by Barry Hastings

Strangest debate I’ve ever seen, one party carrying on as he’s carried on since entering the GOP primaries a year ago; the other party acting as she’s acted throughout the same period, prepared, confident, working a game plan that produced immediate good results.

Donald Trump was clearly irritated from the start. It grew worse, and closed only when, during the last segments, Hillary Clinton finished speaking. The televised picture quickly switched to Trump (a bit before he expected it, perhaps — but perhaps not). At the instant he appeared, he clearly, but silently, mouthed the word, “Bitch,” then pursed his lips, and winked (at either Lester Holtz, the camera man or the general audience).

For Trump, and his GOP minions, it was a dismal outing. He probably didn’t lose many “true believers,” but I’d bet on Mrs. Clinton to come up with a net gain.’ (Note to the Donald: “Preparation is everything!”)

Another strange occurrence was the case of Trump’s extremely runny nose. For the better part of one segment, the Donald was sniffing so loudly it was clearly heard each time he did so. Sounded like so many coke-heads we can recall from back in the heyday of powder cocaine and crack. At first I thought he was trying to break her train of thought, but when he finished speaking, he immediately reached for a tissue, and blew his horn. Pathetic.

For Clinton things went very well. She stayed with her game plan, and took advantage of every opportunity to launch barbed attacks. Trump came on stage in a nasty frame of mind, and grew angrier and angrier. He made constant, continuing attempts to over-ride Clinton’s voice just about every time she tried to speak, but with very little success. She never went off-message, and according to every observer but Trump, handily won the first debate.

It worked — Trump was clearly defined as unprepared for the contest, offering nothing in the way of facts to support his case for a Trump presidency. He was, however, well prepared with a standard GOP attack plan; lies, stretched truth, much smoke and many mirrors, the usual misinformation, disinformation, spin (spun by an army of right-wing spin-doctors).

Measured as a “serious” debate about the state of the world today, she pounded hell out of him, and he knew it. His anger and irritation grew as the minutes passed. He was unable to work his way out of it. Next day, he very brazenly claimed a victory in debate, but his supporters seemed to believe he’d missed a golden opportunity. He came across as what I’ve ever believed him to be — a blowhard, a bully, a blunderer who’ll bluster us into conflicts we neither want, nor need. Lester Holtz, the NBC news anchor officiating the debate, grew irritated as Trump’s inane interjected commentary, often as not, was spoken over Mrs. Clinton’s more closely-reasoned remarks.

I cannot recall a single instance of Trump speaking intellectually to an issue, or a question from the debate moderator. Trump knows how to fly, but only by-the-seat-of-his pants. A candidate for the presidency of the USA, should be able to do better. New storms and trials appear and approach every day, and from every point of the compass. Another Trump error, was constant repetition of the same words, phrases, subject matter in his many interjections. He has a pathetic vocabulary.

As big a know-nothing as has made this run since George Wallace. He lost what little equilibrium he had, Monday evening — then crashed, and burned.

The latest news about Edward Snowden

Earlier last month, the whistle-blower Edward Snowden (a man who learned the hard way there’s no law truly protecting “whistle-blowers” from those they blow the whistle on) struck out verbally against the Russian government. He cited human rights abuses in Russia, and cyber attacks on western governments. He also pledged loyalty to the United States, despite bad treatment by our government, while having, “zero contact with Putin’s government.”

He also criticized western governments for giving intel agencies sweeping powers to monitor citizens on-line. He was particularly critical, and spoke harshly of Britain’s PM, Theresa May, saying she seems to have, “No regard whatsoever” for the rights of individuals. He said the Russians have gone, “Very far, much further than necessary, and in ways costly and corrosive to individual and collective rights.”

Snowden has been stuck — marooned — in Russia, since 2013, when he was subject of a massive manhunt (and smearing by American politicians and intel operatives). He settled in to a hotel complex near the Moscow airport. He’s been there ever since. Snowden says he’s made great progress with the Russian language — enough to be comfortable ordering from menus printed in Russian. He claims all his work is done in English.

“I sleep in Russia,” Snowden said, adding, ” but I live (on line) all around the world. I don’t have a lot of ties to Russia. That’s by design,” he noted, saying, “Because, as crazy as it sounds, I still plan to leave.”

Snowden says he can’t fix Russian human rights problems, “and realistically, my priority is to fix my own country, first.” Surely we’ll be hearing more from Mr. Snowden in the near future. He claimed in a Financial Times interview, Sept.11 (this year), “I work for the U.S., but they don’t realize it.”

WMU’s P.J. Fleck, ‘rowing the boat’

Five wins (two over Big 10 teams) in four weeks. Fleck is a leader, for certain, and the Broncos, to all appearances, are the cream of the MAC this year. Michigan state took a bad fall from their high-horse against Wisconsin (Dantonio was furious). Michigan appears to be running well now, under tutelage of Jim Harbaugh. On a slightly lower level of competition, it appears GVSU is back in the running this season, as well. Having done grad studies at WMU, I’m particularly proud of them, and of Fleck’s leadership.

About those Lions (in the pro’s), very pathetic – too many mistakes, penalties, have them mired in the muck. There they’ll remain for a while, ’til coach, QB, and skills players are well past their prime, never even gaining a spot in the playoffs.

Baseball, the Tigers

It looks as though we won’t see them in a World Series, or even a playoff series, for another year or so, maybe longer. Bad breaks, bad luck? Who really knows? “But I guess it’s gonna’ be a long, long time… .” (it’s already been a “long, long time.”