Who won the first debate?

[ag]

Trump did what he had to do, but I want to see him go for the knockout in the final debate. Vegas would be the perfect venue.

Therein lies the problem with Trump. Everything is a reality show for this moron. Thanks GOP. You're giving the election to the second coming of Nixon because you nominated the Ooompa Loompa town drunk!

Nixon is the President I identify most closely with, so I welcome that.

So you think she's crooked (which she is), but admire someone who ran the government like his own private police force?

He thinks she is not crooked enough.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Clinton did, but it was at least partially because Lester Holt went after Trump a lot harder than he did Clinton.  He brought up all of Trump's baggage and history, while barely mentioning Hillary's.

[PeteB]

As I said, Clinton won decisively, but she still has an image problem. I doubt any viewers came away from the debate thinking that she was less aloof and more human.

As for Trump...well he just proved where "winging it" gets you.

[IceSpear]

Clinton did, but it was at least partially because Lester Holt went after Trump a lot harder than he did Clinton.  He brought up all of Trump's baggage and history, while barely mentioning Hillary's.

Well, only fair after Matt Lauer burned Hillary at the stake then bro'd down with Trump, right?

[JerryArkansas]

The debates were supposed to be Clinton's shining moment when she proved that she was the only candidate who was presidential. Instead, the debate was a wash - both played to their bases and didn't really explain how they would bring Americans together. Because of that (similar to how Trump won primary debates by "not losing"), I would say Trump won.

Tmth, I respect you, but how can you not say that Hillary didn't act presidential in that debate.  She listened to a man who is much less qualified than her bitch and gripe at her for over 1 and a half hours without losing it.  Anyone who can do that deserves credit.

[Negusa Nagast 🚀]

Clinton did, but it was at least partially because Lester Holt went after Trump a lot harder than he did Clinton.  He brought up all of Trump's baggage and history, while barely mentioning Hillary's.

He pressed Clinton too; Trump is just so hilariously bad at handling the conversation when the heat is on him.

[heatcharger]

Clinton did, but it was at least partially because Lester Holt went after Trump a lot harder than he did Clinton.  He brought up all of Trump's baggage and history, while barely mentioning Hillary's.

Okay I knew Trump supporters would go to their usual excuses, but the moderator one is the lamest.

If Lester Holt had any spine he would've put an end to Trump interrupting every 5 seconds within 10 minutes stopped him from filibustering for minutes on end repeating himself like a broken record.

[Tender Branson]

Clinton (I support none)

But the race will remain close (despite the overblown hype by the Hillary-supporters on here).

[Santander]

Trump did what he had to do, but I want to see him go for the knockout in the final debate. Vegas would be the perfect venue.

Therein lies the problem with Trump. Everything is a reality show for this moron. Thanks GOP. You're giving the election to the second coming of Nixon because you nominated the Ooompa Loompa town drunk!

Nixon is the President I identify most closely with, so I welcome that.

So you think she's crooked (which she is), but admire someone who ran the government like his own private police force?

I don't admire his presidency, but I identify with him as a person a lot.

[PeteB]

Shape of things to come? Headline in the pro-Trump New York Post:

"Lester Holt shows he doesn’t know the meaning of impartial"

[ProudModerate2]

Clinton did, but it was at least partially because Lester Holt went after Trump a lot harder than he did Clinton.  He brought up all of Trump's baggage and history, while barely mentioning Hillary's.

I have to admit, there is some truth to this.
LOL.
Lester had a "favorite," and it wasn't the one with orange hair.

[Badger]

Trump did what he had to do, but I want to see him go for the knockout in the final debate. Vegas would be the perfect venue.

Therein lies the problem with Trump. Everything is a reality show for this moron. Thanks GOP. You're giving the election to the second coming of Nixon because you nominated the Ooompa Loompa town drunk!

Nixon is the President I identify most closely with, so I welcome that.

So you think she's crooked (which she is), but admire someone who ran the government like his own private police force?

I don't admire his presidency, but I identify with him as a person a lot.

um, you self-identify with a slimy bastard?

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Trump did what he had to do, but I want to see him go for the knockout in the final debate. Vegas would be the perfect venue.

Therein lies the problem with Trump. Everything is a reality show for this moron. Thanks GOP. You're giving the election to the second coming of Nixon because you nominated the Ooompa Loompa town drunk!

Nixon is the President I identify most closely with, so I welcome that.

So you think she's crooked (which she is), but admire someone who ran the government like his own private police force?

