I don't know about you, but I found that so-called town hall debate the most difficult one to watch. I knew that there was no such thing as a knockout blow that would remove Trump from his place as GOP nominee. It is one reason I don't go to horror movies - for although I do know as an adult that "its only a movie" they reduce me to a frightened child again - afraid of the monster who always gets that last chance to strike a mortal blow at the innocent who is bound to appear and place him/herself in harm's way. Trump is the ultimate slasher movie.
Trump is structured like the last act of every horror movie - just when you think your are safe, the monster rises from the grave and comes at you with his blood-spattered axe (or if you prefer ax) or his untrimmed fingernails made of steel. His lumbering gait, his slits that serve as hoods for his scavanger eyes, his malign mouth that looks like it will not be satisfied until it eats the baby. He is the fully equipped B-movie monster - our very own Trumpenstein.
I knew that Trump would use all of Bill's real and alleged sexual escapades to justify his own so-called locker room talk, despite the fact that this was HRC not Bill Clinton who was opposing him. Clearly, if Trump had murdered a group of innocents he would look astonished when caught - "But hell, officer, the Manson family did it, and Ted Bundy and..." as he tried to smear Soros and Warren Buffet for their taxes - the loopholes they used - possibly true, but like everything he said on stage - he did not have a shred of evidence. What evidence did he produce that would justify his threat to imprison Hillary? Ah, those emails which were bleached to remove the bloodstains on them. Alas, he needed his Nuremberg rally of supporters to follow up with their "Lock her up!" to get the full effect - but just saying it in this debate - threatening to imprison his opponent - showed us that there is an enemies list being prepared - the fascist must have his revenge.
Did it work? All the accusations and threats? Hillary fended off the blows and did a good, if measured, job of repelling his attacks. I am sure it did Trump good among the true Trump supporters - who - having committed themselves to him - can justify his hatred and objectification of women as boy talk, locker room banter, and hunger for the red meat of the latest verbal kill. All it lacked was the snapping towel and the smelly sneakers. It just added another layer of disgust for me - for this man who is incapable of being responsible for any of his own acts yet wants to be put in charge of the welfare of our families and our world.
I would like to believe that Hillary "won" the night - but there is no winning or losing with Trump. Like the movie monster a sequel is already being prepared. "Bride of Trumpenstein" - or "Trumpenstein meets Abbot and Costello" - if you rather "Jaws 12" - just when you thought it was safe to watch a debate again he rises from the waters and..." With the holiday almost upon us we might even call it "Halloween at Mar-a-lago." We now know that even his loss in the election will not silence him. As he sits in the wreckage of his Trump empire - that stage set that allowed him to perform for millions - he will be plotting new conspiracies - spewing out more hatred for HRC and for anyone who opposed him. It will all become so familiar that people will cease to listen when this sore loser becomes the bore loser of all time. Be brave, Little Sherman, the horror movie is nearly over. But oh, what a price this country is paying for the ticket to see it.