Were Trump’s 51 Interruptions Of Clinton During The Debate Sexism?

During the September 25 presidential debate, Donald Trump interrupted Hillary Clinton 51 times while she spoke. The behavior played to one of Trump’s perceived weaknesses, and Clinton’s favorite attack of him, that he is both a misogynist and does not have the temperament to be president.

“The question for the audience — did they interpret that as an attempt of a male candidate to disadvantage a female candidate,” Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, told the Associated Press. “If so, that hurts Donald Trump.”

“The sad thing is that I’m so used to men interrupting women — especially when they want to change the subject — that I didn’t pay much attention to Trump’s behavior,” Christina Emery, an author from Illinois, said. “I was focused on Clinton and how she handled herself.”

“Many women watching Trump’s treatment of Clinton feel a sickening sense of familiarity with patronizing behavior directed at them during every work day,” Dr. Janet Scarborough Civitelli, a vocational psychologist, said. “Women become exhausted by the experience that no matter how much they accomplish or how hard they work, a man with a fraction of their knowledge and achievements stands ready to critique them.”

“First of all the interruptions, he talked over her numerous times, the way he rolled his eyes…that to me was indicative of the gender issue,” Sen. Kay Hagan, a Democrat, commented after the debate, notes Politico.

Clinton’s own campaign dodged the issue of chauvinism.

“He has so much wrong with his performance tonight that something like that didn’t even enter my mind,” Brian Fallon, Clinton’s press secretary, said.

But Brit Hume, a Fox News anchor and frequent defender of Trump, took to commenting on Clinton’s appearance.

“The Trump expression was one we’re all familiar with from the earlier debates – he looked annoyed, put out, uncomfortable,” Hume began. “And she looked, I think for the most part, she looked composed — smug sometimes — not necessarily attractive.”

Sources: Associated Press, Politico / Photo Credit: Hillary Clinton