Kamala Harris and Donald Trump face off in 2024 presidential debate: Full analysis

♪ ♪ >>> THIS IS NBC NEWS SPECIAL COVERAGE OF THE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE BETWEEN KAMALA HARRIS AND DONALD TRUMP. >> WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS CLEAN UP DONALD TRUMP'S MESS. >> THE TWO CANDIDATES MEETING IN PERSON FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER. >> FOR EVERYONE WATCHING WHO REMEMBERS JANUARY 6, I SAY WE DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK. >> I CREATED ONE OF THE GREATEST ECONOMIES IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY. >> THE HISTORIC FACE-OFF. >> WHAT SHE SAYS IS AN ABSOLUTE LIE. >> THE FORMER PRESIDENT, BATTLING TO WIN BACK THE WHITE HOUSE. >> I HAD NO INFLATION. THEY HAD THE HIGHEST INFLATION PERHAPS OF THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY. >> THE VICE PRESIDENT, GUNNING TO BE THE NATION'S FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT. EACH ARGUING THE OTHER IS UNFIT TO LEAD THE COUNTRY. >> DONALD TRUMP ACTUALLY HAS NO PLAN FOR YOU, BECAUSE HE IS MORE INTERESTED IN DEFENDING HIMSELF THAN HE IS LOOKING OUT FOR YOU. >> EVERYTHING THAT SHE BELIEVED THREE YEARS AGO AND FOUR YEARS AGO IS OUT THE WINDOW. >> IS THE BIGGEST EVENT YET OF THE 2024 ELECTION. >> I PROBABLY TOOK A BULLET TO THE HEAD BECAUSE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY SAY ABOUT ME. >> DONALD TRUMP WAS FIRED BY 81 MILLION PEOPLE. >> IT COULD DETERMINE WHO WINS THE WHITE HOUSE IN NOVEMBER. >> PEOPLE WANT TO TAKE THE COUNTRY BACK PERIODS I THINK IT'S CLEAR. >> THE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE IN PHILADELPHIA. TOM LLAMAS IN THE NEW YORK STUDIOS IN NEW YORK, HALLIE JACKSON. >> GOOD EVENING, I AM TOM LLAMAS. HAILLE WILL JOIN US IN JUST A MOMENT. WHAT COULD BE THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL NIGHT. THE HISTORIC HANDSHAKE BETWEEN, HARRIS AND FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE TWO OF THEM EVER MET. TEMPERS RAN HOT TONIGHT WITH PERSONAL ATTACKS JUST MINUTES INTO THE HOUR AND A HALF LONG DEBATE. HAMMERING MR. TRUMP ON REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, OVERTURNING ROE V WADE. >> NOWHERE IN AMERICA IS A WOMAN CARRYING A PRESIDENCY TO TERM AND ASKING FOR AN ABORTION. THAT IS NOT HAPPENING. THAT'S INSULTING. >> THE FORMER PRESIDENT PREFERRING TO TALK MORE ABOUT IMMIGRATION. AND ACCUSING THE VICE PRESIDENT OF ALLOWING UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS IN THE COUNTRY. A LOT OF THESE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS COMING IN, THEY ARE TRYING TO GET THEM TO VOTE. THEY CAN'T EVEN SPEAK ENGLISH. THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT COUNTRY THEY ARE IN PRACTICALLY. THAT'S WHY THEY ARE ALLOWING THEM TO COME INTO OUR COUNTRY. >> FACT CHECKING ALSO BECOMING A BIG PART OF THE NIGHT. THE MODERATOR STEPPING IN TO CORRECT THE RECORD REPEATEDLY. ALSO WHEN THE FORMER PRESIDENT REFUSED TO BACK DOWN FROM THE FALSE CLAIM THAT HE WON THE 2020 ELECTION. >> IN THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS LEADING UP TO THIS DEBATE, YOU SAID, QUOTE, THAT YOU DIDN'T QUITE MAKE IT AND THAT YOU CAME UP A LITTLE BIT SHORT. ARE YOU NOT ACKNOWLEDGING THAT YOU LOST? >> NO, I DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AT ALL. I SAID THAT SARCASTICALLY. THAT WAS SAID SARCASTICALLY. THERE IS SO MUCH PROOF. >> LET'S GO RIGHT TO MY NBC NEWS COLLEAGUE PETE ALEXANDER. HE COVERS THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN HERE. TELL ME WHAT YOU ARE HEARING. >> INSIDE THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN, THEY ARE VERY CONFIDENT IN HOW HE PERFORMED TONIGHT. IF YOU GO ONE LAYER OUT, THERE ARE THOSE WHO ARE ROOTING FOR THIS CAMPAIGN, THEY ARE FRUSTRATED. INCLUDING SOME FOLKS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THE DEBATE PREPARATIONS FOR THIS PRESIDENT WHO DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WERE PRESENTED TO HIM. SOME OF THEM ARE FRUSTRATED ABOUT THE MODERATORS, FRUSTRATED ABOUT THE TOPICS, FRUSTRATED THAT KAMALA HARRIS DIDN'T GET ASKED A DIRECT QUESTION ABOUT INFLATION, WHICH THEY THINK IS ONE OF THEIR STRONGEST ISSUES. THEY REALIZE THAT HE DID TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WHAT THEY WERE TRYING TO DO. THEY SAID THEY WANTED TO MAKE KAMALA HARRIS OWN MOST LIBERAL PAST POSITIONS THAT SHE'S TAKEN. EVEN WITH FRACKING. HE WASN'T ABLE TO TIE HER TO THE THINGS THEY FELT LIKE THEY NEEDED TO TIE HER TO. >> I'M GETTING A SENSE FROM REPUBLICANS THAT I'M TALKING TO THAT IT WAS A SHIFT CHANGE WHEN YOU COMPARE IT TO THE ATLANTA DEBATE. THEY WERE VICTORIOUS, HAPPY, CONGRATULATING EACH OTHER. HERE THERE IS FRUSTRATION, ANGER, THEY ARE BLAMING MODERATORS. HAS THE FORMER PRESIDENT SPOKE OUT YET? >> TWO THINGS, ONE DEBATING THAT IT WAS 3 ON 1. I EXPECT WE WILL HEAR MORE OF THAT. AND HE POSTED A MEME. THAT LINE WHEN HE ARGUED WITH THE MODERATORS ABOUT IMMIGRANTS EATING PETS. SOMEBODY WAS MUCH MORE ONLINE THAN MILLIONS OF VIEWERS TONIGHT WILL PROBABLY HAVE NO IDEA TO WHAT HE IS EVEN REFERENCED INTO. THAT IS NOT THE TURF THAT THE CAMPAIGN WAS TO BE FIGHTING FOR. >> SHE MENTIONED JD VANCE IS SOMEWHERE HERE IN THE REPORT ROOM. I DO WANT TO ASK ABOUT THAT MOMENT THOUGH, WHEN THE MODERATORS ASKED FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP THAT HE SAID -- TALKING ABOUT THAT MOMENT, IT SEEMED LIKE THE TICKET WAS ON THE SAME PAGE. >> THIS IS REALLY