'His performance was absolutely terrible': Joe reacts to Trump at the debate

FEW WEEKS. >> WHITE HOUSE REPORTER AT "THE WASHINGTON POST" TYLER PAGE, THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR GETTING UP WAY TOO EARLY FOR US ON THIS WEDNESDAY MORNING. "MORNING JOE" STARTS RIGHT NOW. >>> IN SPRINGFIELD, THEY ARE EATING THE DOGS. THE PEOPLE THAT CAME IN, THEY ARE EATING THE CATS. THEY ARE EATING -- THEY ARE EATING THE PETS OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE AND THIS IS WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR COUNTRY AND IT'S A SHAME. AS FAR AS RALLIES ARE CONCERNED AND THE REASON THEY GO IS THEY LIKE WHAT I SAY. THEY WANT TO BRING OUR COUNTRY BACK. THEY WANT TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. IT'S A SIMPLE PHRASE. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. SHE IS DESTROYING THIS COUNTRY AND IF SHE BECOMES PRESIDENT, THIS COUNTRY DOES NOT HAVE A CHANCE OF SUCCESS. NOT ONLY SUCCESS BUT WILL BE VENEZUELA ON STEROIDS. >> I WANT TO CLARIFY HERE. YOU BRING UP SPRINGFIELD, OHIO. AND ABC NEWS DID REACH OUT TO THE CITY MANAGER THERE. HE TOLD US NO CREDIBLE REPORTS OF PETS BEING HARMED OR INJURED OR ABUSED BY INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE IMMIGRANT -- >> SOMEBODY CALLED AND SAID A DOG -- >> I'M NOT SAYING -- >> THEY SAY DOG WAS EATEN BY THE PEOPLE WHO WENT THERE. >> THE SPRINGFIELD CITY MANAGER SAYS NO EVIDENCE OF THAT. VICE PRESIDENT, WE WILL LET YOU RESPOND TO THE REST OF WHAT YOU HEARD. >> TALK ABOUT EXTREME! >> ONE OF THE MOST TALKED ABOUT MOMENTS FROM LAST NIGHT'S DEBATE THE FORMER PRESIDENT REPEATING A FALSE UNHINGED CLAIM WHICH HIS CAMPAIGN WAS PROMOTED THAT IMMIGRANTS IN SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, ARE EATING PEOPLE'S PETS. >> EATING DOGS. EATING DOGS. YEAH. >> MOMENTS AFTER THE DEBATE ENDED, ANOTHER HUGE HEADLINE. ONE OF THE BIGGEST NAMES IN MUSIC GLOBAL SUPERSTAR TAYLOR SWIFT ENDORSES VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS. >> AS THEY SAY, NOT THE BEGINNING OR THE END. IT'S THE END OF THE BEGINNING. I DON'T KNOW WITH TAYLOR, MAYBE IT IS THE BEGINNING OF THE END. >> KIND OF. >> YOU KNOW, I GOT TO SAY OUR JOB IS TO ANALYZE THE DEBATE LAST NIGHT. I MUST SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE PHRASES, CATCH PHRASES THAT HAVE COME UP THIS ELECTION CYCLE HAS BEEN SAYING AND YOU HAVE MAINSTREAM PEOPLE, MAINSTREAM MEDIA PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING THEIR BEST TO MOLD DONALD TRUMP IN TO A BOB DOLE-LIKE CHARACTER, SOMEBODY THAT THEY CAN ANALYZE AS IF HE IS ANY OTHER CANDIDATE, AS IF THIS IS ANY OTHER ELECTION, AS IF LAST NIGHT WAS ANY OTHER DEBATE. IT JUST WASN'T. YOU HAD ONE CANDIDATE THAT WAS COMPLETELY UNHINGED. JUST COMPLETELY OFF HIS ROCKER. HE LOOKED BADLY. HE LOOKED OLD. HE LOOKED DISCONNECTED FROM REALITY. HE LOOKED ENRAGED. HE KEPT REPEATING THE SAME THINGS OVER AND OVER AGAIN. MADE NO SENSE. THERE WAS NO PREPARATION ON HIS SIDE. AND HE RESORTS TO INTERNET RUMORS ALREADY DEBUNKED JUST BECAUSE HE HAS NOTHING TO SAY. ONE OF THE MOST ILL-PREPARED -- WELL, THE MOST ILL-PREPARED PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES WE HAVE EVER SEEN IN ONE OF THESE DEBATES. ONE