The big night is here. If you don't have access to a television or you just feel more comfortable in our NewsHounds lounge, you can watch the first presidential debate here, after the jump, where it will be streaming via The Washington Post. Otherwise, share your thoughts in our comments section.
Clinton vs. Trump caricature by DonkeyHotey via Creative Commons license.
Do you like this post?

“Man . . . I KNEW I shouldn’t have done that YUUUGE line of coke!”
— Donald Drumpf, post-debate
.
— Donald Drumpf, post-debate
.

The wait, what moment for me is when Trump said that everyone knows that fact checkers are bias.

Nixon had the sweating and Trump had the sniffing.

I haven’t watched a minute of Fox & Friends in several months but I was curious to hear their reaction and without fail Steve Doocy said that the debate was a draw and usually ties go to the challenger.

I agree with those that said Hillary won on points. She really got under his skin several times and he didn’t handle those moments very well at all. She was far more prepared and it showed. As to Trump’s insulting insinuations that she doesn’t look Presidential and doesn’t have the necessary stamina, what a load of crap. She looked healthy, alert and had more than enough stamina. In the last 1/2 hour or so of the debate, it was Trump who looked frustrated, low-energy and lacking in stamina. And all that sniffing? What was going on there? It was rather distracting.
Of course, the Trump supporters will be out there completely ignoring all of this. I’ve already heard Kellyanne going on about how Hillary “looked glib” (I didn’t realize one could LOOK glib) while completely ignoring all the times her candidate made faces, grimaced, rolled his eyes and all the times he had to get a drink of water (which must have made Rubio chuckle a bit). Kellyanne also went on to praise Trump for his restraint in not bringing up Bill Clinton’s past behavior with women. Okay, so he didn’t bring it up during the debate – however, after the debate, he went out in front of the cameras and made sure to allude to it there. Eh, that’s not exactly a restraint that’s worth bragging about.
There’s some things that Hillary still needs to work on in prep for the next debate but she clearly won the 1st debate. And even the FOX “news” focus group thought she won in a 16-6 vote. LOL!
Btw, towards the end when Hillary mentioned the woman from the Miss Universe pageant, Alicia Machado, and Trump started demanding to know where Hillary got her info, I thought, “oh no, now Trump is going to start attacking Ms. Machado”. And, sure enough, on F&F this morning, Trump went after her (“she was the worst we ever had, the worst, the absolute worst; she was impossible”, “they had a tremendously difficult time with her” “she was the winner and she gained a massive amount of weight and it was a real problem. We had a real problem. Not only that, her attitude, and we had a real problem with her”). Ugh. He’s such an ugly, nasty human being.
Of course, the Trump supporters will be out there completely ignoring all of this. I’ve already heard Kellyanne going on about how Hillary “looked glib” (I didn’t realize one could LOOK glib) while completely ignoring all the times her candidate made faces, grimaced, rolled his eyes and all the times he had to get a drink of water (which must have made Rubio chuckle a bit). Kellyanne also went on to praise Trump for his restraint in not bringing up Bill Clinton’s past behavior with women. Okay, so he didn’t bring it up during the debate – however, after the debate, he went out in front of the cameras and made sure to allude to it there. Eh, that’s not exactly a restraint that’s worth bragging about.
There’s some things that Hillary still needs to work on in prep for the next debate but she clearly won the 1st debate. And even the FOX “news” focus group thought she won in a 16-6 vote. LOL!
Btw, towards the end when Hillary mentioned the woman from the Miss Universe pageant, Alicia Machado, and Trump started demanding to know where Hillary got her info, I thought, “oh no, now Trump is going to start attacking Ms. Machado”. And, sure enough, on F&F this morning, Trump went after her (“she was the worst we ever had, the worst, the absolute worst; she was impossible”, “they had a tremendously difficult time with her” “she was the winner and she gained a massive amount of weight and it was a real problem. We had a real problem. Not only that, her attitude, and we had a real problem with her”). Ugh. He’s such an ugly, nasty human being.

From Jan Hall’s comment:
Gov Christie: “Fact checkers have an agenda too”.—— Thats a closed bridge too far."
That is an UNDERSTATEMENT, because the moment “Krispy Kreme” Christie steps on it, IT WILL INSTANTLY COLLAPSE!
;^)
Gov Christie: “Fact checkers have an agenda too”.—— Thats a closed bridge too far."
That is an UNDERSTATEMENT, because the moment “Krispy Kreme” Christie steps on it, IT WILL INSTANTLY COLLAPSE!
;^)

The sniffling. Cocaine! !!!*??? It’s speculation, but it’s plenty big story.

