The Note: Deconstructing the Debate

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October 6, 2016

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Deconstructing the Debate

Trump Campaign Manager Calls Clinton 'Desperate to Clean Up' Kaine's Debate Performance

Hillary Clinton and her team are "desperate to clean up Tim Kaine's performance" in Tuesday night's vice presidential debate, Donald Trump's campaign manager Kellyanne Conway said today on ABC News' "Good Morning America." Conway's comments come after Kaine, the Democratic vice presidential candidate, admitted to a crowd of supporters Wednesday that he got "dinged a little bit" for interrupting too much during the "feisty" debate, ABC's MORGAN WINSOR notes. Kaine described his Republican rival, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, as a "pretty good debater." But the Virginia senator said Pence missed an opportunity to defend his running mate. "He's pretty smooth but there is one thing he can't do, and that is defend Donald Trump on anything," Kaine said at a rally in Philadelphia yesterday. http://abcn.ws/2dH5gHB

Kaine Acknowledges He 'Got Dinged' for Interrupting

Tim Kaine reflected on his debate performance, admitting to a crowd of supporters that he got "dinged a little bit" for interrupting too much. During Tuesday night's presidential debate, Kaine interrupted GOP rival Mike Pence 70 times, according to an ABC News analysis. Pence interrupted Kaine 40 times. While Kaine seemed pleased with his defense of Clinton, he admitted that he's faced some criticism for his interruptions of Pence, ABC's JESSICA HOPPER reports. "I got dinged a little bit even by my wife for interrupting too much. Okay. But the key part of that debate was at some points I felt like both me and Mike Pence were debating Donald Trump." http://abcn.ws/2d4zW4r

All the Trump Moments Pence Said Didn't Happen

During Tuesday night's debate Mike Pence was tasked with defending or clarifying statements made by his running mate, Donald Trump. Throughout the debate, Kaine often used Trump's words against Pence. And Pence's strategy -- at times -- was to deny Trump ever said certain statements. ABC's VERONICA STRACQUALURSI and JASON KURTIS have more. http://abcn.ws/2dFFRhv WATCH: http://abcn.ws/2dyI5gK

Analysis - ABC's Rick Klein

Does size matter? No, this is not the question posed back in the Republican primary. It's the question being raised daily by the Trump campaign, which continues to pack in huge audiences to brag about what they cast as Donald Trump's "massive crowds" vs. Hillary Clinton's events with "Washington insiders." It suggests an enthusiasm gap, and surely plays to Trump's personal preferences. It's also helping Trump with campaign organization and voter contacts; the Clinton campaign can and does argue that it's doing its voter-registration and early-voting outreach independent of the candidate's personal appearances. That's a critical point: The campaigns are getting different things out of their public events, because they are running much different campaigns. The Trump campaign is acknowledging that, without saying it, by having a town-hall meeting for the candidate Thursday in New Hampshire, mimicking the format of the next presidential debate. Clinton, meanwhile, is going into Sunday's debate with a lighter schedule, to leave more time for debate prep. That makes for stronger Trump press releases now. But the Clinton camp would trade that in for better reviews next week and beyond – not to mention more votes next month.