Trumpocalypse is upon us. Deadline is live-blogging tonight’s first 2016 presidential debate pitting petulant thin-skinned real estate mogul turned reality TV star turned GOP candidate Donald Trump, against the Democrats’ overqualified, over-rehearsed, underliked and under suspicion former Secretary of state/senator/first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton.
The 90-minute event is expected to give the Super Bowl a run for its money, with about 100M people tuning in, in hopes the debate the debate goes small-hands low. Early indicators are good: Clinton attempted some early debate psych-out, inviting Trump reality-TV nemesis Mark Cuban to sit in the front row. Trump punched back with a promised invite to former Bill Clinton gal-pal Gennifer Flowers though sadly, his handlers walked that back. Instead,Benghazi victim family members will join Cuban in Psych-Out Row.
Now let’s get to the action as Deadline’s Lisa de Moraes and Erik Pedersen see it live:
The phrase “and now the moment you’ve all been waiting for” — redefined.
So Hillary Clinton’s name was misspelled on the debate ticket. Yet somehow they managed to get Hofstra right:
Debate hasn’t even started and already we’ve heard at least two simpering comments about the expected 100M audience.
Clinton in power red, Trump with blue tie.
As if the American electorate weren’t confused enough already.
The revised start time is supposed to be 9:03:30 ET — or thereabouts.
There will be a split screen for most of the debate tonight, which, as MSNBC’s Brian Williams noted, calls for “facial discipline.” Anyone remember eye-rolling, deep-sighing Al Gore in 2000?
And now for the really important stuff: Saints and Falcons are tied 7-7 in the first quarter. Don’t the debate schedulers know that fantasy football games hang in the balance tonight??
Has Buzzfeed called it yet?
We kept hearing that Trump did zero prep work with a Clinton stand-in.
Cue Lester — and we’re under way.
Handshakes and smiles: Cordial cordial cordial
Clinton won the coin flip, so she will receive.
The first question, that is.
Watching Trump during Clinton’s opening salvo.
Hillary Clinton couple seconds in and already the humanizing has started: today is her granddaughter’s birthday.
Donald Trump three seconds in: Mexico.
China building big plants. Big plants. Believe me.
Clinton: Nyah-nyah, my dad was poorer that your dad!
Hillary pulls Richie Rich offense on Trump.
Let me think: Where have I seen that steely, squinty gaze before. Hmmm…
Yo Donny, don’t let them bring their cookies here without a serious tax!
Trump interrupting. Clinton not.
Obama doubles the debt. Not, you know, the 12 or 13 little wars we’re fighting covertly and otherwise.
Advantage Trump. He is the only one who has mentioned Michigan and Ohio repeatedly, so far.
Donald might start calling her Smilin’ Clinton after this performance
No fireworks so far. And didn’t China invent fireworks?
Is it a boycott?
Wait — strike that. (Leans in and grabs handful of popcorn,)
Clinton: “Donald I know you live in your own reality.”
She is not taking his Interruptor in Chief bait.
Lose 10 million jobs or gain 3.5 million — discuss.
That’s two Reagan references from Donald It’s like throwing antelopes to the red lions,
I keep picturing President Trump interrupting speakers at the UN, G8 or wherever.
Trump gives new meaning the to “bully” pulpit.
Hillary’s web site review: Two thumbs down, from General McArthur, Trump says.
First WTF moment of the evening: Trump: “You’ve been fighting ISIS your entire adult life.”
More to time….
Wait, if Clinton has been fighting ISIS her whole life, who the hell was MacArthur fighting? I’m lost.
Is that Trump brand water?
“I think by end of evening I’m going to be blamed for everything,” Clinton snarks.
“Why not?” Trump shoots back.
“I don’t think top-down works in the United States.” — Walter Mondale 1984?
Now he’s calling bubbles “big, fat and ugly.” Mr. Trump, you are soon bubblist.
Trump just broke the seal on speaking in the third person.
Stupid Myanmar, ripping off the US of A like every country in the world.
Lester just fact checked telling Trump that he can release his taxes during an audit.
The crowd couldn’t help reacting to that one. Scoldin’ Lester sets them straight.
Uh-oh, is he starting to fume inside? There’s that quake-y thing he does right before Mount Saint Donald erupts…
Strangely silent is Trump as she says there is something he is hiding in re taxes.
Sorry, just had a Dem debate flashback…
Ohhh, burn!
Lisa de Moraes
September 26, 20165:53 pm
Dem Clinton surrogates took to TV news this morning to say
their candidate was warming up with mock debates as late as this morning, while
RNC chairman Reince Priebus said Trump is fully prepped for tonight, having
starred in 14 season finales of The
Apprentice franchise, and fine tuned his “measured, mature and disciplined”
self over the past five or six weeks via telepromptered speeches.