Donald Trump, one day removed from an awful debate performance against Hillary Clinton, vowed Tuesday to “hit her harder” at their next faceoff even as he whined that he did so poorly because of supposed microphone sabotage.
“I really eased up because I didn’t want to hurt anybody’s feelings. I may hit her harder in certain ways,” Trump said on “Fox & Friends,” suggesting he could take aim at Bill Clinton’s marital infidelities.
“I didn’t think it was worth the shot. … I didn’t think it was nice,” Trump said, before repeating his claim that he chose not to bring up the salacious subject because he didn’t “feel comfortable doing it with” Chelsea Clinton present at Monday’s debate at Hofstra University.
Throughout the debate — the first of three — Trump grew increasingly agitated and repeatedly interrupted and talked over Clinton, as his Democratic opponent continually fired off zingers about his command of the facts, his preparedness to be commander-in-chief and his temperament.
Asked Tuesday whether he felt his rival got “under his skin,” Trump waved off the possibility. “I didn’t see it that way,” he said. “In the end, maybe.”
Trump also resorted to blaming his problems on his microphone, which he called “terrible.”
“I wonder if it was set up that way on purpose. My microphone in the room, they couldn’t hear me, it was going on and off, which isn’t exactly great,” he said.
Clinton took a victory lap Tuesday and mocked Trump’s postdebate whining.
“Anyone who complains about the microphone is not having a good night,” she told reporters.
She also made it clear she was excited about the next debate — a town hall Oct. 9 in St. Louis.
“One of my favorite baseball players growing up, Ernie Banks, used to get so excited about going to play that he’d say ‘let’s play two,’ ” she said. “I’m looking forward to the next debate and the one after that.”
With Cameron Joseph
