BRIAN WILLIAMS (HOST): Steve Schmidt has politely watched in a satellite studio. And Steve, what did you make of tonight? 



STEVE SCHMIDT: My first impression is how small the debate was. It lacked inspiration. It wasn't aspirational. You had two candidates, it was like a mongoose and a cobra in a steel cage match going at each other. And I think you look at Secretary Clinton and you see all of her vulnerabilities as a candidate and you start to think about the reality, how much -- what the likelihood is that if you had 14 other, I think that Ben Carson would not have beaten her. I think there's one other that wouldn't have beaten her. But most every other candidate on the stage I think would be ahead in the race right now. What a missed opportunity for the Republican Party. I think it was interesting you could see the anger really the seething anger he has towards his running mate, Mike Pence. Felt undefended by him obviously in the debate. And undefended by him over the last days of this news cycle with this story breaking. And I think it deserves comment that the extraordinary specter of a candidate for president of the United States essentially saying I will lock up my political opponent. This embrace of banana Republicanism that we saw at the first debate. 

Previously:

In Less Than Six Minutes, Four CNN Commentators Say Trump Threw Pence Under Bus During Second Debate

Jake Tapper Calls Debate “A Wash” Despite Saying Clinton Won On Policy And Temperament, Trump Was Erratic

Bloomberg’s Heilemann: “Republicans … Think This Is Donald Trump Pouring Gasoline Over His Head And Lighting Himself On Fire”