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Trump debate performance steadies his campaign

It’s been a rough couple of weeks for Donald Trump but last night’s debate performance seems, at least according to many political observers, to have at least slowed the decline. Politico offers the following assessment based on its survey of political strategists, operatives, and activists:

GOP insiders: Trump’s off life support

Swing-state Republicans are breathing a sigh of relief, convinced that embattled GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump successfully took the fight to Hillary Clinton in Sunday night’s acrimonious town-hall debate…

Most importantly, Republicans ... Read More >>

The second presidential debate on Sunday night was a strange one, with Donald Trump appearing to be on the brink of a meltdown in the first 20 to 30 minutes and then steadying himself the rest of the way. But here’s the bottom line: Based on post-debate polls, Hillary Clinton probably ended the night in a better place than she started it. And almost without question, she ended the weekend — counting the debate, the revelation on Friday of a 2005 tape in which Trump was recorded appearing to condone unwanted sexual contact against women, and the Republican reaction to the tape — in an improved position.

You can make a good argument that Donald Trump won the second presidential debate with Hillary Clinton. You could also argue that no one won. But it’s probably beyond dispute that Trump’s performance will shut down Republican defections from his struggling campaign, at least for now.

Trump stops the bleeding

Donald Trump saved his campaign from meltdown Sunday evening with a debate performance that was, at the least, a marked improvement on his showing in his first clash with Hillary Clinton almost two weeks ago.

But whether Trump changed any minds is much more open to question. The debate was both nasty and personal, especially in its early stages, potentially turning off more voters from both candidates than it won over for either.

Debate Takeaways: Clinton Is Still Standing, and Trump Isn’t Going Away

With Donald J. Trump’s campaign engulfed in crisis, the second presidential debate promised a clash of grand proportions: a decisive, even cataclysmic showdown between one candidate on his heels and the other, Hillary Clinton, emerging as a strong front-runner.

The confrontation did not entirely live up to that billing, but Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Trump vented their vast differences over a revealing hour and a half.

GOP insiders: Trump’s off life support

Swing-state Republicans are breathing a sigh of relief, convinced that embattled GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump successfully took the fight to Hillary Clinton in Sunday night’s acrimonious town-hall debate.

President George H.W. Bush conspicuously checked his watch. Al Gore got too close for comfort. Mitt Romney strode across stage to confront President Barack Obama face to face.

For presidential candidates, a town hall debate is a test of stagecraft as much as substance.