- Title: American expats watch presidential debate in Hong Kong
- Date: 27th September 2016
- Summary: HONG KONG, CHINA (SEPTEMBER 27, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS' CLUB VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WATCHING THE DEBATE OVER BREAKFAST (SOUNDBITE) (English) BANNIGAN COMMUNICATIONS CEO, HELEN BANNIGAN, SAYING: "Disturbing. I feel that my country is being taken in ways that are quite disturbing to a lot of people all over the world and it's not just impacting potentially people within the United States but also impacting people all over the world and I think that's something that a lot of Americans don't realise, that the results of this election are not just limited to people living in the United States, it's an impact that will affect the entire globe." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WATCHING DEBATE (SOUNDBITE) (English) NOVELIST, JASON WINCOUINAS, SAYING: "Well to be honest I came in here mainly to see entertainment value. My mind's made up, I don't think there was anybody here that was on the fence when they came in. So I was looking for a meltdown. I was hoping that somebody was going to lose their cool. I was a little disappointed. I was really hoping for a bigger blow-up." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WATCHING DEBATE (SOUNDBITE) (English) HONG KONG RADIO JOURNALIST, FRANCIS MORIARTY, SAYING: "It's very interesting because if you are in the United States, and you're watching a debate like this, it's part of the process of choosing your leader. But when you live outside the United States you realise that in many ways the president of the United States is the president of the world, and a lot of people elsewhere in the world wish they had a vote so they could decide which person they want. And I suspect they would have an entirely different reaction watching the debate than an American would. They look for world leader, and at home we look for domestic leader or voice for our discontent." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WATCHING DEBATE
- Embargoed: 12th October 2016 06:04
- Keywords: USA US presidential debate Hillary Clinton Donald Trump Clinton Trump
- Location: HONG KONG, CHINA
- City: HONG KONG, CHINA
- Country: Hong Kong
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00151CBBRB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Dozens of American expats and other residents watched the first U.S. presidential debate live at Hong Kong's Foreign Correspondent's Club on Tuesday (September 27).
Communications company CEO Helen Bannigan, who has been an expat for 25 years in several countries, said she was worried about the international impact of the election.
"Disturbing. I feel that my country is being taken in ways that are quite disturbing to a lot of people all over the world and it's not just impacting potentially people within the United States but also impacting people all over the world. And I think that's something that a lot of Americans don't realise, that the results of this election are not just limited to people living within the United States, it's an impact that will affect the entire globe," she said.
Democrat Hillary Clinton accused Republican Donald Trump of racism, sexism and tax avoidance during a heated presidential debate that could reshape the 2016 campaign for the White House.
Trump, a real estate tycoon making his first run for public office, said Clinton's long years of service represented "bad experience" with few results and suggested her disavowal of a trade deal with Asian countries was insincere.
But novelist Jason Wincouinas, was disappointed there were no larger meltdowns.
"Well to be honest I came in here mainly to see entertainment value. My mind's made up, I don't think there was anybody here that was on the fence when they came in. So I was looking for a meltdown. I was hoping that somebody was going to lose their cool. I was a little disappointed. I was really hoping for a bigger blow-up," he said.
For Trump, 70, the debate was a chance to appear disciplined. For Clinton, 68, it was an opportunity to reassure voters she could be trusted.
"It's very interesting because if you are in the United States, and you're watching a debate like this, it's part of the process of choosing your leader. But when you live outside the United States you realise that in many ways the President of the United States is the president of the world. And a lot of people elsewhere in the world wish they had a vote so they could decide which person they want. And I suspect they would have an entirely different reaction watching the debate than an American would. They look for world leader, and at home we look for domestic leader or voice for our discontent," said Francis Moriarty, a journalist for Hong Kong broadcaster RTHK.
In a sign investors saw Clinton as the winner, Asian shares recouped early losses on Tuesday and the dollar edged away from a one-month trough against the yen. Markets have tended to see Clinton as the candidate of the status quo. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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