The 2016 Presidential debate number one is in the books, and it seems in the aftermath that most agree there was no clear winner.  Each side is claiming victory, as would be expected, but those with slit of an open mind are calling it a draw, and neither candidate is expected to get much of a bump in the polling, based on the results.

The debate itself was highly anticipated, and those in the know were saying upwards of 100 million people would be glued to their televisions and computers to watch the proceeding.  The run-up to the event gave the impression that an easily agitated Donald Trump would unleash all fury on a sickly Hillary Clinton, and the contest would be dominated by coughing fits, and insults.

I would imagine many tuned in with the curiosity of a super-speedway NASCAR race, with all claiming they were there for the substance, but most we were waiting for “the big one,” the multi-car pileup that eliminates half the competition.

After all, almost everyone knows the respective candidates’ positions by now, since we have been hearing them for months.  OK, I get that they often change their positions based on the audience to which they are currently speaking, but not to a great degree.

So let’s all admit we were there for the fireworks, which didn’t happen.  But there were some moments.  Far from being the frail grandmother many were projecting we would see, Clinton was on the attack, trying to get Trump to blow a fuse and damage his own campaign.  But The Donald, for the most part, even though he spent most of the night playing defense, maintained his composure, and actually came across to some as the more disciplined of the two.

Secretary Clinton at times appeared smug and condescending, as if this election was more of a nuisance on the way to her coronation.  Seeing that she is already being viewed as an elitist and that her presidency was pre-ordained, she seemed to lose a few points in this debate.