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[Spectone]

Who won the night?
Unlike the last debate, Hillary Clinton did not wipe the floor with Donald Trump.

If you believe in a realistic approach to policy and dignity in public office, she won. But if you don't trust her and you're sick of business as usual in politics, you probably favoured him.

What they've done here is played to their existing bases, not likely persuaded any undecided voters through these performances. Overall that means she won the debate because he needs to do more than she does to attract more voters if he wants any hope of winning the election.

So overall, a victory for Clinton.

From Leigh Sales Australian Broadcasting Corporation

 

[theWB27]

Trump did a decent job presenting Hillary as a corrupt, dirty politician, and I think there was a point where he successfully threw her off. Hillary didn't do herself any favors with her largely ineffective answers to the related questions that were asked to her.

And this is why the debate was probably a draw, at best. Maybe even good for Trump overall. It was a toxic atmosphere, she didn't rise above it, and while she reminded people about some of her good points, Trump managed to drag her through the mud he's already steeped in.

It's a performance that Republicans can take some heart in, whereas all Democrats can do is sit back and hope the electorate is smart enough to prioritize the right things.

It's funny calm and collected for the most part means you lost to psychotic rambling, but I guess you pull reasoning from where ever you can.

 

[Maxios]

Trump didn't win anything. All he did was expose himself yet again for who he really is: a blustering manchild with fascist leanings.

 

[Fury451]

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. How can people say Trump is the winner?

People really don't like Hillary, to the point of irrationality. Only explanation.

 

[andrerobot]

Trump came off like an incompetent moron literally the entire time. How can any of you Americans believe he won? Expectations vs outcome shouldn't supercede this level of sheer idiocy

How is it hard to believe that Americans wouldn't love Trump's performance? Haven't you seen the WWE or NASCAR?

 

[Frustrated_me]

He said he doesn't talk to his running mate, that's not a disagreement, that's literally ignoring him. And of course those talking about Pence dropping out plan on releasing the evidence that was in fact the case on one point.

He said he didn't talk to Mike with regards to the policy.

Let's just drop it, no point in arguing this.

 

[Netherscourge]

Guy on CNN made the most important point:

By Trump not being completely destroyed by Hillary tonight, the GoP won't be able to justify a last-minute ballot switcheroo to replace him with someone who might actually beat Hillary on election day.

The biggest threat to Hillary winning this election is literally ANYONE but Donald Trump being her opponent.

 

[Plywood]

https://twitter.com/funder/status/785312028789538816
https://twitter.com/funder/status/785314312885768192


GET IN THERE

 

[Damaniel]

https://twitter.com/funder/status/785312028789538816


Yeah they are saying they have evidence but that original rumor was 12hrs ago. It could have totally been dependent on what happened during the debate and since Trump didn't totally blow it, it looks like he's staying. Unless, there's going to be a sudden announcement tomorrow and he's really that upset about the tapes and Trump's comments tonight, he's staying.

Who is this person anyway and why should I believe him? If there was anything to this rumor, the mainstream media would be all over it.

 

[Roc]

Are people really saying Trump won? It was just more of the same, and it's only getting worse. I'm getting less worried by the day he'll be elected--his campaign is becoming more and more of a shitshow as time goes on.

 

[coopolon]

What is especially terrifying is the audience applauded when he said he was going to throw Hillary in jail.

 

[Escape Goat]

Well CBS News has just introduced me to Jericka Duncan.

 

[UraMallas]

https://twitter.com/MikeDrucker/status/785313458036219904

 

[Grifter]

This whole thing was uncomfortable to watch. They were both attacking eachother like a highschool election. I will say though that Trump definitely walked out the victor tonight.

Stuff like this is why confident incompetents control our workplaces.

 

[gutter_trash]

I'm disappointed but Hillary's performance tonight

I hope she does better on deabate #3

 

[Ithil]

He went full /pol/, Breitbart, the_donald trash. The way he kept throwing out half-references to various conspiracy theories and seemed to assume everyone knew what was talking about, even though only his diehard fanbase does.

 

[Fine Ham Abounds]

He threatened to jail his political rival and other unconstitutional bullshit and it's a tie? His performance was horrifying.

He also successfully proved he doesn't have a 10th grade understanding of American history or government

Which is probably 6th grade in Europe

 

[Joeytj]

GAFers saying he won make me feel sad to be a GAFer. Did we watch the same debate? He didn't win shit. He admitted to not paying taxes, would jail Hillary if he became President.