STRIKING. HE SAID EVERY POSITION ON ABORTION. THEY SAID HE BELIEVE IT'S BEEN AN ISSUE FOR THE STATES. HE HAS NOT ANSWERED DIRECTLY ABOUT WHETHER HE WOULD VETO IT. JD VANCE WAS ON MEET THE PRESS TWO WEEKS AGO, KRISTEN WELKER ASKED HIM ABOUT THAT, AND THEY SAID THAT IF HE DOESN'T SUPPORT THE BAN, HE WOULD VETO IT. THAT'S THE SECOND TIME I CAN THINK OF OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD WHERE HE HAS DISTANCED HIMSELF. NOW, A TAX CREDIT. THEY ARE NOT ON THE SAME PAGE AND THAT IS A PROBLEM FOR THE TICKET. WHAT IS THE OUT THERE TALKING ABOUT? >> ALL RIGHT. I WANT TO GO TO MY FRIEND PETER ALEXANDER WHO WAS OUT THERE IN THE >> ROOM SOMEWHERE. YOU HAVE A SENSE RIGHT NOW OF WHAT THEY ARE TELLING YOU? >> YES, THERE HAVE BEEN A SERIES OF ITEMS DEVELOPING RIGHT NOW. FIRST, WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FROM KAMALA HARRIS. A MAN WHO IMMEDIATELY AFTER THIS , THAT WAS FUN. LET'S DO IT AGAIN IN OCTOBER. CLEARLY A MESSAGE SENT BY THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT THEY WOULD LIKE FOR THERE TO BE A SECOND HARRIS- TRUMP DEBATE. WE WILL TRY TO BRING THAT TO YOU. WHAT WE ARE HEARING FROM OFFICIALS, WHO ARE DESCRIBING THIS AS JUST A PLETHORA. HOW DID THEY SAY SPECIFICALLY? THAT THEY HAD SO MUCH THEY WERE HOPING TO AMPLIFY. NOTABLY, FOCUSING ON THE TOPIC OF ABORTION. ACCORDING TO THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN, THEY SAY THEY SAW A DRAMATIC GAP, ONE OF THE BIGGEST THEY'VE EVER SEEN, PARTICULARLY FROM THE VOTERS, WOMEN IN PARTICULAR WHO SAY THAT THEY WERE SATISFIED AND SUPPORTIVE OF THE WORDS THEY HEARD FROM KAMALA HARRIS. AND THEN MOST NOTABLY, PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, TAYLOR SWIFT WITH 283 MILLION FOLLOWERS ON HER ACCOUNT WITHIN THE LAST FIVE MINUTES HAVE PUBLICLY COME OUT IN FAVOR OF, HARRIS AND TIM WALZ. SHE WILL BE VOTING FOR THEM. SHE SAID SHE CAME TO THE CONCLUSION AFTER SHE SAW THAT THERE WAS AN A.I. FALSE ACCOUNT THAT SUGGESTED SHE WAS SUPPORTING DONALD TRUMP. SHE SAID THE WAY WAS TO MAKE IT VERY PUBLICLY CLEAR WHERE SHE STANDS. SHE SAYS I WILL BE CASTING MY VOTE FOR KAMALA HARRIS AND TIM WALZ. I AM VOTING FOR KAMALA HARRIS, SHE ADDED, BECAUSE SHE FIGHTS FOR THE RIGHTS. WHEN JOE BIDEN WAS THE RESIDENTIAL NOMINEE, THERE WAS A REAL CONCERN AMONG DEMOCRATS. THOSE FIRST-TIME VOTERS IN MANY CASES, THAT THEY WERE -- 86 AT THE END OF THE SECOND TERM., HARRIS, STATING HERSELF AS THE GENERATIONAL CANDIDATE. THAT SENDS A VERY CLEAR MESSAGE, ESPECIALLY THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT THE VALUE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE MAY FIND IN A HARRIS PRESIDENCY GOING FORWARD. AND HEARING FROM DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS, ONE OF THE THINGS WAS THE SENSE THAT KAMALA HARRIS, SHE DIDN'T ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS, WHICH RECEIVED SOME CRITICISM. THEY DO BELIEVE SHE SUCCEEDED IN MAKING IT NOT SO MUCH ABOUT THE BIDEN-HARRISON -- BIDEN- HARRIS. >> CAN YOU GET A SENSE THAT THERE WILL BE A SECOND DEBATE IF THEY WOULD EVEN WANT THAT? OR IS IT ONE AND DONE? >> YEAH. FOR THE FIRST ONE, THAT WAS MENTIONED WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR. HE CAME OUT PUBLICLY. HE SAID THAT WAS FUN, LET'S DO IT AGAIN IN OCTOBER. HE'S THE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN. IT APPEARS CLEAR THAT THEY ARE GLAD TO DO THIS AGAIN. WE ARE WAITING FOR REACTION FROM THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN. THAT WAS FOCUSED ON JOE BIDEN'S DEBATE. HE WAS PUSHING FOR IT. WE HAVE NOT YET HEARD FROM THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN IN RESPONSE TO THAT. >> ALL RIGHT, PETER ALEXANDER. WE APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR REPORTING. REPUBLICAN SENATOR FROM ARKANSAS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. YOUR THOUGHTS COMING OUT OF THIS DEBATE? >> I THOUGHT IT WAS A VERY GOOD DEBATE FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP. THEY LAID OUT A GOOD CONTRAST BETWEEN NOT MAKING PROMISES, OR PREDICTIONS ABOUT WHAT THESE CANDIDATES DO. PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS BEEN AN OFFICE BEFORE. WE KNOW WHAT KIND OF PRESIDENT PRESIDENT TRUMP WOULD BE. DEEP PROSPERITY AROUND THE WORLD. RIGHT NOW, THE BORDER IS WIDE OPEN, AND WE HAVE WAR AND CONFLICT ALL AROUND THE WORLD. NO MATTER WHAT YOU HEARD TONIGHT, IT'S A CLEAR RECORD. >> THE PROBLEM, IT WAS IN THE LAST TWO MINUTES OF THIS DEBATE. DO YOU THINK THE VICE PRESIDENT WAS SUCCESSFUL IN MAKING THIS DEBATE ABOUT DONALD TRUMP, AND NOT ABOUT BIDEN-HARRIS? >> YEAH, I THINK SHE WAS SUCCESSFUL IN HOLDING HER OWN LIBERAL EFFORTS. HE DID A GOOD JOB OF CALLING IT OUT THROUGHOUT THE DEBATE. THAT SHE DOES SUPPORT A BAN ON FRACKING. SHE SUPPORTS A BAN ON GAS POWER CARS. SHE WAS TO DECRIMINALIZE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. WE JUST LEARNED THIS WEEK, SHE WAS THE U.S. TAXPAYERS TO PLAY -- PAY FOR SURGERIES FOR -- IN AMERICA. NOT AS A YOUNG WOMAN IN COLLEGE, OR KIND OF IN A LIVE SETTIN THOSE ARE HER POSITIONS THAT SHE TOLD WHEN SHE WAS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT IN HER OWN RIGHT, AND SHE WAS SERVING IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE. >> I GET IT. I JUST WANT TO GO ON THE RECORD. >> SHE'S LYING. BERTIE CENTERS -- BERNIE SANDERS ON YOUR NETWORK SAID THAT. >> RIGHT. I DO WANT TO ASK, WHY DO YOU THINK REPUBLICANS, AT LEAST THE ONES I TALKED TO, IT WAS A MUCH DIFFERENT VIBE COMING OUT OF THAT DEBATE. >> THE ATLANTA DEBATE WAS HISTORIC. TRUMP ENDED JOE BIDEN'S PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN. HE DID A GREAT JOB TONIGHT. I THOUGHT IN SOME WAYS IT WAS 3 ON 1. SHE CLAIMS SHE DOESN'T SUPPORT ABORTION IN THOSE MONTHS OF PRESIDENCY -- OF PREGNANCY. >> YOU KNOW THIS, EVEN THOUGH YOU GUYS THOUGHT THEY WERE. >> I THOUGHT HE DID A GOOD JOB. >> NO, NOT AT ALL. >> HOW CAN YOU BE PREPARED TO DEFEND A BAN ON FRACKING? >> THESE ARE HER POSITIONS. AS VICE PRESIDENT, AND AS A SENATOR. >> BEFORE WE GO, DO YOU THINK THERE IS ANOTHER PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE? >> KAMALA HARRIS REFUSED TO TAKE HIM UP ON IT. YOU WILL SEE MORE OF WHAT YOU SAW TONIGHT, A CLEAR CONTRAST. BUT I WILL LEAVE THAT TO PRESIDENT TRUMP. >> SOME VOTERS ARE STILL UNDECIDED. SENATOR, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> TOM LLAMAS THERE IN VERY BUSY AND VERY ACTIVE CENTER THERE. MEET THE PRESS NOW' KRISTEN WELKER, AND CHUCK TODD IS WITH US, AS WELL. LET ME GO TO YOU. YOU'VE HEARD NOW FROM OUR REPORTERS ON THE GROUND. GIVE US A SENSE OF WHAT THINGS LOOK LIKE TOMORROW MORNING. WE WILL WAKE UP, THERE WILL BE A NEW CYCLE THAT UNFOLDS. WHAT WOULD THAT BE LIKE? >> I THINK VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS, WE REPORTED THE STRATEGY TO GET UNDER FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP. JANUARY 6th, CROWD SIZES, SHE BROUGHT UP JOHN McCAIN AT THE END. YOU HAVE TRUMP ALLIES SAYING, LOOK, HE'S ON THE DEFENSES WAY TOO MUCH TONIGHT. YOU ALSO HAVE ALLIES SAYING SHE NEEDS TO FLUSH OUT HER ECONOMIC PROPOSALS. AND TO ANSWER THE QUESTION THAT WAS LEFT UNANSWERED AT THE TOP OF THE DEBATE ABOUT WHY PEOPLE SHOULD FEEL BETTER THAN THEY DID FOUR YEARS AGO, AND WHAT THEY WOULD DO TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL BETTER ABOUT THE HIGH PRICES OF GROCERIES. AND YOU DID HEAR HER LAY OUT SOME OF HER POLICIES. BUT THAT IS THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE FOR VOTERS RIGHT NOW. BUT HER ALLIES BELIEVE SHE SHOULD BE HAMMERING THOSE POINTS OVER AND OVER AGAIN. THE BASICALLY TODAY, THIS EVENING, AND THE DEBATE IS TO START THE MOMENTUM SHE SHOULD TAKE MOVING FORWARD. >> REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS IS AN ISSUE WHERE, HERESIES APOLITICAL VULNERABILITY. THAT CAME UP HERE IN AN ISSUE WHERE SHE UPHOLDS HIM. I'M CURIOUS WHERE YOU SEE THAT, CONSIDERING THAT SOMETHING THEY HEARD A FEW MOMENTS AGO. ONE OF HER STRONGEST MOMENTS -- THIS ISSUE OF ABATING. LET ME START THERE. AND I WILL COME BACK HERE. >> OKAY. LET ME STICK TO THAT ISSUE FOR SECOND. HERE'S ALL I CAN THINK OF. SHE WAS TALKING VERY SPECIFICALLY ABOUT A WOMAN SITTING IN A PARKING LOT BLEEDING OUT BECAUSE THERE WAS CONCERN ABOUT THE LAW. DO YOU KNOW WHO MADE THE REBUTTAL ON THAT ISSUE? JOE BIDEN. IT WAS SO STRIKING TO ME. HE WAS REALLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST WEAKNESSES OF THE CAMPAIGN HE WAS RUNNING. HIS INABILITY WITH WHATEVER IT IS. HAS ON RELIGIOUS BELIEFS ON THAT, FRANKLY 40 YEARS OF TALKING ABOUT ABORTION ONE WAY. AND THEN THE CONVERSATION CHANGED, HE DIDN'T REALLY EVOLVE OR MODERNIZE WITH IT. THAT IS WHAT STRUCK ME. I THINK THE CONTRAST IS MUCH CLEARER BETWEEN KAMALA HARRIS AND DONALD TRUMP THAN IT WAS BETWEEN JOE BIDEN AND DONALD TRUMP. EVERYTHING ELSE, HE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD THAT CLEAR CONTRAST. ON THAT ISSUE MORE THAN ANY OTHER, THAT'S SOMETHING YOU WOULDN'T HAVE SEEN. 2016, 2020, OR THE ONE WE SAW LAST YEAR. >> AS WE ALL KNOW, IT MOVES FAST, THINGS GO QUICKLY. BACK IN PHILADELPHIA, LET ME TURN IT OVER TO YOU, THEN WE WILL COME BACK AND CHECK. >> ALL RIGHT, HAILLE. THANK YOU FOR THAT. GOVERNOR, YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS DEBATE? >> I MEAN, IF THIS WAS A FIGHT, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A TKO AGAINST TRUMP IN THE SECOND ROUND. IT WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY PERFORMANCE FROM THE GET-GO. SHE HAD THE DECENCY TO GO UP AND SHAKE HIS HAND, INTRODUCE HERSELF AS KAMALA HARRIS. SHE COMMANDED THE STAGE FROM THE MOMENT THAT DEBATE BEGAN. >> LET'S TALK ABOUT STRATEGY. SHE MADE THE DEBATE ABOUT DONALD TRUMP, NOT ABOUT THE BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION. WHY IS THAT APOLLO -- A POSITIVE? >> SHE KEPT LOOKING IN THE CAMERA TALKING ABOUT YOU, TALKING ABOUT ME, TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT MATTER TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. ON CHILD CARE. SHE WAS CONSISTENT IN PAINTING NOT ONLY A PICTURE OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION IN THE CONTEXT OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF BIDEN AND HARRIS, BUT A COMPELLING FUTURE OF THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. >> SHE WAS SO DISCIPLINED IS THE WORD. EVERY TIME THEY ASKED THE QUESTION, SHE WOULD ANSWERED ABOUT TRUMP, AND THEN GO INTO HER RESPONSE. YOU DIDN'T GET A LOT OF POLICY, TO BE QUITE FAIR. THIS WAS A LOT ABOUT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. >> WELL, YOU GOT CONTRAST. IT WAS A COMPLIMENT TO VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS, HER ABILITY TO BRING YOU INTO THE STORY, TO TELL HER STORY, TO HUMANIZE THE ISSUE. SHE WAS ON THE DEFENSIVE FROM DAY ONE. THE PURPOSE TODAY WAS TO WIN THE DEBATE. TO SHOW SHE HAS CHARACTER AND TEMPERANCE, TO SHOW SHE CAN TAKE ON A BULLY LIKE DONALD TRUMP. I THINK SHE DID IT. SHE ALSO DID THIS. SHE TALKED ABOUT ALL OF US, NOT JUST SOME OF US. THE BEST PART AT THE END HE WAS TALKING ABOUT A SPECIFIC RACE. THE FACT THAT WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. IT WAS A FANTASTIC NIGHT. >> DO YOU THINK THERE IS ANOTHER ONE? WOULD YOU TELL THEM TO HAVE A DEBATE? >> I THINK IT'S ONE AND DONE. SET ANYWHERE, ANYTIME. BY THE WAY, THAT WAS WEAKNESS. I USUALLY COMPLEMENT WEAKNESS MASQUERADING. HE WAS WEAK ACROSS THE BOARD. >> YOU THINK IT WILL BE GOOD FOR THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN? >> GOOD FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, GOOD FOR DEMOCRACY, FREEDOM. ABSOLUTELY GOOD FOR KAMALA HARRIS. >> YOU THINK HER PARTY, HER HANDLERS AND THE CAMPAIGN MAY BE LOOSENING THE REINS A LITTLE BIT MAYBE SHE DOES TOWN HALLS WHERE SHE IS ACTUALLY TALKING TO VOTERS. WERE DEMOCRATS NERVOUS ABOUT HER? AND NOW SHE HAS SET THE EXPECTATION? >> MAYBE SOMEWHERE, BUT NOT ME. FORGIVE ME. WE'VE KNOWN ABOUT IT FOR DECADES IN CALIFORNIA. I'VE WATCHED THAT KAMALA HARRIS FOR YEARS, AND YEARS, AND YEARS. THE GOOD NEWS, SHE KEEPS GETTING BETTER, AND BETTER, AND BETTER. YOUR QUESTION ABOUT GETTING OUT THERE EVEN MORE, ABSOLUTELY YOU WILL SEE IT. >> YOU KNOW A LOT ABOUT POLITICS. WILL IT MATTER AT ALL? DID TAYLOR SWIFT ENDORSEMENT? >> VERY SIGNIFICANT. THERE IS AN ENERGY AND PRIDE THAT COMES WITH THAT. AND ENERGY OF YOUTH, IMAGINATION. MY FOUR CHILDREN, ALL ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 15. THEY SEEM TO KNOW MORE ABOUT EVERYTHING GOING ON IN TAYLOR SWIFT LIFE. I GUARANTEE YOU THE NEXT 24 HOURS, THEY WILL TELL YOU ABOUT THIS WITH US, AND MORE ABOUT TAYLOR SWIFT ENDORSEMENT, AND THE WAY SHE DID IT. AND THE WAY WOMEN HAVE BEEN TREATED IN THIS COUNTRY. THAT, I THINK IT IS ALSO PROFOUNDLY SIGNIFICANT. >> CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. YOU CAN FEEL THE VIBE THERE FROM THE CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR AFTER THIS DEBATE. >> I MEAN, HE'S HAPPY. >> TO SAY THE LEAST. I WATCHED THAT INTERVIEW. I'M TEXTING WITH FOLKS AROUND THE DEMOCRATIC ORBIT. THERE IS STILL A LONG WAY TO GO BEFORE ELECTION DAY. LET ME BRING YOU BACK TO STEVE KORNACKI HERE. THE QUESTION, DO DEBATES MATTER? IN A RACE THIS CLOSE, AND AS WE'VE BEEN SAYING, COMPETITIVE AS HECK RIGHT NOW, HOW DID THIS PLAY OUT? >> THIS IS WHERE I FIND MYSELF THE ABOUT IT, CERTAINLY TONIGHT, I THINK TRUMP WILL TAKE SOME HEAT FOR IT IN THE COUPLE DAYS. I AM REMINDED THAT IN FOUR OF HIS PREVIOUS GENERAL ELECTION DEBATES, DONALD TRUMP WAS CLOBBERED IN THE PUBLIC OPINION POLLS AFTER THOSE DEBATES. THESE ARE SOME OF THE POSTDEBATE MARGINS. 23 POINTS, 21 POINTS, 25 POINTS TO JOE BIDEN IN THE FIRST DEBATE IN 2020. YOU LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS, OF COURSE YOU REMEMBER THAT HE WON THE ELECTION. ONE OF THE DYNAMICS, HE WOULD HAVE THOSE MOMENTS WHERE HE WOULD TAKE A HIT IN THE POLLS. ACCESS HOLLYWOOD IS ONE OF THE ULTIMATE EXAMPLES HERE. IT WILL TAKE ABOUT A WEEK'S TIME FOR EVERYTHING TO CYCLE BACK. AS WE ABSORB THIS DEBATE, YOU SEE WITH THE COVERAGE LOOKS LIKE IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. KEEP THAT IN MIND. ARE WE LOOKING UP AND SAYING, WELL, THE POLLS HAVEN'T CHANGED THAT MUCH. THE WAY YOU ARE TURNING IT AROUND, THE WAY IT WOULD BE DIFFERENT, HILLARY CLINTON, DONALD TRUMP'S OPPONENT, WAS EXTREMELY FAMILIAR. JOE BIDEN HAVE BEEN THE VICE PRESIDENT. HERE'S, HARRIS, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS WITH THE QUARTER OF VOTERS. THEY NEEDED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HER. AGAIN, THEY ARE BRINGING HER FAVOR. IS THERE ROOM FOR COLOR TO -- FOR HER TO CAPITALIZE? >> TALKING NUMBERS, I ALSO DON'T WANT TO BE TOO ABOVE THIS THING THAT WILL BE THE POP CULTURE MOMENT COMING OUT OF TONIGHT, WHICH OF COURSE IS TAYLOR SWIFT. >> WHEN SHE POSTED TO INSTAGRAM TELLING PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVED, TO REGISTER TO VOTE, 35,000 VOTER REGISTRATIONS. SHE'S GOT A PLATFORM, AND AUDIENCE. AGAIN, WE ARE NOT TOO -- YOU KNOW. >> IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT. >> SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU, DONALD TRUMP IS WALKING INTO THE CENTER, WHICH IS A VERY INTERESTING MOVE. VERY UNUSUAL. LET'S LISTEN IN. I THINK GARRETT HAAKE IS THERE. >> IT SHOWS HOW WEAK THEY ARE, HOW PATHETIC THEY ARE. WHAT THEY ARE DOING TO DESTROY OUR COUNTRY, THE BORDER. WE ARE GETTING POLLS SHOWING A LOT OF GREAT POLLS. YOU SEE THE POLLS. A VERY IMPORTANT DEBATE. SHE WANTS TO DO ANOTHER ONE. I DON'T KNOW IF WE ARE GOING TO DO ANOTHER ONE. THE POLLS ARE INDICATING THAT 90%, 60%, 71%, AND 89%. THE POLLS ARE VERY GOOD. BEYOND THAT, I FELT VERY GOOD. I HAD A GOOD TIME DOING IT. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED, IT RUINED OUR COUNTRY. IT RUINED OUR COUNTRY. I HOPE YOU ARE ALL HAVING A GOOD TIME. IT WAS VERY INTERESTING. >> WHY HERE? >> WELL, I THINK YOU DID. I MADE AN OBLIGATION TO A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THAT I WOULD DO THIS. I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT TIME. >> [ INAUDIBLE QUESTION ] >> WHAT IS YOUR REACTION THAT TAYLOR SWIFT IS VOTING FOR KAMALA HARRIS? >> I HAVE NO IDEA. >> REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN FIGHTING ABOUT MODERATORS. DOES THAT MEAN IT WASN'T A GOOD NIGHT? >> IT WAS BASICALLY 3 ON 1. DESPITE THAT, THEY ARE SAYING THAT. I ASSUME THAT THE MODERATORS WOULD BE BAD BECAUSE THAT RIGHT THERE IS THE WORST OF ALL OF THE NETWORKS, IN MY OPINION. >> WILL THERE BE A SECOND DEBATE? >> SHE WANTS ONE BECAUSE SHE LOST VERY BADLY. THEY IMMEDIATELY CALLED FOR SECOND DEBATE BECAUSE THEY LOST. WE WILL THINK ABOUT THAT, BUT SHE IMMEDIATELY CALLED FOR ONE. THE WORST POLL THAT WE HAD WAS 71 THAT I SEE. 71%. >> WELL, WE WILL LOOK AT IT. >> IT WAS OBVIOUSLY 3 ON 1. >> WHO ARE YOU WITH? I LOVE THIS GUY! >> YOU CAN TELL BY THE HEART TO HEAR AUDIO AND ANGLES, THIS WAS NOT AN EXPECTED APPEARANCE. HE WALKED IN FRONT OF ANOTHER NUMBER OF REPORTERS. IS WALKING BACK OVER NOW, LITTLE CLOSER TO THE MICROPHONES. >> SHE'S TRYING TO GET HERSELF AWAY FROM BIDEN. SHE WASN'T ABLE TO DO THAT TONIGHT. I THINK THAT WAS A BIG THING. THEY WERE UNABLE TO DO THAT. >> WE ARE BEING SUPER TRANSPARENT WITH YOU HERE. THERE IS A BIT OF A BUBBLE AROUND HIM. HE'S WALKING AROUND, TALKING TO PEOPLE. WE WILL KEEP THIS UP IN CASE WE GET THERE. >> I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT DEBATE, IN MY OPINION. >> WHAT ABOUT BLACK VOTERS, MR. PRESIDENT? >> I LOVE BLACK VOTERS. >> THAT'S TRUE. YOU TAKE A LOOK AT IT. YOU CAN CHECK IT OUT. >> I REALLY DON'T KNOW. I TELL THE TRUTH. I LOSE VOTES OR GAIN VOTES, I DON'T CARE. THIS WAS MY BEST DEBATE. I WAS VERY GOOD. I THOUGHT SHE WAS VERY WEAK AS FAR AS POLICY, AND WEEK ON THE BORDER. I'M VERY HAPPY. >> FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP HERE HOLDING COURT. THE FORMER PRESIDENT, REPEATEDLY DESCRIBING THIS AS THE BEST DEBATE IN HIS VIEW. IT WAS THE FORMER PRESIDENTS OPPONENT WHO DROPPED OUT OF THE RACE ALTOGETHER BECAUSE OF THE DEBATE, AND THERE HAS BEEN SOME NEWS MADE HERE AS FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP IS DECLINING TO COMMIT TO A SECOND DEBATE. WE ARE LOOKING AT FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP WALKING AROUND HERE. GIVE US A SENSE OF THE DIVIDE. KAMALA HARRIS -- HE'S DOWN TO DO IT, SHE'S DOWN TO DO IT, BUT HE IS DECLINING TO TAKE IT. >> IT'S INTERESTING, THIS DEBATE MIGHT HAVE BEEN 90 MINUTES, AND I THINK DONALD TRUMP HAS TURNED INTO 100, MAYBE -- A DAY. WE WERE WATCHING TO SEE WHERE HE GOES. JUST BEYOND THIS, FOX NEWS. WE WILL KEEP AN EYE TO SEE WHERE HE'S HEADED. WE ARE READY TO GO. WE HAVE A MICROPHONE READY TO TALK TO HIM. AS YOU SAID, REPUBLICANS IN A MUCH DIFFERENT MOOD AFTER THIS DEBATE. THAT'S BEEN CLEAR ON ALL CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD. I'M SORT OF FOLLOWING THE CROWD AND THE NOISE. IT SOUNDS LIKE FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP IS SOMEHOW BACKSTAGE RIGHT NOW. I CAN SEE THROUGH THE CURTAINS HERE. HE'S WALKING THROUGH BACKSTAGE ESSENTIALLY WHERE THE ORGANIZERS OF THE DEBATE ARE HOSTING THIS. I THINK THEY WILL BRING HIM ON. WE REALLY HAVE NO IDEA WHERE. BUT IN THE MEANTIME, I WILL SEND IT BACK TO YOU. I WILL LET YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS. >> I WILL SEE YOU IN PROBABLY ABOUT 10 MINUTES FROM NOW. ARE YOU SURPRISED DONALD TRUMP SHOWED UP AFTER THIS DEBATE AT ALL? AND ARE YOU SURPRISED HE IS DECLINING TO COMMIT TO A SECOND DEBATE? >> LOOK, YOU UTTERED THE RULE. RIGHT? WHEN A CANDIDATE THEMSELVES GOING TO THE SPIN ROOM, WE KNOW THEY HAD A BAD NIGHT. I KNOW THE WAY TRUMP THINKS ON THIS. HE KNOWS HE'S GETTING ROASTED IN ALL OF THE POSTDEBATE, SO HE IS TRYING TO SORT OF INTERRUPT THAT CONVERSATION, INTERRUPT IT ON ALL THE DIFFERENT NETWORKS TO TRY TO SHOW SOME FORM OF STRENGTH. IT JUST WASN'T A GOOD NIGHT. I'M NOT SURPRISED. YOU KNOW, THESE DEBATES ARE GOOD FOR HIM. HE'S MADE THE POINT, HE'S NEVER BEEN SEEN AS WINNING ANY OF THESE DEBATES. AGAIN AGAINST HILLARY CLINTON AND JOE BIDEN. HE'S NOT A LIKABLE PERSON DURING THESE DEBATES. AND THAT COMES THROUGH IN PUBLIC OPINION. BUT GUESS WHAT? HE SEEMS TO SURVIVE THESE MOMENTS BECAUSE HE HAS A STRONG BASE OF SUPPORT. I DON'T THINK HE PERSUADED ANYBODY NEW. THE QUESTION IS, THE KAMALA HARRIS PERSUADE ANYBODY TO HER SIDE QUICK I ALSO UNDERSTAND WHY KAMALA HARRIS WANT ANOTHER DEBATE. I DON'T THINK SHE DID ENOUGH TO EXPLAIN TO VOTERS WHAT SHE WOULD DO. I THINK THEIR STRATEGY WAS PRETTY CLEAR. DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO SHOWCASE CHAOS. AND THAT'S WHAT SHE DID. IN THAT SENSE, SHE DID A GREAT JOB OF THAT. IT WAS ALL COUNTER PUNCHES. IT WAS CONSTANT. TO THE POINT HE EVEN TOOK THE INHERITED DEBATE THAT SHE THREW AT HIM. RIGHT? A LITTLE SHOT ABOUT THE FACT THAT HE INHERITED HIS WEALTH. AND THAT HE HAD TALKED ABOUT THAT. >> RIGHT. >> CHARLOTTESVILLE. >> SHE KNEW THAT WOULD GET UNDER HIS SKIN. >> MY DOGS HAVEN'T CHASED OUT OF THAT MANY SQUIRRELS. OKAY? THAT'S HOW MANY HE STARTED CHASING AFTER. >> YOU TOLD ME FOUR HOURS AGO, YOU SAID THAT SHE WOULD USE THE SORT OF PRAISE YOU ARE FIRED BY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. SHE SURE DID. AND ANOTHER IDEA OF WHAT SHE WAS SAYING, I WANT TO GET TO ONE MORE QUESTION. LET'S GO QUICKLY TO YOU HERE. YOU HEARD THE FORMER PRESIDENT TALK ABOUT HOW POLLING HAS TAKEN A TURN RECENTLY. HE SEEMS TO BE SETTING POLLS THAT DO NOT MEET OUR STANDARDS, THIS RACE LOOK A LOT LIKE IT DID IN JULY. GENERATED BY KAMALA HARRIS TAKING THE TOP OF THE TICKET. >> YEAH. IT'S SORT OF WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A FEW MINUTES AGO. WE'VE SEEN THIS GOING BACK TO 2016. DOING THINGS THAT SORT OF CYCLE BACK TO THE BASELINE AT SOME POINT. THAT'S ROUGHLY WHERE THEY ARE IN THE POLLING RIGHT NOW. THE STANDINGS THAT YOU SEE THEM AS AGENTS OF CHANGE. THAT HE REALLY IS THE STATUS QUO, AND IS THE OUTRIGHT MAJORITY THAT SAYS KAMALA HARRIS REPRESENTS MORE OF THE SAME. IT WAS CLEARLY THE TRUMP CAMPAIGNS HOPE, HAMMERING THE POINT THAT SHE IS PART OF AN ADMINISTRATION RIGHT NOW THAT IS NOT VERY POPULAR. HE SAID THAT LINE, WHY HASN'T SHE DONE IT? >> THAT'S RIGHT. >> REINFORCING THAT POSITION. >> YEAH, SHE ALSO TOWARD THE END OF THE DEBATE GAVE HER BIG LINE. I REPRESENT THE NEXT GENERATION. I REPRESENT TURNING THE PAGE. AND TO TRUMP'S POINT, YOU HAVE TO ASK IF SHE WANTS THE SECOND DEBATE SO THAT SHE CAN HAMMER THAT POINT OVER AND OVER AGAIN? REALLY LAYING OUT THAT CASE. WHAT WHAT THAT LOOK LIKE? AND I KEEP GOING BACK TO THIS, HAILLE. HOW WOULD THIS ADMINISTRATION BE DIFFERENT IF SHE DOES REPRESENT CHANGE? IT IS REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE IF THEY WOULD ACTUALLY MOVE FORWARD WITH THE SECOND DEBATE. AGAIN, TALKING TO ANDREA BY THE WAY. ALWAYS GETTING TO THE FRONT. GOOD FOR THEM. IT JUST SPEAKS TO THE FACT THAT, YES, HE CLEARLY CAME OFF THAT STAGE, KNOWING HE WAS -- >> IT MATTERS WHAT THE VOTERS SAY. ESPECIALLY IN CRITICAL BATTLEGROUND OF PENNSYLVANIA. AND A GREAT COUNTY THAT I KNOW WELL, BUCKS COUNTY. A PLACE I GREW UP, I'M FASCINATED TO LISTEN TO YEAR CONVERSATION WITH THE UNDECIDED VOTERS HERE. A SMALL NUMBER AS FAR AS YOUR DECISION MAKING PROGRESS. TELL US A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT. >> OH GOSH. I WILL TELL YOU, I'VE GOT THREE VOTERS WITH ME. AND WE ARE IN BUCKS COUNTY. HANNAH REED IS A REGISTERED INDEPENDENT, AND ANDREW WALLACE IS A REGISTERED DEMOCRAT. ALL OF WHOM CAME IN SAYING THEY ARE UNDECIDED. THEY ARE SORT OF EQUALLY UNDECIDED. I GUESS THE BIG QUESTION IS WHAT CHANGED FOR YOU TONIGHT? IF ANYTHING AT ALL? IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE NOT VERY MUCH HAS CHANGED. FAIR? >> NOT VERY MUCH HAS CHANGED. I WANT TO ASK ABOUT ABORTION RIGHTS. THERE WAS A MOMENT I THINK IT CAME UP. THE TWO OF YOU WERE LOOKING VERY ENGAGED. YOU SEEMED ANGRY AT SOME OF WHAT YOU HEARD DONALD TRUMP SAY ABOUT ABORTION RIGHTS? >> ABSOLUTELY. HE WAS INTENTIONALLY SENSATIONALIZING AND GIVING FALSE INFORMATION. >> YOU ARE TALK -- TALKING ABOUT THAT? >> YES, ABSOLUTELY. NO WOMAN WHO WAS NINE MONTHS PREGNANT WALKING INTO A DOCTOR'S OFFICE, AND ASKING FOR AN ABORTION UNLESS THERE IS -- UNLESS IT IS A MEDICAL NECESSITY. >> IS THAT AN ISSUE THAT MOTIVATES THEM? THAT THEY WOULD WANT TO VOTE FOR PERHAPS KAMALA HARRIS? >> IT'S AN IMPORTANT FACTOR. THERE ARE JUST SO MANY OTHER THINGS THAT CONCERN ME MORE. I CAN'T SAY THAT'S MY TOP. >> YOU DON'T WANT TO WEIGH IN ON THIS, BECAUSE YOU FEEL THAT AS A MAN, IS NOT YOUR PLACE. BUT YOU DID SAY YOU WISH THAT HARRIS WOULD HAVE DEFINED HER VIEWS MORE? >> SHE WAS ASKED BY THE MODERATORS WHERE SHE WOULD DRAW THE LINE ON WHAT WEEK SHE WOULD HAVE ALLOWED ABORTION, AND SHE WOULDN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION. I THINK ONCE A CHILD COMES OUT OF THE WOUND, THE LINE STARTS TO TURN TO SOMETHING ELSE. >> I THINK IN OUR CONVERSATION OFF CAMERA, YOU ARE SAYING HARRIS HAD A PRETTY GOOD NIGHT. >> I THOUGHT SHE HAD A REALLY GOOD NIGHT. >> IN FACT, I THOUGHT SHE WAS IN COMMAND. I THOUGHT SHE COUNTERED WHAT HE HAD TO SAY WITHOUT GETTING TOO SUCKED IN DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE. I THOUGHT SHE HAD A GOOD NIGHT. >> CAN YOU TELL ME YOU ARE STILL NOT 100% SURE YOU WOULD VOTE FOR HER? >> I AM NOT 100% SURE I WOULD VOTE FOR HER. I WISH THERE WAS ANOTHER CANDIDATE BETWEEN THESE TWO? I'M NOT HAPPY WITH EITHER. THAT'S WHY THIS IS SO HARD FOR ME. >> AND YOU ARE VOCALLY SAYING, OH, COME ON, WHEN FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP WOULD SAY SOMETHING. >> EVERYBODY KNOWS THIS. HE JUST TALKS IN SUCH EXTREMES. AND I DON'T BELIEVE A LOT OF WHAT HE SAYS. >> WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS NOW FOR THE LAST HOUR. YOU TOLD ME ABOUT 51% TRUMP, 49% HARRIS. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID TONIGHT, AND YOU WERE NODDING ALONG WHEN HE TALKED ABOUT CRIME RATE TO IMMIGRATION, I BELIEVE. AND WHEN HE TALKED ABOUT PAYMENT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE TRANSGENDER. >> OKAY, THAT WAS THE PART. >> THERE WAS A SURVEY THAT CAME OUT TWO HOURS AGO. >> WILL NOW YOU THINK, WELL MAYBE I WOULD PULL THE LEVER FOR DONALD TRUMP? >> I THINK TRUMP IS TRYING TO CHANGE A TACTIC. TRUMP IS THE BEST WHEN HE PLAYS THE BASS. I DON'T LIKE IT. WHEN HE IS OFF THE CUSP, WHEN HE INSULTS PEOPLE, THE BIG THING FOR HIM, HE SAYS SHE WOULD BE IN JAIL. I THINK HE'S TRYING TO GET THE MODERATE VOTE, WHICH I THINK IS TURNING HIS BASE OFF. AND I THINK THAT'S WHY HE DID WORSE TONIGHT. BECAUSE I THINK HE WAS MORE PRESIDENTIAL THAN IN ANY DEBATE IN THE PAST. >> AND THE MODERATORS DON'T BELIEVE HIM. >> THAT'S YOU GUYS. >> YEAH. >> YOU DON'T HEAR AMERICA FIRST, ANY TALK ABOUT NATIONALISM. AND THAT'S WHAT DROVE HIM TO HIS ELECTION VICTORY IN 2016. HE DOESN'T TALK ABOUT GLOBALISM OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. I THINK DONALD TRUMP IS TRYING TO BECOME A MAINSTREAM MIDDLE- OF-THE-ROAD REPUBLICAN, WHICH IS WHAT REPUBLICANS, WHICH IS WHAT HIS BASE DOESN'T WANT. >> I THINK IT'S BEEN THE THEME OF THIS CAMPAIGN. >> YOU ARE SICK AND TIRED OF JUST THE LACK OF BIPARTISANSHIP. YOU WANTED TO HEAR POLICIES THAT COULD ACTUALLY GET DONE. DID YOU HEAR ANY? >> SO, I TOOK NOTES. ONE OF MY NOTES SAID ONE THING THAT KAMALA DID, SHE ATTEMPTED TO ADDRESS HER POLICY WITH HOUSING, ABORTION, CLIMATE CHANGE. A LOT OF THE TIME, TRUMP ADDRESSED KAMALA. HE WAS CALLING HER A LIAR. SO THAT KIND OF TURNED ME OFF A LITTLE BIT. HOWEVER, WITH KAMALA'S POLICIES, SHE HAS A LOT OF QUESTIONS SHE NEEDS TO ANSWER BEFORE I CAN CONFIDENTLY SAY THAT. >> THANK YOU GUYS FOR STAYING UP SO LATE WITH US. WE APPRECIATE IT. >> IT'S ALL GOOD. >> PLEASE, PLEASE, TO THE VOTERS WHO WATCHED THAT DEBATE, SHARING INSIGHTS LIVE HERE ON NBC NEWS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HEADING BACK TO TOM LLAMAS NOW IN THE SPIN ROOM. HEY, TOM. >> Reporter: HEY, HAILLE. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME HE'S ENTERED A SPIN ROOM SINCE 2016 WHEN HE WAS A CANDIDATE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS LIFE. HE'S DOING AN INTERVIEW RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE OUR CAMERAS ON. FOR NOW, I WILL BRING IN NBC NEWS POLITICAL ANALYST AND FORMER SENATOR FROM MISSOURI. SHE IS A REPUBLICAN POLITICAL STRATEGIST WHO KNOWS THIS AREA VERY WELL. WE THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US. HEARING THOSE UNDECIDED VOTERS, THEY ARE STILL UNDECIDED AFTER THIS DEBATE. YOU KNOW IT IS LIKE TO CAMPAIGN AND WIN OVER UNDECIDED VOTERS. >> FIRST OF ALL, IT'S VERY HARD TO MAKE ANY CONCLUSIONS. WE WILL FIND OUT OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS IF SHE CAN CONTROL THE STAGE TONIGHT. WHERE SHE WALKED OVER AND MADE HIM SHAKE HER HAND, THE WAY SHE RAILED HIM IN. I MEAN, EVERY SINGLE THING. I DON'T KNOW HOW EFFECTIVE THAT WILL BE, TOM, WITH UNDECIDED VOTERS. FOR A LOT OF SWING VOTERS AND UNDECIDED VOTERS WHO DIDN'T KNOW HER WELL, I THINK THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR. CAN SHE GO TOE TO TOE? >> JENNIFER, WE WERE TALKING THROUGHOUT THE BAIT -- THE DEBATE. >> HANDS DOWN, HE WANTED THE DEBATE ON POLICIES. HE WAS ABLE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION THAT VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS DID NOT. WHETHER OR NOT PEOPLE ARE BETTER OFF THAN THEY WERE FOUR YEARS AGO. UNFORTUNATELY, THEY ARE NOT. WHAT HE DID BY COMING HERE, TO REALLY OVERCOME WHAT I A LOT OF THESE SUPPORTERS WOULD SEE AS A BIAS. THEY NEVER FACT CHECK THE VICE PRESIDENT NOT ONCE. I THINK THE PRESIDENT OVERCAME THAT BIAS. >> AND THAT IS YOUR OPINION, THAT'S FINE. IF YOU ARE THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF, SHOULDN'T YOU BE ABLE TO TAKE ON THE MODERATORS? >> YEAH. AND THAT'S WHAT HE'S DOING TONIGHT. HE IS DOING WHAT HE NEEDS TO DO, SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. HE WANTS TO GET HIS MESSAGE DIRECTLY TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. I THINK HE'S EXCELLENT ON POLICY WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT IT. >> YEAH. WE WILL PAUSE FOR SECOND. THIS IS FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP RIGHT NOW, LIVE IN THE SPIN ROOM. IT LOOKS LIKE SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM. FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP ON THE MOVE RIGHT NOW. HE'S GOING BACKSTAGE. WHY IS FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP HERE? WHY SEE IN THE SPIN ROOM? >> BECAUSE HE LOST THE DEBATE. I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF PANIC. ME TALKING TO PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE CAMPAIGN ON BOTH SIDES. I'VE NEVER SEEN A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE COME IN THE SPIN ROOM UNLESS THEY LOST THE DEBATE. SPIN THAT WE WILL GO TO GARRETT HAAKE LIVE IN THE SPIN ROOM. WHAT ARE YOU HEARING? >> I THINK THE SENATOR WAS SAYING IT CORRECTLY. I THINK HE'S HERE BECAUSE HE KNOWS HE DID NOT PERFORM AS WELL AS HE WANTED TO. YOU JUST DON'T SHOW UP IN HERE TO MAKE YOUR CASE AFTER THE FACT IF YOU MAJOR CASE ON THE DEBATE STAGE. I ASKED DONALD TRUMP THAT QUESTION WHEN HE FIRST CAME OUT HERE. I'M LOOKING TO SEE IF YOU WILL COME BACK. HE'S PENNED DOWN ESSENTIALLY TAKING MORE QUESTIONS. PERHAPS NONEXISTENT POLL NUMBERS. AND THAT HE NEEDED TO MAKE THAT POINT. NOT ONLY DID HE NOT COMMIT, HE ACTIVELY WALKED BACK HIS LONG- STANDING COMMITMENT TO DEBATE, HARRIS, AND BEFORE HER, JOE BIDEN. ANYTIME, ANYPLACE, ANYWHERE. HE WAS ON PAPER COMMITTING TO THREE DEBATES. NOW HE IS SAYING IT DOESN'T NEED TO HAPPEN, HE DOESN'T NEED TO DO IT AFTER WINNING. HE SAYS HE WAS CLEARLY FRUSTRATED AT THE MODERATION. PRESENTED WITH MORE FACT CHECKING ON SOME OF HIS CLAIMS THAT HE WAS EXPECTING TONIGHT. I KNOW THIS IS TOP OF MIND FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. HE HAD NO COMMENT ON THE TAYLOR SWIFT ENDORSEMENT. >> ALL RIGHT, GARRETT HAAKE WITH THAT UPDATE. WE SEE HIM AGAIN, WE WOULD THE FAMILY BRING HIM IN LIFE. A LOT OF ACTION HERE IN THE SPIN ROOM. >> LISTEN. WE ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT IT ALL, TOM. EVERYTHING FROM DONALD TRUMP TO TAYLOR SWIFT. WE GET IT ALL DONE HERE. SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS DONALD TRUMP WELL. OKAY. OKAY. WE'VE SEEN CANDIDATES IN THE SPIN ROOM. SURE. AND IT HAPPENS WHEN THEY ARE NOT DOING WELL. RIGHT? >> I GUESS IT COULD, IN SOME INSTANCES. >> I DO THINK IT'S ALWAYS FUNNY WHEN THEY START A SENTENCE WITH, NORMALLY IN POLITICS -- THAT'S NOT THE WAY HE SEES THINGS. HE SEES A GROUP OF CAMERAS, A GROUP OF JOURNALISTS, AND HE SAYS, YOU KNOW WHAT? I WANT TO GO RIGHT THERE. >> I'M SORRY? >> SOMETIMES HE DOES, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. YOU CAN'T DESCRIBE HE THOUGHT HE LOST THE DEBATE, THAT'S WHY HE WENT IN THERE. >> I'M SAYING YOU, THE PEOPLE OUT