XPost: alt.politics.usa, alt.tv.oreilly-factor, rec.arts.tv
XPost: alt.politics.elections, alt.fan.rush-limbaugh

Ninety-minute debate, six 15 minute segments should get under way in
about an hour. The three general topics tonight, America's
direction, achieving prosperity, securing America. Obviously, those
are very general topics. So, anything could happen. You can say
anything in those topics. Now, Hillary Clinton won the coin toss so
Lester Holt's first question will go to her. The same question will
then be asked Donald Trump. Each candidate will have two minutes to
answer the initial question and the other candidate will have two
minutes to respond.

So, it's a back and forth. There will be no opening or closing
statements. So I like the format. I kind of think that it might take
Lester Holt out of things but if a candidate does not tell the
truth, the other candidate, it's up to him or her to call him out
because Holt really can't interrupt while Trump and Clinton are
speaking. So that's the format here. I predict a bit of chaos with
the back and forth and that might be very entertaining. So, bring it
on.

Hillary Clinton does have the advantage this evening. She has done
these one on one debates before, most notably with Barack Obama. Mr.
Trump has had debate experience only with a bunch of other people on
the stage. A lot more difficult one on one. Also Hillary Clinton is
much more versed in policy. She can razzle-dazzle with fact and
figures. Donald Trump is more of a generalist, big picture guy. So,
when it comes to specifics, you can expect more from Hillary Clinton
on that front.

But talking points believes it might not matter very much because
demeanor, the way the candidates handle themselves will be what many
Americans are watching. Example it would be unwise for Donald Trump
to make faces as he sometimes did in the Republican debates.
Remember that? Also it would be a major mistake for Mr. Clinton to
sound shrill or to call Trump names. That would erode her status as
a public figure. Both candidates have been heavily coached and will
come armed with one-liners but they better be cautious.

As we saw over the weekend after the Clinton campaign invited Mark
Cuban to sit in the front row just between Trump. Trump responded
we're going to be taking to Gennifer Flowers. So, right away, the
presidential debate got into the world wrestling federation mode.
Fortunately, Miss Flowers will not be attending this evening. But
the circus is on hold for a moment except for the people in the
back. And yes, Hillary Clinton did start that, there's no doubt
about it.


But again, Americans want authoritative problem solvers, not foolish
game players. The demeanor factor, the demeanor factor is extremely
important in this debate tonight. In 1960, then-Vice President
Richard Nixon basically lost the election because he looked bad at
the debate, dower, sweaty, tense. By contrast, the young Senator
from Massachusetts John F. Kennedy whom Americans really didn't know
back then, came across as vibrant and very human.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think Mr. Nixon is an effective leader of his
party. I hope he would grant me the same. The question before us is,
which point of view and which party do we want to lead the United
States.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Nixon, would you like to comment on that
statement?

RICHARD NIXON, 37TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I have no
comment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'REILLY: And that was Nixon. Although the election was close, Nixon
of course of course won the presidency eight years later, but he
should have won in 1960. And then there are the one-liners.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RONALD REAGAN, 40TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I will not make
age an issue of this campaign. I'm not going to exploit for
political purposes my opponents youth and inexperience.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'REILLY: That witty line turned things around for Ronald Reagan who
had lost the first debate to Walter Mondale but made a comeback in
the second thanks to that line. From then on, there was no stopping
President Reagan's re-election campaign in 1984. In 1988, there was
a vice- presidential debate between Dan Quayle and Senator Lloyd
Bentsen, a Democrat.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAN QUAYLE, 44TH VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I have as much
experience in the Congress as Jack Kennedy did when he sought the
presidency.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Senator?

SENATOR LLOYD BENTSEN (D), FORMER TEXAS SENATOR: I serve with Jack
Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine.
Senator, you are no Jack Kennedy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'REILLY: Now, that line was not enough to elect Bentsen's running
mate, Michael Dukakis. Why? Because the governor himself blew it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Governor, if Kitty Dukakis were raped and
murdered, would you favor an irrevocable death penalty for the
killer?

MICHAEL DUKAKIS, FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR: No, I don't,
Bernard. And I think you know that I've opposed the death penalty
during all of my life.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'REILLY: That answer of Dukakis painted him as insensitive to his
own wife and hurt him dramatically.

Finally, presidential candidates get their facts wrong in a big
debate. They have got trouble.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. President, I would like to explore a little
more deeply our relationship with the Russians. Our allies in France
and Italy are now flirting with communism. There is no soviet
domination of Eastern Europe and there never will be under a Ford administration.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'REILLY: And that blunder by President Ford pretty much gave the
election to Jimmy Carter in 1976. So, back to tonight, the poll is
pretty much a dead heat going into the big show. It's kind of
shocking because many pundits believe Hillary Clinton would easily
roll over Donald Trump. If Mr. Trump stands to his ground tonight,
looks presidential as I say, Senator Clinton could be in major
trouble. I was in Colorado over the week and polls there say, the
race is tied.

If Colorado goes with Trump, he's the next president. Same things in
states like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. On Friday, we told you that
North Carolina will now go to Trump because of all the social
unrest. Social disorder always drives voters to the more
authoritarian candidate. So finally, what's my prediction? As Mr. T.
once said in a "rocky" movie, pain. Both candidates no matter what
they do will get smashed by the opposition. No matter how good
Donald Trump performs, press will say he blew it. No matter how
astute Hillary Clinton may be, those who dislike her will continue
to dislike her. It's not like everybody or anybody will be going to
Disney World after this.

And that's "The Memo".


--
Hillary's portion of the debate was sponsored by:
Luden's
Mom & Pop Servers
BleachBit
Rent-a-Stool
The delete button
The 5th Amendment

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)