Clinton Nearly TKO'd Trump

Finally, someone in the political arena exposed Donald The Bully as a phony for all the world to see.

Appropriately enough, it wasn't another loudmouth who effectively faced down the volatile Trump.

Rather, it was a thoughtful, smiling blonde woman in a red pants suit.

If Monday night's presidential debate was a boxing match, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton nearly scored a technical knockout.

Technically speaking, no, Clinton didn't quite lay out her opponent on the canvas.

But, by the bout's end, The Donald was wobbly on his feet and only saved by debate moderator/referee Lester Holt's bell.

The billionaire blabbermouth had nothing but bluster -- throwing wild roundabouts that a calm, calculating Clinton easily saw coming.

From the outset, Clinton was cool, focused, jabbing Trump, keeping him at a distance. 

She actually proved an accomplished counter puncher against Trump, a self-proclaimed accomplished counter puncher himself.

When the undisciplined, erratic Trump got frustrated and predictably came in swinging, Clinton merely sidestepped, and fired back admirably.

Early on, Trump lunged wildly at Clinton, trying to blame her for the job-stealing effects of NAFTA, passed during her husband's administration.

Clinton parried and countered. Talk about jobs. The real estate mogul left himself wide open.

Clinton landed some jarring body blows, excoriating Trump for stiffing countless Americans who worked for him, but were never paid.

Trump answered pathetically, implying that if he didn't pay a contractor for services, the job must have been subpar.

Clinton's counter rights would knock loose a little revealing truth from the braggadocious Donald over the course of the debate.

Under a Clinton barrage, the former secretary of state called Trump for cheering and profiting off the 2008 housing market crash. Trump coughed up: "That's called good business."

Clinton countered well to the end, showing herself a strong finisher and in doing so, diffusing Trump's cheap shot -- accusing Clinton of lacking stamina.

Clinton ducked and came up with a solid upper cut to Trump's vulnerable chin, rattling The Donald.

"As soon as he travels to 112 countries and negotiates a peace deal, and a cease fire, a release of dissidents, an opening of new opportunities in nations around the world, or even spends 11 hours testifying in front of a congressional committee, he can talk to me about stamina,” Clinton responded.

Trump attempted to respond, but came back weakly. Reaching into his limited vocabulary arsenal, he resorted to using the word "bad" five times.

Clinton pummeled Trump with the story of his apparent disparaging treatment of a Latina Miss Universe pageant winner years ago.

"She has become a U.S. citizen and you can bet she's going to vote this November," Clinton said, landing a straight right on Trump's cheek at the sound of Holt's bell.

In the debate, Trump shamelessly continued to flounder on racism, downplaying its reality, harping on "law and order" instead.

On the racial divide, Clinton was thoughtful, peppering Trump with stats on black inequality and scoring points.

Trump swung and missed when he claimed Clinton created ISIS.

The radical Islamic fundamentalist group formed out of al Qaeda in early 2004 in southern Iraq under President George W. Bush's watch.

Clinton landed a left hook solidly when she rightly said Trump claimed climate change was a hoax started by the Chinese.

Trump denied it. Fact checkers confirmed it. His campaign couldn't delete the tweet fast enough.

When Trump landed a glancing blow with mention of Clinton's deleted emails, she was unfazed and dished out credibly, harping on why Trump hasn't released his tax returns and speculating what he was hiding.

Trump unwittingly attempted to rally but indited himself as a tax evader, saying, "That makes me smart."

And Trump only left himself open to further suspicions by appearing to defend Russia as a suspect in hacking the Democratic Party's emails.

Clinton exposed Trump as a bully amateur, fair and square. 

The only thing the practiced illusionist has mastered is the low blow. He didn't belong in the same ring with Clinton.

Now, it's up to the American people to make the call.

The disparity between the two White House contenders will only increase through two more debates over the next several weeks.

Providing the people aren't fooled by Trump's vacuous grandstanding, come November 8, the decision should be unanimous in Clinton's favor.

Kennedy vs. Nixon All Over Again

Hillary crushed. Trump had nothing.

In the first presidential debate tonight, Donald Trump had little more than his twisted and contorted facial expressions, evidenced by the split screen, to answer Hillary Clinton's thoughtful, informed approach.

The split screen visual made all the difference. It was not unlike the more contrasted Jack Kennedy debating the dull, gray Richard Nixon in 1961.

Lester Holt was a very good moderator, like a good referee, not too intrusive.

The debate should go a long way towards clarifying the two candidates in the people's minds.

And by the way, why was The Donald sniffing so much?

And who is this 400-pound hacker sitting on his bed reacking havoc on American politics?

Let's find him. Bring him him in for questioning. Feed him some Chinese take out. Get some answers!

More later...

Killed Just For Living in American Skin

And so blacks, it seems, continue to get "killed just for living in their American skin."

I listened to Bruce Springsteen sing "American Skin" just over a week ago live at Citizens Bank Park in Philly.

And now the words of the song have been playing in my mind for the past day or so since video of the Tulsa shooting was released and the subsequent police shooting and unrest in Charlotte.

There's no real words left to say. They've been said. As it's been written before, we're not going to get past this unless we all recognize this country's racial divide.

Donald Trump not only ignores the divide, but encourages it by focusing only on crime stats.

Racial tension will only fester and boil over into more violence until America owns up to its racist culture.

Trump The Chimp?

Donald Trump essentially is like a male chimp bucking for attention, lusting after power.

The answers are always out there. Often, closer than you think. And nature often provides.

And so we have Trump the chimp. Ever since Trump announced his bid for the presidency he's acted like a competitive male chimp.

Jane Goodall who lived among chimps explained recently how Trump's behavior mimics dominant male chimps competing for a leadership role.

In particular, Trump reminds her of Mike the chimp who made loud sounds, threw things, jumped up and down.

Unfortunately, it's often chimps like Mike, says Goodall, who act the most crazy, that eventually win the role of top chimp.

What's that say about Trump believers?

PNAC And September 11, 2001

The Project for a New American Century, a conservative think tank, formed just before the turn of this 21st century with one thing on its mind.

World domination.

Of its 25 members, 10 ended up with jobs inside the Bush Administration.

PNAC members occupied the highest, most powerful positions, including vice president Dick Cheney, defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld, and deputy defense secretary Paul Wolfowitz.

The PNAC knew it wouldn't be easy for America to simply invade countries without a good reason.

"The process of transformation," the PNAC's plan stated, "is likely to be a long one absent some catastrophic and catalyzing event like a new Pearl Harbor."

September 11, 2001 the PNAC got what it wanted.

Do we have all the answers about America's darkest day?

P.T. Barnum Explains Donald Trump

One of this world's greatest master showman and illusionists, more than a century after his passing, sheds light on Donald Trump's dark appeal.

"The public appears disposed to be amused even when they are conscious of being deceived," said P.T. Barnum, whose legacy lives on through the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus.

Burning question is, will Americans get their fill of this nightmarish Reality TV series, "The Donald," before the season finale lands a madman in the White House?

Donald The Sensitive

It's touching, isn't it?

To watch a narcissistic, racist, demagogue reform overnight into a caring, civil rights-minded leader of the oppressed, reaching out to the black community because, well, dammit he just cares.

Or not.

Dr. Ben Carson should be ashamed at encouraging such posturing. It only hurts Christianity.

And Donald, The Actor, should be nominated for an Emmy for this latest bit of Reality TV.