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Clinton Clears High Hurdle in Repelling Trump

By U.S. News & World Report

Hillary Clinton may have come into the first presidential debate with a higher hurdle to clear. As an experienced senator and cabinet secretary, the former first lady could not merely get through the uninterrupted 90-minute debate without making a mistake or losing her cool. She had to excel, reach the top-of-the curve grade, all while managing to look serious and responsible while still connecting with voters.

With a series of well-prepared zingers and equally well-prepared answers to predicable questions about her email server, race relations, tax policy (for Donald Trump and the nation) and international alliances, Clinton delivered. And she owes much of her performance to her opponent.

While Clinton managed a smiling-but-not-too-smiley expression and kept her voice even and measured, Trump was all over the map, starting out in measured tones but quickly sputtering and interrupting as Clinton criticized him and the debate monitor, Lester Holt, corrected a couple of his statements. Twitter was brutal, with even Republican operatives lambasting Trump for being incoherent and meandering. And that was on top of the ridicule for Trump’s frequent sniffling.

Clinton was at the ready. When Trump was asked to detail how he would bring jobs from overseas back to the U.S., the businessman discussed a tax cut for businesses. “I call it Trumped-up trickle down,” Clinton said, accusing Trump of offering a tax plan that would benefit wealthy men such as himself.

Or supposed wealthy men, Clinton mused as they got to the next topic, Trump’s unreleased tax returns. Maybe the real reason Trump won’t release them is not because of a tax audit, but because “maybe he’s not as rich as he says he is. Maybe he’s not as charitable as he claims to be,” Clinton surmised, clearly referring to stories showing Trump has collected cash for his Trump Foundation and used it to settle legal disputes (and to buy a painting of himself).

When Trump repeated a campaign line popular with his own supporters — that he would release his tax returns when Clinton released the thousands of emails still undisclosed to the public — Clinton was ready again: “I think you’ve seen another example of bait and switch here,” she said.

On the question that might have tripped her up, that of her email server, Clinton uttered an answer that sounded like she must have practiced it in front of a mirror. “I’m not going to make any excuses. It was a mistake, and I take responsibility for that.” Holt did not press her further on the matter.

And on another matter that could hurt Clinton among liberals in her party, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Clinton parried with a not-so-subtle reference to the realty TV shows that have kept him in the public eye. “Donald, I know you live in your own reality,” Clinton said when Trump accused her of being a secret backer of the trade pact. “But that is not the fact.”

While Trump appeared visibly agitated, leaning into the microphone and interrupting both Clinton and Holt, Clinton kept her cool. When Trump tried to talk over her, she continued to deliver her responses as though he were a heckler 20 rows back. Trump appeared to grow increasingly frustrated, amusing Clinton. “I think Donald just criticized me for preparing for this debate,” Clinton said after Trump suggested she had not traveled as much as he had in recent days. “And, yes, I did. And you know what else I prepared for? I prepared to be president. And I think that’s a good thing.”

Clinton slammed him for “stiffing” his contractors, people she said she has met who were not paid for the work they did for Trump’s casinos and hotels (Trump countered that perhaps he was dissatisfied with their work).

And when Trump had an opportunity to make some inroads with African-Americans and Latinos, if only by suggesting Clinton was taking their votes for granted, Clinton latched on to a very powerful issue for black voters: the “birther” campaign Trump himself conducted.

“He tried to put the whole racist birther lie to bed, but it can’t be dismissed that easily. He has really started his political activity based on this racist lie that our first black president was not an American citizen,” she said.

[RECAP: Trump, Clinton Spar in First Presidential Debate]

Clinton used the first question to do what the debate structure did not allow — deliver an opening statement. In it, she proclaimed her commitment to such liberal issues as raising the federal minimum wage, debt-free college and advancing gender pay equity. She went off on a tangent on another question to get in a dig not offered by any of the questions — his remarks about women. “Words matter,” Clinton said, reminding Trump that he had referred top women as fat slobs, pigs and dogs.

Trump, who is trailing among a group he needs to do well with — white, college-educated women — had little defense, other than to say that TV personality Rosie O’Donnell, one of the targets of his slurs, “deserved it.” When Clinton reminded Trump that he had called a beauty contestant “Miss Piggy” and another “Miss Housekeeping” because she was Latina, he talked over her and demanded to know where she was getting her information. “Alicia Machado,” Clinton quickly responded, adding that Machado was now a citizen and planning to vote.

And what about that stamina Trump claims to have, more than Clinton? The former secretary of state chuckled, noting that she had been to 112 countries and handled 11 hours of testifying before a congressional committee. And well after Trump left the room, Clinton was still there, shaking hands.

More from U.S. News

AP FACT CHECK: Trump, Clinton deny their own words in debate

Moderator Lester Holt works to keep control of debate

Debate Takeaways: Clinton gets under Trump’s skin in debate

Clinton Clears High Hurdle in Repelling Trump originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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