CAIRO _ Asked what he thought of the U.S. presidential debate as he walked to work through the streets of Cairo's affluent Zamalek neighborhood, Raffik Kamel laughed.
The debate aired at 3 a.m. local time, and Kamel, who owns a factory making office furniture, had not stayed up to watch live. But he watched the rebroadcast later Tuesday morning before leaving home.
As he stood on a bustling street corner, Kamel, 61, said Hillary Clinton appeared stronger. But he also criticized her record as secretary of state in the Obama administration during the "Arab Spring" uprising in 2011.
"We had a bad experience with her with the revolution in 2011," he said.
Kamel, part of the Coptic Christian minority in Egypt that faced increased attacks and discrimination during the unrest, blamed the Obama administration for mishandling the revolution, which led to the rise of the conservative Muslim Brotherhood until the military retook control of the country.
Trump clearly has his problems too, Kamel said, chuckling at the comments Trump made during the debate about having a good temperament.
But Kamel said he has warmed to Trump, especially after the Republican met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi last week during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
"I hope Trump comes" to power, he said. "In the beginning, I was not convinced about him. After he met our president, I see he can help us."
