Outside the Beltway

Trump was Right

· Saturday, October 1, 2016 · 7 comments

Giving credit where credit is due, via NPR: Mic Check: There Was Something Up With Donald Trump’s Debate Mic

“Regarding the first debate,” the commission said in a statement, “there were issues regarding Donald Trump’s audio that affected the sound level in the debate hall.” NPR has reached out to the commission for more information but did not receive an immediate response.

Any problems with the microphone did not affect the television broadcast, which was seen (and heard) by some 84 million people.

Not a big deal, to be sure, but since it is hard to find examples of him being correct…

FILED UNDER: 2016 Election, Political Theory, US Politics, , ,
Steven L. Taylor
About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor of Political Science and a College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog). Follow Steven on Twitter

Comments

  1. PJ says:
    Saturday, 1 October 2016 at 15:55

    There is this:

    According to a source with knowledge of conversations with the debate commissioners, part of the issue rested with Trump touching his microphone, something candidates had been told not to do because the microphones were “calibrated exactly” to the candidate’s voices.

    Trump has a habit of touching his microphone, unsure if the touching led to the issues this time or if the issues weren’t, at least not mainly, due to him being unable to keep his tiny hands away from it.

  2. Kyle Huckins says:
    Saturday, 1 October 2016 at 16:00

    The biggest problem the mic caused him was the fact that it was on when he spoke.

  3. gVOR08 says:
    Saturday, 1 October 2016 at 16:04

    If it really only affected sound in the hall, not the broadcast, then it’s a notjhingburger. Which won’t slow down the Trump campaign from claiming everything was the mics fault. And the Trump supporters will eat up every word.

  4. Liberal Capitalist says:
    Saturday, 1 October 2016 at 16:21

    … that affected the sound level in the debate hall.”

    My mic wasn’t working.

    The moderator was biased.

    A woman was mean to me.

    The sun was in my eyes.

    .

    What a maroon.

  5. Gustopher says:
    Saturday, 1 October 2016 at 16:42

    @gVOR08: something like that, where his opponent’s voice is being amplified for the audience, but his own is not, could certainly throw someone uncomfortable with public speaking for a loop, and would likely affect even the most seasoned speaker. So it’s not a complete nothingburger.

    That said, if elected, he is going to face problems greater than a poor sound system. It may have made a few of his “funny” lines fall flat, but it didn’t suddenly turn him into a glue sniffing asshole.

    He also had options — such as politely asking that they pause the debate until the sound issues are solved. And, if he was unable to tell there were sound problems from on stage, then it really was a nothingburger, since everyone watching tv heard him just fine.

  6. Kari Q says:
    Saturday, 1 October 2016 at 16:53

    It seemed to me the problem was with what he was saying, not the amplification of it. I don’t think any change to the mic will make “not paying taxes makes me smart” more politically appealing. Nor was the mic responsible for him following up the debate with a multi-day tirade against a former beauty pageant winner.

    But I’m sure it was all part of the vast left-wing conspiracy to expose Trump for exactly what he is.

  7. Dazedandconfused says:
    Saturday, 1 October 2016 at 17:44

    Jake’s excuses…

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFvujknrBuE

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