During MSNBC’s coverage of Tuesday’s Vice Presidential debate, MSNBC host Chris Matthews stated that Republican VP nominee Governor Mike Pence (R-IN) won the debate, “did all the things right that Donald Trump did wrong.” While Democratic candidate Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) was “a little desperate there,” which “hurt him.”

Matthews said, “I thought that Mike Pence did all the things right that Donald Trump did wrong. his body language was excellent. He was very good on reaction. he looked like a grown-up. Every time, whatever his words were, of course, he was playing with a couple deuces against a guy with a full house. So, it was very difficult for him in terms of the issues. I mean, he had to defend Donald Trump. But he came across as a grown-up, strong. I thought he was very effective at being a conservative. But I really think what he accomplished tonight, is made himself probably the front-runner for the Republican nomination in 2020. … So, he really didn’t work the suburbs for Trump, he worked his right-wing flank. I thought he was very effective at securing Trump’s right-wing flank. And I think that may be important in the numbers in the next couple days, to stop this hemorrhaging of Trump to hold him on the right, and hold him on the conservative tonight.”

He continued, “On the other hand, I thought at times, and I like the guy, Kaine, was a little bit, I don’t know what the right word is, a little desperate there, jumping in all the time, always trying to get his points, and he didn’t wait his turn. Obviously, if he had just waited his turn, the back and forth nature of this kind of event, he would have had his opportunity. I don’t know why he kept interrupting, because with two people debating, the other guy gets the chance to speak. He couldn’t wait for that. I think that hurt him.”

Matthews added that while Kaine hit “all the points” for the Democratic Party’s coalition, “overall, I think the winner tonight will end up being, in terms of the debate and what they were trying to accomplish, Pence, because Pence really was solid, he looked like he had his head screwed on, and I think that’s going to look very important for Trump, who doesn’t often look like he has his head screwed on.”

Matthews further stated there could be a fact-checking story regarding some of Pence’s story, that’s “not as big” as the debate itself.

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett