Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Presidential Debate: Five Things To Watch in the Final Joust

LAS VEGAS — The final presidential debate may be Donald Trump's last best chance to turn around an election in which Hillary Clinton appears to be decisively pulling away.

But after scattershot performances in the two previous debates for Trump, time is running out. The GOP nominee's campaign has been sinking deeper into dark conspiracy theories, while Clinton has been trying to close her campaign on high note.

After slogging through what is widely seen as the ugliest presidential campaign in recent memory, it will be the last time Clinton and Trump meet on the same stage together — they didn't even shake each others' hands at the last debate — with just three weeks to go before Election Day.

Here are five things to watch: 

1. First debate Clinton or second debate Clinton?

Clinton pummeled Donald Trump in the kickoff debate at Hofstra University, while at the second, at Washington University in St. Louis, she stepped back to engender sympathy while Trump pummeled her. Both approaches worked, with Clinton seen as the clear winner in post-debate surveys.

Clinton has eased up lately after months of attacking Trump, with aides suggesting his negative ratings are as low as they can go. She's switched gears and is trying now to channel the disgust so many Americans are feeling about an election that "makes you want to unplug the internet or just look at cat GIFs," as she said last week.

Clinton is well positioned to give Trump a finishing move. But she may opt to deflect his attacks and attempt a discussion of policy to let the contrast in their approaches speak for itself.

Click here for the full article. 

Source: NBC News 

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