Live from studio 1a, and savannah guthrie, live from las vegas, nevada. And good morning, everybody. Welcome to a special split edition of today on this thursday morning. Im savannah guthrie. It is the in i hmiddle of the nn las vegas. Matt, not my typical vegas night but what an exciting one in terms of our politics. We dont have time into your typical las vegas night. When we watch debate over the years, you know instantly when something said in that debate is going to drive the headlines that next day. Certainly no exception last night. The debate does top our look at the state of the race today. 19 days to go. Started with a lot of substance on issues like guns and choosing Supreme Court nominees. But this morning, it is trump twice declining to say that he will accept the elections people talking. A cnn snap poll shows 52 of debate watchers view clinton as the winner. 39 went with trump. As for today, trump holds a rally in ohio before meeting up with clinton once again, both are set to speak at a Charity Dinner here in new york city. But were going to begin this morning with what happened last night. Decision 2016 coverage starts with hallie jackson. Shes with me here in vegas. These comments made by trump are something Top Republicans are going to have to answer to today. It was a strong start for the gop nominee. Reporter defying a defining principle of democracy, donald trump refusing to say hed accept the results of this election. I will look at it at the time. Im not looking at anything now. Ill look at it at the time. Reporter the question, the peaceful transition of power. Are you say you respect prepared now . What im saying is i will tell you at the time. Ill keep you in suspense. Reporter a reversal from what trump said three and half weeks ago. Heres the story. If she wins, i will absolutely support her. Reporter not once, but twice. Will you accept the outcome of the election . Oh, yes, i will. That is the no the way our democracy works. Weve had free and fair elections. Weve accepted the outcomes whether we may not have liked them. And that is what must be expected of anyone standing on a debate stage during a general election. Reporter in a spin room after the debate, the gop chair trying to clarify what trump meant. First of all, i think he is going to seven the results because he is going to win. Thats not what he said tonight on the stage. I think he is considering multiple allegations of Sexual Conduct against trump which he has repeatedly denied and did again on stage, this time blaming Clintons Campaign for the controversies. Those stories have been largely debunked. Those people i dont know those people. I have a feeling how they came. I believe it was her campaign that did it. He said that he could not possibly have done those things to those women because they were not attractive enough. I did not say that to be assaulted. I did not say that. Sir, her two minutes. I did not say that. Its her two minutes. He went on to say, look at her. I dont think so. Reporter facing fire for his comment about women, trump not holding back, saying about his rival such a nasty woman. Reporter his team trying to spin a win. Pointing to a steady substantive start for trump worked to rally his base on Supreme Court picks, years of experience, what ive done for this country. Reporter one of trumps more memorable moments going viral. But we have some bad ombres here and were going to get them out. Reporter along with this exchange on the emmys. When he started tweeting that the emmys were rigged again. Reporter and another on russian president vladimir putin. Hed rather have a puppet as president no puppet. No puppet. Of the United States. Youre the puppet. Every night about making all his points. But Clintons Campaign also claiming victory celebrating with drinks on their plane. We have finished our last debate and im feeling both relieved and very grateful. Reporter now after the final phaseoff, the final sprint to election day. Whether trump will accept that outcome or not. Reporter and on that subject of accepting the outcome of the election, i had a chance to talk about Donald Trumps running room here in las vegas. Heres a look at that conversation. You said on sunday to our network that you would absolutely accept the results of this election. You did not add an if, you did not add a qualification. Should donald trump do the same . I think donald trump is going to be elected president of the United States. Thats not an answer sir, respectfully. Ive got to ask you to answer the question. Do you think donald trump did what you say saying you would accept the results of the election without qualification. What donald trump said tonigh he said ill look at it at the time. And i think hes made a point that is resonating with millions of americans. Were going to continue to call on people all across this country to respectfully participate in the electoral process to ensure that we can all be confident in the vote. If the vote is fair, im confident that well accept it. You have said, governor, that you dont like name calling in this race. What did donald trump mean when he called Hillary Clinton a nasty woman . I think it was a pretty rough but look, when you think about the stakes in this election, when you think about the fact that seven and a half years of obama and Hillary Clinton is literally weakened americas place in the world, stifled americas economy, i understand. I understand some of the tough language, frankly, that came from both of the podiums, because the stakes are just that high. While this was the final faceoff