New Low

最初は全米のTV視聴率の記録を塗り替えるのではとまで噂されていた米大統領選のTV討論会ですが、２度目にしてお互いを中傷する内容に成り下がってしまいました。

2016 Campaign Hits a New Low in Debate

ST. LOUIS -- Last night's second presidential debate will likely be remembered for two things. One, Donald Trump bringing Bill Clinton's accusers, including Paula Jones, Kathleen Willey, and Juanita Broaddrick into the debate hall (and holding a press conference with them right before the event). And two, Trump saying he'd appoint a special prosecutor to bring charges against his political opponent. All of the other news from last night -- Trump appearing to confirm he used a $916 million loss to avoid paying nearly 20 years in federal taxes, Trump breaking with running mate Mike Pence on Syria and Russia, Trump dismissing his lewd 2005 comments as "locker room talk," Trump walking up right behind Hillary Clinton, Clinton's defensive answer on her email use -- seems secondary to those two things. "I'll tell you what. I didn't think I'd say this, but I'm going to say it, and I hate to say it. But if I win, I am going to instruct my attorney general to get a special prosecutor to look into your situation, because there has never been so many lies, so much deception," Trump said. When Clinton responded that it's "good that someone with the temperament of Donald Trump is not in charge of the law in our country," Trump fired back: "Because you'd be in jail." As Buzzfeed writes, Trump went "Full Breitbart" last night. And it all produced a new low in this 2016 presidential campaign.

http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/first-read/2016-campaign-hits-new-low-debate-n663601

これまで討論のお手本のような形で広く大学などでも利用されてきたTV討論会ですが、今回の低俗ぶりを称して、
どんどんその度合いが塗り替えられるという皮肉を込め、new lowということばが米マスコミを賑わしています。もちろん単に視聴率だけの話ではありません。

これまでゼミでもJFK vs Nixonなど、レトリックの応酬となるdebateを視聴してきましたが、今回のは本当に低俗合戦となり、政治に疎いわたしでもあきれてしまいます。これもTrump氏の戦略のひとつだとObama大統領は名言しましたが、かつて世界の警察官を自負していた米国を代表する大統領の権威も地に落ちた感がしています。（lua）