# The Veterans town hall discussion thread - 9.7.16 **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 7, 2016, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-veterans-town-hall-discussion-thread-9-7-16/765306 "2016-09-07T23:57:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**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 8, 2016, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-veterans-town-hall-discussion-thread-9-7-16/765306/81 "2016-09-08T15:30:52Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Thereby, giving the second candidate the opportunity to either take the opposite position or the same but better position to that stated by the first candidate. No, asking the same questions would be the wrong approach, unless this was Family Feud and the second candidate is back stage isolated in a sound proof room. > > I found that Matt, did a reasonably good job, playing to each candidate’s weakest positions. Obviously, he had to choose those he felt would be best addressed in the 15 minutes he was given with each. > > If Matt had an “agenda”, it didn’t seem evident to me. What was Matt’s agenda, in your opinion? I don’t know. It could be exactly what you said - tailor the questions to each candidates weakest point. That, too, is an agenda. Regardless, the nature of the questions were such that the topics discussed had few points of comparisons between the separate candidates. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-veterans-town-hall-discussion-thread-9-7-16/765306/82 "2016-09-08T15:35:57Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Thereby, giving the second candidate the opportunity to either take the opposite position or the same but better position to that stated by the first candidate. No, asking the same questions would be the wrong approach, unless this was Family Feud and the second candidate is back stage isolated in a sound proof room. > > I found that Matt, did a reasonably good job, playing to each candidate’s weakest positions. Obviously, he had to choose those he felt would be best addressed in the 15 minutes he was given with each. > > If Matt had an “agenda”, it didn’t seem evident to me. What was Matt’s agenda, in your opinion? The rest of the world differs with you, as he’s getting ripped a new one by journalists for not being sufficiently prepared to rebut the lies coming out of Trump’s mouth. You don’t ask a question without knowing what the answer is. ---
**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 8, 2016, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-veterans-town-hall-discussion-thread-9-7-16/765306/83 "2016-09-08T15:58:26Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > The rest of the world differs with you, as he’s getting ripped a new one by journalists for not being sufficiently prepared to rebut the lies coming out of Trump’s mouth. You don’t ask a question without knowing what the answer is. My expectations were adjusted given the various factors of the event. Hence my lack of disappointment. Also, this is Thursday morning quarterbacking on the part of many other journalists. I’m sure every one of them would have really stuck it to Trump had they been given Matt’s job, and about 3 more hours to quibble with Trump’s delusional narcissism and lying mouth. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-veterans-town-hall-discussion-thread-9-7-16/765306/84 "2016-09-08T16:07:32Z")
So, as I understand it, the President can’t actually outright fire any military officer, right? ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-veterans-town-hall-discussion-thread-9-7-16/765306/85 "2016-09-08T16:15:27Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > [https://thinkprogress.org/head-of-republican-party-says-clinton-needs-to-smile-more-when-she-talks-about-the-military-f997c30f7b9a#.5jx5g876g](https://thinkprogress.org/head-of-republican-party-says-clinton-needs-to-smile-more-when-she-talks-about-the-military-f997c30f7b9a#.5jx5g876g) > > **Head Of Republican Party Says Clinton Needs To Smile More When She Talks About The Military** > > “We sent soldiers to kill the innocent, in service to muddled objectives, and all to force an evil man to surrender weapons he did not have.” > [Grin!] Good grief. Does anyone EVER tell a man he needs to “smile more”? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-veterans-town-hall-discussion-thread-9-7-16/765306/86 "2016-09-08T16:16:09Z")
173 of Trump’s statements from the forum last night are… ready for this… Ah, you already know. MOSTLY FALSE! Now his handlers are ignoring questions about why 173 statements were mostly false, see, it’s Obama’s and Clinton’s fault for whatever. > **[173 of Trump’s statements were mostly false](https://www.msnbc.com/craig-melvin/watch/173-of-trump-s-statements-were-mostly-false-760461891619)** > > PolitiFact labeled 173 of Donald Trump’s statements during the Commander-in-Chief forum as mostly false. Senior advisor for Donald Trump’s campaign, Boris Epshteyn, responds to this and reacts to how Trump handled other moments during the forum. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-veterans-town-hall-discussion-thread-9-7-16/765306/87 "2016-09-08T16:38:57Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Good grief. Does anyone EVER tell a man he needs to “smile more”? :rolleyes: I don’t recall Trump smiling either. But then, he’s being presidential and Clinton is being a bitch. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-veterans-town-hall-discussion-thread-9-7-16/765306/88 "2016-09-08T16:41:06Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > So, as I understand it, the President can’t actually outright fire any military officer, right? I think he can remove them from certain positions – i.e. General X is no longer the big boss of Operation Y – but they get to remain a general, unless they are court martialed through the military justice system (or they resign). ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-veterans-town-hall-discussion-thread-9-7-16/765306/89 "2016-09-08T16:41:12Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Good grief. Does anyone EVER tell a man he needs to “smile more”? :rolleyes: Well, yeah, but she was crying when she said it. So, I smiled. Wrong again. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-veterans-town-hall-discussion-thread-9-7-16/765306/90 "2016-09-08T19:01:40Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > [https://thinkprogress.org/head-of-republican-party-says-clinton-needs-to-smile-more-when-she-talks-about-the-military-f997c30f7b9a#.5jx5g876g](https://thinkprogress.org/head-of-republican-party-says-clinton-needs-to-smile-more-when-she-talks-about-the-military-f997c30f7b9a#.5jx5g876g) > > **Head Of Republican Party Says Clinton Needs To Smile More When She Talks About The Military** > > “We sent soldiers to kill the innocent, in service to muddled objectives, and all to force an evil man to surrender weapons he did not have.” > [Grin!] Rape of military women is at an all-time high. . .HAHAHAHAHAHA! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-veterans-town-hall-discussion-thread-9-7-16/765306/91 "2016-09-08T19:04:24Z")
There’s already a word for the clenched smile of vexation, its a “chagrin”. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-veterans-town-hall-discussion-thread-9-7-16/765306/92 "2016-09-08T21:33:01Z")
I see where Clinton has responded with “I’ll continue to take the issues seriously.” Good response. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-veterans-town-hall-discussion-thread-9-7-16/765306/93 "2016-09-08T21:56:58Z")
I could see advising her to “warm up” a bit, maybe talk about being a Mom, sure. Can’t see suggesting she use humor. I mean, some folks just can’t…she really shouldn’t…no. Just no. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-veterans-town-hall-discussion-thread-9-7-16/765306/94 "2016-09-08T22:07:22Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > I found that Matt, did a reasonably good job, playing to each candidate’s weakest positions. That’s true only if you think Trump’s “weakest positions” are about his basic interest in the world and aptitude for leading it. So I agree. > [@](#): > > If Matt had an “agenda”, it didn’t seem evident to me. What was Matt’s agenda, in your opinion? To get the anchor job at Trump’s and Ailes’ new news network, after Taco Tuesday. No one with any actual integrity would have given him such a tongue bath. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-veterans-town-hall-discussion-thread-9-7-16/765306/95 "2016-09-08T22:13:28Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Good grief. Does anyone EVER tell a man he needs to “smile more”? :rolleyes: So I guess you’re not in favor of my suggestion that she should show more cleavage. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-veterans-town-hall-discussion-thread-9-7-16/765306/96 "2016-09-08T22:43:15Z")
Give Lester Holt credit - he led tonight’s NBC News with stories about Trump’s most outrageous responses last night, nothing about Clinton. And not a word about his colleague Lauer, who emerged as the biggest story outside the LSM. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-veterans-town-hall-discussion-thread-9-7-16/765306/97 "2016-09-08T23:53:36Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > I could see advising her to “warm up” a bit, maybe talk about being a Mom, sure. Can’t see suggesting she use humor. I mean, some folks just can’t…she really shouldn’t…no. Just no. Here we go again. :rolleyes: Does anyone EVER suggest to a man that he needs to warm up and talk about being a dad?? What the hell, people? ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2016, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-veterans-town-hall-discussion-thread-9-7-16/765306/98 "2016-09-08T23:57:09Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Here we go again. :rolleyes: Does anyone EVER suggest to a man that he needs to warm up and talk about being a dad?? > > What the hell, people? I could see that. It would help with the perception that someone was cold and analytical. “The most pleasing moment of my life was when my spouse emitted my progeny.” ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-veterans-town-hall-discussion-thread-9-7-16/765306/99 "2016-09-09T00:35:05Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Here we go again. :rolleyes: Does anyone EVER suggest to a man that he needs to warm up and talk about being a dad?? > > What the hell, people? Actually, I seem to recall something along those lines being suggested of Al Gore. And actually every candidate probably gets that suggestion at some point in their campaign. It’s called humanizing the candidate and making a connection with the voters. If a candidate is perceived as cold and stiff and unrelatable, that’s a problem. And that’s why you see so many candidates-- male and female alike-- doing ads with their kids and spouses and dogs, etc. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-veterans-town-hall-discussion-thread-9-7-16/765306/100 "2016-09-09T00:42:35Z")
Someone should have definitely suggested it to Kerry. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-veterans-town-hall-discussion-thread-9-7-16/765306.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-veterans-town-hall-discussion-thread-9-7-16/765306.md?page=6)