Opinion

No, Hillary Clinton did not ‘clearly win’ the debate on Tuesday

Generated by IJG JPEG Library

Virtually every media outlet claims that Clinton won the debate on Tuesday. | Courtesy of Getty Images

Wednesday morning, I woke up to headlines everywhere reading things like “Clinton scores big in first debate” from Thehill.com or “Hillary Clinton’s big night on the debate stage” from CNN.

Did they watch the same debate that everyone else did? Because Clinton most definitely did not “dominate” the debate, as the Wall Street Journal suggests.

All I saw from Hillary Clinton was the same pandering and question-dodging political debater we’ve seen ever since she first ran for public office.

Though the internet isn’t the most trustworthy source, polls from CNNTimeMSNBC and virtually every other poll show that people believe Bernie Sanders to be the clear victor of this debate.

Yes, Sanders was weak on issues such as foreign policy and gun control, but he was also the only one to get a standing ovation when coming saying “The American people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn emails!” He received the biggest applause of the night for that, and that is why Sanders truly won the debate.

Clinton comes in second only because she is a great debater, not because of the answers she provided. Most, if not all, of her answers sounded prepared and unemotional, making her appear as the same calculating, dishonest politician most Americans see her as.

Also, for some reason, Martin O’Malley is being painted as a debate loser.

He made great points, spoke eloquently and was one of the few people who called Clinton out on important issues like how to handle the crisis in Syria and how to deal with Wall Street.

Clinton’s politicking is most apparent when she talks about big banks. Clinton’s top donors include corporations like Citigroup Inc., Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase & Co. among other banks. This  discredits her attempt at trying to come across as a “Progressive who gets things done.”

It’s really hard to be perceived as a Progressive when you’re in the pocket of the biggest banks in the U.S. and are already perceived as an untrustworthy candidate by 57 percent of voters.

The media needs to stop praising Hillary Clinton just because they feel obligated. Every day it’s either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump in the main headlines, leaving all other rightful and worthy candidates in the dust.

Polls matter when it comes to public perception. Candidates make decisions based on poll numbers. When they aren’t getting fair coverage, of course their numbers are going to go down and eventually drop out of the race.

News outlets need to remember that there are candidates other than Hillary Clinton. The U.S. deserves better than clear political polarization.

Opinion editor Anthony Torres is a political science junior and may be reached at [email protected]

5 Comments

  • Ah, a JUNIOR. Well then, he must know everything. Except how to judge a debate performance. Sanders was fine and made a good appearance. But Hilary simply was overpowering in her polish, her answers and her poise. O’Malley might make a good VP pick. But he was very obviously pushing hard to be noticed. You could almost see the sweat stains under his arms from the exertion.

    • Except polish and poise is not what people want to see right now. Both Hillary and O’Malley are seen as political insiders who fail to relate or connect with a very fed up electorate. Hillary said all we needed to hear when she said she “represented Wall Street.” Bernie taps into the fervor and frustration of the people and seems to be willing to push for the major changes that people want to see.

  • I am going to laugh when all these young Sanders supporters realize that the Democratic party in no way will let him win. Then they will sit at home come next November and Hillary will lose as a result.

    • It sucks being old and cynical, doesn’t it, dGratt?

      Hillary does not deserve to win just because she is a Clinton. She’s a has-been and criminal — Not in any way shape or form Presidential material.

  • Bernie Sanders is mobilizing the Country. Hillary Clinton is pandering to billionaires.
    Let the showdown continue.

Leave a Comment