First Presidential Debate: Analysis

NIGHTLY NEWS TOMORROW, THANKS FOR WATCHING. >> GOOD NIGHT. >> [ MUSIC ] >> THIS IS NBC NEWS COVERAGE OF THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE, A HISTORIC FACE-OFF. >> WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT A CONVICTED FELON, HIS SON IS A CONVICTED FELON AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL. >> A PRESIDENT AND FORMER PRESIDENT DEBATING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY. >> THE WHOLE WORLD IS BLOWING UP UNDER HIM. HE IS GOING TO DRIVE US INTO WORLD WAR III. >> PRESIDENT BIDEN MAKING HIS CASE FOR FOUR MORE YEARS. >> GOING TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT AND GIVE PEOPLE A BREAK. >> FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP FIGHTING TO WIN THE WHITE HOUSE BACK. >> WE ARE A FAILING NATION, BUT IT IS NOT GOING TO BE FAILING ANYMORE, WE ARE GOING TO MAKE IT RIGHT AGAIN. >> AND THE BIGGEST EVENT YET OF THE 20 2408 ELECTION. >> I GAVE HIM A COUNTRY WITH ESSENTIALLY NO INFLATION. >> THERE WAS NO INFLATION WHEN I BECAME PRESIDENT, YOU KNOW WHY? [ INAUDIBLE ] >> IF HE WINS THIS ELECTION, OUR COUNTRY DOESN'T HAVE A CHANCE, NOT EVEN A CHANCE OF COMING OUT OF THIS RUT. >> WERE THE MOST ADMIRED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, WE ARE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THERE IS NOTHING OUT OF OUR CAPACITY. >> REPORTING TONIGHT AT THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE IN ATLANTA, HERE IS TOM LLAMAS. >> AND GOOD EVENING, THANK YOU FOR STAYING UP WITH US AFTER THAT FIERY FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE. WE ARE IN THE SPIN ROOM RIGHT NOW LIVE IN ATLANTA, POSTDEBATE, SURROUNDED BY SUPPORTERS AND INSIDERS FROM BOTH CAMPAIGNS. I WANT TO GO DOWN TO THE SPIN ROOM FOR RIGHT NOW, SOMETHING INTERESTING HAS HAPPENED. OVER THE LAST 40 MINUTES, THE BIDEN-HARRIS CAMPAIGN HAS FINALLY COME OUT TO THE SPIN ROOM, THEY ARE FINALLY ANSWERING QUESTIONS. IT TOOK THEM A WHILE. USUALLY IN THESE SITUATIONS RIGHT AFTER THE DEBATE, THE CAMPAIGN TEAM COMES RIGHT OUT AND HAS UNIFIED MESSAGE BUT WHAT WE SAW BUT AFTER THIS DEBATE WAS TEAM TRUMP HAD SURROGATES ALL OVER THE PLACE, COMING OUT TO THE SPIN ROOM FLOOR, ESSENTIALLY ATTACKING PRESIDENT BIDEN, ATTACKING HIS MENTAL FITNESS, TYPING PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING HE SAID DURING THE DEBATE, AND IT TOOK ABOUT 30 MINUTES FOR THE BIDEN-HARRIS TEAM TO COME OUT HERE BUT NOW WE HAVE SENATOR WARNOCK AND GAVIN NEWSOM AND OTHER BIDEN SPOKESPEOPLE. I DO WANT TO POINT THAT OUT, THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT POINT COMING OUT OF THIS DEBATE. AFTER PRESIDENT BIDEN AND FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP BATTLED IT OUT THERE ON THE DEBATE FLOOR, OVER THE 90 MINUTES, THE TWO CANDIDATES WERE [ INAUDIBLE ] , BOTH ACCUSING THE OTHER OF BEING THE WORST PRESIDENT IN HISTORY AND TAKING THE U.S. ECONOMY, AN ISSUE AT TOP OF MIND FOR VOTERS, AND TAKING IT, BOTH SLAMMING THE OTHER FOR THAT. TRUMP SLAMMING BIDEN FOR A CRISIS AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER. HE ALSO CRITICIZED BIDEN'S HANDLING OF THE WORDS IN BOTH GAZA AND UKRAINE. BIDEN LOST TRACK OF WHAT HE WAS SAYING IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ANSWER ABOUT MEDICARE. >> MAKING SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, MAKING SURE WE ARE ABLE TO MAKE EVERY SINGLE SOLITARY PERSON ELIGIBLE FOR WHAT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO WITH THE -- WITH THE COVID, EXCUSE ME, DEALING WITH EVERYTHING HAVING TO DO WITH YOU KNOW, FINALLY BEAT MEDICARE. >> TRUMP LATER QUESTIONING BIDEN'S ABILITY TO RESPOND TO THOSE QUESTIONS. >> I'M GOING TO CONTINUE UNTIL WE GET A TOTAL BAN. TOTAL INITIATIVE RELATIVE TO WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO WITH MORE BORDER PATROL AND MORE [ INAUDIBLE ] >> PRESIDENT TRUMP? >> I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT HE SAID AT THE END OF THAT SENTENCE, I DON'T THINK HE KNOWS WHAT YOU SAID EITHER. >> TWO SOURCES TELLING NBC NEWS PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS A COLD, YOU COULD CLEARLY HEAR THAT DURING THE DEBATE PERFORMANCE. BIDEN BROUGHT UP TRUMPS CRIMINAL CONVICTION. >> HOW MANY BILLIONS OF DOLLARS? [ INAUDIBLE ] FOR DOING A WHOLE RANGE OF THINGS, OF HAVING SEX WITH A PORN STAR WHEN YOUR WIFE WAS PREGNANT. >> I DO HAVE SEX WITH A PORN STAR. >> WE WANT TO GO TO SOME LIVE PICTURES RIGHT NOW, WE UNDERSTAND PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS GONE TO A WATCH PARTY HERE IN ATLANTA POSTDEBATE, LET'S LISTEN IN. >> [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> LET'S KEEP GOING. SEE YOU AT THE NEXT ONE. GOD LOVES YOU ALL. HEADING TO NORTH CAROLINA. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. YOU WANT ME TO GO HOME WITH YOU. THANK YOU. >> [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> ALL RIGHT, WE WERE JUST LISTENING TO PRESIDENT BIDEN RIGHT THERE AT HIS POSTDEBATE WATCH PARTY, TRYING TO FIRE UP THE CROWD THERE. I WANT TO GET RIGHT OVER TO OUR CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST, NBC'S CHUCK TODD. THIS IS QUITE THE DEBATE FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, A DEBATE UNLIKE ANY OTHER WE HAVE SEEN. I WANT TO GET YOUR ANALYSIS IMMEDIATELY RIGHT AFTER THIS DEBATE AND WHAT IT MEANS. >> LOOK, WE BEGAN THIS CONVERSATION BEFORE THIS DEBATE, ONE OF THE THINGS WAS WOULD EITHER CANDIDATE LOOK LIKE THE CARICATURE THAT THE OTHER CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN TRYING TO PAINT OF THEM. