
The CNN poll immediately after the debate gave Hillary a big win, 62-27 percent. Of course, they don't tell you that they used a 41% Democratic sample, significantly above the actual number of Americans claiming party membership and you can't count out the assistance she got from Lester Holt. Holt asked follow on questions on Trump answers five times while never doing so with Hillary. And the issues of Trump's taxes and the "birther" garbage was brought up by Holt, yet Hillary's family foundation and money for influence concerns, her State Department email scandal as well as the Benghazi matter he failed to mention. Interesting indeed.
And there's another big point. Locally oriented on line polls around the country and especially the huge volume Drudge Report had large majority polling with a large Trump win. Regardless of what you think, expectations of Trump are measured by the average Joe much differently from the so-called Washington media establishment. They don't want to see the same-old, same-old and they see Trump as someone who brings out the big concerns that no one else is brave enough to mention. Trump did so, yet even then there were a number of issues he could have brought up that he avoided.
Trump has never been through this before, Hillary is an old hand at it. You better believe that in debates two and three Trump will only get better while Hillary still has health issues that sooner or later will resurface. She did well to stay in the game last night and I have to give her kudos for that.
And I want to say a kind word to Lester Holt even though I found his obvious bias in questioning akin to Candy Crowley four year ago. Lester is in a good job with lots of associated prestige at NBC. The heat was put on him to play the fact check game with Trump by the Washington liberal establishment who basically "blacklisted" Matt Lauer after his quite balanced questioning of the two candidates in the previous military forum. Don't doubt that Lester was between a rock and a hard place and he chose to follow the course that was best for him; most would have done the same.
The bottom line whether you think Trump won or was trounced or the same thing about Hillary: Neither destroyed themselves, both are still very much alive and the next debate will be even better. And Donald Trump showed everyone he is not a member of the Washington Establishment nor is he responsible for the national problems that we face. Hillary proved that she is the consummate insider and system player. The decision made by the voters on November 8th will determine what we, the people think.
Get your seat belts on for the next six weeks. We're going to need them.