Most voters do not like either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton — but the Republican nominee has a greater chance of faring well during next week's first presidential debate, political strategist Dick Morris told Newsmax TV on Friday.
"Virtually a large portion of the electorate, probably more than a majority, dislike both of the candidates," he told "Newsmax Prime" host J.D. Hayworth. "The difference, fundamentally, is that the stuff they dislike about Hillary is stuff she can't change.
"It's her background, her record, the emails, the Clinton Foundation and all that.
"The stuff they dislike about Donald Trump is largely behavioral," Morris added. "It's that he didn't come across sensitive, he came across as some tough bigot, acerbic, unpredictable, ruthless — all the things Hillary says about him.
"This debate is an opportunity for Trump to cure what ails him.
"If he walks on that stage and is not deplorable and not racist and not Islamophobic and not any of the things Hillary says he is for an hour and a half, people will conclude he's a pretty reasonable guy and they can be very interested in voting for him."
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Trump also "keyed" on the main issue in Charlotte — and that will also resonate with voters, former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik told Hayworth.
"Trump is absolutely right when he says the riots have to stop — and you can't be out there killing and shooting and torturing devastated communities," he said. "We have a criminal justice system.
"We should abide by it and let justice take its course."
Morris is the co-author of The New York Times best-selling book, "Armageddon: How Trump Can Beat Hillary."
Kerik oversaw New York City's forces during 9/11. His book is "From Jailer to Jailed: My Journey from Correction and Police Commissioner to Inmate #84888-054."
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