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, JOE BIDEN LOOK LIKE THE CARICATURE THAT CONSERVATIVE MEDIA PAINTED, AND THERE WERE NO CLIPS TONIGHT. YOU SAW IT BEFORE YOUR EYES. I DON'T WANT TO JUST TELL YOU WHAT I THINK HERE, TOM. I HAVE BEEN TALKING TO A LOT OF LEADERS IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, ELECTED COALITION LEADERS. THERE IS A FULL ON PANIC ABOUT THIS PERFORMANCE. NOT LIKE, OH, THIS IS RECOVERABLE, IT IS MORE OF A, OKAY, HE HAS GOT TO STEP ASIDE, THERE IS A LOT OF THAT CHATTER. THIS IS ABOUT AS BAD OF A PERFORMANCE IN ORDER TO -- THAT BIDEN COULD HAVE DELIVERED IF HIS GOAL WAS TO TRY TO SORT OF CALM THE WATERS AMONG DEMOCRATS. LOOK, THERE WAS A POLL OUT EARLIER THIS WEEK THAT SHOWS A LOT OF DEMOCRATS, NOT JUST ELECTED DEMOCRATS, RANK AND FILE DEMOCRATS ARE BOTH SUPPORTIVE OF BIDEN, BUT THINK YOU SHOULD NOT BE SEEKING A SECOND TERM. I HAVE A FEELING WE'RE GOING TO SEE MORE POLLING ON THAT AND WE ARE GOING TO SEE THAT NUMBER EVEN HIGHER. WITH THE PANIC LEVEL PARTICULARLY AMONG ELECTED DEMOCRATS WHO HAVE TO SHARE THE BALLOT WITH HIM. THERE IS A FULL ON PANIC TONIGHT. MAYBE THEY WILL GET CALMED DOWN IN THE MORNING, BUT THERE IS GOING TO BE -- THERE IS A LOT OF CHATTER AMONG DONORS TONIGHT, A LOT OF CHATTER AMONG MAJOR ELECTED LEADERS TONIGHT. AGAIN, IF THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN -- THEY HAVE A LOT OF COMBING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO START DOING. OR THEY MAY SEE THIS GET MOMENTUM PUBLICLY, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY CAN STOP THAT. >> CHUCK, I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE IF YOU OPEN UP ANY NEWS WEBSITE RIGHT NOW AND YOU SEE THE HEADLINES, THE HEADLINES ARE EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT. IF YOU'RE A DEMOCRATIC VOTER, IF YOU ARE SOMEBODY WHO IS GOING TO VOTE FOR THIS PARTY AND NOW YOU'RE CONFUSED BECAUSE YOU HEAR YOUR PARTY LEADERS ARE CONCERNED AS WELL, WALK YOUR VIEWERS WHAT POTENTIALLY COULD OR COULD NOT HAPPEN. IS HE GOING TO RUN NO MATTER WHAT? IS THIS CONVERSATION TOO EARLY TO HAVE? IS THERE A PROCESS IN PLACE WHERE DEMOCRATS CAN GET TOGETHER? IF HE IS NOT THEREBY, IS THERE ENOUGH TIME TO FIND SOMEBODY ELSE? >> THIS IS INTRIGUING, THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN WANTS A DEBATE BEFORE YOU PASS THE LAST -- BEFORE THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION. IF JOE BIDEN DECIDES HE DOES NOT WANT TO SEEK THIS NOMINATION, HE CAN RELEASE ALL HIS DELEGATES. AND THEN IT BASICALLY BECOMES AN OPEN CONVENTION. AND WE HAVEN'T HAD A REAL OPEN CONVENTION SINCE 1952. AND THAT BECOMES A WHOLE -- YOU MIGHT HAVE THE VICE PRESIDENT, A COUPLE OF GOVERNORS, THE HOME STATE GOVERNOR IN ILLINOIS WHO IS THE HOST OF THE CONVENTION, WANTING TO FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF AN ILLINOIS GOVERNOR IN 1952 WHO IS ABLE TO GATHER THAT NOMINATION, ADLAI STEVENSON, WHEN THE CONVENTION DECIDED TO HAND IT TO HIM. BUT IT ALL BEGINS WITH JOE BIDEN WOULD HAVE TO AGREE TO DO THAT. AND YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WALK AWAY FROM THESE THINGS. THEY ARE GOING TO FIGHT. I MEAN, YOU FEEL A LITTLE BIT OF A FIGHT TONIGHT, THEY ARE TRYING TO SAY HE WAS THROWN OFF A LITTLE BIT AT THE BEGINNING. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU ARE THROWN OFF AND YOU'RE SURPRISED THAT INFLATION IS THE FIRST QUESTION, BUT THAT IS THEIR EXCUSE. >> TO CALM THE WATERS, I DON'T BUY IT. I WILL TELL YOU THIS, TOM, I THINK THERE ARE TWO PUBLIC DEMOCRATS TO BE WATCHING FOR AND TO SEE IF THEY SAY ANYTHING, AS I THINK THERE ARE TWO DEMOCRATS WHO IF THEY WENT PUBLIC WITH THIS, I DON'T KNOW IF JOE BIDEN COULD STOP THE FREIGHT TRAIN. ONE WOULD BE NANCY PELOSI AND THE OTHER WOULD BE BARACK OBAMA. I THINK THOSE ARE THE TWO MOST INFLUENTIAL DEMOCRATS RIGHT NOW IN THIS PROCESS, IN THIS PARTY. >> CHUCK, IT IS INTERESTING YOU SAY THAT BECAUSE THE TWO OF THEM HAVE BEEN SOME OF HIS BIGGEST SUPPORTERS TO DATE, AND YOU ARE RIGHT, HIS STRONGEST VOICES TO DATE. I DO WANT TO ASK YOU SOMETHING, DO YOU THINK IT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF POLITICAL MALPRACTICE BY HIS STAFF TO ANNOUNCE MIDWAY THROUGH THE DEBATE THAT HE HAD A COLD, AND NOT HAVE LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT EARLY ON, SO THEY COULD BE READY? FROM WHAT WE SAW WITH JOE BIDEN IN THE BEGINNING, IT COULD NOT BE TRUE, BUT THIS IS WHAT WE ARE HEARING FROM THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN. THANKS PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR SHOES, DO YOU SAY IT IN ADVANCE, HE HAS GOT A COLD, AND THAT IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE REALLY TRYING TO LOWER THE BAR? I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY GOOD ANSWER THERE, BUT LOOK, AMONG THE FEEDBACK I GOT FROM ONE ELECTED OFFICIAL WHO SAID THAT IS HIS PERFORMANCE AFTER FIVE DAYS AT CAMP DAVID? THAT IS AFTER BREAST? SO, I DO THINK, FRANKLY, THE CAMPAIGN HAD TO COME OUT WITH SOME EXPLANATION, BECAUSE I GUESS THE COLD IS WHAT THEY HAVE GOT TO HANG THEIR HAT ON. >> CHUCK, WE THANK YOU FOR THAT ANALYSIS. I WANT TO GO OVER TO STEVE KORNACKI. YOU RUN THE NUMBERS FOR US, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE GREAT POLITICAL INSIGHT. WHERE COULD A PERFORMANCE LIKE THIS FOR PRESIDENT BIDEN HURT HIM THE MOST? WHICH VOTERS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT HIS AGE? >> CONCERNING THE NUMBERS, THERE WAS A POLL THAT CAME OUT JUST 24 HOURS BEFORE THIS DEBATE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES, AND THEY ASKED THIS QUESTION WHEN IT CAME TO AGE, THEY ASKED WITH EACH CANDIDATE, IS AGENT SUCH AN ISSUE IN YOUR VIEW THAT THE CANDIDATE IS IN CAPABLE OF HANDLING THE JOB OF BEING PRESIDENT? THAT QUESTION WAS ASKED, AND 45% OF THE VOTERS IN THAT POLL SAID THAT BIDEN'S AGE, THIS IS BEFORE THE DEBATE, WAS SUCH THAT HE COULD NOT HANDLE THE PRESIDENCY. THE NUMBER FOR TRUMP WAS ONLY 16%. COMING INTO THIS DEBATE BY A 3 1 MARGIN, THAT'S WHAT THE CONCERN LEVEL WAS WHEN IT CAME TO JOE BIDEN, HIS AGE, AND THE PRESIDENCY. IT IS GOING TO TAKE PROBABLY ABOUT A WEEK OR SO TO GET SOME REALLY GOOD POLL NUMBERS IN RESPONSE TO THIS, BUT DOES THAT NUMBER RADICALLY INCREASE AS A RESULT OF THIS? BECAUSE ONE OF THE FEATURES OF THIS CAMPAIGN HAVE BEEN THAT BIDEN AND TRUMP ARE ONLY FOUR YEARS APART IN AGE, BUT THERE HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS GAP WHEN IT COMES TO CONCERN ABOUT THEIR AGE. THE BIDEN OPPORTUNITY TONIGHT WAS TO GET RID OF THOSE FEARS. THE FLIPSIDE OF THAT WAS A POOR PERFORMANCE, WHAT THOSE FEARS BE EXACERBATED? A BIGGER QUESTION COMES WITH THIS DISCUSSION THAT IS NOW SUDDENLY TAKING PLACE IN PUBLIC, ON THE AIRWAVES, ALL OVER THE PLACE, ABOUT BIDEN AND ARE WE SURE HE IS GOING TO BE THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE OR WOULD THE PARTY TURNED TO SOMEBODY ELSE? WHEN HE AGREED FOR THE PARTY TO TURN TO