Best Trumpster line.
“Call Hannity! Nobody calls Hannity…” The masses cringed when they heard it.
NOTE TO MASSES
Time to turn the tables on Trumpster. Use Hannocchio’s tactics and tell the world that Trumpster is hiding a sickness. Something is wrong with Trumpster’s health. What is he hiding? Call all talk radio stations, and post it on all publication.
Trump’s Sniffles Hides An Illness
“Call Hannity! Nobody calls Hannity…” The masses cringed when they heard it.
NOTE TO MASSES
Time to turn the tables on Trumpster. Use Hannocchio’s tactics and tell the world that Trumpster is hiding a sickness. Something is wrong with Trumpster’s health. What is he hiding? Call all talk radio stations, and post it on all publication.
Trump’s Sniffles Hides An Illness

I watched the debate at a debate party at my local Democratic HQ. There were not nearly so many people as showed up for a Hillary/Bernie debate several months ago.
One other thing: I read a lot of speculation on Twitter that Trump was sniffling a lot because he had been snorting coke.
One other thing: I read a lot of speculation on Twitter that Trump was sniffling a lot because he had been snorting coke.

at the end of the Presidential debate Donald Trump complained (again) that the Iran deal was bad because “you gave 1.4 billion dollars BACK.” He KNOWS that money was paid by the Iranian Government frozen since the Shah’s time, owed to Iran and had to be paid BACK with interest as part of the deal.
Lying bastard knows this and keeps calling it “Ransome”.
Dispicable POS!
Lying bastard knows this and keeps calling it “Ransome”.
Dispicable POS!

Long Dong can appear to be Presidential for about 20 minutes. Then he reverts to form……a loud, ignorant obnoxious bully. Hillary took him to the woodshed tonight and gave him a spanking.
Better do something about that sniffling. People might think he doesn’t have the health and stamina to be President.
Better do something about that sniffling. People might think he doesn’t have the health and stamina to be President.

Gov Christie: “Fact checkers have an agenda too”.—— Thats a closed bridge too far. Have a doughnut Governor.

Local NBC affiliate is claiming polls giving Hillary the win. No source provided. I assume online.

Trump’s best moments were early about the trade agreements. Clinton pretty much owned the rest of the debate.

PBS is reporting Trump is already tweeting Lester Holt was unfair to him in his questioning.

David, I’d have to agree.
However, a key test here is temperament and Hillary got under Trump’s skin. Meanwhile, she was largely cool and comfortable.
Trump supporters will love his attitude and change agent role. Hillary supporters will love her presidential stature, intelligence, and knowledge.
What will independents think?
However, a key test here is temperament and Hillary got under Trump’s skin. Meanwhile, she was largely cool and comfortable.
Trump supporters will love his attitude and change agent role. Hillary supporters will love her presidential stature, intelligence, and knowledge.
What will independents think?

Brokaw is right. No knockout, scored on points. She won.

Lester Holt intervened a little. Better than none at all.

What happened to Donald T. Rump’s hair? Can’t call him Orange Julius tonite.

Wow, after much pressure and rambling, Lester got Trump to actually answer a question. He’ll accept the results of the election.

She’s getting the good applause lines. Now his feesfees are hurt.

Yes, Donald. Lester asked you a question. Quite a few. Have you answered any?

Why are they letting him have so much time to speak? What happened to the two minute rule?
Lester needs to step in and and tell him to zip it, cut him off, turn to Clinton and let her talk.
Why is he being allowed to run on and on and she is not being given the same consideration?
Lester needs to step in and and tell him to zip it, cut him off, turn to Clinton and let her talk.
Why is he being allowed to run on and on and she is not being given the same consideration?

This is the moment I’ve been waiting for. Hillary is on fire and taking advantage of his recent temper tantrum.

Oh my God! Trump just said:
“I have a winning temperament!”
ROTFLMAO! I just spewed my water all over my computer screen! It is POSITIVELY SOAKED!
:^)
“I have a winning temperament!”
ROTFLMAO! I just spewed my water all over my computer screen! It is POSITIVELY SOAKED!
:^)

This is turning into an SNL skit.
After ranting on Lester, the media, and his Libya/Iraq lie, he goes on to say his best attribute is his temperament.
After ranting on Lester, the media, and his Libya/Iraq lie, he goes on to say his best attribute is his temperament.

Hillary looks like the cat who ate the canary.