First Presidential Candidate Debate of 2016

Apparently I can't keep my own word - after watching the first debate of the Presidential candidates for the election that will take place in 43 days, I just have to write a few things.  Tuesday, 8 November, is the day that most Americans will go to the polls and cast their single vote for their choice as the next American President.  There are actually four candidates in the running, but the two major party candidates, Democrat and Republican, will get the majority of the votes.  There is a small concern that quite a few Democrats may choose to vote for the two other candidates, and thereby lessen the Democrats chance of winning this year's election.  I sincerely hope that does not occur.  The two other major candidates did not have enough support in the Public Polls to be invited to participate in the Debates - so we had only Mr Donald Trump and former First Lady, former Senator, and former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton at the two podiums, facing an audience at Hofstra University, and the moderator, NBC national news anchor, Lester Holt.
   It was not a pretty debate. The moderator did not do his job.  I sincerely believe that the best way to run one of these debates is to have someone sitting in a booth, or at an audio board, who can turn off each candidate's microphone - whenever the candidate runs over their specified time limit, and/or whenever the candidate stops speaking about the current, announced topic.  That way neither candidate could interrupt the other - neither candidate could talk louder and louder to drown out their opponent - and neither candidate could interrupt, or ignore, the moderator.  I had entertained great hopes that Lester Holt would be able to control the candidates and moderate an intelligent debate.  Nope, couldn't happen.  Didn't happen.  I was disappointed.
   CNN did some quick fact-checking during, and immediately after, the debate.  It was found that in one instance that Clinton stretched the truth a bit, but was totally correct regarding the outcome of a statement.  Trump was listed as making a false statement eight times, and as stretching the truth four times, and being incorrect at the outcome.  I can't wait to see what else is found by the time I get going in the morning!

     I am driving a friend's car this week.  He printed his own bumper sticker and placed it on the rear of his vehicle - a rather large white rectangle (on a navy blue car) with black letters that read:

Trump - Putin

2016

In the last three days, I have received 8 compliments on the sticker, and have had 31 people honk their horns and give me the thumbs up sign.  I've returned to the car and seen 8 people taking photos of the bumper sticker.  Yesterday, a man driving a Jaguar and wearing a pin-striped suit shook his fist at me.  And, while at the Credit Union today, I stepped back outside to find a man on his knees taking a photo of the sign.  As I approached, another man grabbed him by the shoulder and told him he needed to get out of the drive; the first man stood up, and pointed at the bumper, laughing.  A third man walked up, looked at it, and laughed.  The second man started pushing the other two men.  I walked up, and asked, innocently, "You guys like my bumper sticker?"  They all left, going in different directions....   And I got into my friend's car, shaking my head at folks who can't take a joke....