Debate Reaction

After we watched tonight's debate, we tuned to MSNBC to see how its commentators judged it, and it quickly became apparent that the folks there thought it was at least a tie and at most a narrow Trump win.  Chuck Todd said he thought Trump won the debate (but will not win the post-debate). Chris Matthews appeared to think that Trump was the big winner. All of them really harped on Hillary's missed opportunity to attack Trump for lying about this issue or that, like it would actually be possible for someone to respond to all of Trump's lies. When I heard these comments, I asked my wife, "Wow, did they watch the same debate we watched?"

I thought Hillary clearly won the debate. After the last one, I heard a lot of criticism about how she spent all her time going after Trump and no time talking about her policies. This time she talked more about her policies and spent less time responding to and/or attacking Trump, and she was criticized for it by the MSNBC folks. But that was exactly what she needed to do, and I thought she pulled it off very well and looked poised throughout despite vicious attacks from Trump.

Donald, on the other hand, looked terrible given all his weird lurking and sniffing. He positioned his body in such a way as to come off as threatening, even at one point standing directly behind HRC while she was answering a question. Al Gore was crucified by the media for doing a lot less at one of his debates. Donald also said he would arrest Hillary if he was elected, and thus helped to catapult the phrase "Banana Republican." But although the commentators all agreed that Trump pivoted a lot better this time than he did at the last debate -- and in the process had far fewer meltdowns -- is that how we are judging these things now? Can someone win a debate merely because he appears less unhinged than he did at the last one? 

I have to admit I was curious as to what the post-debate polling would show.  Could I have been that wrong about one of these things?  I usually try to judge them as fairly as I can.  I did think Trump was better than he was at the last debate.  I especially liked his last answer on what he respects about Hillary -- he said he respected that she never gives up -- but his previous debate performance was perhaps the worst in history.  How could he not do better. When looked at as objectively as possible, I thought Hillary won.

Well, the post-debate polls are in and Hillary won.  A CNN poll found 57% felt HRC won the debate, compared to 34% who thought Donald won.  A YouGov poll gave Hillary the win by 47% to Trump's 42%.  I think the folks at MSNBC were trying to convince viewers that this election was not over.  But the recent revelations concerning what Donald has said about women put victory out of his reach.  That's why so many Republicans left the Trump Ship just in the last couple of days.  The only issue now is how the disintegration of Trump's presidential run affects down-ballot Republicans.