This is my quick reaction to tonight’s debate.

I think it went as well as could have been expected by Trump. He dealt with the 2005 tape by apologizing, and it came across well.

And he didn’t immediately counterattack on Bill Clinton’s sexual abuse and harassment and Hillary’s complicity. He waited, whether deliberately or not, until Hillary repeatedly attacked him on the tape and the moderators seemed to have to pull it out of him.

But when he did attack, because he didn’t do it immediately, laid out the case against Bill and Hillary quite well.

Trump also did serious damage on the email issue, mocking Hillary very effectively. The crowd laughed.

When he said Hillary should be in jail and he would appoint a special prosecutor, the crowd cheered.

Donald Trump's highest moment when he held Hillary liable for her emails and called for a special prosecutor. #debate pic.twitter.com/V4eEIjnMlG — Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) October 10, 2016

On the issue of the transcript in which Hillary spoke of having private and public positions, Hillary incredibly blamed Abe Lincoln somehow — it was so convoluted I can’t even type it from memory. Trump pounced in a mocking manner, comparing Honest Abe to Lying Hillary.

Holy c*** Hillary tries to throw Abe Lincoln under bus on her private/public claim in secret transcript #Debates2016 — Legal Insurrection (@LegInsurrection) October 10, 2016

In the first debate, Trump lost with attacks; tonight, he's winning with humor. #Debate pic.twitter.com/QpaNQ0Iz1K — Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) October 10, 2016

Trump didn’t bring up the “open borders” statement in one of the speech transcripts. That was a lost opportunity.

Overall, Trump had command of the stage and was in control.

As I’m typing this I turned to MSNBC. They are apoplectic. ’nuff said.

The moderators were horrible, particularly Martha Raddatz. She repeatedly argued with Trump, to a point that even Republican #nevertrump-ers on Twitter were complaining.

Some concern in my #debate group that Trump isn't being treated fairly by the mods. — Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) October 10, 2016

Will this help reverse Trump’s poll slide and the damage from the tape? (I think I’ll get out of the polling prediction business, at least for tonight.)

Here are some of the tweets I sent out.

These #debate moderators are deplorable and irredeemable — Legal Insurrection (@LegInsurrection) October 10, 2016

So now @MarthaRaddatz is answering her own questions on #Syria b/c she doesn't like Trump's answer #debate — Legal Insurrection (@LegInsurrection) October 10, 2016

Focus Group: Who are you willing to vote for? BEFORE #DEBATE

• Hillary: 8

• Trump: 9 AFTER DEBATE

• Hillary: 4

• Trump: 18 — Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) October 10, 2016

Some other reactions:

"Don't look now Bill but four women you sexually assaulted are right over there. I said don't look now." #debate pic.twitter.com/n0KGEW1Jrn — Ticked Off Tcot (@TickedOffTCOT) October 10, 2016

I may not care for Trump, but he beat Hillary tonight fair and square even with Martha Raddatz trying to defeat him. — Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) October 10, 2016

Luntz after discussing debate with his focus group: "I actually think tonight was so significant that he is back in this race." — Brit Hume (@brithume) October 10, 2016

I may have made a mistake in writing off Trump. After talking with voters tonight, he's back in this race. #Debate2016 pic.twitter.com/XP1fyBTNwt — Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) October 10, 2016



