The Angle

The Angle: Nasty Boys Edition

Slate’s daily newsletter on the third presidential debate.

People watch the third and final presidential debate on Wednesday night from the United Democratic Headquarters in Pasadena, California.

Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images

On temperament: Watching the third debate, Will Saletan made up his mind: Donald Trump is sick and paranoid. (Wrong!) This was a total meltdown, Jim Newell agrees. (Wrong!) For her part, Hillary Clinton has grown to be an excellent Trump-baiter, Nora Caplan-Bricker writes.

On “rigging” the results: Trump’s refusal to say whether he would stand by election results is an attack on American democracy, Jamelle Bouie writes. (On the other hand, Ben Mathis-Lilley asks, would a losing Trump’s opinion on this matter count for anything on Nov. 9? The answer: Not really.)

On women: Hillary’s perfect answer to a question about abortion was proof, Christina Cauterucci writes, of how necessary it is to have more women in decision-making positions.

On foreign policy: Were American leaders, as Trump said Wednesday night, mistaken to “announce” this week’s offensive on the ISIS-held Iraqi city of Mosul? Nope, Fred Kaplan writes. In this case, a surprise attack would have been impossible.

On the debt: Here was Hillary’s one misstep, Jordan Weissmann writes. A promise not to add “one penny” to the national debt is a promise she probably can’t, and shouldn’t, keep—and she’ll come to regret having made it.

On moderation: Chris Wallace was the best of them all, according to Isaac Chotiner.

On turds: Polishable? Or nah?

Only the important stuff,

Rebecca