already doing just that.

 

Trump angry at allies conceding he lost debate

http://us.cnn.com/2016/09/28/politics/donald-trump-debate-reaction/index.html

[Emster23]

Good. I think most of American public is wising up to his narcissism. A narcissist won't take advice from anyone, as they already know far many than us mere mortals.

[DoctorG]

3 minutes ago, Emster23 said:

Good. I think most of American public is wising up to his narcissism. A narcissist won't take advice from anyone, as they already know far many than us mere mortals.

 

You have just described most politicians.

[Chicog]

Megyn is having a right go at Kellyanne this morning.

Well done madam!

 

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

I just want this nightmare of a circus to be over already!!

This has gone on for so long I really don't care who wins anymore.

Seriously, 1 1/2 years of this crap is beyond obscene.

Stop the world!!! I want to get off.

[Silurian]

14 minutes ago, ALLSEEINGEYE said:

I just want this nightmare of a circus to be over already!!

This has gone on for so long I really don't care who wins anymore.

Seriously, 1 1/2 years of this crap is beyond obscene.

Stop the world!!! I want to get off.

 

Don't worry. The next election cycle for the 2020 US Presidency will begin on Wednesday, November 9th, 2016.

[chilli42]

I really am not a fan of Clinton.  However, the more I hear from Trump the more I'm convinced that he is becoming unhinged ... he is just talking nonsense now while Clinton continues with cogent promises she does not intend to keep.  What a disaster!

[Bob9]

Crooked Liar or Narcissist.

Politician or Businessman.

Status Quo or Change.

 

These are the questions many people have already asked, or are asking themselves.

 

Unfortunately it will come down to whether Clinton can convince enough women to vote for her, because to many the choice is ...........  A Woman or another Man.

 

[Srikcir]

1 hour ago, ALLSEEINGEYE said:

Stop the world!!! I want to get off.

If you live in Thailand, you have already left the world.

[Jingthing]

57 minutes ago, chilli42 said:

I really am not a fan of Clinton.  However, the more I hear from Trump the more I'm convinced that he is becoming unhinged ... he is just talking nonsense now while Clinton continues with cogent promises she does not intend to keep.  What a disaster!

As far as HRC's promises, I think she's mostly honest on her policy intentions but the caveat is she'd have to pass them in congress. Which means she can't possibly really keep all her promises. At best watered down versions of them. An exception is about trade agreements. I think she is deceptive about her attitude about trade deals for political reasons. But she's also a politician ... so in practicality she'll probably agree to trade deals but try to get concessions that will be defensible to sell politically. HRC lives in the real world and that's the only world we've got. 

 

Some might say the exact same is true of trump. But the problem is if trump wins, he will have congress as well ... so he will be able to keep many of his promises, less watered down.

[Pinot]

Trump couldn't possibly change his approach. He's not smart enough. Can't concentrate longer than a few minutes to try and learn something. If it isn't all about him, he's not interested. 

 

More of the same coming up next time. He held back the Monica stuff and lost so it's all Monica next time. What else does he have? 

 

Love this election. Non stop fun, everyday something new and different to make fun of Trump with. Your Republican nominee for President, Donald (sniffles) Trump. 

[Chicog]

Just keep doing what you're doing Trump.

 

 

 

 

[Neurath]

When he loses it will be a bloodbath. The Republican ranks will turn on themselves. The tensions between conservatives and the rancor of the white working class - who have been royally screwed by international Capital but seem to believe that foreigners are the culprits - will not dissipate. Quite the reverse.  You watch how many Republicans will do a Donald and claim that they never really supported him. Those conservatives will retreat to the comfort of their high end houses and estates leaving the rancorous ones to search out new targets as the cause of their discontent - it could get very ugly indeed. Anyone not able to hear the echos of national socialist clamor is deaf. Us/Them; white/black; hetero/other; native/immigrant; christian/muslim etc etc etc. Incendiary. Ugly. 

 

Still, it's been seen before and the good sense of the American people has seen it off. I'm sure it will again.

[Jingthing]

Republicans don't learn from their mistakes. They had a winning plan after the Romney loss but they didn't follow through.

[JetsetBkk]

6 hours ago, chilli42 said:

I really am not a fan of Clinton.  However, the more I hear from Trump the more I'm convinced that he is becoming unhinged ... he is just talking nonsense now while Clinton continues with cogent promises she does not intend to keep.  What a disaster!

 

One of these days he'll actually start a sentence and finish it.

 

Whether it makes sense or not is another matter. Although the second amendment people, maybe there is, I don't know.

 

[bendejo]

14 hours ago, Bob9 said:

Crooked Liar or Narcissist

 

Make that "Crooked Liar" or "Crooked Narcisistic Liar."

Really now, Sideshow Don defaming ANYONE for lying is a laugh.

 

He'll probably do better at the next one, which will be town hall format, so he gets to play off audience reaction, which is essential to him.  It's going to be pretty much ad hominem attacks, and will be interesting how HRC deflects all the Bill-shit. 

The third debate will be like the one just past.  They're trying to dig up something on HRC on the level of the "Miss Housekeeping" revelation, but tons of digging equipment have already been worn out trying to find more over the past 25 years.

 

 

Edited September 29, 2016 by bendejo

[Lex Talionis]

Welcome to the alternate reality known as Trump world where he never has to apologize, adjust or concede anything. After all he's perfect and the perfect human being needs to change nothing. Back here on planet earth we recognize him for what he is: the perfect demagogue. God help us if a deluded democracy puts this <deleted> in the White House.

[Bung]

They better make sure to check his microphone first,  he's having a bad run on them. 

 

I'm sure he will be better this time around as don't forget he is still learning how to be a president.  He's very smart,  tremendously smart, so I'm sure by the time the election is here he will have learned enough to be president of one of the most powerful countries in the world. 

[Silurian]

1 hour ago, Bung said:

They better make sure to check his microphone first,  he's having a bad run on them. 

 

I'm sure he will be better this time around as don't forget he is still learning how to be a president.  He's very smart,  tremendously smart, so I'm sure by the time the election is here he will have learned enough to be president of one of the most powerful countries in the world. 

 

Yeah, those faulty microphones seem to follow him around. They all make him sound like he says one thing when he really means another. Strange.

 

I am not sure how smart Trump is as he won't release any of his high school or college transcripts. Also, he didn't make the Dean's list at University of Pennsylvania nor did he graduate with any honors. But he does seem to be slick and conniving.