THE OF THE ANGRIEST AND I GOT TO SAY HUNCHED OVER. LOOK AT HIM. HIS EYES SQUINTING. THE SPLIT SCREEN WAS EXTRAORDINARY. SO THIS MORNING FOR PEOPLE ON ANY NETWORK, EVEN THOSE WHO GET PAID TO LIE ABOUT DONALD TRUMP EVERY DAY, THERE IS NO SAYING WATCHING THERE AND THERE IS NO NORMALIZING THERE AND THERE IS NO PRETENDING THAT THAT WAS ANY OTHER CANDIDATE. THIS IS ANY OTHER ELECTION OR THAT WAS ANY OTHER DEBATE. >> YEAH. WE HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGING PEOPLE A LONG TIME TO NOT GRADE DONALD TRUMP ON A CURVE. TO NOT SAY THAT IS WHAT HE DOES. NO. THIS GUY WANTS TO BE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AGAIN SO WATCH THAT DEBATE LAST NIGHT AND ASK YOURSELF IF THAT IS A PERSON WHO SHOULD BE IN THE WHITE HOUSE AND NEAR THE NUCLEAR CODES. WE WILL SHOW ALL OF THESE MOMENTS. IN ADDITION TO HIS CLAIM WHICH WAS MADE UP ON THE INTERNET AND THE PERSON WHO TOOK THE PHOTOGRAPH OF THE GUY CARRYING THE GOOSE DOWN THE STREET SPOKE OUT YESTERDAY AND SAID THAT WASN'T IN SPRINGFIELD, OHIO. I HAVE NO IDEA IF THAT GUY WAS AN IMMIGRANT OR HAITIAN OR ANYTHING ELSE. FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES DONALD TRUMP IS SCREAMING ABOUT PEOPLE EATING DOGS. IT DIDN'T HAPPEN. HE PRAISED WHEN ASKED ABOUT FOREIGN POLICY, HE PRAISED ONLY VICTOR ORBON, THE AUTHORITARIAN LEADER OF HUNGARY AND NOT SAYING WHETHER HE WANTS UKRAINE TO WIN THE WAR WHEN ASKED MANY TIMES AND EFFECTIVELY SIDING WITH VLADIMIR PUTIN THERE. DEFENDING HIS ACTIONS ON JANUARY 6th AND THE MOB THAT DESECRATED THE CAPITOL AND BEAT UP COPS THAT DAY. WENT BACK TO THE WELL EVEN, JOE, OF DEFENDING WHAT HE DID AROUND THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE. HE SAID, WELL, ACTUALLY AT THE TIME -- I MEAN, WHY? WHY GO BACK TO THAT? HE WAS ASKED ABOUT IT BUT WHY ATTEMPT TO RATIONIZE OR DEFEND CALLING FOR THE DEATH PENALTY FOR FIVE YOUNG MEN WHO ULTIMATELY WERE EXONERATED. THAT WAS THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG. NO MORE GRADING DONALD TRUMP ON A CURVE. HE WANTS TO BE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AGAIN AND WATCH THOSE 90 MINUTES AND ASK YOURSELF WHICH OF THOSE TWO PEOPLE ARE MORE FIT TO BE PRESIDENT. >> FOR ANYBODY WHO IS FRUSTRATED WATCHING DONALD TRUMP LIE AGAIN AND AGAIN UNCHECKED, I WILL SAY THAT LAST NIGHT WAS VALIDATION, FINALLY. WATCHING HIM GET CALLED OUT. NOT NECESSARILY BY THE MODERATORS, THOUGH DID MAKE AN ATTEMPT TO TRY -- THROW HE TALKED OVER THEM AND THEY -- ALTHOUGH HE TALKED OVER THEM AND THEY CONTENT TURN HIM OFF. KAMALA HARRIS WAS JOYFUL AND CLASSY AND WENT IN THERE AND DEBATED HIM OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND HE FELL FOR IT EVERY TIME. I THINK THE MOMENT THAT REALLY WAS THE UNRAVELING WAS WHEN SHE INVITED ALL AMERICANS TO ATTEND A TRUMP RALLY AND TO SEE THE LIES IN PERSON AND TO SEE HOW TIRED AND BORING THE RALLIES ARE, TO HEAR ABOUT HANNIBAL LECTER AND OTHER THINGS. HE JUST LOST IT FROM THERE ON. WE CAN PLAY THAT. >> LET'S PLAY IT REAL QUICK. >> TAKE A LOOK. >> I'M GOING TO ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING REALLY UNUSUAL AND I'M GOING TO INVITE YOU TO ATTEND ONE OF DONALD TRUMP'S RALLIES. BECAUSE IT'S A REALLY INTERESTING THING TO WATCH. YOU WILL