Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump rehashed many of the issues from the first presidential debate.

The second presidential debate was held in the form of a town hall meeting. Moderators posed half the questions; undecided voters asked the rest. Anderson Cooper, CNN news anchor,  and Martha Raddatz, an ABC reporter, served as the narrators for the night. The debate was held at Washington University in St. Louis on Sunday night.

The questions from the moderators covered topics of public interest, as reflected by social media. Each candidate was given two minutes to respond. Raddatz and Cooper had a minute to facilitate discussion.

Among the first topics discussed in the debate was the audio footage recently leaked, in which Trump discussed lewd acts toward women. The Republican candidate said he was not proud of it, but that it was just “locker room talk.” He added that he has great respect for women and is going to make America safe again.

Hillary rebutted, saying the audience heard on Friday what Trump really thinks of women and that what they heard is a reflection of who he is.

Trump, similar to the first debate, rehashed Clinton’s emails. He said if he were to become president he would acquire a special prosecutor to look into Clinton’s “situation.” Clinton apologized for the emails and took responsibly for her actions, but clarified there is no evidence that classified materials ended up in the wrong hands.

The candidates went on to discuss President Barack Obama’s health care law, a topic on which they have opposing views. An audience member asked them what they would do to bring down the cost of health care.

“I want very much to save what works and is good about the Affordable Care Act,” Clinton said.

While she recognized that there are issues with the ACA, she highlighted the pros, including the fact that 90 percent of people in the U.S. have health care insurance.

“Obamacare is a disaster,” Trump said. “You know it, we all know it.”

If he were elected, Trump said the act would be repealed and instead he would promote competition among health insurance countries to bring about “the finest health care plan there is.”

An audience member introduced the topic of Islamophobia, who asked how each of them would help make it so those who practice Islam are not viewed as a threat.

Trump said the solution starts with Muslims reporting what they see to prevent radical Islamic terror. On the topic of his proposed ban on Muslims, Trump said he will not have a ban, but rather extreme vetting.

“My vision of America is an America where everyone has a place,” Clinton said.

She added it is dangerous to engage in the narrative of Trump because it promotes Islamophobia. Clinton also delved into ISIS, saying she intends to defeat them in coalition with majority Muslim nations.

While Clinton also supports a vetting system, she said it is important the U.S. not ban people based on religion.

Clinton criticized Russia in relation to Syria. She said Russia hasn’t paid attention to ISIS because they’re interested in keeping Assad in power. Clinton added that the Russians are determined to destroy Aleppo in order to eliminate the last of the Syrian rebels holding out against the Assad regime. Trump said the U.S. has to worry about ISIS first since Clinton already had a chance to do something with Syria, but she didn’t do anything.

The selection of a new Supreme Court justice was introduced for the first time in the debate.

Hillary said she want to appoint a judge that really knows how the world works and who understands what people are up against. She added she will elect a justice that will stick to Roe v. Wade and the Marriage Equality Act.

Trump praised former Justice Antonin Scalia, saying he would elect somebody with similar values to Scalia.

On the topic of energy, Trump said the U.S. needs more than wind and solar. Energy companies, he said, need to be brought back to the U.S. Clinton, on the other hand, said the U.S. needs to maintain the energy independence it currently has.

The debate ended on a positive note when an audience member asked the candidates to highlight something they each respected about each other.

Clinton said she respected the way Trump had raised his children because they have grown up to be very devoted adults.

In return Trump said, “She doesn’t quit. She doesn’t give up. I respect that. I tell it like it is. She’s a fighter.”

Published on October 10, 2016 at 1:58 am

Contact Stacy: sfern100@syr.edu | @StacyFernandezB