between these two president ial candidates, it is not the last time they are going to be in the same room. Election day three more weeks for you, hallie jackson. Matt, back to you. Savannah, thank you very much. Were joined now by senator tim kaine, the democratic Vice President ial nominee. Senator, good morning. Good to see you. Matt, great to you bab wibe you. Donald trump refusing to pledge last night that he will accept the results of this election on november 8th. Even though many of his accept the results. And donald trump himself three weeks ago said he would absolutely accept the results. Which donald trump do you believe . Well, i think last nights donald trump was the real donald trump. It was on display for everybody. And, matt, that was the most shocking moment of the night. There were a couple of other big shockers, but i lived in honduras as a missionary 35 years ago. It was a military dictatorship. Nobody could vote for president. Boy, i accepting the outcome of elections, and then the peaceful transfer of power is a bedrock pillar of our nations history. And something that we do and take for granted. But many nations around the world, they cant do it. We should not have somebody running for president who is going to try to pull the pillar down which donald trump was basically trying to do last night. I think about i think his surrogates immediately knew that would dominate the headlines this morning. And so they tried to immediately 2000 and that extremely controversial election between al gore and george w. Bush. Al gore challenged the results all the way to the Supreme Court. They have a candidate whos already said they think that he thinks this election is rigged. So i guess their stance is, why should we already accept the results until we see them and look for any irregularities. Well, al gore did in a very gracious way patriotic accept the results once the Court Process was complete. But all along the way, he did it in a respectful to fful tone. Did al gore ever say things were rigged . Absolutely not. He availed himself of legal processes that were fair. But this preelection whining of donald trump that Hillary Clinton called him on. She said, look, the issue is this. You dont accept responsibility for anything. When you lose the emmys, you some cabal conspiring against you. And that, matt, gets into a deeper personality trait that is very, very dangerous. I think of our military deployed overse overseas. I got a boy deployed overseas now. Theyve got to take a command from the commander in chief, and they have to execute on it. But the commander in chief has to take a command from the american public. When you look at voters and say, sorry, guys, i may not accept your opinions, youre basically di american public. Your campaign has been rocked by a steady stream of leaked emails of late. If you believe the russians are behind it and our intelligence agencies believe just that and if you believe Hillary Clinton that the russians are behind it so they can swing this election in the favor of donald trump, wouldnt you also have to believe that the russians would then save the best or, depending on your perspective, the worst for last and they might have some sort of late october, early november matt, i have no way of reading that psychology. I mean i do know this millions of people have already voted. Voting is going on. Im in North Carolina today, early vote starts today. So thats happening all over the country. But, look. That was an Interesting Exchange last night because, you know, hilly pointed out what our intelligence officials have confirmed, that russias trying to influence the election. And again and again and again, donald would not admit that. Well, if anybodys trying to but he kept kind of going to the defense of russia at the same time as he wouldnt defend our democratic traditions and the results of an electoral mandate. It was extremely odd, and thats just one more reason why people need to turn out in droves. Because we need to send a message to anybody outside this country who thinks they can influence an election. You better not mess around with our electoral democratic process. Thank you for your time this morning. Absolutely, matt, glad to be with you. Matt, thank you. We want to bring in chuck todd and mark halperin. Guys, good morning to you. Let me just be devils advocate for a moment. There is near universal condemnation when donald trump said he wouldnt accept the results on november 8th. Do you think this resonates with voters . Do you think theyll say we care deeply . Look, i think his voters do. I think they have been spun up about this idea that the system is rigged, that there is vote fraud, that it is more rampant than it actually is. Theyve been sort of fed this for a while. I think the reason why its going to be it wasnt that he wants to wait and see to make sure how the election is run. It was this idea that hes been talking about this for a couple weeks, and i think now the reason its so problematic for him, is everybody republican in the country today whos on the ballot is going to be asked accept the results. Thats going to be the story. And thats going to be them sort of criticizing donald trump. So i think it is a disaster. Well never know how the world would have evaluated this debate without that comment because that comment overshadowed everything. It is ironic, it is the revenge of the elites and the establishment. I agree, not all voters will look at this and care that much. Because the establishment cares because hes violated a fundamental principle of america. All the respect