SOMEBODY ELSE? LET'S SEE IN A WEEK WHAT THE POLLING SHOWS, BECAUSE THE REACTION RIGHT NOW IS EVERYTHING YOU ARE HEARING. >> ALL RIGHT, STEVE KORNACKI FOR US. I WANT TO GET OVER TO THE MODERATOR OF MEET THE PRESS, KRISTEN WELKER. YOU KIND OF PUT IT IN A WAY, COMING OUT OF THIS DEBATE, OF HOW YOU COULD SORT OF CHARACTERIZE WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE DEBATE. YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT HEADLINES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUT YOU'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT CONCERN AMONG DEMOCRATS. WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM YOUR SOURCES, AND IS THIS SOMETHING THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN CAN'T BOUNCE BACK FROM? OR IS THERE ENOUGH TIME BEFORE ELECTION DAY? THAT'S THERE IS CERTAINLY ENOUGH TIME BEFORE ELECTION DAY, TOM, THERE IS NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT, BUT I THINK WHAT CHUCK SAID HITS THE NAIL ON THE HEAD, THERE IS WIDESPREAD PANIC AMONG DEMOCRATS. I GOT A NUMBER OF TEXT MESSAGES THIS EVENING, DEMOCRATS REACHING OUT TO SAY THIS IS DIFFICULT TO WATCH, WHERE DOES THIS GO FROM HERE? ONE DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKER, TOM BOEING, GOES AS FAR AS TO SAY THIS RACE IS EFFECTIVELY OVER. ON THAT QUESTION, THE BUZZ THAT HAD STARTED ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THERE WOULD BE AN OPEN CONVENTION, LAWMAKERS SAY THE BELIEF IS THAT DEMOCRATS WILL BE LOYAL SOLDIERS. THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BACK BIDEN FOR AS LONG AS HE IS IN THIS RACE, BUT THAT REALLY CAPTURES, TOM, THE LEVEL OF PANIC THAT I THINK YOU ARE SEEING INSIDE DEMOCRATIC CIRCLES. AGAIN, JUST TO STRESS, LOOK, THE PRESIDENT GOT OFF TO A SLOW, HALTING START, HE SEEMED TO LOSE HIS TRAIN OF THOUGHT AT VARIOUS MOMENTS, HE SEEMED TO GIVE TRUMP OPENINGS WHEN THERE WEREN'T ANY, HE WAS TALKING ABOUT ABORTION AND PIVOTED TO THE ISSUE OF IMMIGRATION, WHICH ALLOWED TRUMP TO JUST GET IN THERE. AND OF COURSE, LEVEL HIS NUMBER OF ATTACKS, MANY OF THEM UNSUBSTANTIATED AGAINST THE PRESIDENT. I WAS TALKING TO ONE DEMOCRAT WHO SAID WHEN THE PRESIDENT WAS SPEAKING FROM HIS HEART, THAT IS WHEN YOU SAW THE MOST FIRE AND FURY, THAT'S WHEN HE WAS ON THE STEADIEST GROUNDS. BUT WHEN HE WAS TRYING TO RECALL FACTS AND FIGURES AND GIVE LISTS OF STATS, THAT IS WHEN IT SEEMS LIKE HE WAS STRUGGLING THE MOST. AND SO, THE DEMOCRATS WHO WERE WATCHING THIS AS IT WENT ON THOUGHT THAT HE DIDST PICK UP SPEED WHEN HE WAS TALKING ABOUT VETERANS AND FOREIGN POLICY, BUT AGAIN, YOU ALSO SAW TRUMP BARREL FORWARD, UNLEASH MISTRESS. YOU AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT, THE FORMAT OF THIS DEBATE COMES IN, THE FACT THAT THE MICROPHONES WERE MUTED MEANT THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN COULDN'T JUMP IN AND FACT CHECK IN REAL TIME, HE HAD TO WAIT FOR FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP TO FINISH HIS THOUGHT, AND THEN TRY TO GET IN THERE AND FACT CHECK RETROACTIVELY, IT'S A TOUGH THING TO DO. AND IN THIS CASE, IT SEEMS TO HAVE BACKFIRED AGAINST PRESIDENT BIDEN. HOW WILL DEMOCRATS FEEL TOMORROW, HOW WILL THEY FEEL IN THE COMING DAYS AND WEEKS? NEXT UP IS THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION. WE HAVE STILL GOT SEVERAL WEEKS BEFORE WE GET TO THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION, A LOT COULD HAPPEN BETWEEN NOW AND THEN. >> KRISTEN WELKER FOR US, WE THANK YOU FOR THAT. THE BIG QUESTION, HOW DO DEMOCRATS FEEL ABOUT THIS PERFORMANCE? JOINING US RIGHT NOW, SPECIAL GUEST INSIDE THE SPIN ROOM, SENATOR TIM SCOTT FROM SOUTH CAROLINA. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. YOU HAVE BEEN PART OF A LOT OF DEBATES. HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE WHAT HAPPENED TONIGHT? >> THE WORST CANDIDATE I EVER SAW BY A CANDIDATE. IT WAS A POWERFUL, UNDENIABLE WIN FOR DONALD TRUMP, AND [ INAUDIBLE ] IT WAS TOUGH TO WATCH AT TIMES, BECAUSE JOE BIDEN FROZE IN THE MIDDLE OF HIS ANSWERS. SENDING SHOCKWAVES THROUGHOUT THE DEMOCRATIC ESTABLISHMENT, WITHOUT ANY QUESTION. AND SADLY FOR US, WE SAW DONALD TRUMP TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT WE CARE ABOUT, NUMBER ONE, NUMBER TWO ISSUES, THE ECONOMY AND THE SOUTHERN BORDER. AND FRANKLY, THE CONTRAST BETWEEN THE TWO, FOUR YEARS OF DONALD TRUMP VERSUS FOUR YEARS OF JOE BIDEN COULD NOT BE MORE CLEAR. >> I DO HAVE TO PUSH BACK A LITTLE BIT. AS A POWERFUL PERFORMANCE FOR FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP OR JUST A VERY BAD NIGHT FOR BIDEN? >> I THOUGHT DONALD TRUMP STAYED ON THE TOPICS THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE CARE ABOUT. THEY CAREFIRST ABOUT THE SOUTHERN BORDER AND THE NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT THAT IS OUR SOUTHERN BORDER. ON THE TWO BIG ISSUES, THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT DONALD TRUMP WAS DOMINANT. JOE BIDEN HAD A BAD NIGHT, REALLY BAD NIGHT. YOU KNOW IT IS A BAD NIGHT WHEN YOUR CAMP STARTS PUTTING OUT HE HAS A COLD BEFORE THE DEBATE IS EVEN OVER, TRYING TO LOWER EXPECTATIONS. HE HAS BEEN AT CAMP DAVID FOR A WEEK TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO HAVE A STRONG PERFORMANCE. THAT WAS A TERRIBLE PERFORMANCE. >> THE DEBATE AT TIMES, I DON'T THINK THERE'S A BETTER WORD THAN SILLY, WHEN THEY WERE COMPARING GOLF SCORES AND GOLF SWINGS, IS THAT WHAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT? DID THAT HELP ANYBODY OUT? >> I THINK WE SAW AN ABSOLUTELY STRONG DEBATE PERFORMANCE. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW, HOW DO WE SOLVE THE CRIME THAT IS RAVAGING NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE WHERE I GREW UP? THEY WANT TO KNOW, HOW DO WE SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF INFLATION, MAKING SO MANY THINGS UNAFFORDABLE? WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE ISSUES, [ INAUDIBLE ], THE AMERICAN PEOPLE GET TO SAY DO I WANT THIS GUY TO BE MY PRESIDENT OR THAT ONE? AND THE ANSWER WAS DONALD TRUMP. AND FRANKLY, I HAVE BEEN HEARING IT ALL NIGHT. WHETHER YOU ARE DEMOCRATIC OR INDEPENDENT, YOU JUST KNOW THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG ON THE DEBATE STAGE WITH JOE BIDEN'S PERFORMANCE. >> PRESIDENT TRUMP MADE SOME BOLD CLAIMS, HE COULD END THE WAR IN UKRAINE AND GET WALL STREET REPORTER EVAN GERSHKOVICH BACK OUT OF RUSSIA BEFORE HE WAS EVEN INAUGURATED. HE IS MAKING THOSE CLAIMS TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE? >> I HOPE THAT IT IS POSSIBLE. >> BUT HOW IS IT POSSIBLE? >> WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE VERY INTERESTED IN HOW DO WE STOP 70,000 AMERICANS FROM LOSING THEIR LIVES TO FENTANYL? WHY IS IT THAT WITH JOE BIDEN, EVERY SINGLE COUNTY IN AMERICA IS A BORDER COUNTY? WE NEED TO GET BETTER AND THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER IS TO FIRE JOE BIDEN AND TIRE DONALD TRUMP. >> MAYBE YOU HAVE HEARD THIS, BUT HE USED A PHRASE SAYING THAT IMMIGRANTS ARE COMING TO THIS COUNTRY, UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS, AND THEY ARE TAKING BLACK JOBS AND HISPANIC JOBS. WHAT DID HE MEAN BY THAT PHRASE? WHAT EXACTLY DID HE MEAN? DOES HE MEAN LOW-WAGE JOBS? WHY DOES HE HAVE TO INSERT RACE INTO IT? >> THE THING I THOUGHT WAS INCREDIBLY POWERFUL ON THE ISSUE OF IMMIGRATION WAS WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID THAT WE SEE OUR VETERANS HOMELESS ON THE STREET AND YOU CAN CONTRAST THAT AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS LIVING IN LUXURY HOTELS. THAT IS THE KIND OF MOMENT THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SEE AND SAY, I WANT THE GUY WHO WANTS TO SOLVE THAT PROBLEM. >> BUT WHEN HE SAYS A PHRASE LIKE BLACK JOBS AND HISPANIC JOBS, DOES THAT OFFEND SOME AMERICAN VOTERS, DO YOU THINK? >> I DON'T THINK SO. WHETHER YOU ARE A BLACK PERSON OR WHITE PERSON, HISPANIC, ASIAN, NATIVE AMERICAN, THE ONE THING YOU WANT ARE MORE JOBS, YOU WANT YOUR WAGES GOING UP. [ INAUDIBLE ] SAW THEIR WAGES GO UP FASTER THAN THE TOP. THAT TRANSLATES INTO MORE SPENDING POWER. WITH JOE BIDEN, WE HAVE SEEN THE EXACT OPPOSITE. $28,000 OF LOST SPENDING POWER OVER THE LAST 3 1/2 YEARS. SO, YOU CAN TALK ABOUT BLACK JOBS VERSUS WHITE JOBS, I THINK THE BOTTOM LINE IS DONALD TRUMP PROVIDED MORE AMERICAN JOBS. >> FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP IS GOING TO MAKE A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT AT THE CONVENTION, HIS RUNNING MATE, IS THAT GOING TO BE YOU? >> I'M NOT CONCERNED ABOUT WHO HE CHOOSES, BUT WHAT WE DO AS A PARTY AND AS A NATION TO COME TOGETHER FOR A UNITED AMERICA. >> HAVE YOU CHANGED YOUR ANSWER ON THAT? IT SOUNDED LIKE HE REALLY WANTED IT BEFORE. YOU STILL WANT IT? THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE IS ANYBODY WOULD BE HONORED TO BE THE VICE PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THE GREATEST COUNTRY ON THE PLANET, THE ONLY COUNTRY WHERE MY STORY IS EVEN POSSIBLE. BUT MORE IMPORTANT, IT IS NOT ABOUT ME. IT IS ABOUT THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND WHAT THAT PERSON WANTS TO ACCOMPLISH FOR EVERYDAY AMERICANS, WORKING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK. >> SENATOR TIM SCOTT, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. WHEN WE COME BACK, MUCH MORE ANALYSIS OF THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE, WE ARE ALSO GOIN GROUND. >> EVERY NIGHT, IT IS YOUR NEWS PLAYLIST, TOP STORIES WITH TOM LLAMAS WEEKNIGHTS AT 7:00. >> HE CAUSED THIS INFLATION, I GAVE HIM A COUNTRY WITH ESSENTIALLY NO INFLATION. >> THERE WAS NO INFLATION WHEN I BECAME PRESIDENT. [ INAUDIBLE ] >> WELCOME BACK, AS WE RECAP THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE, IT IS IMPORTANT TO HEAR WHAT SOME OF THE BEST MINDS IN POLITICS SAY ABOUT THIS, WHAT SURROGATES HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS DEBATE, BUT ONLY VOICES THAT MATTER ARE THE VOICES OF VOTERS. SHAQ BREWSTER WITH ONE OF OUR FOCUS GROUPS, WALK OUR VIEWERS THROUGH WHAT YOU HEARD FROM THEM AND WHAT THEY'RE SAYING AFTER THIS DEBATE. >> I WILL TELL YOU, THERE IS A LOT OF SURPRISE IN WHAT FOLKS HEARD HERE. WE CAME HERE TO PHILADELPHIA BECAUSE THIS IS THE PLACE THAT YOU SEE BOTH OF THE CANDIDATES COME TO JUST IN THE PAST MONTH, SPECIFICALLY TARGETING BLACK VOTERS. WHAT YOU HEARD COME UP IN SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS. LET'S INTRODUCE THE GROUP OF VOTERS BEHIND ME. LET'S JUST START WITH THE QUESTION OF RAISE YOUR HAND FOR ME IF YOU VOTED FOR BIDEN IN 2020, AND KEEP YOUR HAND UP IF YOU'RE STILL WITH HIM THIS TIME AROUND, AFTER THAT DEBATE. SLOWLY GOING DOWN. YOU TOLD ME YOU ARE COMPLETELY UNDECIDED, IT'S A TOSS UP FOR YOU. DID ANYTHING SHIFT FOR YOU AFTER THAT DEBATE? >> [ INAUDIBLE ] UNDERSTANDING THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO AS FAR AS DEMOCRATS. [ INAUDIBLE ] >> A POLICY CONVERSATION? YOU SAID ECONOMY WAS YOUR BIGGEST ISSUE COMING INTO THIS. DID YOU LIKE HOW HE RESPONDED ON THAT ISSUE? >> I AM HOPEFUL. I AM HOPEFUL FOR IT. I AM HOPING HE WILL CONTINUE WHAT IS NECESSARY TO BOOST THE ECONOMY BACK UP TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE AT, SO WE CAN ALL CONTINUE [ INAUDIBLE ] X THERE WAS A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THE POSITION PERFORMANCE OF THE PRESIDENT. HOW DID YOU THINK HE PERFORMED ON STAGE TONIGHT? >> I GRANT HIM A SEAT. >> WHY'D YOU GIVE HIM THAT GRADE? >> HE WASN'T REALLY INFLUENTIAL, BASICALLY. [ INAUDIBLE ] LISTENING TO HIM AND TRYING TO HEAR WHAT HE HAD TO SAY. TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT. >> YOU TOLD ME YOU WOULD HOLD YOUR NOSE AND VOTE FOR BIDEN COMING INTO THIS DEBATE. LEAVING THIS DEBATE, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING NOW? >> I'M STILL THINKING THE SAME THING. I'M STILL THINKING THAT AS AMERICANS, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CHOICES. AND SO, WE HAVE TO GO WITH THE CHOICE, OR AT LEAST I HAVE DECIDED TO GO WITH THE CHOICE THAT WILL BE LESS DETRIMENTAL TO MY COMMUNITY. >> AFTER THAT DEBATE, YOU STILL SEE BIDEN AS THE BEST WORST OPTION? >> YES, YES. AND SO, I WILL BE VOTING FOR BIDEN. >> WHAT DO YOU THINK HERE? BECAUSE YOU SAID BIDEN HASN'T EARNED YOUR VOTE. THAT YOU WOULDN'T SUPPORT TRUMPET AFTER HEARING THAT, YOU MENTIONED HAMAS, YOU MENTIONED A LOT OF ISSUES. AFTER HEARING THAT DEBATE, WHERE IS YOUR MIND AT NOW? >> I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT HAMAS. >> THE WAR BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS. >> SO, I WASN'T SWAYED, I DON'T THINK. CERTAINLY NOT ON THE ISSUE OF, YOU KNOW, BIDEN'S SUPPORT -- UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL. HE DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING THAT'S LAID ME ON THAT ISSUE. YOU KNOW, THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT YOU SAID THAT I DID LIKE. HE DID TALK ABOUT RAISING THE CAP ON SOCIAL SECURITY TO MAKE THE WEALTHY PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE. HE DID TALK ABOUT RAISING TAXES ON BILLIONAIRES. AS OPPOSED TO TRUMP WHO LOVES ANOTHER $5 TRILLION TAX CUT FOR MILLIONAIRES. THAT IS A BIG ISSUE, THAT IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE TWO. >> THANK YOU, THANKS FOR STICKING AROUND AND WATCHING THIS DEBATE WITH US. AND TOM, THAT IS THE FIRST REACTION, THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATION WE HAVE BEEN HAVING, A LOT OF TOPICS COVERED IN THAT DEBATE AND WE ARE GOING TO GET INTO IT A LITTLE BIT MORE. >> WE APPRECIATE THAT, WE ALWAYS LEARN SO MUCH FROM THE VOTERS. JOINING ME NOW, HALLIE JACKSON, YOU JUST SPOKE TO GOVERNOR NEWSOM. IT IS A TOUGH NIGHT FOR DEMOCRATS, WHAT DID HE TELL YOU? >> PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR HIS SENSE OF HOW HE THINKS PRESIDENT BIDEN DID. I ASKED HIM THAT, AND THIS IS WHAT I HAVE HEARD NOW FROM SEVERAL TRUMP AIDES, THEY THINK IT IS SUBSTANCE OVER STYLE, THEY THINK PRESIDENT BIDEN HAD [ INAUDIBLE ] EVEN IF STYLISTICALLY, WE HAVE REPORTED THAT MULTIPLE PEOPLE SAID HE HAD A COLD. INTERESTINGLY, I ALSO ASKED HIM ABOUT SOMETHING I HAVE BEEN HEARING ABOUT TONIGHT, AS DID MANY OF OUR COLLEAGUES, THIS IDEA OF DEMOCRATIC PANIC. HE SAID DO MORE, WORRY LESS. THAT IS HIS MESSAGE TO THOSE DEMOCRATS RIGHT NOW, ESSENTIALLY IMPLORING THEM TO GET OUT AND CAMPAIGN FOR PRESIDENT BIDEN, TO MAKE THE CASE MORE STRONGLY AND MORE EFFECTIVELY THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN SHOULD BE THE ONE TO TAKE THE WHITE HOUSE. I WILL ALSO TELL YOU, I HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO TALK WITH PROBABLY A HALF DOZEN FOLKS -- >> I WANT TO ASK YOU, THOUGH, YOU HAVE A SENSE FOR THIS, YOU INTERVIEW SO MANY PEOPLE, JUST LIKE I DO. DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU WERE GETTING SPUN BY GOVERNOR NEWSOM? OR DO YOU THINK HE WAS TELLING YOU THE FULL TRUTH OF THE WAY HE FEELS? >> [ INAUDIBLE ] >> DIDN'T FEEL FORCED QUESTION I KNOW YOU CAN'T READ HIS MIND. HE IS OBVIOUSLY VERY AMBITIOUS, PRETTY MUCH AT EVERY INTERVIEW, HE IS A NAME THAT HAS BEEN FLOATING, HE IS THE GOVERNOR OF THE BIGGEST STATE IN THE UNION. DID YOU GET A SENSE THAT YOU BELIEVED WHAT HE WAS TELLING YOU? >> [ INAUDIBLE ] I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS IN HIS MIND. HERE IS WHAT I WOULD SAY, YOU REMEMBER, THERE WAS A TIMEFRAME HERE, MAYBE LAST YEAR, WHERE THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT CONSTERNATION, THAT MAY BE GAVIN NEWSOM -- [ INAUDIBLE ] TAKE ON PRESIDENT BIDEN, TAKE ON THE MANTLE FROM PRESIDENT -- VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS. I THINK THAT HE IS HERE TONIGHT, GAVIN NEWSOM IS ALL AND BEHIND PRESIDENT BIDEN. I WOULD NOT EXPECT HIM TO COME OUT AND SAY, I MEAN, IT WOULD BE TRULY SHOCKING AND BREAKING NEWS GAVIN NEWSOM CAME ON AIR AND SAID, YES, I THINK PRESIDENT BIDEN SHOULD BE REPLACED. HE IS NOT GOING TO SAY THAT, THAT IS OUT OF THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY. YOU ARE HEARING THAT FROM SOME DEMOCRATS, INCLUDING ONE LAWMAKER I HAVE SPOKEN WITH WHO HAS BEEN A SUPPORTER OF BIDEN ALL ALONG. >> WE HAVE COVERED A LOT OF THESE, AND I KNOW IT IS MAYBE SOME MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK TEAM, BUT WHEN WE CAME OUT OF THIS DEBATE, THE TRUMP TEAM FLOODED THE SPIN ROOM, THERE ARE STILL HERE. AND WE'RE TALKING MULTIPLE SENATORS. AND WITH THE BIDEN TEAM, WE HAVE SENATOR WARNOCK, GOVERNOR NEWSOM, THOSE ARE THE TWO BIGGEST NAMES THAT ARE OUT HERE RIGHT NOW, AND THEY ARE AGAINST FIVE TO 10 TRUMP SURROGATES THAT ARE WORKING THIS ROOM. I AM ASKING YOU FROM LOGISTICAL STANDPOINT, IT IS A LITTLE ODD, RIGHT? >> [ INAUDIBLE ] THEY HAVE ANOTHER EVENT GOING. PRESIDENT BIDEN SPEAKING THERE. THEY HAVE WORKED TO SORT OF COUNTER PROGRAM THAT. [ INAUDIBLE ] I WILL SAY THAT FOR THE TRUMP TEAM, WHAT IS VERY CLEAR IS THAT THIS IS A VICTORY LAP FOR THEM. DONALD TRUMP AFTER THE DEBATE WAS, I AM QUOTING HERE, JUBILANT. WE SPOKE IN THE MINUTES AFTERWARD ABOUT HIS PERFORMANCE AND WHERE HE TAKES THIS NEXT. THE SENSE IS THEY WANT TO COME OUT AND ONE OF THE TALKING POINTS THAT I HEARD IS IT WAS A LOPSIDED -- IT WAS A LOPSIDED VICTORY, AND [ INAUDIBLE ] SEVERAL OF THEM SUGGESTED IT IS THE GREATEST VICTORY EVER IN PRESIDENTIAL HISTORY. I BELIEVE THAT TO THE HISTORIANS TO DECIDE. BUT THERE'S ALSO THE BIGGER QUESTION OF IF IT WASN'T SUCH A BAD NIGHT FOR BIDEN, WAS IT REALLY SUCH A GOOD NIGHT FOR DONALD TRUMP? >> DONALD TRUMP DODGED ALL QUESTIONS. HE SPREAD MISINFORMATION, HE LIED ABOUT HIS RECORD ON CERTAIN POSITIONS. BUT THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT ALSO HAPPEN TONIGHT AS WELL. THAT SAID, ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONCERNS FOR VOTERS GOING INTO TONIGHT HAS BEEN PRESIDENT BIDEN'S AGE. >> IT IS ALL THE HEADLINES TONIGHT. >> IF YOU WERE TUNING IN TO LOOK FOR ANY KIND OF REASSURANCE FROM BIDEN, IT IS NOT CLEAR THAT YOU GOT IT. >> IF YOU JUST WATCHED THE FIRST 30 MINUTES, THAT IS DEVASTATING FOR THE DEMOCRATS. >> THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN IS SUGGESTING, OBVIOUSLY, THEY BELIEVE HE GOT STRONGER AS THE NIGHT WENT ON, HE HAD A COLD AND DID BETTER AS THE EVENING WENT ON. [ INAUDIBLE ] DO YOU WATCH 90 MINUTES OF SOMETHING YOU MISSED? YOU WATCH CLIPS ON TIKTOK OR WHATEVER. THERE WILL BE MOMENTS THAT THEY WILL CLICK AND SHARE, LIKE ON JANUARY 6th. >> ALL RIGHT, HALLIE JACKSON, THANK YOU. TAKE A QUICK BREAK, WE ARE GOING TO BE RIGHT BACK. JD VANCE IS GOING TO BE ON OUR SHOW TO GO TO COLLEGE. >> DO YOU THINK THIS WOULD IMPACT HOW PEOPLE VOTE? >> 100%. >> MORNING NEWS NOW, STREAMING WEEKDAYS AT 7:00. >>> [ INAUDIBLE ] >> I DO NOT HAVE SEX WITH A PORN STAR. >> ALL RIGHT, THAT WAS SOME OF THE DEBATE, ONE OF THE LOWER MOMENTS OF THAT FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE