Some short takes on last night’s debate:
1. Hillary Clinton won, but it was by no means a knock out — and, in any case, framing each debate as an individual contest, a boxing match or horse race, is a mistake. Political campaigns are long slogs. We are still six weeks out from the election and a lot can happen.
Clinton has her backers, who were buoyed by her performance last night, but I question whether the debate did much to move anyone else. Trump was petulant and bigoted, and he lied repeatedly, but he has his hardcore backers who are defending him and claiming victory, though his performance likely drew no new supporters his way.
We’ll have to wait for the polls, but I just don’t see the numbers shifting more than a couple of points.
2. Donald Trump is a dangerous demagogue, who lives in a fact-free zone, who refuses to play by agreed-upon rules and operates purely by bullying his way through situations. His business history indicates this — he built his empire not by dint of his knowledge and hard work, but by gaming the system, by preying on the less powerful and using his reputation to elbow out those who challenge him. He admitted his much several times last night — when he described earlier comments he made describing the housing meltdown as a business opportunity, when he patted himself on the back for using the system to protect his interests, and by constantly interrupting Clinton and shouting over her.
3. Clinton may be more presidential and will offer a steadier hand on foreign policy, but she did little to change my mind about her hawkishness. She used the language of gang way to describe the killing of Osama bin Laden and her approach to ISIS — increased air strikes, targeted assassinations, etc.
4. Trump’s foreign policy amounts to this: Everything is the greatest threat, we are alone, we have no responsibility to others, others owe us everything, we are entitled to everything. Make America Great Again.
5. So, she is a hawk, but he is a fearmongering loose cannon. At least with the hawk, I have an idea what she might do and can organize against it.
6. Did I say Trump was petulant? He is a candidate who has essentially run a campaign based on personal attacks, nasty digs and disrespectful nicknames: Crooked Hillary, Lying Ted, Little Marco. But he complains that Clinton has targeted him with an advertising campaign? Typical bully.
Send me an e-mail.
Hank Kalet 
I was just thankful that Hillary did not screw up and came out of the debate looking sane and rational. Trump was his usual self, blustering and bloviating. I am not totally convinced that Hillary is all that warlike and would giddily take us off to another war. The US public is sick of wars, invasions and occupations of other countries; I think that Hillary would respect that sentiment of the people. Trump is an out of control dangerous demagogue who should never be president. He belongs to a political party that has degenerated into a far right wing cult that is against anything that helps ordinary Americans.