Before last Monday, many friends told me they were dreading watching the debate. Quite a few said that they were tempted to simply wait until it was over, and then hear about it afterward. That’s how anxious everyone was.
As it happens, all of those friends did indeed watch the debate, and they are glad they did. In the circles I travel, there has been a decided change of mood this week.
There was something wonderful about seeing the actual Hillary Clinton in action. Her quick wit, her confident smile, and her sense of humor are so much more fun than the mythical creature some in the press have been creating.
It was also heartening to see, as some have pointed out, that there is no “other” Donald Trump, and that he didn’t rise to the occasion after all. That is most likely because, as far as Trump is concerned, he is the occasion.
There are three more debates to go. I find myself looking forward to watching them.