Becerra-Hilton Debate: Two Differing Views

Steve Hilton and Xavier Becerra held their only debate of the general election campaign last night.

The question on who won the debate, that depends upon one's news source. The Los Angeles Times fawned over Becerra (well, the Times is a liberal rag) and the New York Post lauded Hilton. 

Here's how the Post began their article:

Xavier Becerra may be ahead in the polls, but lost badly to Steve Hilton in Wednesday night’s gubernatorial debate on CNN.

Hilton, the Republican outsider, ran circles around Becerra, the Democrat, who seemed unable to answer basic questions about his record or his policies.

Becerra wanted to debate President Donald Trump — deeply unpopular in California — but walked into one trap after another.

Here's how the Times began their article:

Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton debated for 60 minutes Wednesday night on a soundstage in Burbank. Times columnists Gustavo Arellano, Anita Chabria and Mark Z. Barabak watched the gubernatorial match-up and weigh in.

Arellano: Steve Hilton came in with next to no chance of becoming the next California governor, but maybe if he focused on touting the feel-good messages he’s been spouting since launching his campaign in front of the Huntington Beach Pier earlier this year — Make California Gold Again! Califordable! I’m a Legal Immigrant with a British Accent! — he might’ve convinced at least a few voters to go with him.

Instead, Hilton debated like someone already preparing to launch a podcast or beg for his old Fox News job back after he gets walloped. When your solution for solving California’s housing crisis is building 10 new cities, you’re not running for California governor — you’re angling for an influencer job with the Irvine Co.

See what I mean? One gets the strong impression that the news companies saw two different debates. 

To read the full Los Angeles Times article, go here.

To read the full New York Post article, go here.

If the polls hold, it appears that the voters will flush California down the toilet by keeping the state government firmly in the Democrats' control. 

Dollar At ¥158 Range

Today we're in a new month and it is time to see how the U.S. dollar is faring against the Japanese yen in foreign exchange. 

Since we are now in autumn, it is a good time to visit Japan as the summer heat has ended. This is why checking on the exchange rate between the dollar and yen is of interest to American travelers.

According to Reuters (Japan edition):

[TOKYO, October 1, Reuters] - The dollar was trading in the low 158 yen range at 3 p.m., higher than the close of trading in New York the previous day. Following the release of the September Tankan survey and the main opinions from the September Bank of Japan meeting, expectations of further interest rate hikes have receded, leading to dollar buying and yen selling. The dollar rose by nearly 1 yen, reaching its highest level in about a week.

The dollar, which had been trading in the low 157 yen range in the morning, gradually rose. The Bank of Japan's Tankan survey for September showed that the business sentiment index (DI) for large manufacturers improved to +24 for the sixth consecutive quarter, while that for large non-manufacturing companies deteriorated to +35 for the first time in five quarters .

To read more, go here.