While my heart said no, that it couldn’t handle to be twisted and beaten and torn between the two opponents in the 2nd Presidential Debate, my responsibility as a citizen told me to watch. So I watched, and interpreted whatever it was that Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were communicating to us. When the fiery statements towards each other are set aside, there were some messages that mean a lot for many. Once again, I anxiously sat and watched this spectacle, glass of wine in one hand, pen in the other. Here are my thoughts.

1. These announcer/broadcast guys’ tone is too tabloidy. It sounds like they are amping up the audience for some entertainment award show.
2. No handshake, really? Both of your parents raised you better than that!
3. The first question asked about the debates being inappropriate for kids to watch. Both candidates just responded with their own agendas, completely veering off the question. What a way to start off the debate!
4. Trump referring his comments as “locker room talk” makes me imagine other political figures saying those things in a locker room, and it is still unsettling.
5. Anderson Cooper and Martha Raddatz are bosses!! They’ve got this journalism thing down!! They are just what these two candidates need.
6. “We are great because we are good,” Hillary just said, sticking with her image.
7. Trump is angry because “he didn’t” get to reply but Clinton did. He keeps pouting to the moderators like they are his parents and his younger sister is the favorite child.
8. Trump basically said Hillary should be ashamed of HERself because of Bill Clinton’s impeachment.
9. Hillary came out of nowhere with this well researched list of specific examples of ways Trump had acted out against minorities and did not apologize. THIS is rhetoric at its finest! She’s getting all those minority votes right now.
10. Trump just brought up the emails, saying that if he wins, he will have the attorney general look into her affairs. That was tough!!
11. Oh shoot! Hillary is doing live fact checking on her website again! I think the moderators are taking care of a lot of that this time!
12. OMG, Clinton said that it’s good that someone with Trump’s temperament isn’t in charge of the law in the country and he fired back, “because you’d be in jail.” This is obviously going to be blasted all over the internet. It’s going to go viral! Oh wait, did Trump just threaten Clinton?
13. When politicians say sorry, it feels so insincere.
14. Trump just said he’s more of a gentleman than anyone!! Perhaps it’s time we pour ourselves a drink. Or four.
15. He also just claimed that Obamacare was a fraud. This is a pretty bold thing to say. This calls for a fact check!
16. I’m beginning to wonder where the idea of defamation and libel has been throughout this entire disaster of an election?
17. All Trump says about Muslims is that they need to report the problems as they see them. Does he think that all the Muslims of the US know each other and have some sort of sixth sense that tells them another Muslim supports ISIS?!?!
18. Now, he’s basically saying he likes Putin. Am I supposed to forget that Putin has sided with Assad and is a monster?
19. Trump says he disagrees with his running mate Pence’s stance on Syria. Can Trump just drop out so Pence can take his place.
20. Trump has a runny nose and Clinton’s mouth is dry.
21. They are both SO extreme but not right and left. It’s like they are north and south. Does that even make sense?
22. Chelsea and Melania are getting along like best friends. They exchanged some words and a giggle. I wonder what they were saying.
23. They are obviously WAY more hostile this time around.
24. The fiery precision of these moderator’s demeanor is on point!
25. Another debate and I feel like nothing has been accomplished.
26. Some of these people that are asking questions have chosen the most irrelevant questions. Like THAT is what you choose to ask with your one chance?!
27. He denied tweeting about Alicia Machado with allegations of her having a sex tape. He supported his denial of this tweet by saying he wanted people to see someone who was “no Girl Scout.” Why does he get to say that. Who cares!
28. Aww the last question. Finally they have to something positive about each other!! This should be interesting
29. Clinton says she respects Trump’s children and their devotion says a lot about Donald.
30. Trump says that Hillary is strong and a fighter. He says that although they don’t agree in most cases, she doesn’t give up, which is a good trait.