HERE IN 2024. WELCOME BACK TO OUR POSTDEBATE COVERAGE. WE ARE JOINED NOW LIVE BY OHIO SENATOR JD VANCE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING OUR COVERAGE TONIGHT. WE HAD YOUR COLLEAGUE ON, TIM SCOTT. PRETTY SURE I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SAY, BUT WHAT WERE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE DEBATE QUESTION >> TWO THINGS, FIRST OF ALL, AN INCREDIBLE CONTRAST BETWEEN THE LOW ENERGY OF JOE BIDEN AND THE HIGH ENERGY OF DONALD TRUMP. I THINK IT CREATED INCREDIBLE CONTRAST TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE BETWEEN A GUY WHO HAS HAD A FAILED RESIDENCY, BUT ALSO A VERY BAD DEBATE VERSUS A GUY WHO HAD A VERY GOOD PRESIDENCY AND A VERY GOOD DEBATE. MORE IMPORTANTLY, THERE IS A REMARKABLE DIFFERENCE IN COMPASSION SHOWN BETWEEN THE TWO CANDIDATES. THE BIDEN BORDER CRISIS, WHICH I THINK IS ALL ON JOE BIDEN, OF COURSE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DISAGREE WITH ME, NO REAL COMPASSION SHOWN FOR THE PEOPLE WHOSE CHILDREN HAD BEEN KILLED BY ILLEGAL ALIENS OR PEOPLE KILLED THEMSELVES. [ INAUDIBLE ] I THINK THAT DIFFERENCE IS GOING TO GET LOST BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH A DISASTER FOR BIDEN, BUT -- HIGHLIGHTS A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN COMPASSION BETWEEN THE TWO CANDIDATES. >> I HEAR YOU, BUT FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP ALSO HAS A LONG HISTORY OF NOT BEING COMPASSIONATE. HE DIDN'T CARE FOR SENATOR McCAIN BEING TORTURED IN A VIETNAMESE PRISON. HE HAS MADE FUN OF GOLD STAR FAMILIES, SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED ALL THROUGHOUT THE 2016 CAMPAIGN. HE ALSO HAS A LONG RECORD OF NOT SHOWING COMPASSION. >> ANYBODY CAN POINT TO A PARTICULAR MOMENT. I'M SAYING IN THIS PARTICULAR DEBATE, I THINK IT REVEALED THAT THOSE CRITICISMS ARE VERY OFTEN BASED ON A MISREPRESENTATION OF WHO HE ACTUALLY IS, BECAUSE YOU SEE HIM TALKING ABOUT AMERICA AFFECTED BY THE POLICIES OF JOE BIDEN. WHETHER YOU THINK THE BIDEN PRESIDENCY HAS BEEN A SUCCESS OR A DISASTER, I THINK IT HAS BEEN A DISASTER, YOU HAVE GOT TO RECOGNIZE THERE HAVE BEEN PEOPLE HURT BY THOSE POLICIES. NOT ONCE DID JOE BIDEN SAY I COULD HAVE DONE BETTER OR I SHOULDN'T HAVE LET THAT PERSON COME IN AND MURDER THESE INNOCENT KIDS. THERE WAS NO REAL SENSE OF COMPASSION AND PRESIDENT BIDEN AND I THINK THAT IS GOING TO LEAVE A MARK WITH THE ELECTORATES. >> OHIO USED TO BE A SWING STATE. FOR SWING VOTERS THAT ARE STILL THERE, WHAT YOU THINK THEY GOT OUT OF THIS ELECTION? IF YOU ARE A SWING VOTER, WHAT SUBSTANCE DID YOU GET OUT OF THIS DEBATE? >> THERE WERE MOMENTS OF SUBSTANCE. OBVIOUSLY, THERE WERE PERSONAL JABS BACK AND FORTH, BUT THERE WAS SOME SUBSTANCE. FOR EXAMPLE, BIDEN ACCUSED HIM OF CAUSING HIGH INFLATION. WHEN DONALD TRUMP LEFT OFFICE, INFLATION WAS 1.4%, IT SKYROCKETED ABOUT A YEAR INTO THE BIDEN PRESIDENCY. I THINK VERY CLEARLY, IF YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT THE PRICE OF GROCERIES OR A MORTGAGE, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE FACTUAL DIFFERENCE AND SAY DONALD TRUMP WAS RIGHT, INFLATION WAS LOW DURING HIS PRESIDENCY, IT ELEVATED DURING JOE BIDEN'S PRESIDENCY. I THINK THERE WAS A REAL DIFFERENCE ON FOREIGN POLICY. JOE BIDEN KEPT ACCUSING DONALD TRUMP OF BEING FRIENDLY WITH THE RUSSIANS. DROP PUSHED BACK AND SAID VLADIMIR PUTIN ACTUALLY INVADED UKRAINE ON YOUR WATCH. EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE SOME PERSONAL JABS, I ACTUALLY THINK THERE WAS MORE SUBSTANCE. >> FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP ALSO SEEMED TO ALLUDE TO THE FACT THAT JOE BIDEN WAS PRESIDENT DURING THE GEORGE FLOYD PROTEST. YOU LOSE TRACK OF THE TIMELINE OF WHEN HE WAS PRESIDENT DURING THOSE PROTESTS AND IT WAS A LITTLE CONFUSING. >> I THINK THERE WERE TWO POINTS THAT TRUMP WAS MAKING THERE. FIRST OF ALL, IT WAS A LOT OF DEMOCRATIC POLICIES, MAYORAL POLICIES, THE ATTACK ON POLICE THAT HAPPENED DURING HIS ADMINISTRATION, BUT BY DEMOCRATIC MAYORS THAT LED TO THE SPIKE IN CRIME AFTER THE GEORGE FLOYD DEATH. BUT THE SECOND POINT HE WAS MAKING PRETTY DIRECTLY IS, I THINK, LOOK, YOU GUYS WENT AFTER A LOT OF PEACEFUL PROTESTERS IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE ELECTION OF 2020, BUT YOU LET ALL OF THESE PEOPLE OFF COMPLETELY SCOT-FREE, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE BURNING DOWN AMERICAN CITIES. I THINK THAT TRUMP WAS HIGHLIGHTING THE TWO TIER SYSTEM OF JUSTICE THAT JOE BIDEN ALLOWED IN THIS COUNTRY. >> DID YOU THINK THERE WILL BE A SECOND DEBATE, AND YOU THINK FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL AGREE TO QUESTION >> I HOPE THERE WILL BE A SECOND DEBATE, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DESERVE IT. I THINK WHETHER YOU LIKE DONALD TRUMP OR JOE BIDEN, THIS WAS AN IMPORTANT CONTRAST FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO SEE. I HEAR A LOT OF DEMOCRATIC POLITICIANS SPINNING THIS THING, THEY RECOGNIZE THIS WAS A DISASTER, SO I THINK THERE WILL BE PRESSURE ON JOE BIDEN NOT TO DEBATE AGAIN, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A MISTAKE. >> YOU THINK VOTERS WILL HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT TRUMP'S TEMPERAMENT WERE REASSURED IN THIS DEBATE? I ASK THAT BECAUSE IT SEEMS WHEN PRESIDENT BIDEN HAD THOSE PERSONAL ATTACKS ABOUT PORN STAR'S, ABOUT CONVICTIONS, IT SEEMED TO REALLY RATTLE HIM AND GET HIM TO LOSE HIS COOL. HE WAS SAYING EARLIER CULTURE WAS COMPASSIONATE, TALKING ABOUT CALLING THE FAMILIES OF VICTIMS OF MORTARS -- BUT YOU KNOW PRESIDENT TRUMP SO WELL, DID HE STILL HAVE A TEMPERAMENT ISSUE? >> I DIDN'T SEE HIM LOSING HIS COOL. WHAT I SAW WAS HIM GETTING A LITTLE FIRED UP. WHEN SOMEBODY SLANDERS YOU OF CRITICIZING AMERICAN STRIPS, AND I KNOW THAT DONALD TRUMP DIDN'T SAY THAT, OF COURSE HE IS GOING TO GET FIRED UP AND PUSHED BACK, BUT HE DIDN'T LOSE HIS TEMPER. I THINK HE SHOWED A PROPER AMOUNT OF HUMAN EMOTION. RETURNING TO HIS POINTS HE WANTED TO MAKE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. I THINK IF YOU WATCH THIS, YOU SAY TO YOURSELF, THIS IS A GUY WHO SOMETIMES FEELS THINGS, BUT I DON'T THINK HE LOST HIS COOL. >> I WANT TO ASK ABOUT THE VP