Focus group's reaction to one Mike Pence moment had pollster calling it the 'knockout punch' of the debate
An Ohio focus group watching Tuesday's vice presidential debate rated Republican nominee Mike Pence's defense of supposedly "deplorable" Americans as one of the Indiana governor's best moments of the night.
GOP pollster Frank Luntz, who was overseeing the focus group, said it was perhaps the "KO punch" of the debate. Pence's comment referred to a comment last month from Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, who put half of Trump supporters into a "basket of deplorables" before walking back the remark.
Watch the moment:
Mike Pence's defense of "deplorable" Americans may be the KO punch of tonight's #VPDebate. pic.twitter.com/lC3jSmNzlj
- Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) October 5, 2016
Trump supporters rated the moment at a score of 88 out of 100, undecided voters scored it at 83, and Hillary Clinton supporters offered it a generous 55.
While Pence was a hit with the focus group, Kaine struggled to connect during several key moments.
Hillary-leaners like Tim Kaine… But nobody else does. #VPDebate pic.twitter.com/hFoIanpubP
- Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) October 5, 2016
Even on preventing home-grown terrorism, Mike Pence is winning over undecideds while Tim Kaine makes the dials plummet.#VPDebate pic.twitter.com/ed7W0RYz12
- Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) October 5, 2016
My focus group literally laughs with Mike Pence's attacks and laughs at Tim Kaine's.
Pence goes high.
Kaine goes low. pic.twitter.com/bXDODHNm2q
- Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) October 5, 2016
A CNN/ORC instant poll found Pence to be the winner over Kaine. Forty-eight percent of the 472 registered voters surveyed said Pence emerged as the winner in the face-off against Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine. Forty-two percent thought the Democratic vice presidential nominee won the political showdown.
Tuesday night's political duel in Virginia was the only scheduled vice presidential debate of 2016.
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