Flashpoint: Experts discuss presidential debate, deal with Iran

DETROIT – This week's episode of Flashpoint began with a conversation about the Republican presidential candidates who were on stage at the debate in Cleveland last week.

Representative Candice Miller said that it's difficult for the candidates to get their point across when 10 people are all vying for time over the two-hour debate. But she did say the debates are important in helping the public get a sense in who the candidates are.

Miller said that Donald Trump gave everyone a "morbid fascination" in the event and doesn't think the interest would have been as high without Trump stealing the show.

"Trump will not go away until he drops out," said Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson. "He's always going to be a threat, he's always on the edge of saying something that could really be inflammatory, damaging to the Party."

Patterson said Trump handled himself pretty well during the debate despite being the subject of attacks.

Wayne Bradley, RNC MI Director of African American Engagement, said he enjoyed hearing the viewpoints from the candidates. He thinks voters benefit from hearing the different ideas during the debate.

Kathy Hoekstra, Political Commentator for the Detroit News, said the people needed to see the debate, regardless of the theatrics surrounding Trump. She talked about her biggest takeaways from the debate and why the Republicans weren't all on the same page about major issues.

You can see the first segment in the video posted above.

After the break, Devin Scillian talked to Nolan Finley of the Detroit News, Representative Debbie Dingell and Jerry Acker, senior partner at Goodman Acker about the president's deal with Iran, aimed at ensuring the country doesn't become a nuclear power, which currently hangs in the balance.

Dingell is undecided about her position on the deal, but says it will be the most serious vote she casts in her career. She talked about President Barack Obama's work on this deal and resources available to learn about the plan.

Acker talked about being pro-Israel and still supporting this deal. He talked about the threat of nuclear weapons that keeps his family in Israel up at night. He said Iran isn't trustworthy, but that the deal has nothing to do with trust. He said the important aspect of the deal is the ability to go in and do something about it if weapons are found.

Finley, who's against the deal, said the deal isn't as ironclad as it seems.

"I just think that there are too many ways Iran can violate the deal without getting caught," Finley said. He doesn't think it's possible for the U.S. to know immediately if Iran does have weapons or what we would do if weapons were found.

The two debated the issue with Rep. Dingell, touching on the points of the plan and even how war plays into the picture. Click on the video below to see the full segment.

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After the break, Finley and Acker talked about the Congressional vote and whether or not it's significant. You can see the brief conversation in the video below.

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