Who won the debate? A round-by-round analysis of Clinton v Trump

Eager to draw a contrast on national security, an issue high on Americans priorities amid recent terrorist attacks, Clinton relied on familiar characterizations of Trump: he was unfit to be president, unqualified and lacking the right temperament, and he should not have access to the nuclear codes.

For the benefit of voters tuning in to the race for the first time, Clinton enthusiastically highlighted Trumps admiration for the Russian president, Vladimir Putin regarded by most members of Trumps Republican party as a dictator and a thug. The goal: to once more prove Trump is out of step with what is expected from a traditional nominee.

Despite her efforts to call out Trump for lying about the Iraq war, however, Clinton put the onus on fact-checkers to confrim that the former reality TV star did support the 2003 invasion. Trump once again falsely claimed he opposed the war all along, and it was unclear if the objections of either Clinton or the moderator, Lester Holt, were able to break through. SS

Trump

Trump resorted to familiar cliches, insisting that the US should have somehow taken the oil from Iraq in order to prevent the creation of Isis while he criticized Clinton for having plans to fight the terrorist group on her website. I dont think Gen Douglas MacArthur would like that too much, said the Republican nominee.

He also stuck himself into the mire by repeatedly and enthusiastically claiming that he was against the Iraq war from the beginning. This is untrue and disproven by statements by Trump at the time. The Republican nominee instead said that if reporters only called Fox News personality Sean Hannity, who has appeared in a campaign ad on Trumps behalf, they would hear the truth.

By the end of the debate, Trump also wandered into treacherous waters by insisting that his rival doesnt have the look. She doesnt have the stamina to be president falling into yet other well-set trap allowing Clinton to attack him for crude comments he has made in the past about a beauty pageant contestants weight. BJ

Verdict

Despite Trumps best efforts to land a few punches, the Republican nominee was unprepared and undisciplined. By contrast, Clinton was measured, avoided mistakes and demonstrated the merits of proper rehearsals.