THE FIRST TV DEBATE between the two US presidential candidates, Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton, was held at Hofstra University on Long Island, New York, on Monday. Beijing News analyzes their performances:

Who won the debate? According to a CNN opinion poll, 62 percent of the respondents said Clinton and 27 percent, Trump. The poll result may be debatable, but Trump did commit mistakes. First, he confused the debate, even the election in November, with the Republican nomination race. In that race, he faced his own party's leaders, the majority of whom shared his class, education and political stance. That's why he could say almost whatever he wanted to against them, including raking up their private lives.

However, in the presidential debate with Clinton, his audience cut across party and social divides - Republicans and Democrats, rich and poor. He persisted with his earlier strategy of "shooting from the hip" instead of speaking through his mind, which didn't appeal to many people.