HARRISON – Trump is down, but the polls have been wrong before

IT WAS DOWN and dirty, acrimonious, less than civil, replete with name calling and gutter accusations, and we doubt the third presidential debate changed the minds of many American voters.

There was no doubt Hillary Clinton was the superior debater, and she should have been after 30 years in politics, but we didn’t learn much new from what she said, and we’re not sure she made any more voters trust her than they now do.

The big take away seemed to be Donald Trump’s refusal to declare he would accept the result of the election should he lose, an invitation which prompted Clinton to rip her Republican rival’s position as horrifying and contrary to the 240 year tradition of U.S. elections.

For the record, Trump didn’t say he wouldn’t accept the outcome, but said he would look at that at the time. That’s really been a hallmark of Trumps entire campaign, to throw the fox into the henhouse and stand back and watch the feathers fly.

His campaign has been unconventional from the start, and why should it be any different in its dying days?

The media accounts will tell you that this final debate represented the final nail in the coffin of Trump’s presidential aspirations. The polling today is saying as much, and indeed all the tea leaves seem to be pointing to the same result.

We’re not saying Trump can beat the odds and win, but you’ll recall all the experts and the polling had Christy Clark losing in 2013, failed to project a Justin Trudeau majority a year ago, and couldn’t get the Brexit vote right.

Listen to Jim Harrison’s editorials weekdays on Radio NL, and to the Jim Harrison Show at 9:08 a.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Contact him at jharrison@radionl.com.