CNN’s poll post-debate last night said Hillary Clinton bested Donald Trump, 57-34, a comfortable margin if not as wide as the first debate.

Many commentators, including on the MSNBC side, thought it much closer. I didn’t. I found Trump less than coherent. Clinton was focused and typically well prepared on any topic. I thought she might have gone on too long about Trump’s unfitness for the presidency, demonstrably true though her indictment was. Some things speak for themselves.

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What difference does it make? That’s the question.

A new NBC poll, some of it taken after release of the Access Hollywood tape of Trump’s abusive remarks about women, shows Clinton’s margin in the voting holding about the same, 5 points, though men and women both showed an increase in the percentage who believe Trump disrespects women.

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UPDATE: Here’s an even newer poll, with a double-digit Clinton lead.

In editions published before the debate, the New York Times reported a Republican Party in turmoil, with Trump vowing to exact revenge from Republicans who ditched him and talk continuing of whether he could be replaced as the nominee. I suspect his reasonably solid debate performance ends all that. The party is stuck. Or maybe not.

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What if all the U.S. is like Arkansas? Here top Republicans are unified behind Trump. Sen. John Boozman did say he’d like to punch him in the mouth, though he’ll still vote for him. Taped remarks about attempting to have sex with a married woman and his ability to grab the genitals of women on account of his celebrity don’t seem likely to deter a comfortable win for Trump in Arkansas.

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