Viciousness reaches new lows in the second debate, but it is unlikely to change the race
- Written by Dennis Altman, Professorial Fellow in Human Security, La Trobe University

How did it come to this? How could The Donald, a man widely regarded as a bad- tempered, bigoted buffoon, become a serious contender for the US presidency?
Italy, after all, elected Silvio Berlusconi several times to lead its government; the Philippines has...