克林顿：“稳健”是美国总统最重要的品质

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton says "steadiness" is the most important characteristic a president must have. Her Republican rival Donald Trump says voters do not have to worry about his temperament or judgement.

Clinton spoke first Wednesday night at an NBC News Commander in Chief Forum held aboard the Air Force carrier Intrepid in New York City. Both Clinton and Trump appeared separately on the same stage, answering questions about national security.

They agreed not to use the forum as a place to attack each other but occasional verbal jabs crept into the discussions.

Clinton said a president has to be someone who listens and evaluates what he or she is being told. She said temperament and judgement are the keys.

She called military force a last resort and that she learned that the war in Iraq was a mistake, admitting that she also made a mistake supporting it when she was a senator. Clinton said the U.S. will not put ground forces into Iraq "ever again."

She said the nuclear deal with Iran put a lid on its nuclear program, and said she would enforce it "to the letter."

Clinton said the U.S has to squeeze more support from its Arab allies in the war on Islamic State.

Trump told the forum he would be "very very cautious" when deciding whether to send Americans into battle, accusing Clinton of having a "happy trigger."

He said he was "shocked" to hear in classified national security briefings given to major presidential candidates that Clinton, President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry did not follow recommendations of intelligence experts.

Trump was unashamed about his praise for Russian President Vladimir Putin despite tensions between the White House and Kremlin. He told the forum he would have a "very good relationship" with Putin and many other foreign leaders.

Clinton and Trump will hold their first face to face debate on September 26. It is the first of three scheduled debates in the weeks before the November 8 election to pick the successor to President Barack Obama.