candidates in the establishment, everyone in the president , everyone not only was it politically unwise, it was wrong for him to say it. That means he gets no bounce from this debate. A lot of people said of the three debates, this may have been Donald Trumps best. But they also say it was Hillary Clintons best. Where does that leave us . Well, without that comment, it would have left us in a status quo situation where you would have had republicans down the ballot relieved that trump didnt fall on his face. But the problem is, this comment. The next couple of days and heres what we dont know but we know theres going to be some what is the reaction of him today on this . What is the provocation that hes going to feel . Hes going to feel as if everybody now is piling on him, including more republicans that will pile on him. How does he handle that moment . In the past, he hasnt handled it well. The trouble for him is that what he said is contradicted by his running mate, the head of the party, his own daughter, ivanka, and his own words back. They all said leading up to the debate they would said the results. Afterwards they try to walk it back. I agree with chuck, how he habls handles it will be key. But this is all he is going to talk about it before it is resolved. And it could be two days before it is resolved. All right, back to bed for you guys. Matt . Nicolle wallace joins us now. Good morning. Good morning. Lets just put a period on this one subject of refusing to jawdropping. I think on three hours of sleep it is dangerous to do this. But lets subtract that for a moment. I agree with chuck todd if he hadnt said that we would be talking about an improved performance for donald trump. Plenty of low points for him, some high moments talking about the economy. But it is just a lightsout kind of statement for Anyone Running to the president of the United States. Michael steele says disqualifying. Absolutely. You say improved performance. But donald trump b including that comment, that moves the needle in his direction . No. If anything, the kinds of things that have had a real impact on his poll numbers are the stretches of his candidate where republicans have come out and really bludgeoned him. What he should be prepared for today is for the republican establishment to really, really beat him up for saying that he may or may not accept the results of this election. Lets talk about Hillary Clinton here for a second. You brought us a piece yesterday where you went out and you spoke to moms contemplating voting in a fear of with Hillary Clinton was that whole trust issue. Did Hillary Clinton do what she needed to do last night, do or say anything, that would help soften their feelings there . You know, as with trump, i think it was an improved performance for her, too. When she started at a pretty high point. Her first debate was strong. This one i thought was the strongest yet. I think what they were looking for was for her to engage, for her to defend herself. I think her defense of the clinton foundation, her defense of some of her stances was what they were looking for. At least three of them were already in her camp. I think her explaining herself a little more and doing it from a position of strength does help her among some of these women looking for a little more texture in her answers. Real quickly. 19 days to go before the election. She has a big lead based on most of the polling ive seen. Whats her biggest fear right now . I think her biggest fear is that the public sort of receives last night differently from those of us who have worked in politics who understand sort of american democracy as a whole. Perhaps voters will see that and theyll see our democracy as just against them as they see the gop media or against the establishment. Thats a known unknown from her perspective and they had would have to recalibrate a little bit. Well have more on the debate and fallout over trumps bombshell refusal just ahead. But right now lets get a check of weather from dylan whos in for al. Thanks, matt. Florida. So temperatures were running about 15 to 25 degrees above average. Today, were looking for most of our nearrecord high temperatures to be across the south and the southeast where in atlanta we could break the record. The old record 85. We are forecasting a high of 86. Tallahassee falls just shy of the record. As we look through the midwest today, minneapolis back to close to average, about 51 degrees. We are looking for that cooler air to settle if across the northeast by the time we get to the weekend. Th lots of clear skies this morning. You will feel a northeast breeze throughout the day today rain chances are slim to none i left it at about a 10 percent chance that some of the stray showers will make it a 2 today counties. We will see 86 degrees for high today. 84 for tomorrow. The wake of a powerful explosion in portland, would you know what to do if you thought there was a gas leak at your home . Well show you on a new rossen reports. And were going to have much more on those final debate fireworks from here in vegas. M history of contesting elections in this country. But first, this is today on amendment 1 guarantees your right to generate your own solar energy. It also guarantees that those who dont choose solar dont have to subsidize those who do. Amendment 1 means commonsense Consumer Protections safeguarding seniorsand all floridians from scams, ripoffs, and longterm contract traps. Good for the environment. Good for florida. Vote yes on amendment 1for the sun. . 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