I don't admire his presidency, but I identify with him as a person a lot.

um, you self-identify with a slimy bastard?

I mean, to be fair, as an introvert with something of a persecution complex and a desperate desire to be liked and respected combined with decidedly mixed success at making it happen, I sort of identify with Nixon too.

[pbrower2a]

Clinton -- she gave an unremarkable performance, but Donald Trump showed himself arrogant, ideologically rigid (the key to the American economy is simply tax cuts and regulatory relief), and off-the-wall. Clinton did not win; Trump lost this debate.

Making his closing remarks largely "Make America Great Again" showed that he did not recognize how to appeal to a neutral audience.   

[Lexii, harbinger of chaos and sexual anarchy]

Clinton did, but it was at least partially because Lester Holt went after Trump a lot harder than he did Clinton.  He brought up all of Trump's baggage and history, while barely mentioning Hillary's.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

My Facebook feed seems to not think that Trump got killed and is mad at Lester Holt.

[StatesPoll]

Time.com Poll
http://time.com/4506217/presidential-debate-clinton-trump-survey/
TRUMP  59%
Hillary 41%

512807 voted

[IceSpear]

Time.com Poll
http://time.com/4506217/presidential-debate-clinton-trump-survey/
TRUMP  59%
Hillary 41%

512807 voted

lol

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Time.com Poll
http://time.com/4506217/presidential-debate-clinton-trump-survey/
TRUMP  59%
Hillary 41%

512807 voted

lol

If an 18% lead organised by the alt-right machine is the best they can muster? Jesus.

[Mr. Smith]

Trump did what he had to do, but I want to see him go for the knockout in the final debate. Vegas would be the perfect venue.

Therein lies the problem with Trump. Everything is a reality show for this moron. Thanks GOP. You're giving the election to the second coming of Nixon because you nominated the Ooompa Loompa town drunk!

Nixon is the President I identify most closely with, so I welcome that.

So you think she's crooked (which she is), but admire someone who ran the government like his own private police force?

I don't admire his presidency, but I identify with him as a person a lot.

um, you self-identify with a slimy bastard?

Why not?

Nixon grew up poor and in an odd family, didn't have a lot friends, lost his brother to sickness, and he really struggled to get to Congress.

Then he got horrifically lambasted by the media to which only Hillary Clinton or Al Gore would remotely match.

And the one time he tried to things non-offensively, he lost to JFK.

He was an introverted man in a world of extroverts increasingly out to get him.

He truly is America's Shakespearian, Tragic Villain.


Do not compare someone like that to Donald Trump and the Silver Spoon he landed with.

[Fusionmunster]

Time.com Poll
http://time.com/4506217/presidential-debate-clinton-trump-survey/
TRUMP  59%
Hillary 41%

512807 voted

lol

You know Trump lost when Hillary can poll in the 40s in an online Time survey. She'd never get out of the teens against Bernie.

[SteveRogers]

Hillary. While Hillary is no stellar debater, and there was certainly no knockout moment in this debate, Trump seemed generally unpolished and off his game throughout this thing. A lot of the substantive policy bits like "what are you going to do about ISIS?" will go down as a wash and come down to policy preferences. But Hillary legitimately got under Trump's skin in several key moments. He gave legitimately terrible answers to things like "why won't you release your tax returns?" and the birther nonsense. And, "that's called business" is very nearly the worst possible response one can give when one is accused of hoping the housing market would collapse.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

I thought Hillary 'won', but all the online polls (more than 7) I've seen have Trump having won with 60%+ of the vote, how does that affect the poll numbers? - no clue, probably not much.

Not at all - because the online polls are gamed to the hilt.

[TheDeadFlagBlues]

Donald choked like a dog!

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Hillary. While Hillary is no stellar debater, and there was certainly no knockout moment in this debate, Trump seemed generally unpolished and off his game throughout this thing. A lot of the substantive policy bits like "what are you going to do about ISIS?" will go down as a wash and come down to policy preferences. But Hillary legitimately got under Trump's skin in several key moments. He gave legitimately terrible answers to things like "why won't you release your tax returns?" and the birther nonsense. And, "that's called business" is very nearly the worst possible response one can give when one is accused of hoping the housing market would collapse.

No knockout, but she did land a number of blows that may be mortal (with Donald helpfully throwing himself on her points):

Tax returns
Being an insensitive greedbag
Misogyny
Temperament (and general warmongering)

Any of these could explode and kill his campaign.