Clinton and Trump clash in first debate - and a BIG prediction is made

Whomever is in the lead in one week, will win.

Clinton and Trump faced off in their first presidential debate. Most experts are saying Clinton won the debate, but the informal online polls all award the debate to Donald Trump. Trump appeared strong yet angry, while Clinton appeared poised. The debate is the first of three and was viewed by as many as 80 million people.

LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) - Last night's presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump may be one of the most watched events of the year, with an estimated 80 million people viewing it. The debate featured plenty of attacks on both sides. Experts are awarding the debate to Hillary Clinton, but the online polls are registering for Donald Trump.

The debate was touted similar to a prizefight because the polls show Clinton and Trump are in a virtual tie. Many watched the debate in the hopes of making their minds between the two candidates.

Trump's best argument against Clinton was that she is a part of the establishment and should have been the solving problems she keeps talking about. He made pointed attacks on her ISIS strategy, arguing that she could have stopped ISIS from forming in the first place, and he criticized her support of free trade agreements which have sent jobs out of the country.

However, Trump also interrupted Clinton habitually which appeared bullying after awhile. However, Trump was much more mild mannered and repeatedly showed restraint compared to his primary debates. Clinton kept her cool and stuck to her answers, although her answers were unsatisfactorily brief. Clinton spent most of her time attacking Trump instead of laying out a competitive vision.

Clinton's best attack on Trump dealt with his finances, accusing him of owing over $600 million in unpaid taxes to the American people, and failing to pay those who performed work for him. Trump may have worsened the impact by arguing that avoiding taxes "makes me smart" and that he "takes advantage of the law." While true, these lines may not register well with the public.

Trump had several run ins with the moderator, Lester Holt, who has been easily accused of being the third debater on Clinton's side. Holt frequently fact checked Trump on the fly and challenged his responses.

It was painfully evident that Trump made statements that are contrary to the facts, such as that stop and frisk policies are constitutional. Stop and Frisk was ruled unconstitutional in the 2013 Floyd vs. City of New York and the ruling has not been challenged.

Still, Holt appeared to have Trump's number, interrupting him and challenging his responses consistently throughout the debate. It was disconcerting and suggested bias.

Trump promised to bring jobs and an estimated $5 trillion in money stashed overseas by big business back to America. Such a promise, if kept would create a boom in the American economy. He also warned that the stock market, although doing well, is also fragile. Any increase in interest rates by a political-minded Federal Reserve could cause even that to collapse. This was far more vision than what Hillary Clinton laid out, and it is far more practical. There is little question such a strategy could work.

Clinton has done nothing to address these issues and offered no real plan to accomplish the same. Instead, she vaguely pledged to pursue paid family leave, free college tuition and to raise the minimum wage, positions first proposed by her former rival, Bernie Sanders. How she will accomplish this without control of Congress wasn't asked by her ally, Holt.

So who won the debate? Experts say Clinton with her cool, calm demeanor, fared better than Trump who consistently appeared angry. However, online polls are overwhelmingly in favor of Trump.

On CNBC, Tump is 66 percent to Clinton at 34 (850,000 votes).
On Time Magazine, Trump 55 percent, Clinton 45 percent (1.6 million votes).
Drudge Report, Trump 82 percent, Clinton 17 percent (750,000 votes).

The polls above are typical of all the online polls we could find. Nate Silver made a big prediction. Silver predicted the debate win will go to Clinton, but he also explained that if Trump continues to rise following this debate, he will win the presidency. We should know in a week the impact of the debate on the race.

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