I'd rather not have an authoritarian President, thanks.

Nobody is saying he "won" big, but he managed to stay on message and attack, attack, attack, enough to bog Hillary down. It won't put him on top of polls, but it will probably stop the bleeding.

Of course, until the next video pops out...

 

[Ninja Scooter]

And she did what exactly?

Honestly, I'm a supporter of hers, but what did she do. He came in as a defeated candidate, get out now, quit, everyone is leaving the ship. This is what you have?

Debates are expectations and performance, she lost. Sorry.

Stayed the course, which is all she has to do. I know we all like to joke about how WWE this race has become, but you do realize that this isn't really wrestling? There really aren't finishing moves?

 

[LumpOfCole]

It's like he doesn't even know about the Cold War. Almost as if he has no fucking idea what he is talking about.

What's the Cuban Missile Crisis?

 

[~Kinggi~]

I hate that fact this is our nation. This IS it.

Hillary, girl, you had one job handed to you on a silver platter, and you didn't get it in the net.

Trump was horrendous throughout, but the expectations of him are SO low that rambling incoherently for hours without drooling on himself still means "he wins" even if there was nothing of substance there.

That's is the rhetoric right now, and it's factually wrong, even if emotions of "Trump did better than I expected" overrule logic.

There is no way for her to win. She answered things fairly intelligently and tried to keep focus on voters during a town hall debate. Tried to keep focus on facts and issues.

This is the product of an entire generation being brainwashed by media into a WWE world where aggression, whether true or not is inherently strength and thats why you have people looking at Trump like he won something. The whole culture is fucked. We are done.

 

[Aaronrules380]

And she did what exactly?

Honestly, I'm a supporter of hers, but what did she do. He came in as a defeated candidate, get out now, quit, everyone is leaving the ship. This is what you have?

Debates are expectations and performance, she lost. Sorry.

This is such a bullshit answer. Because she actually answered the questions rather than going on tangents, she lost? Because she didn't absolutely kill Trump, she lost? This is such a bullshit curve. Honestly, Trump is far enough behind that he can't win in a REAL manner unless it helps him bridge the gap in the polls. Saying she didn't kill him as much as she could have doesn't change the fact that he's behind and this debate won't help that

 

[Goodstyle]

Hillary clearly didn't want to go on the attack there. If I were her, I would have brought up what a terrible business man Trump was just to see him meltdown for that... ah well... next debate.

 

[Clint Beastwood]

I hope the American people aren't stupid enough to believe that elected officials have the power to implement everything they want.

That's exactly what the general population thinks

 

[Already Torn]

https://twitter.com/funder/status/785312028789538816
https://twitter.com/funder/status/785314312885768192


GET IN THERE

Stop with the teaases man

 

[RadarScope1]

Hillary won this.

What in this debate will keep Republicans from leaving?

What in this debate will get undecideds to vote for Trump?

What in this debate does anything positive for Trump?

He lost. She won.

Exactly this. He lost maybe a few voter (though very few) and gained none. He is still underwater.

 

[kvothe]

Hillary Clinton: C
Donald Trump: D+

Hillary didn't strike or counter punch anywhere near as hard as she could and should have. And her Abraham Lincoln answer was wha?

Trump rambled and veered off-topic way too frequently, and came off as unhinged for too much of the debate. "Special" prosecutors? Threatening to jail your opponent? That's some third world fascist dictator shit.

Funnily enough, I immediately thought of Lincoln when I heard the question (the question was about having public vs. private stances on issues). Although I don't think she articulated it very well, I can totally see Lincoln as an example of why you need to be very tactful with your public stances despite how you may feel privately.

 

[Piggus]

All I got out of this was that a lot of Gaf seems to think Trump "won" just because he didn't take a shit on the stage. That's not how a debate works, people.

 

[RPGCrazied]

Hillary: C+
Trump: F-

 

[Punjicide]

I can't believe people are giving this to Trump. He

1. Dodged questions
2. Threatened to jail his opponent
3. Attacked the moderators
4. Non-apology
5. Disagreed with his running mate
6. Made shit comments under his breath

For real. All he did was use the same rhetoric that appealed to the base that was still going to support him. The only difference is he wasn't shouting "wrong!" into the microphone this time.

 

[Pamplemousse]

TIL Moderators making a candidate answer and not interrupt is "bias."

