Last night’s debate was like watching a reality TV show. Trump screamed while Clinton laughed and the moderator had to intervene several times. Despite the chaos, many important issues were brought into attention (even if they weren’t directly mentioned by the moderator). For instance, both candidates voiced their opinions on the state of national race relations and fought about tactics for combating ISIS.

Moreover, the two candidates harshly critiqued each others’ past by highlighting scandals and tax returns (or lack thereof). It seems as if Clinton and Trump spent more time speaking about their “experience” rather than policy plans, however, that was perpetrated by the moderator. At the beginning of the debate, Lester Holt (moderator) explained that all questions asked would be a result of the input citizens contributed. Therefore, it’s clear to see that voters desire to see the personal side of politicians versus their White House agenda.

Furthermore, Lester often questioned Trump on his seemingly racist and sexist beliefs. In fact, Trump was asked what meant when he stated Clinton does not have the “presidential look.” Anti-Trump supporters argue that he was taking a hit at the gender of his opponent because we have only ever had male presidents, so what defines “presidential”? In addition, Trump argued for stop-and-frisk searches, which both Lester and Clinton contended that those type of searches have been condemned as a form of racial profiling. Nonetheless, Clinton experienced a couple difficult hiccups on stage last night as well. Clinton was attacked about her thousands of emails that were illegally sent while she served as Secretary of State. Her response showed that she took full responsibility for her actions instead of denying that she was wrong.

Finally, let’s compare pre-debate predictions and outcomes. Below is a poll out 100 students at Northland that shows their thoughts about the debate:

Majority of Northland students believed Trump would come out on top, but is that what the aftermath of the debate indicate? Neither Clinton nor Trump provided an outstanding performance. Thus, it is difficult to imagine any viewers switching to another side after watching the debate because of the immense difference between the candidates.