Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton Debate: 5 Blistering Moments (And 1 Heartwarming One)

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton on Sunday engaged in one of the most blistering debates in modern politics, hurling accusations back and forth like a 90-minute pingpong match while moderators Anderson Cooper and Martha Raddatz were disciplined in keeping the candidates on track.

Anyone thinking it may take a few minutes for fireworks to appear — as we saw in the first debate two weeks ago — was proven wrong quickly. Clinton and Trump declined to shake hands as they walked out onto the stage, bucking traditional decorum. That wasn’t the case, though, for Bill Clinton and the Trump family, who greeted each other when they were introduced hours earlier.

Here were five other moments that we found especially blistering — and one that warmed our hearts.

Bringing up Bill

It took Trump about 15 minutes to make good on his promise to bring up Bill Clinton’s alleged treatment of women.

Clinton’s response was to quote Michelle Obama’s Democratic National Convention speech: "When they go low, you go high."

Trump’s threat

At the end of a long, winding ramble — in response to Clinton’s aforementioned Michelle Obama quote — Trump seemed to make a pointed threat at what would happen to Clinton under a Trump administration.

"If I win I am going to instruct my attorney general to get a special prosecutor to look into your situation,” he said.

“It's a good thing someone with the temperament of Donald Trump is not in charge of this country,” Clinton responded.

“You’d be in jail,” Trump quipped back.

Moderator clash

“This is one on three,” Trump said early on, accusing moderators Cooper and Raddatz of favoritism.

They certainly showed strength in wrangling in both candidates when they tried to wander off topic or dodge questions.

For instance, when Raddatz asked if Trump’s blanket ban on Muslim immigration still stood, he started talking about a plan instead for “extreme vetting.”

Raddatz interrupted and said: "No, answer the question."

Clinton’s Wall Street speeches and… Abraham Lincoln?

Clinton was asked about comments she allegedly made in a Wall Street speech when she said she has “both a public and a private position” on certain things.

Her response: She was referencing Abraham Lincoln’s strategy when he was working to pass the 13th Amendment — you have one reason for one person to vote for it and a different reason for another.

Trump hit back: “Honest Abe never lied. That’s the big difference between Abraham Lincoln and you.”

Trump throws Pence under the bus

Trump publicly rebuked his own running mate during a segment on the deadly Syrian civil war and ISIS.

After Trump praised Syrian president Bashar al-Assad — along with Russia and Iran — for fighting ISIS, Trump was reminded that his running mate Mike Pence said at last Tuesday’s debate that Pence wanted to go after Assad’s regime.

"He and I haven't spoken,” Trump said. “And I disagree."

The last question

For the final question, audience member Karl Becker asked the two candidates, “Would either of you name one positive thing that you respect about one another?" The question drew its fair share of "aw"s and applause from the audience.

Clinton’s response: “I respect his children.”

Trump: “She’s a fighter.”

Image via Gage Skidmore, Flickr, used under Creative Commons