The first Clinton-Trump debate was pretty much what we all expected. Clinton was prepared and, for the most part, stuck to the issues. The issues, however, were not the point. The point was, which of these two people would be the best president?
Clinton presented an image of a cool, prepared policy wonk. The right wing, however, cares little about policy wonks. Instead, the right wing has a vision. The right wing has long contended that the United States is falling apart, that the world is dangerous, that a strong, authoritarian leader will keep us safe. Trump projected that image: he was loud, angry, and forceful.
Who won? From a debating standpoint, the event was a hands-down Clinton win. Trump was not in the running on the issues. His comments about Obama's birth records and his own taxes were nearly incomprehensible. He routinely got his facts wrong. Clinton got some facts wrong, too, but not on the level that Trump did. Trump rambled aimlessly. He ignored hard questions. He did, however, touch the conservative movement's hot-button issues: he said that the country was weak, that other countries were beating us, that crime was terrible, and that a strong arm was needed. Many conservatives share these concerns, and may have been happy to hear Trump express them.
What about appearances? Clinton looked relaxed and smiled a lot, although her smile often looked forced. Trump grimaced, snorted, and made faces. Voters who want a tough guy in charge probably liked Trump's approach. People who want a calm, sensible person to control our nuclear arsenal probably did not.
How will the debate affect the election? Time will tell. Immediate pundit responses or poll results have, historically, not been accurate. If the debate had an effect at all, it might not be obvious right away.
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