Public Reaction Mixed On Clinton-Trump Debate
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The public reaction to Monday night's debate was mixed.
As of Monday night, according to a poll on WCCO's Facebook page, 64 percent of viewers believed Hillary Clinton won the debate. Thirty-six percent said it was Donald Trump.
WCCO Radio sponsored a debate viewing party at the Minnesota History Center, where there was quite a range of reactions.
Laughs, groans, cringing. It was a room full of Clinton and Trump supporters and some undecided potential voters.
A lot of supporters from both sides said before the debate that it would be about giving specifics, not being nasty or likability.
The chair of the Minnesota DFL party and the deputy chair of the Minnesota GOP were there. It's probably no surprise both sides thought their candidate won.
"I think she stuck with facts. She explained what she planned to do," said Clinton supporter Gyniek White. "Versus Donald Trump, I think he throws a lot of things out. He's a very good comedian to me."
"I really think that with Donald Trump where he scored the best was probably about an hour into the debate when he seemed to settle in," Trump supporter Jeffrey Williams said, "when he was talking about the African-American community and the problems there. He had shown a lot of empathy."
There is also debate about how much undecided voters could impact elections at this point. Sitting by, some didn't laugh or enjoy the barbs. They had genuine concern in their eyes not knowing where to turn.
"I just feel like we're not the only ones watching this. I think there's a global community watching this," undecided voter Vicki Fellows said. "When it comes to having foreign relations, that is important. If we are finding some of the things that are being said humorous, I worry about what other people in other countries are thinking."
A lot of the undecided voters said they thought they were leaning a certain way after the debate, but there's still room to change their minds after the remaining debates.