THERE. BECAUSE THAT'S NOT DONALD TRUMP. I BET WHAT HE DID WAS, HE WENT BACK THERE, AND HE SAID, HOW DO YOU THINK I DID? SHE WOULDN'T ANSWER ANY OF MY QUESTIONS. JUST WENT OUT THERE TO SWING THE AXE A FEW MORE TIMES. >> IF YOU ARE HIS ADVISER, WOULD YOU TELL HIM TO DO A SECOND DEBATE? WITH THE CAVEAT THAT HE MAY OR MAY NOT LISTEN TO YOU. >> THAT'S ALWAYS A GOOD CAVEAT. LOOK, I DON'T KNOW. IT'S INTERESTING. HE DID SAY HE WOULD DEBATE HER ANYTIME, ANYWHERE. I THINK HE MADE A GOOD POINT IN THE PREVIOUS SEGMENT. SAYING, YOU KNOW, KAMALA WANTS ANOTHER DEBATE BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T KNOW SHE BROUGHT IT HOME FOR THOSE INDEPENDENTS OUT THERE. SHE REALLY WAS ABLE TO PULL SOME TO HER SIDE. SHE WANTED ANOTHER PRIVATE THAT APPLE. HER POLLING MAY SHOW SHE IS DOWN MORE THAN A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK. SHE MAY BE CONCERNED, OR WORRIED. TYPICALLY, YOU WOULD WANT A MIC DROP MOMENT. SO GUESS WHAT? I'M OUT. >> YOU DON'T THINK THIS IS ANOTHER INSTANCE OF THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN DEBATING FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP? >> NO, I DON'T. I THINK SHE WAS TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND DONALD TRUMP. >> THERE WERE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS. YOU WORK FOR HIM, YOU KNOW HIM, AND YOU ARE PART OF THE CAMPAIGN ORBIT. HOW IT ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTS MASS DEPORTATION. HE DIDN'T SPECIFY THE PLAN TO REPLACE OBAMACARE. HE DIDN'T ROLLOUT THE NATIONAL ABORTION BAN AND THAT IT WOULD HAPPEN. TO SOME DEGREE, THROWING THEM UNDER THE BUS, YET HE TALKED ABOUT JD VANCE. >> HE SAID HE WASN'T GOING TO OVERTURN OBAMACARE. HE SAID CLEARLY HE DIDN'T THINK THERE WAS A NEED TO TALK ABOUT HYPOTHETICAL DETAIL, BECAUSE HE SENT IT BACK TO THE STATE. IT'S A FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO DECIDE NOW. HE'S BEEN VERY CLEAR ON THESE ISSUES. I FIND IT VERY INTERESTING. PROJECT 2025, OR TRYING TO GET RID OF SOCIAL SECURITY. HE HAD SAID ON THE RECORD ON CAMERA MANY TIMES THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. SHE LETS HER POLICIES CHANGE. SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO ANSWER FOR ANY OF IT. >> WE WILL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT. >> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. A FORMER REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE GREAT STATE OF LOUISIANA. REPRESENTATIVE, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. HOW IS NEW ORLEANS AND EVERYWHERE ELSE WITH THIS HURRICANE FAST APPROACHING? >> WE ARE RESILIENT, WE ARE STRONG. IT IS SMALLER THAN THE REALLY BIG ONE. I EXPECT WE WILL GET SOME BRUISES, BUT WE WON'T GET KNOCKED DOWN. >> TALK TO ME ABOUT ATLANTA AND THAT FIRST DEBATE, AND THEN RIGHT HERE IN PHILADELPHIA. >> I THINK TONIGHT, IT WAS CLEAR. NOT JUST TALKING POINTS. REALLY SOMEBODY WHO IS STUCK IN THE PAST. HE IS STILL INFATUATED WITH THE 2020 ELECTION AND THAT HE WON, WHEN HE REALLY LOST BY 20 MILLION -- THAT WAS THE STRATEGY. >> SHE MADE IT ABOUT THE FACT THAT HE IS STUCK IN THE PAST THAT SHE WANTS TO START A NEW WAY FORWARD. WITH THE VICE PRESIDENT, SHE TOOK THESE ISSUES ON. GROCERY COSTS ARE TOO HIGH. AND HERE'S MY PLAN. WE WILL BUILD 3 MILLION WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR. WE WILL CONTINUE TO BRING HEALTHCARE COSTS DOWN. >> YOU SPEAK WITH THE VICE PRESIDENT, WILL WE SEE MORE UNSCRIPTED MOMENTS? MAYBE A NEWS CONFERENCE? >> THIS IS WHAT I THINK PEOPLE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, IT WAS IS 50 DAYS AGO OR SO. SHE HAD TO SPEND TIME SECURING THE VOTES. THE SHE HAD TO THINK, WHAT IS YOUR MOST IMPORTANT DECISION AS A PRESIDENT? AND TONIGHT, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SAW THAT. ONE, WHO SHE WAS, TWO, WHERE SHE CAME FROM, MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHO SHE'S FIGHTING FOR. AND THAT'S HIM. >> DO YOU THINK IT HAPPENS? >> I DON'T THINK TRUMP WOULD EVER DEBATE AGAIN. >> WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS. HAILLE, WE WILL WRAP UP OUR COVERAGE AS WE GET TO THE TOP OF THE HOUR HERE. INCREDIBLE NIGHT, REGARDLESS OF POLITICAL PARTY. IT WAS A FASCINATING DEBATE. WE LEARNED A LOT. IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHERE THE RACE GOES FROM HERE. >> LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT'S NEXT. WE GOT THE VICE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE, AND LATER ON THIS WEEK, YOU WILL SEE THESE CANDIDATES. ALL OF THEM IN CRITICAL BATTLEGROUND STATES. IN MICHIGAN, WISCONSIN, AND BEYOND. THESE ARE THE MOMENTS, ESPECIALLY AS WE LOOK AHEAD. OF EARLY VOTING MAY BE WHERE YOU ARE SITTING IN LESS THAN A WEEK FROM NOW, TOM, THE RACE IS ON. >> Reporter: YEAH, IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE MOMENTUM BEHIND THE HARRIS-WALZ TICKET AND HOW FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP, THE EXPERIENCED DEBATER AND POLITICIAN HERE NOW AFTER HIS THIRD TIME RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT, HOW HE TRIES TO TURN THIS RACE AROUND. WE HEARD THOSE UNDECIDED VOTERS WHO STILL SAID WE ARE UNDECIDED, SO WE WILL WAIT AND SEE. THAT DOES IT FOR OUR POSTDEBATE COVERAGE. I'M TOM LLAMAS. >> I'M HALLIE JACKSON. ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US HERE AT NBC NEWS THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING! WE WILL HAVE CONTINUING COVERAGE TOMORROW MORNING. THE NEWS CONTINUES RIGHT NOW.