Politics

Second presidential debate begins without a handshake

Snub heard 'round the country?

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton appear together Sunday during their presidential town hall debate at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Mike Segar / Reuters

Just seconds into the second presidential debate Sunday night, there was a visible sign things had changed:

No handshake.

Not that tensions weren’t already high going into the first debate, but Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump did at least greet each other and shake hands (as can be seen here). But following the previous 48 hours—which included leaked audio revealing lewd comments by Trump in 2005 and a brazen pre-debate press conference—there were no friendly courtesies.

The break in custom was certainly noticed by political journalists.

https://twitter.com/Hadas_Gold/status/785285290399305728

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