Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton went head to head in a live TV debate tonight where the candidates clashed repeatedly over the economy, tax cuts for the wealthy and ISIS.Clinton and Trump opened the debate on a positive note by shaking hands before taking their podiums at Hofstra University on New York’s Long Island.
The debate airing live on CNN is attracting worldwide interest with a television audience expected to approach 100 million.
Trump slammed Clinton for staying off the campaign trail recently as he traveled the country, Clinton responded saying
“I think Donald just criticized me for preparing for this debate,”And yes, I did. And you know what else I prepared for? I prepared to be President. And that is a good thing.”
One of the most powerful moments of the debate came when the conversation focused on the birther debate following Trump’s recent acknowledgment that President Barack Obama was born in the US — a fact that has been evident for years. With Trump standing just a few feet from her, Clinton blasted Trump for perpetuating a “racist lie.”
“He has a long record of engaging in racist behavior,” Clinton said as Trump shook his head.
Trump hit back noting Clinton’s tough critiques of Obama during their bitter 2008 primary battle.
“You treated him with terrible disrespect and I watch the way you talk now about how lovely everything is, … it doesn’t work that way,” he said. “When you try to act holier than thou, it really doesn’t work.”
Angry Trump slammed Clinton for putting her plans to fight ISIS on her website — and thereby tipping off America’s enemy.
“Well, at least I have a plan to fight ISIS,” Clinton responded, referring to his previous statements that he has a “secret” plan to destroy the terrorist group.
Clinton hammered Trump over his refusal to release his tax returns.
“Why won’t he release his tax returns?” Clinton asked.
“Maybe he is not as rich as he says he is,” she went on. “Maybe he is not as charitable as he claims to be,” “Maybe he doesn’t want the American people to know that he has paid nothing in federal taxes.There is something he is hiding.”
Trump replied that he would release his taxes when Clinton made public 33,000 emails that were deleted from her private email server.
When Clinton said that Trump had paid no federal income tax in some years, Trump replied ”
That makes me smart.”