 

[Frustrated_me]

https://twitter.com/MikeDrucker/status/785313458036219904

 

[epmode]

What is especially terrifying is the audience applauded when he said he was going to throw Hillary in jail.

Yeah, what the hell was up with that?

 

[Chumly]

This. I have no idea what the fuck people were watching, but it was an even worse meltdown than the first debate.

This is all about expectations. People expected him to walk out there in a delirium and grab Hillary by the pussy. Since that didn't happen, oh what an improved performance Mr. Trump!

Exactly. every other republican presidential candidate did leagues better than this but because it's trump people give him a pass.

 

[Chie Satonaka]

Thread is good for finding Trump supporters who hide in the weeds when he says more heinous shit though.

Seriously, the man admitted to fucking using tax loopholes to write off over a BILLION DOLLARS. And people are saying he won?

What the hell is wrong with this country that this was considered "debate"? This wasn't a debate, this was a grown man screaming at a grown woman for 40 minutes while saying absolutely nothing substantive or of value.

I mean, the fact that Donald Trump is here to begin with should tell you where we are as a country. The debate itself is only a smaller part of that.

 

[Abinash117]

Can't see how people can think that Trump won because he looked strong and calm.

What's being strong and calm worth when all you say is shit and lies?

He aggressively attacked Hillary and blamed her and Obama nearly the entire time. People see that as a weakness, even if it isn't. It seems a lot more wanted Hillary to straight up attack Trump as well. She didn't do that, but played little defense here and there every now and then, but stuck to answering the questions. It looks like her strategy was to answer the questions which she mostly did. It looked like it was her attempt talk about policy, but either way people wanted aggressiveness and mudslinging Hillary did not and may not wanted that.

 

[streetsahead123]

Being aggressive is a risky debate strategy. Clinton played it safe. I wish she would have fought back a little harder, but she has a big lead right now (which will only grow because of Pussygate) so it doesn't make sense for her to risk it.

 

[Arrogant Bastard]

IMO she answered policy questions in fantastic style while Trump just attacked her with every answer.

Exactly, this isn't a reality based campaign. She looked like the wounded animal in this debate which is astounding given the past 24-48 hrs.

Optics, that is a debates these days. Not sure why this is getting challenged.

1st debate was the same but she won on both accounts, she lost this debate.

 

[Biggest-Geek-Ever]

A candidate promised to put her political opponent in jail in national television.


In what way could such candidate win a debate?

By laser focusing on the public/private Abe Lincoln question (which I will admit was an awful response from Hillary) and the fact that Trump didn't call her a cunt.

 

[sphagnum]

Saying trump won doesn't mean he actually was better, it means he achieved his objective

 

[Alucrid]

From Leigh Sales Australian Broadcasting Corporation

so if you don't trust hillary clinton and hate politicians she lost? what would she have had to do to win?

 

[KarmaCow]

I still say he's working on an exit strategy.

Regardless, Trump flat out said in the debate that he did not talk to his running mate about something a major as what to do in Syria.

Pence is probably staying but the damage is done.

 

[Fantastapotamus]

It's like some people watched the debate and thought "Well, he didn't mention pussies or the grabbing of them at all. He also didn't say anything more racist than usual and he didn't literally shit his pants. I think he did way better"

 

[B-Dubs]

https://twitter.com/funder/status/785312028789538816
https://twitter.com/funder/status/785314312885768192


GET IN THERE

GET IN THERE SON

 

[banefirelord]

I don't think he won, but I do think the media thinks he won...which is what matters in this shithole of a world in which our doomed carcasses reside.

 

[GitarooMan]

Yeah, as CNN points out, one candidate threatening to put another in jail is absolutely stunning.

 

[Brawly Likes to Brawl]

That audience sucked so much.

They really need to start taking people away as soon as they open their mouths. These "OOOOOOOOHH"s and applause have happened at every debate

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

https://twitter.com/MikeDrucker/status/785313458036219904

LMFAO. *ded*

 

[TaterTots]

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. How can people say Trump is the winner?

I feel as though most people agree Clinton is more fit to be president, but she is still severely disliked(don't forget these two are the most disliked nominees in the history of a presidential election). Trump saying he would try to put her in jail created some cheers in the audience and social media. My opinion is that the public feels as though they would have been treated differently if they made such a mistake as the emails. It creates a dislike and unproportionate feeling.

 

[Steel]

So, was Trump on sedatives or what?