Ryan Praises Clinton ‘Blowout,’ Munroe Says No ‘Knockout’
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan hailed Hillary Clinton’s performance last night as a “blowout” for the Democratic nominee, while the Mahoning County Republican Party chairman viewed last night’s debate as a more of a draw.
Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, was “totally outmatched on the debate stage,” Ryan, D-13 Ohio, said during a conference call with reporters following the debate. The Mahoning Valley congressman and Clinton surrogate was in the audience at Hofstra University during the first debate between the two presidential candidates last night.
Clinton was particularly effective in her attacks over Trump’s refusal to disclose his income tax filings and “on how many workers and businesses he’s stiffed over the course of his business dealings,” Ryan said. Trump “clearly has absolutely no plan to try to grow the economy”or anyplace else across the country,” he added.
“He just lacks the policy chops, the substance, the details that we would expect as president of the United States,” Ryan remarked.
In addition, Ryan characterized Trump as obnoxious and as “a bully,” and said he kept repeating the same points. “His debate etiquette was terrible,” he said. Ryan said Trump handled questions regarding race relations and the debunked “birther” charge that President Obama was not born in this country very poorly, and criticized the Republican nominee for his questioning of Clinton’s stamina.
“It was really a blowout by Hillary Clinton on style and substance,” he said.
Mark Munroe, Mahoning County GOP chairman, saw last night’s debate as a more even matchup between the major party nominees.
“Neither candidate delivered a knockout punch, but Trump’s performance should reassure anyone who might have had doubts about his ability to fill the presidential role,” Munroe said in a text responding to a request for comment.
“Hillary smiled plenty, but her ideas of higher taxes and more spending have worn thin,” he continued. “I think Trump’s straight talk about the country’s problems and common sense solutions will find a receptive audience.”
Trump “represents change” and last night he successfully took on the “Obama-Clinton status quo,” U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, R-6 Ohio, said in a statement put out by the Trump campaign.
“The corrupt Clinton machine was no match for the original, authentic approach laid out by Donald Trump, which will put hard-working Americans first and make our country great again,” Johnson said.
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani declared last night’s debate a “great victory” for Trump, who “showed the Reagan-esque type of leadership and vision” the country needs. His performance was in “sharp contrast” to that of Clinton, “who showed as much ignorance to the law as she has with foreign policy,” he said in an email distributed by the Trump campaign..
Jessica Mackler, president of American Bridge 21st Century, countered that Trump confirmed last night he is unfit to serve as commander-in-chief.
“His complete lack of substantive ideas and two-minute long tirade on birtherism aside, Trump couldn’t manage to keep his temper in check for even a few moments before he lashed out,” she said.
“While Republicans watched with bated breath hoping ‘presidential’ Trump would appear tonight, it became clear that ‘presidential’ Trump simply does not exist,” she continued. “Trump showed himself to be angry, thin-skinned, prone to lies and operating on a hair trigger temper — and those qualities have no place in the Oval Office.”
Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
