Local professor reacts to presidential debate

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) - History was made Thursday night. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump faced each other on stage in Atlanta. It was the first presidential debate to happen before the two major party's conventions.

Doctor Leonard Cutler, a political science professor at Siena College watched the debate and called it disheartening an un-pleasurable. ""i was hoping that and i was expecting that the two would rise above that particular level to undertake a civil debate with one another focusing upon the issues, said Cutler."

Cutler adds there was no doubt about who won the debate. "Nobody is going to deny the fact that if you want to give a check for a victory as who came out on top last night in terms of demeanor and approach and confidence level, certainly that was Trump in terms of his presentation." But he points out Trump's misrepresentations and inaccuracies were unforturnate.

On the hand, Biden's performance was rocky from the start and Cutler balks at the reason some of his supporters put out their for his poor showing. "You can't use the excuse that he had a cold. I think there was a very definite lapse in terms of being able to formulate his arguments concisely and positively because quite frankly he had the substance," said Cutler.

Cutler expects Trump to get a small bump in the polls but pointed out the majority of independents polled after the debate are still undecided.