SEE DURING THE COURSE OF HIS RALLIES, HE TALKS ABOUT ABOUT FICTIONAL CHARACTER LIKE HANNIBAL LECTER AND TALK ABOUT WINDMILLS CAUSE CANCER AND WHAT YOU WILL ALSO NOTE IS THAT PEOPLE START LEAVING HIS RALLIES EARLY OUT OF EXHAUSTION AND BOREDOM. I WILL TELL YOU ONE THING YOU WILL NOT HEAR HIM TALK ABOUT IS YOU. YOU WILL NOT HEAR HIM TALK ABOUT YOUR DREAMS AND YOUR NEEDS AND YOUR DESIRES AND I'LL TELL YOU I BELIEVE YOU DESERVE A PRESIDENT WHO ACTUALLY PUTS YOU FIRST AND I PLEDGE TO YOU THAT I WILL. >> LET ME RESPOND TO THE RALLIES. SHE SAID PEOPLE START LEAVING. PEOPLE DON'T GO TO HER RALLIES. NO REASON TO GO. THE PEOPLE THAT DO GO, SHE IS BUSSING THEM IN AND PAYING THEM TO BE THERE AND THEN SHOWING THEM IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT. SO SHE CAN'T TALK ABOUT THAT. PEOPLE DON'T LEAVE MY RALLIES. WE HAVE THE MOST INCREDIBLE RALLIES IN THE HISTORY OF POLITICS. THAT IS BECAUSE PEOPLE WANT TO TAKE THEIR COUNTRY BACK. OUR COUNTRY IS BEING LOST. WE ARE A FAILING NATION AND IT HAPPENED THREE AND A HALF YEARS AGO AND WHAT IS GOING ON HERE, YOU'LL END UP IN WORLD WAR III. AS FAR AS RALLIES ARE CONCERNED AND AS FAR AS THE REASON THEY GO IS THEY LIKE WHAT I SAY. THEY WANT TO BRING OUR COUNTRY BACK. THEY WANT TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. IT'S VERY SIMPLE PHRASE. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. SHE IS DESTROYING THIS COUNTRY AND IF SHE BECOMES PRESIDENT THIS COUNTRY DOESN'T HAVE A CHANCE OF SUCCESS. NOT ONLY SUCCESS, WILL END UP BEING VENEZUELA ON STEROIDS. >> FROM THERE ON OUT, JOE, IT JUST WENT DOWNHILL FOR HIM. HE COULD NOT HANDLE HEARING THAT HIS RALLIES ARE BORING AND THAT PEOPLE GET UP AND LEAVE. >> YOU KNOW, WILLIE, IT'S INTERESTING THAT WHEN YOU'RE LISTENING TO MUSIC AND YOU'RE TRYING TO REALLY FIGURE OUT WHAT IS GOING ON IN A PERFORMANCE, IT REALLY IS ALWAYS BEST. QUINCY JONES WOULD ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON, TURN YOUR BACK TO WHO IS PERFORMING. OR JUST CLOSE YOUR EYES. THAT IS HOW YOU HEAR THE MUSIC. HERE, I WOULD SAY JUST THE OPPOSITE. IF YOU WANT TO GET EXACTLY WHERE A DEBATE IS GOING, TURN THE SOUND OFF. USE YOUR EYES. AND VISUALLY THE SPLIT SCREENS ARE SO STARK. WHEN YOU DO THAT, YOU SEE KAMALA HARRIS SMILING, MOCKING, YOU KNOW, PUTTING HER HAND UNDERNEATH HER CHIN, ARE YOU REALLY SAYING THAT? AND AT ONE MOMENT IN THAT BIZARRE EXCHANGE ABOUT DOG EATING SHE ACTUALLY LOOKED LIKE SHE WAS FEELING SORRY FOR THE MAN. >> YES! >> BECAUSE HE WAS SO DETACHED FROM REALITY. >> YEAH. HE WOULDN'T LOOK AT HER. IF YOU GO THROUGH THOSE 90 MINUTES, YOU PROBABLY COUNT TWO OR THREE TIMES HE GLANCED OVER. HE IS SCOWLING AND UNCOMFORTABLE. I THINK ONE OF THE BIG TELLS, WE HAVE HEARD FROM A LOT OF REPUBLICANS WHO CONCEDE PRIVATELY THAT THIS WENT TERRIBLY FOR DONALD TRUMP AND ACTUALLY I HEARD SOME PRAISE FOR KAMALA HARRIS' PERFORMANCE EVEN FROM REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS, OBVIOUSLY, EXCITED ABOUT IT, WAS ABOUT 30 MINUTES INTO THE DEBATE, WE STARTED TO SEE ONLINE AND NOW ON THE FRONT PAGE OF A MAJOR NEWSPAPER THAT IT WAS THE MODERATORS' FAULT. BLAME THEM. THEY ARE GANGING UP BECAUSE A HANDFUL OF TIMES THEY FACT CHECK DONALD TRUMP ON EGREGIOUS LIES. YOU ALSO KNOW