Patton: Trump Gives Rubio 'The Water Treatment'

People sweating on television? It’s not the sort of thing the average viewer thinks about very much. But it’s hot under those stage lights and sometimes it makes a difference, particularly in politics.

In 1960, Richard Nixon debated John F. Kennedy in the first televised presidential debate. That night, Nixon had a bad make-up job. His five o’clock shadow was clearly visible, and he sweated a lot, having to stop from time to time to dab his face with a handkerchief. By contrast, Kennedy appeared cool, calm, and collected.

The disparity in their appearances made a difference. Viewers who saw the debate on television thought that Kennedy had won and that verdict launched Kennedy’s successful bid for the presidency. By contrast, listeners to the debate on the radio, who could not see the candidates, declared Nixon the winner.

So, when someone tells you “not to sweat it,” that may be very good advice. Trump, ever alert to any rise in the polls by a rival, took dead aim at a gaffe by Rubio. Rubio had startled viewers during his rebuttal to President Obama’s 2013 State of the Union address when he unexpectedly paused, desperately reached off camera for a water bottle, took a big gulp of water on air, set the bottle down and then resumed speaking. It was not the sort of thing viewers were used to seeing speakers on television do, so Rubio’s peculiar behavior was noticed and caused a stir. Rubio said simply that he was thirsty.

Trump, who seeks any weakness in an opponent, focused on that incident. “Trump has previously trained his fire on Rubio, claiming that he has the worst voting attendance record in the U.S. Senate and that he sweats a lot. But CNN learned that the Trump campaign sent a ‘care package’ to Rubio’s Washington campaign office that contained a 24-bottle case of ‘Trump Ice Natural Spring Water,’ with Trump’s face on it, two ‘Make America Great Again’ towels and bumper stickers and a note reading, ‘Since you’re always sweating, we thought you could use some water. Enjoy!’” (CNN, 10/5/2015)

Trump also ridiculed Rubio in comments he made to the press and public. “’I‘ve never seen a guy sweat that much. He’s drinking water, water, water. I never saw anything like this with him with the water,’ Trump told a crowd last week. He continued the mockery during an MSNBC interview. ‘I‘ve never seen a guy down water like he downs water. They bring it in buckets for this guy.’” (New York Daily News, 10/6/2015)

Oh my, this is all too silly. Who cares if a candidate sweats a lot and drinks too much water? Unfortunately, there’s a method to Trump’s madness. Trump previously accused Jeb Bush of being a “low-energy candidate” and Carly Fiorina of being homely. Those comments are about as irrelevant as saying that a person sweats too much. But, let’s be honest, they stick to a person.. Who among us has not checked out Jeb Bush when we see him on television to determine if he’s indeed low energy? And who hasn’t stared extra hard at Carly Fiorina to decide if she really is unattractive.

Here’s a classic example to make the point. Suppose you are- having supper with a person who has spinach stuck between his or her front teeth. Afterwards, when you think of that person, you remember the spinach. It’s enough to make a person break out in a cold sweat.

Oh no, don’t let Donald Trump know that you’re sweating or you’ll be getting a case of bottled water from him.

What happens when a wacky and unpredictable “outtastatah” (out-of-stater) named Charlie Beezer holds the deciding vote in the New Hampshire State Senate as to whether or not a corporation will install wind turbines on our famous landmark, blustery Mt. Washington? Gary Patton has recently published a political satire about wheeling and dealing in New Hampshire politics entitled “Selling Mt. Washington.” “Selling Mt. Washington” is now available in Portsmouth at the River Run Bookstore , Discover Portsmouth, and Tugboat Alley. In Exeter, this book can be obtained at The Water Street Bookstore and the Country Store at RiverWoods. In Hampton, look for it at the Galley Hatch gift shop. In North Hampton, it is available at “The Book Outlet.” In Concord, “Selling Mt. Washington” can be found at Gibson’s Bookstore. It is also available on-line at Amazon.com. Patton is also the author of “Outtastatahs: Newcomers’ Adventures in New Hampshire.”