Jessica Bolich

Once again, presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump dueled in a battle of words during the second presidential debate. This time, the debate was a town hall style where undecided voters selected by the Gallup organization asked the candidates questions and other voters submitted questions through social media. Like the previous presidential debate, the moderators requested that the live audience remain silent and not use electronic devices for the duration of the debate, but the audience still required reminding throughout the course of the night.

When the debate began, each candidate was given a time limit of two minutes which both exceeded on occasion. Right from the first question, both candidates wasted no time inserting their campaign slogans into their answers. Not long after the debate had started, the footage of Donald Trump speaking about women in lewd ways, which has come to be referred to as the Trump Tapes, became the subject of the debate, and both of the candidates began to lash out at each other. Trump claimed that his words were just “locker room talk” and Clinton told the audience that she did not believe Trump was fit to serve as president. However, their words were not limited to the Trump Tapes. They also argued about each other going over the time limit and about who was interrupting whom. The debate ended with a question that shocked audiences: the candidates were asked to name one thing that they respected in the other. Clinton responded first by saying that as a mother and grandmother, she respected how Trump held the devotion of his children, and Trump replied that he respected Clinton’s determination.

This debate was broadcast live on October 9, in the Campus Center like the previous debates and sponsored by the Stockton Political Engagement Program. The third and final presidential debate will be viewed on October 19 in the Campus Center Board of Trustees room.