IT DIDN'T GO WELL BECAUSE DONALD TRUMP SHOWED UP IN THE SPIN ROOM. DONALD TRUMP, HIMSELF, YESTERDAY, LAST NIGHT AFTER THE DEBATE TO TRY TO SORT OF REIMAGINE WHAT HAPPENED IN THAT ROOM LAST NIGHT. HARRIS CAMPAIGN CALLING IMMEDIATELY FOR A SECOND DEBATE. WE WILL SEE IF THERE IS A SECOND DEBATE. THEY FEEL CONFIDENT ABOUT IT. THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN RESORTING TO BLAMING THE MODERATORS FOR WHAT THEIR CANDIDATE DID IN THAT ROOM. >> IF YOU'RE SHOWING UP IN THAT SPIN ROOM, YOU'VE LOST. IF YOU'RE BLAMING THE MODERATORS, YOU'VE LOST. TRUMP WE SHOULD NOTE WAS NONCOMMITTAL WHETHER HE WOULD DEBATE HARRIS AGAIN. HARRIS SAYING LET'S GET A SECOND DATE ON THE BOOKS FOR OCTOBER. SPLIT SCREEN WAS SO EFFECTIVE FOR HARRIS THE WAY SHE SMILED AND ALMOST SORT OF MOCKED HIM AT TIMES AND LOOKING IN DISBELIEF, I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M SHARING THE STAGE WITH SOMEONE SAYING THINGS LIKE THAT. SHE THREW HIM OFF AT THE BEGINNING AND WALKED OVER FOR A HANDSHAKE. HE CLEARLY DIDN'T EXPECT IT AND SET A TONE FOR THE NIGHT. FIRST 15, 10 MINUTES WHEN THEY TALKED ABOUT THE ECONOMY WITH YOU ONCE THEY START TALKING ABOUT ABORTION AND TRUMP TWISTED HIMSELF IN KNOTS TO EXPLAIN HIS SHIFTING STANCES BUT AT THE SAME TIME MADE IT CLEAR HE WAS PROUD OF U.S. SUPREME COURT JUSTICES HE NOMINATED. THE VICE PRESIDENT SCORED SOME POINTS THERE. THERE WERE SO MANY MOMENTS HERE WHERE SHE JUST GOT THE BEST OF HIM AND HE LOOKED OLD. HE LOOKED OUT OF TOUCH. AND HE LOOKED LIKE HE WAS SPEAKING, JOE, TO JUST A SMALL REPUBLICAN ECOSYSTEM AND NOT WINNING OVER ANY NEW VOTES AT ALL. >> SO BIZARRE. >> WE SHOULD NOTE IT TOOK A WHILE TO GET THERE LAST NIGHT BUT HE WAS ASKED. NOT JUST ABOUT JANUARY 6th WHERE HE DEFENDED HIS ACTIONS BUT HE WAS ASKED ABOUT THE 2020 ELECTION AND HE REPEATEDLY WOULD NOT SAY THAT HE LOST. >> BY THE WAY, FOR PEOPLE, AGAIN, THAT HAVE TO LIE CONSTANTLY, TRYING TO NORMALIZE DONALD TRUMP, THERE IS SO MUCH THEY CAN'T RUN AWAY. HIS OWN CAMPAIGN STAFF BEGGING HIM TO STOP LYING ABOUT A STOLEN ELECTION. HE COULDN'T DO IT. HE COULD NOT SAY THAT HE WANTED UKRAINE TO BE ABLE TO PUSH BACK THE RUSSIAN INVADERS. HE WOULD NOT SAY IT. HE WOULD NOT SAY REPEATEDLY WHETHER HE WAS GOING TO PUSH A NATIONAL BAN FOR ABORTION ON AMERICAN WOMEN. WOULD NOT SAY IT. WAS ASKED AFTERWARDS AS HE WAS LEAVING THE DEBATE, HE WOULD NOT ANSWER THAT QUESTION ON WHETHER HE SUPPORTED A NATIONAL BAN OR NOT. YOU GO DOWN THE LIST. TIME AND TIME AGAIN HE WOULD NOT SAY HE DID ANYTHING WRONG ON JANUARY 6th. AGAIN, THERE IS NOTHING NORMALIZED ABOUT HIM. HIS PERFORMANCE WAS ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE. AND THERE WERE MANY PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY DARED TO SAY THE TRUTH. IT WAS THE WORST DEBATE PERFORMANCE IN HISTORY. >> THEY WERE EVEN -- >> YOU HAD A LOT OF TRUMP SUPPORTERS ON TWITTER, IN THE MEDIA SAYING IT WAS ONE OF THE WORST DEBATE PERFORMANCES THEY EVER SAW AND THEY COULD BLAME ABC ALL THEY WANTED TO. BLAME THOSE TWO? YOU CAN'T GET PAST THAT? SERIOUSLY? IS HE THAT BAD? HE IS GOING TO TAKE ON DICTATORS ALL OVER THE WORLD AND HE CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH ABOUT EATING CATS IN SPRINGFIELD, OHIO? SERIOUSLY?