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Slideshow: Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump face off in first presidential debate

Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump pauses during the first debate with Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Hillary Clinton at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, September 26.

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Responses ran the gamut from “I will not be watching because I don’t expect to learn anything” (CW in New Orleans) to “Truly, I want to see [Donald Trump] get his ass handed to him by [Hillary] Clinton” (MW in Long Island).

Pence, appearing separately on CNN, said, “let’s follow the science”, but he warned against rushing into environmental restrictions that drive jobs out of the country and put Americans out of work.

She drew out his inner grouch. Donald supported the invasion of Iraq.

“When I got involved, I didn’t fail”, Trump said. “I don’t think Gen. Douglas MacArthur would like that too much”. His own Twitter page proves otherwise.

Trump’s tweets say otherwise. He pointed out a recent spike in homicides, after an era of decline. And by the way, my tax cut is the biggest since Ronald Reagan.

“What Donald Trump said was a hoax is that bureaucrats in Washington, D.C., can control the climate of the Earth”, Pence said. Clinton pointed out that Trump had called women pigs, slobs and dogs, and said that pregnancy is an inconvenience to employers.

“Well, I’m starting to think that people are much more focused now on the economy”, Trump said.

Clinton defended trade, in general.

The Republican nominee interrupted her to deny what he’s said. In contrast, Clinton – who is viewed as “untrustworthy” by 63 percent of Americans – misstated the facts just eight times over the exact same week.

“Anybody who complains about the microphone is not having a good night”, Clinton said. He took command of that stage.

Trump told CNN’s Dana Bash Monday that he might bring up former President Bill Clinton’s past marital indiscretions at the next debate.

It all began with an answer about President Obama’s citizenship that doubled-down on a insane theory instead of saying these simple words – “I made a mistake, I was wrong, and I apologize”.

For Clinton, her tone was better than Trump’s (but that’s a low bar), but her knowledge, especially on foreign policy issues, made clear her strengths. “In FX markets, the most obvious trade to anticipate a Trump presidency is to short the peso”.

Clinton told reporters Tuesday morning that “we had a great time last night”, and “I’m looking forward to the next debate and then the one after that”. She doesn’t have the look. I know how to win. “It’s not nice. And I don’t deserve that”.

The polls remain close.

Clinton’s prepared line, inserted awkwardly in the debate, summarizes her case.

In addition, Trump outright denied telling a Miss Universe contestant to lose weight in 2006.

But Trump doesn’t just talk about beating the Mexicans and the Chinese. Meanwhile, one rival was gloating.

Trump tried to turn the tables and press Clinton on the use of a private email server.

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“You saw not a flawless performance by Hillary Clinton, but as much as an imperfect performance as you can imagine by her opponent”, he told AFP.

Weighed against past presidential debates Monday night's seemed like a surreal joke