Reaction around the world to first Trump-Clinton debate

Views from around the world on Monday’s first U.S. presidential debate between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump:

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AUSTRALIA

MILTON GAN, a Sydney-based photographer, said it seemed like Trump was trying to rein in his temper for the first 15 minutes, then went off the rails.

“He started interrupting Clinton, he started interrupting (moderator) Lester (Holt) and he started steamrolling. And you could see he was just getting really irate about everything,” Gan said.

“The most ridiculous thing was at the end when he said he had the better temperament to be president,” Gan said, laughing. “It was just hilarious. … But at the same time, underlying all of this is the fact that there’s a really serious world leader’s position at stake and he’s one of the contenders. And it’s pretty scary.”

Clinton came off prepared, confident and composed, Gan said: “Obviously, she’s done her prep and she’s got so much experience in politics and I think that really showed.”

RICHARD MCCONOCHIE, 57, watched the debate on a big screen in a Canberra pub that opened at the same time the debate started: 11 a.m.

“To me Trump aced it,” he said. “He came across as a man who could control himself. They said Trump’s ignorant of the issues. I think he proved that he had at least a working handle on most of the stuff he was talking about.”

“I think he’ll swing a lot of Americans over to Trump just by proving that he is not the sort of unstable, dangerous lunatic that he’s painted to be,” McConochie said. “I don’t see that Trump would be any more incompetent than Clinton.”

PAUL SMITH, 56, at the same pub, was disappointed Trump had not done better.

“He just really didn’t come up with the goods today. He hasn’t done his homework as much as she had. She was just so confident, so knowledgeable, looking so healthy, relaxed & delivered. And he didn’t have the comeback, didn’t have the punches.”

“I think he should be given a go. I think it’s business as usual with Hillary, it’s just a continuation of what Obama’s up to.”

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AP writers Kristen Gelineau in Sydney and Rod McGuirk in Canberra, Australia, contributed to this report.