# How should Clinton press the debate advantage? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 28, 2016, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-clinton-press-the-debate-advantage/767099 "2016-09-28T01:58:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-clinton-press-the-debate-advantage/767099/41 "2016-09-29T13:36:58Z")
[Here’s](https://youtu.be/btPfmWrS6AY) the exact tone I think Hillary should perfect for when Trump says something preposterous. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-clinton-press-the-debate-advantage/767099/42 "2016-09-29T13:51:26Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Or, ask her if there were any tax deductions she was eligible for that she opted not to take. Trump would have been (even more) foolish to have fallen into a trap like that. It would’ve given her an opportunity to hammer him _again_ about not releasing his tax returns, _and then_ gone on about how the richest don’t contribute in taxes. Trump has a huge vulnerability here; everyone recognizes it. So far he’s been lying and lying about it, and it’s been working for him. He should have just told another bold lie. One more among the many wouldn’t have been worthy of comment. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-clinton-press-the-debate-advantage/767099/43 "2016-09-29T15:24:14Z")
She should prepare for the Town Hall debate with her husband, the best Town Hall debater in the history of the Presidency. Trump will spend his time preparing for, and adjusting to, the _last_ debate. He is going to have his head full of things he _should have_ said, and will not be able to react to the things that are actually happening. This second debate could end up far worse for him than the first one, and in a big hurry. Hell, I put the odds of him snapping at (or insulting) a questioner at about 40%. I wouldn’t be surprised if he started to be physically or verbally\* aggressive towards Clinton in some way, but that’s probably .5% odds (1 in 200). \*Not in debate sense, but idiot stuff like “come over here and say that”, or "that’s why we’re separated because if you were over here… ". ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-clinton-press-the-debate-advantage/767099/44 "2016-09-29T15:36:42Z")
> [@Lightray](#): > > Trump would have been (even more) foolish to have fallen into a trap like that. It would’ve given her an opportunity to hammer him _again_ about not releasing his tax returns, _and then_ gone on about how the richest don’t contribute in taxes. Amusingly, I’ve seen some conservatives say this proves liberals are wrong because if you raise taxes on the rich they would find ways not to pay anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-clinton-press-the-debate-advantage/767099/45 "2016-09-29T16:01:25Z")
> [@Lightray](#): > > Trump would have been (even more) foolish to have fallen into a trap like that. It would’ve given her an opportunity to hammer him _again_ about not releasing his tax returns, _and then_ gone on about how the richest don’t contribute in taxes. > > Trump has a huge vulnerability here; everyone recognizes it. So far he’s been lying and lying about it, and it’s been working for him. I suspect that the major product of his debate preparation was his magnificent gotcha moment. Remember it? C’mon, remember? When he offered to release his tax returns if Clinton released her emails? I think he expected that to be a slam dunk and to shape the media narrative of the debate. Instead, Clinton addressed the email scandal with an unadorned apology and then turned back on him, so quickly that his gotcha was almost entirely forgotten. One hopes that he comes up with a similarly brilliant plan for the next debate and then decides that’s all the preparation he needs to do. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-clinton-press-the-debate-advantage/767099/46 "2016-09-29T16:06:29Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Only a fool would pay more in taxes than they are mandated to. Only a damned fool would lord it over the common people that he pays no tax _while planning to force them to pay taxes._ Being successful is admirable. Being a pretentious rich asshole does not go over well with people. The idea behind taxes is that everyone pays their far share. That’s why they’re called “taxes” and not “donations.” If Trump paid no tax, he’s idiotic to brag about it, even if it’s legal. Why do YOU think he hasn’t released the returns? It’s not because he’s proud of what’s in there. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-clinton-press-the-debate-advantage/767099/47 "2016-09-29T16:20:55Z")
I think Clinton’s one major weak moment was when Trump confronted her on the TPP. She stumbled her way out of that and a better opponent would have seized on her inability to respond and continued to hammer the point. Trump will attack her again on that. She can’t afford to make that mistake again. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-clinton-press-the-debate-advantage/767099/48 "2016-09-29T17:28:43Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Only a damned fool would lord it over the common people that he pays no tax _while planning to force them to pay taxes._ > > Being successful is admirable. Being a pretentious rich asshole does not go over well with people. The idea behind taxes is that everyone pays their far share. That’s why they’re called “taxes” and not “donations.” If Trump paid no tax, he’s idiotic to brag about it, even if it’s legal. > > Why do YOU think he hasn’t released the returns? It’s not because he’s proud of what’s in there. With all due respect, you haven’t been paying attention. A sizable number of his supporters don’t consider him to be lording over them, because part of his appeal to them is that they want to be like him. He is their aspiration and role model. Sure, they’re not rich like him NOW, sure they are paying taxes NOW, sure they’re being cheated by guys like him (who don’t pay his contractor) NOW, but someday…SOMEDAY…they’re going to be a rich asshole just like him! ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-clinton-press-the-debate-advantage/767099/49 "2016-09-29T17:35:23Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > …SOMEDAY…they’re going to be a rich asshole just like him! And they say the American dream is dead. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-clinton-press-the-debate-advantage/767099/50 "2016-09-29T17:42:02Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > Sure, they’re not rich like him NOW, sure they are paying taxes NOW, sure they’re being cheated by guys like him (who don’t pay his contractor) NOW, but someday…SOMEDAY…they’re going to be a rich asshole just like him! AKA The “Joe the Plumber” syndrome. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-clinton-press-the-debate-advantage/767099/51 "2016-09-29T17:51:33Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Hillary implied that Trump didn’t pay taxes. Trump replied that that would be smart. _( **BUZZER** )_ Wrong. He said “That _makes me_ smart.” No subjunctive. An acknowledgment of objective fact. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-clinton-press-the-debate-advantage/767099/52 "2016-09-29T17:54:43Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Or, ask her if there were any tax deductions she was eligible for that she opted not to take. That’s just _begging_ for the answer, “Anybody out there who wants to know can just look at the tax forms I’ve released. Where’s yours?” ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-clinton-press-the-debate-advantage/767099/53 "2016-09-29T17:56:31Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > One hopes that he comes up with a similarly brilliant plan for the next debate and then decides that’s all the preparation he needs to do. Why on earth should he come up with his own plans when he obviously has the experts of the ACME Corporation working for him? ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-clinton-press-the-debate-advantage/767099/54 "2016-09-29T18:34:11Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > She was winning. She is winning. She will be winning. She will win. She will have won. Ah, the declensions of “Hillary”. I knew my high school Latin classes would eventually come in handy! ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-clinton-press-the-debate-advantage/767099/55 "2016-09-29T18:40:16Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > AKA The “Joe the Plumber” syndrome. I prefer Temporarily Embarrassed Millionaire Psychosis. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-clinton-press-the-debate-advantage/767099/56 "2016-09-29T22:47:14Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > …Why do YOU think he hasn’t released the returns? (post shortened) Because Trump is under audit by the IRS. The IRS said Trump/Trump companies were being audited. Why pay lawyers and accountants to give you advice if you’re not going to take their advice? It won’t be because somebody on the internet demands he ignore their advice. Hillary has been repeatedly lying about releasing her emails, among other things, for a very long time. And the FBI keeps releasing more and more of her emails. And those emails prove that Hillary has been lying. What kind of advantage does Hillary have by being proven a liar? Who wants to hire a liar to work for them? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-clinton-press-the-debate-advantage/767099/57 "2016-09-29T22:52:18Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > (post shortened) > > Because Trump is under audit by the IRS. The IRS said Trump/Trump companies were being audited. > > Why pay lawyers and accountants to give you advice if you’re not going to take their advice? It won’t be because somebody on the internet demands he ignore their advice. > > Hillary has been repeatedly lying about releasing her emails, among other things, for a very long time. And the FBI keeps releasing more and more of her emails. And those emails prove that Hillary has been lying. What kind of advantage does Hillary have by being proven a liar? Who wants to hire a liar to work for them? The IRS has said he’s under no restrictions due to being under audit. He doesn’t release the returns because he doesn’t want to. Other than whether a small number of emails contained classified information( though not marked as such), what has she been lying about? ETA: and don’t forget the FBI recommended no charges so she’s not a felon, either. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-clinton-press-the-debate-advantage/767099/58 "2016-09-29T23:00:26Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Who wants to hire a liar to work for them? Trump hires liars all the time. He hired a kleptomaniac for God’s sake. His wife came from a pool of illegally in the country models. He himself has made many public shameless lies. So I don’t think the liar card is the one to play when you’re stumping for Trump. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-clinton-press-the-debate-advantage/767099/59 "2016-09-29T23:01:41Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > (post shortened) > > Because Trump is under audit by the IRS. The IRS said Trump/Trump companies were being audited. That is Trump’s excuse. And as has been pointed out, the IRS says that Trump may certainly release his tax returns if he chooses - being under audit does not mean that he cannot. This HAS BEEN MADE CLEAR TO YOU. This is simply Trump’s excuse. Don’t just parrot his excuse, and expect that the case is now closed. What is he afraid of? What is in there that he does not want the public to see? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-clinton-press-the-debate-advantage/767099/60 "2016-09-29T23:04:01Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Trump hires liars all the time. He hired a kleptomaniac for God’s sake. His wife came from a pool of illegally in the country models. He himself has made many public shameless lies. So I don’t think the liar card is the one to play when you’re stumping for Trump. He may as well say that nobody should vote for Clinton because she’s an unnatural shade of orange and has tiny hands. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-clinton-press-the-debate-advantage/767099.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-clinton-press-the-debate-advantage/767099.md?page=4)