Best Quotes from the 2016 Presidential Debate

By Dr. Nikki Martinez

Licensed Therapist, Life Coach, Author

Published September 26, 2016

Like many years, the presidential debate often leaves us feelings like we will be voting for the lesser of two evils.

When stronger party members have dropped out and we are left with a circus, and when we are struggling to get behind either person, it can leave us feeling lost and frustrated.

It might not help make up your mind for you if you are on the fence, but it will at least give you a good chuckle when you read what these individuals have already said in their debates.

While you might not like something that came out of your candidate’s own lips – and wish they did not say that – take it with a grain of salt and say we have what we have, so we may as well have a chuckle along the way.

Here are a few of the event’s highlights.

2016 Presidential Republican Debate Highlights

CHRIS CHRISTIE: “Tuesday night I watched story time with Barack Obama [at the State of the Union], and I got to tell you, it sounded like everything in the world was going amazing.” (Was that really the best one you have been saving up? ZING!)
BEN CARSON: “Well, I am very happy to get a question this early on. I was going to ask you to wake me up when the time came.” (Glad we got to you before nap time Ben).
TED CRUZ: “Well, Neil, I’m glad we’re focusing on the important topics of the evening. Now since September, the constitution hasn’t changed. But the poll numbers have.”
Cruz, whose eligibility to run for president was questioned because of his Canadian birth, continued, “Interestingly enough, Donald J. Trump would be disqualified because, because, Donald’s mother was born in Scotland. She was naturalized. Now Donald –”“But I was born here,” Donald Trump interjected.
Trump shot back.There is a big question mark on your head. And you can’t do that to the party. You really can’t. You can’t do that to the party. You have to have certainty. Even if it was 1% chance and far greater than 1% because wasn’t born — you have great constitutional lawyers say you can’t run.”
“I hate to interrupt this episode of “Court TV,” Rubio interrupted. (Ok snaps for that).
Cruz has maintained he is a “natural born citizen,” which is required to run for the presidency. (I am not surprised that he has a fall back of Green Eggs and Ham, when he can’t think of anything else).
DONALD TRUMP: “The guns don’t pull the trigger. It’s the people that pull the trigger,” he said.
“The American people have rejected your agenda and now you’re trying to go around it. That’s not right. It’s not constitutional, and we are going to kick your rear end out of the White House come this fall,” Christie argued against President Obama’s recently unveiled executive actions on guns. (I am just going to give this a word, CLASS!)
JEB BUSH: “Mr. Trump, your comment about banning Muslims from entering the country created a firestorm. According to Facebook, it was the most talked about moment online of your campaign.”
“With more than 10 million people talking about the issue, is there anything you’ve heard that makes you want to rethink this position?” Bush continued.

“No,” Trump admitted.

Back in December, Trump called for a ‘total and complete shutdown’ of Muslims entering the US.

(I mean, we want someone with conviction, not someone who thinks about what they say, right?)

Discussing Hillary Clinton’s email scandal, Bernie Sanders zigged where other Republicans have zagged.

“Let me say — let me say something that may not be great politics,” he said. “But I think the secretary is right, and that is that the American people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn emails.”

“Thank you,” Clinton responded. “Me, too. Me, too.” (I really miss you Bernie. If nothing else, to see more of Larry David playing you on SNL).

“I don’t think the revolution’s coming,” said Jim Webb, who is apparently bearish on Sanders’ promise of radical political change. (Well that is good, because the status cue seems to be working really well for is)
Chafee discussed the importance of repairing American credibility after the invasion of Iraq, hitting Clinton for her vote to authorize the Iraq war in 2002.

“So any time someone is running to be our leader, and a world leader, which the American president is, credibility is an issue out there with the world. And we have repair work to be done. I think we need someone that has the best in ethical standards as our next president. That’s how I feel.”

“Secretary Clinton, do you want to respond?” Anderson Cooper asked.

Clinton: “No.” (I feel like Anderson should have just done a Mic drop and been done with it).

Bernie Sanders, asked by Cooper if he considered himself a capitalist: “Do I consider myself part of the casino capitalist process by which so few have so much and so many have so little by which Wall Street’s greed and recklessness wrecked this economy? No, I don’t. I believe in a society where all people do well. Not just a handful of billionaires.” (Did I hear an Amen somewhere in the background?)
Clinton, remarking on the enemies she is most proud to have made: “Well, in addition to the NRA, the health insurance companies, the drug companies, the Iranians. … Probably the Republicans.” (Probably not untrue, but I would not be owning it so much).
Webb, a Vietnam veteran, responding to the same question: “I’d have to say the enemy soldier that threw the grenade that wounded me, but he’s not around right now to talk to.” (I am glad you got that in there).
Sanders, on how he would vote on Nevada’s measure to legalize marijuana next year: “I suspect I would vote yes.” (I am just going to put it out there…is he stoned right now?)