STAKES. IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE A NEW VERSION OF THE APPRENTICE. YOU, SENATOR RUBIO, TIM SCOTT, YOU GUYS ARE ALL FLYING AROUND, FOLLOWING FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP. IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE AN AUDITION. HOW DOES IT FEEL FOR YOU? YOU ARE A UNITED STATES SENATOR, YOU ARE REPRESENTING THE GREAT PEOPLE OF OHIO AND YOU ARE PART OF TEAM TRUMP, YOU ARE ON THIS CAMPAIGN TRAIL. DO YOU JOIN THIS PROJECT? >> I'M HAVING A GREAT TIME. FIRST OF ALL, THE BEST WAY I THINK FOR ME TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF OHIO IS TO CONTINUE TO BE A GREAT UNITED STATES SENATOR, BUT TO ADVOCATE FOR A PRESIDENT WHO IS GOING TO PUT THEIR INTERESTS FIRST, CLOSE THE BORDER, AND BRING DOWN INFLATION. THAT IS WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR ME TO BE ADVOCATING FOR DONALD TRUMP. WHATEVER HAPPENS IN THE DEEP STAKES, THE BEST THING THAT I CAN DO RIGHT NOW ON THE CITIZENRY SET IS TO MAKE AS AN EFFECTIVE OF AN ARGUMENT AS I CAN THAT WE NEED TO ELECT BETTER PEOPLE IN WASHINGTON, BECAUSE I WANT THE PEOPLE IN OHIO TO HAVE BETTER LIVES. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE BETTER LIVES IF WE CONTINUE TO HAVE CORRUPT, INEFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT. >> THE WALL STREET JOURNAL HAD AN EDITORIAL OUT AND THEY ENDORSED GOVERNOR DOUG BURGUM TO BE THE RUNNING MATE. THIS IS A TOUGH QUESTION, I'M SURE YOU READ IT. MR. VANCE AND RUBIO BRING MUCH LESS TO THE TICKET. MR. VANCE IS A YOUNG MAN TRYING TO BE DON JUNIOR, THOUGH THAT ROLE IS ALREADY TAKEN. ON FOREIGN POLICY, MR. VANCE IS A POLITICAL OPPORTUNIST AND OPPOSING MILITARY AID TO UKRAINE. WHAT DO YOU SAY? THAT'S I WOULDN'T SAY THE WALL STREET JOURNAL IS NECESSARILY CONSERVATIVE, I THINK THEY ARE OBSESSED WITH CAUSING A WAR IN EVERY CORNER OF THE WORLD. IT IS OPPORTUNISM FOR ME TO SAY THAT JOE BIDEN'S POLICY IS A DISASTER. WHEN I TOOK THAT POSITION, THAT WAS A POLITICAL MINORITY POSITION. NOW, OF COURSE, THE MARKET PEOPLE HAVE COME AROUND TO MY VIEW THAT WRITING LIMITLESS CHECKS TO A WAR THAT HAS NO END WITH A REAL RISK OF ESCALATION IS NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. WHAT I THINK WE NEED, YOUNG OR OLD, IS LEADERSHIP WHO ARE DE- ESCALATING THE WORST CONFLICTS, WHO ARE BRINGING ABOUT PEACE AND PROSPERITY IN THIS COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD. THAT IS WHY I AM SUPPORTING DONALD TRUMP. WHOEVER HE PICKS FOR VICE PRESIDENT, HE IS THE GUY WE NEED. >> HAS HE ASKED YOU TO JOIN THIS TICKET? >> HE HAS NOT. BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR HONESTY, I APPRECIATE IT. WE WILL OR NOT MORE ISRAEL CAN TO HELP THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS? X SHOULD ABORTION BE THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE IN 2024? X IF IT IS SUNDAY, IT IS MEET THE PRESS. >> IF HE WINS THIS ELECTION, OUR TRUMP TEAM DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A CHANCE OF COMING OUT OF THIS, WE PROBABLY WON'T HAVE A COUNTRY LEFT ANYMORE, THAT'S HOW BAD IT IS. HE IS THE WORST IN HISTORY BY FAR. >> THIS IS THE MOST ADMIRED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THERE IS NOTHING BEYOND OUR CAPACITY. THE FINEST MILITARY HISTORY OF THE WORLD. NO ONE THINKS WE ARE WEAK. >> WELCOME BACK. AS WE RECAP THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE. WE HAVE A GREAT PANEL LINED UP RIGHT NOW, I WANT TO TURN TO TWO OF [ INAUDIBLE ], CO-HOST OF THE WEEKEND ON MSNBC, AND FORMER CHIEF SPOKESPERSON FOR VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS AND DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION FOR TRUMP'S 2020 CAMPAIGN. I'M GOING TO BE COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT WITH OUR VIEWERS, WE ARE LIVE IN THE SPIN ROOM AND IT HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY HARD TO GET DEMOCRATS TO COME OUT HERE AND TALK TO US ON THE AIR. WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THE INTERVIEWS IN THE SPIN ROOM, BUT YOU NEED TO GET YOUR PEOPLE OUT THERE, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU WANT TO GET YOUR MESSAGE OUT THERE. WHAT HAPPENED TONIGHT AND WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THIS DEBATE? >> TOM, I HAVE HAD TO GO INTO A SPIN ROOM AFTER A TOUGH DEBATE PERFORMANCE, NOTABLY IN 2019, THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY. LOOK, I HAVE BEEN ON THE PHONE TALKING TO DEMOCRATS, CAMPAIGN OFFICIALS, AND THEY SAY THAT IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE PRESIDENT HAD A SLOW START TONIGHT. HE SAID HE WAS FIGHTING A COLD, AND BUT HE WARMED UP THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT. I WOULD ARGUE THAT THAT IS TRUE ON ITS FACE. I ALSO TALKED TO SOME MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WHO I ACTUALLY SPOKE WITH IN THE FIRST DEBATE BREAKER, WHO SAID THEY WANT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE FUTURE. THIS IS NOT THE JOE BIDEN THEY WANTED TO SHOW UP TO THE DEBATE. JOE BIDEN DIDN'T HAVE A GREAT NIGHT TONIGHT. DID HE WARM-UP MORE OVER THE COURSE OF THE DEBATE? SURE. WAS HE BETTER AT THE DEBATE WATCH PARTY ON STAGE AFTER, PUMPING UP HIS SUPPORTERS, MORE ENERGY? ABSOLUTELY. BUT THAT WAS NOT THE 90 MINUTES ON THE DEBATE STAGE, THAT 90 MINUTES MATTERED. THE QUESTION NOW IS WHAT ARE THE VOTERS GOING TO SAY? I KNOW THROUGHOUT THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS, WE SPOKE WITH GROUPS OUT THERE, TALKING TO PEOPLE, AND IS THIS GOING TO GREATLY CHANGE LOTS OF PEOPLE'S MINDS? NO, BUT JOE BIDEN DIDN'T HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. [ INAUDIBLE ] >> SIMONE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF OUR REPORTERS THROUGHOUT NBC NEWS HAVE BEEN HEARING THAT THERE IS A REAL PANIC WITHIN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY. CAN YOU SEE A SCENARIO WHERE PRESIDENT BIDEN IS NOT THE NOMINEE OR IS THAT JUST CRAZY TALK AND WE ARE JUST NOT THERE YET? >> I HONESTLY CAN'T SEE THAT SCENARIO, TOM. THAT IS JUST A FACT. IF JOE BIDEN WAS GOING TO STEP ASIDE, HE WOULD HAVE DONE SO A LONG TIME AGO. I HAVE NOT HEARD AN APPETITE FROM THE PRESIDENT NOR THE VICE PRESIDENT NOR THEIR AIDES. I HAVE SPOKEN TO ALL OF THE AIDS TONIGHT, I HAVEN'T HEARD AN APPETITE FROM ANY CAMPAIGN OFFICIALS OF THAT MESSAGE. GAVIN NEWSOM WAS ACTUALLY JUST ON IN THE SPIN ROOM, I KNOW YOU TALKED TO ALICE WAGNER AND A COUPLE OTHER FOLKS. [ INAUDIBLE ] AND I THINK YOU ARE GOING TO HEAR EVERYONE FROM GAVIN NEWSOM TO VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS AND OTHER HIGH-LEVEL DEMOCRATS SAY THAT VERY SAME THING. SO, I DON'T THINK IT IS REALITY. I DO THINK A LOT OF DEMOCRATS ARE WETTING THE BED RIGHT NOW AND QUESTIONING, AND I THINK BEDS MIGHT BE WET TONIGHT, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DRY UP SOMETIME SOON BECAUSE JOE BIDEN IS THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE. >> THROW THEM IN THE DRYER. WE SAW JOE BIDEN AT HIS WATCH PARTY. FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS A HABIT OF SOMETIMES STEPPING ON HIS OWN NEW CYCLE AND SOMETIMES STEPPING ON HIS GOOD NEWS. IF YOU WERE ADVISING HIM TONIGHT, CLEARLY, IT SOUNDS LIKE PRESIDENT BIDEN HAD A BAD NIGHT AND MR. TRUMP CAME OUT ON TOP. WHAT IS THE ADVICE TO CAPITALIZE ON THIS, HOW DOES HE CAPITALIZE ON THIS? >> STAY WITH THE SAME MESSAGE YOU HAD TONIGHT AND TAKE IT TO VIRGINIA, WHICH IS A BLUE STATE, WHICH IS NOW SUDDENLY AND PLAY. I AGREE ALSO WITH SIMONE, I DO NOT THINK JOE BIDEN WILL BE REPLACED AS A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE. I DON'T THINK THE POLITICS WORK FOR THEM, THAT MEANS IT WOULD BE STUCK WITH KAMALA HARRIS, WHO IS EVEN MORE UNPOPULAR THAN JOE BIDEN. I THINK THEY ARE BLEEDING BLACK VOTERS. IF YOU DID NOT GIVE THE NOMINATION TO THE FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT OF COLOR, THEY MIGHT NOT VOTE FOR TRUMP, THEY MIGHT JUST NOT VOTE AT ALL. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING OUR COVERAGE. STAY RIGHT THERE, WE HAVE A VERY BIG >>> NOTICEABLY ABSENT FROM TONIGHT'S DEBATE, OF COURSE, WAS INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE ROBERT F KENNEDY JR. . HE JOINS US LIVE NOW. THANK YOU FOR JOINING OUR COVERAGE ON NBC NEWS NOW BUT YOU DIDN'T QUALIFY FOR THIS DEBATE , AT LEAST 15% IN FOUR NATIONAL POLLS, OR GET ON THE BALLOT IN ENOUGH STATES. YOU HIT THREE POLES, BUT YOU DIDN'T GET ON THE BALLOT. WITHOUT A PRESENCE ON THE DEBATE STAGE, YOUR LONG SHOT HAS JUST GOTTEN LONGER. WILL YOU QUALIFY, DO YOU THINK, FOR THE SEPTEMBER DEBATE? >> I THINK SO, WE ACTUALLY DID QUALIFY FOR THIS DEBATE, WE WERE IN FIVE POLLS, INCLUDING FOUR BY CNN. ONE OF THE COMPANY IS THAT WAS ONE OF THE APPROVED 12 COMPANIES BY CNN -- CNN THROUGH THAT POLL OUT, EVEN THOUGH IT HAD ME AT 17%. CNN DID NOT WANT ME ON THIS STAGE, THE NEED AN AGREEMENT WITH THE BIDEN AND TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S OR STAFF TO KEEP ME OFF THE STAGE. I WAS ONLY ONE WHO QUALIFIED EVEN SLIGHTLY FOR BEING ON THE BALLOT IN ENOUGH STATES. 270 VOTES. I HAVE SIGNATURES SUFFICIENT TO GET ME ON THE BALLOT AND ENOUGH TO GET ME 340 ELECTORAL VOTES. SO, I QUALIFIED, AND BY THE WAY, NEITHER PRESIDENT TRUMP NOR PRESIDENT BIDEN ARE ON THE BALLOT IN ANY STATES AND THEY ARE NOT THE NOMINEES OF THEIR PARTIES. >> MR. KENNEDY, I'M LOOKING AT SOME STATS HERE THAT WERE GIVEN TO ME, BUT IT SAYS EVEN YOUR OWN CAMPAIGN SAYS YOU ARE OFFICIALLY ON THE BALLOT AND JUST EIGHT STATES, HOW WOULD YOU GET TO 270 WITH JUST EIGHT STATES? >> WE HAVE ENOUGH SIGNATURES TO GET ON THE BALLOT IN OTHER STATES, BUT THOSE STATES WON'T REGISTER US UNTIL AUGUST. SO, WE HAVE ENOUGH SIGNATURES, WE ARE COMPLETELY QUALIFIED, WE HAVE THREE TIMES THE AMOUNT OF SIGNATURES THAT WE NEED. IT SAYS UNDER THEIR OWN PROCEDURES, DO NOT REGISTER YOU UNTIL AUGUST. CNN CHOSE CRITERIA THAT WE COULDN'T MAKE. WE GOT A LOT CLOSER THAN PRESIDENT TRUMP OR PRESIDENT BIDEN, THEY'RE NOT ON THE BALLOT IN ANY STATES. >> MR. KENNEDY, WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE DEBATE TONIGHT, WERE YOU ABLE TO WATCH? >> YEAH, I ACTUALLY HAD A DEBATE , 10 MILLION PEOPLE WATCHED. WE HAD A VIRTUAL DEBATE WHERE I WAS ON THE STAGE WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN AND PRESIDENT TRUMP AND IT WAS AIRED LIVE ON EX. IT WAS LIVESTREAMED SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE DEBATE. SO, WHAT I THOUGHT OF IT, I THOUGHT IT WAS DEPRESSING. WE HAVE 341 MILLION PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY, AND IT WAS A DEBATE ABOUT -- YOU KNOW, THAT WAS FILLED WITH VITRIOL AND THE ANGER AND THE FINGER-POINTING, AND NONE OF IT -- NOBODY TALKED ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT REALLY CONCERN AMERICANS. THERE IS NOW 70% OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTRY, WE HAVE HAD A NUCLEAR BOMB GO OFF AND OUR MIDDLE CLASS, AND THE ADMINISTRATIONS OF THESE TWO PRESIDENTS. 70% OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTRY ARE NOT MAKING ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY FOR BASIC HUMAN NEEDS. I RUN INTO PEOPLE EVERY DAY, ELDERLY PEOPLE, WHO ARE SPLITTING THEIR PRESCRIPTION PILLS TO MAKE THEM STRETCH OUT FOR THE WEEK, MOTHERS WHO ARE DOWNGRADING THE INGREDIENTS AT THE CHECKOUT LINE AT THE GROCERY STORES. A YOUNG COUPLE I MET IN NEW HAMPSHIRE GOT IN A FIGHT, THEY WERE ARGUING IF THERE CRYING BABY HAS SYMPTOMS THAT WILL TAKE THEM TO THE HOSPITAL. AMERICANS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE SUFFERING LIKE THAT. >> YEAH, MR. KENNEDY, I DO WANT TO ASK YOU AN IMPORTANT QUESTION. AT SOME POINT, YOUR CAMPAIGN TEAM COMES BACK TO YOU AND SAYS, LISTEN, THIS IS JUST NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, WE ARE NOT GOING TO GET ON ALL THE BALLOTS, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE PRESIDENT, WHO WOULD YOU THROW YOUR SUPPORT BEHIND? >> I SAID THIS TO PRESIDENT BIDEN, THAT RIGHT NOW, I AM THE ONLY ONE TO DEFEAT PRESIDENT TRUMP IN APRIL. SO, PRESIDENT BIDEN CAN BE PRESIDENT TRUMP. I CAN BEAT HIM AND THE BIGGEST POLLS ARE SHOWING THE BEATING PRESIDENT TRUMP, I BEAT PRESIDENT BIDEN IN A LANDSLIDE. I AM NOT THE ONE WHO SHOULD BE WITHDRAWING FROM THE RACE AND I'M NOT GOING TO BE. I WILL TAKE A SPOILER PLEDGE -- [ INAUDIBLE ] WHOEVER IS LESS LIKELY TO BEAT DONALD TRUMP WILL WITHDRAW. I WILL TAKE THAT PLEDGE. >> MR. KENNEDY, WE ONLY HAVE A MINUTE, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THOSE POLES, BUT I WILL DEFINITELY LOOK OUT FOR THEM. FROM ATLANTA. THANK YOU