Read More... Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton (Credit: AP/John Locher/Reuters/Carlo Allegri/Photo montage by Salon) On Wednesday, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump delivered a planned speech on his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton, and according to Slate columnist and Clinton supporter Michelle Goldberg, it was “probably the most unnervingly effective one he has ever given,” in which he skillfully combined “truth and falsehood into a plausible-seeming picture meant to reinforce listeners’ underlying beliefs.” Though packed with fabrications as usual, the Republican presidential nominee avoided blatant and obvious lies, bizarre conspiracy theories (although he did claim that foreign governments may have a “blackmail file” on Clinton while discussing the email scandal, which is entering Alex Jones territory), and personal insults — all of which he had previously employed in his attacks on Clinton. Again, the speech was extremely dishonest in many parts, but the falsehoods were more subtle and less downright loony, and thus much more effective. Over the past couple of weeks, Trump has done a lot to sabotage his own campaign — from his racist attacks on the Hispanic judge overseeing the class-action lawsuit against Trump University to his shameless Tweet congratulating himself after the Orlando mass shooting.