I was in a coliseum to watch the first Ali-Frazier fight on a big screen in 1971. And I was in the media filing center during three of the presidential and vice presidential debates in 2008. Watching last night’s debate in the media center at Washington University felt more like the former experience than the latter. Not only did the live studio audience break debate protocol in its vocal reactions to the candidates, so did many of the hundreds of debate-watching journalists, especially when Trump said or did something provocative.
Some examples: “Nobody has more respect for women” (derisive laughter) “I was surprised to see him [Bernie Sanders] sign on with the devil” (gasp) “He [Mike Pence] and I haven’t spoken and I disagree” (whoa!) “Because you’d be in jail” (huh!) “No, I’m a gentleman, Hillary” (derisive laughter) Trump creeps up behind Clinton while she’s talking (whaaaatt?) “You’re right about Islamophobia and that’s a shame” (oh, come on!) “That’s the difference between Abraham Lincoln and you” (laughter), followed by “I know nothing about Russia” (laughter of a different kind) “She
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