The third and final presidential debate of the 2016 election cycle is in the can. Here’s what happened:
- Donald Trump said he might not accept the election result. “I will look at it at the time,” Trump said. “I will tell you at the time. I’ll keep you in suspense.”
- “That’s horrifying,” Hillary Clinton replied. “It just shows, you’re not up to doing the job. He is denigrating, he is talking down our democracy, and I for one am appalled.”
- At least three Republican senators, among many alarmed voices, immediately objected to the Trump line, with Arizona’s Jeff Flake calling the remarks “beyond the pale”.
- The debate was surprisingly policy-oriented, with the candidates staking out contrasting positions on abortion, gun laws, Russia and much more. Trump allowed that his supreme court would probably overturn Roe v Wade.
- Trump rejected questions about women who have accused him of sexual assault, branding them fame-seekers and Clinton campaign plants and saying “I don’t know those people.”
@lucia_graves @guardian Trump lied and lied again. He says he doesn't know any of the women. Well, he definitely knew me. I told the truth
— Jill Harth (@jillharth) October 20, 2016
- Clinton had a ready response, saying “every time Donald is pushed” – about women, a disabled reporter, the Khan family, John McCain, a federal judge – he denies responsibility and refuses apology.
- “Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger,” Clinton said. “I don’t think there’s a woman out there who doesn’t know what that feels like.”
- Trump interrupted a Clinton answer about social security by muttering, “Such a nasty woman.” His favorite interruption was “wrong”. “Wrong.”
SUCH A NASTY WOMAN #suchanastywoman pic.twitter.com/csWXsvvtGG
— Jeffrey Young (@JeffYoung) October 20, 2016
- Clinton turned a question about her emails released by WikiLeaks into a challenge to Trump to condemn Russian hacking. He did, provisionally. She called Trump Putin’s “puppet”.
- Trump said the only reason Iraq was going into Mosul was because Clinton was running for president: “She wanted to look tough.” Clinton said he was trapped in conspiratorial thinking.
- Trump warned about “bad hombre” immigrants:
Trump: "We have some bad hombres here and we are going to get 'em out"
— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) October 20, 2016
For the first time, the madness of Trump's ideas rather than the madness of his manner are taking centre stage at tonight's debate.
— Dan Roberts (@RobertsDan) October 20, 2016
