Washington University POTUS debate at 9pm ET **live commentary thread**

[Saint Milei]

Lol i hope he says he gave her money

[Green Line]

I do think Trump has been winning most of the debate.  It started out horrible for him.  The first 20 minutes were cringe worthy.  Everything else has been a Trump win in my opinion.

LMAO.

K?  Sorry I'm not towing the Clinton-line on here.  Seriously, I'm voting for Hillary, but the circle-jerk here is pathetic.

The man is unhinged.  You think that is winning? 

Yeah, for at least the last 45 mins.  Hillary has talked around every question, every issue.  Whatever though, I already know you're about to throw some personal attacks and f bombs my way!

What? Trump hasn't actually answered a question all night. Just attacks Hillary and rambles about random unrelated things.

I already knew Trump was going to dodge the questions.  I hold Hillary to a higher standard, that's why I'm voting for her for president.  I've just been dissapointed by her performance tonight, she won't answer the questions.  Please don't go down the "BUT TRUMP!" route that many Trump supporters do to Hillary.  We should hold her to a higher standard, she's going to be president.

[PeteB]

Was detained w/o access to the debate until now. I will catch up, once this finishes but could someone describe the debate so far, in one sentence.

[Fargobison]

Steve Clemons ✔ @SCClemons
Major rumors swirling in real time, right now that @mike_pence has asked 2 be removed from the Presidential ticket. Historic Wow. #debate

https://twitter.com/SCClemons/status/785302342673367040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

[Cubby]

Did the audience laugh when Hillary said she respects Donald's children?

[heatcharger]

Okay Hillary might've taken the win with that final question.

[Saint Milei]

HOW DID TRUMP SAY SOMETHING BETTER AT THE END

[ProudModerate2]

Now that was interesting.
Trump did surprising well.

[yourelection]

The debate ended surprisingly on a very civil note. Including a hand shake.

[Rules for me, but not for thee]

https://twitter.com/StephenAtHome/status/785307788649959428

[rafta_rafta]

Trump's answers were a rambling word salad. He got in some attacks but he wasn't able to answer a single question by staying on point

[Fargobison]

The debate ended surprisingly on a very civil note. Including a hand shake.

Yeah it was weird considering the very icy start.

[ProudModerate2]

Only after trump and the trump family sees Hillary making the rounds to shake the people's hands who were on stage, does trump then make an effort to go and do the same.
This is the disconnect that trump has with dealing with everyday people.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Election odds and change from shortly before the debate:

Clinton 79.1% -0.9
Trump 18.4% +1.3

For comparison, I think she gained about 4 or 5 points during the first debate.

[dspNY]

Steve Clemons ✔ @SCClemons
Major rumors swirling in real time, right now that @mike_pence has asked 2 be removed from the Presidential ticket. Historic Wow. #debate

https://twitter.com/SCClemons/status/785302342673367040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

I guess Trump did a lot worse than people on Atlas or Andrea Mitchell thinks

[Devout Centrist]

Media narrative: Trump was better than the first debate, but overall it was a bit of a wash with Clinton doing a bit better.

[yourelection]

It seems that Trump has stopped the hemorrhage with his performance tonight.

The post debate will show how effective he actually was.

He did drop a lot of controverial potentially damaging statements, which might come back and haunt him.

He had nothing to lose tonight and when you can't lose every performance seems like a win.

[Rules for me, but not for thee]

Well if you were an independent that only watched 30 mins then Clinton won.  If they watched the whole thing, Trump with a very slight victory.

[Mallow]

Neither candidate was particularly impressive in this debate. Trump as usual was much more factually challenged, but he came across as sounding as if he knew what he was talking about. Clinton had some good moments and some bad moments, but overall, she seemed weaker than I thought she should have been.

[Dr. Arch]

It's so hard to watch a debate where one side is trying to talk about our country and how we can move forward with thoroughly developed policies, and the other invoking the devil and calling for jailing their opponent.

[Saint Milei]

I would say it's 1-1. Trump won the first. Hillary won the second.

[Bojack Horseman]

The only question is whether or not him calling Bill Clinton a rapist will backfire. Hillary should have reacted to that far more aggressively.

[ag]

Clinton, as usual, cannot finish it off. She is much better when under pressure. When that pressure recedes, she stumbles.

[Green Line]

It's so hard to watch a debate where one side is trying to talk about our country and how we can move forward with thoroughly developed policies, and the other invoking the devil and calling for jailing their opponent.

What were those specific policies that Hillary talked about to move us forward.  GMAFB.  She was just as vague as him.

[Hammy]

It's so hard to watch a debate where one side is trying to talk about our country and how we can move forward with thoroughly developed policies, and the other invoking the devil and calling for jailing their opponent.

This is basically why I think Clinton lost the debate--she didn't call Trump out on the things he was saying, other than saying it wasn't true and plugging her campaign site. It was quite a pitiful performance after the first one.