Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump stumbled through the first presidential debate Monday night, losing his composure on multiple occasions, including during a heated exchange with Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton about previously saying she does not appear “presidential” ― remarks that many observers regarded as sexist.
On numerous occasions, Trump interrupted and spoke over Clinton. Quite a few viewers found his behavior inappropriate, if a Twitter search of the terms “Trump mansplained” is any indication.
However, the universe conspired against Trump by drawing even more attention to this behavior. Every time Trump lowered his head, one word was perfectly framed by his hair: “Men.”
The word came from the Declaration of Independence, which was printed on the backdrop of the debate stage at Hofstra University.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” it read. “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men [Emphasis added], deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”
Trump’s woes were compounded by his unfortunate position on the stage. Debates are carefully planned events ― affairs that are hashed out months in advance by the Commission on Presidential Debates, the Secret Service and the host university. However, as any good advance official on a campaign can tell you: It’s the problems you can’t anticipate that get you every time.
Huffington Post Reporter Eliot Nelson’s new book, The Beltway Bible: A Totally Serious A-Z Guide to Our No-Good, Corrupt, Incompetent, Terrible, Depressing and Sometimes Hilarious Government, is out now.
Editor’s note: Donald Trump regularly incites political violence and is a serial liar, rampant xenophobe, racist, misogynist and birther who has repeatedly pledged to ban all Muslims — 1.6 billion members of an entire religion — from entering the U.S.