The Daily Show discovered Donald Trump's big debate weakness
The first debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton was on Monday night, and on Monday night's Daily Show, Trevor Noah breathed a sigh of relief. "The waiting is finally over," he said. "After a year of subtweeting each other on the campaign trail," he said, "finally, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton went head-to-head." After all the debate prep and head games, the debate lived up to expectations, getting pretty fiery at some points, with Clinton and Trump just shouting over each other. "Welcome to the real-life version of Twitter, people," Noah said. "You know that at that point, Lester Holt wasn't even moderating anymore, he was just eating popcorn with everyone else."
Noah spent most of his instant recap focused on Trump, and some Trump statements really stood out, like when Trump appeared to brag about avoiding taxes, saying paying zero federal income tax "makes me smart." "I'm sorry, what?" Noah said. "Dude, taxes are a responsibility not something to evade. You know, you're running to be the No. 1 citizen of a country, you shouldn't brag about ways you found to get around the rules.... You know who else found a way around the rules? O.J. No one likes him."
When it came to race relations, Noah said, "this might have been my favorite part of the evening — it turns out, the only way Donald Trump can truly relate to any issue in America is by whether or not he has a property in that place." After playing a few clips, he said, "Donald Trump relates to America like he's playing a game of Monopoly — 'Yeah, I have that street, I know what it's like there.'"
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Finally, Noah pointed to Trump's Achilles heel, "a little thing I like to call Truth Trump." Whenever Trump speaks, Noah explained, "every now and again, Truth Trump comes out — he can't control it." He used as an example Trump saying he doesn't run negative ads "because he's trying to save the money — not because he's a good person," as he should have said. Noah demonstrated by acting out a split personality, Gollum-like: "'Truth Trump, shut up!' 'I can't control it. I need to build a wall in my mind folks!'" He arched an eyebrow at Trump's sniffing, but said "we didn't watch the debate just to make jokes about it. We wanted to do our part to keep the candidates honest." Still, when he asked Senior Campaign Correspondent Roy Wood Jr. to fact-check the debate, things got out of control fast. Watch below. Peter Weber
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
'The Hum': the real-life noise behind The Listeners
In The Spotlight Can some of us also hear the disturbing sound that plagues characters in the hit TV show – and where is it coming from?
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
The Week Unwrapped: Are we any closer to identifying UFOs?
Podcast Plus, will deals with Tunisia and Kurdistan help Labour? And what next for the Wagner Group?
By The Week Staff Published
-
Quiz of The Week: 16 - 22 November
Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
By The Week Staff Published
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91
Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76
Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproar
Speed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain Prize
Speed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Is Downton Abbey set to return for a final film?
Speed Read Imelda Staunton reveals that a third movie may be in the pipeline
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
'Oppenheimer' sweeps Oscars with 7 wins
speed read The film won best picture, best director (Christopher Nolan) and best actor (Cillian Murphy)
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Rust' armorer convicted of manslaughter
speed read The film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed by actor Alec Baldwin during rehearsal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Beatles are getting 4 intersecting biopics
Speed Read Director Sam Mendes is making four separate movies, each told from the perspective of one band member
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published