Donald Trump came out with candour, with forcefulness: Mike Pence

The Republican nominee was declared struggling against the Democrat Hillary Clinton by the US media

Donald Trump presented an "extraordinary contrast" during the first presidential debate against Hillary Clinton and came out with candour, his running mate Mike Pence claimed today after the Republican nominee was declared struggling against the Democrat by the US media.

"Donald Trump came out with candour, with forcefulness. He took command of that stage. He answered the questions. That in the contrast of kind of an avalanche of personal insults from Hillary Clinton that must have been designed to elicit something from Donald Trump that they believed to be there but just simply isn't," Pence, the Indiana Governor, told CNN.

Refuting the general impression of the mainstream media that Clinton emerged as the winner during the debate, Pence said Trump showed that he's got the leadership qualities and the temperament to be a great president of the United States.

"I think the American people saw in Donald Trump the kind of leadership and the kind of clarity and candour that's created the tremendous momentum in this campaign," he said.

The 90-minute clash, watched by an expected television audience of up to 100 million, saw the 68-year-old former secretary of state and the 70-year-old billionaire taking the stage together for the first time ahead of November 8 polls.

According to him, Trump presented an "extraordinary contrast" against Clinton.

"I wholly agree with Donald Trump's view about TPP (Trans Pacific Partnership)," he said.

"Now, (Clinton) has changed her view of that. But Donald Trump and I both believe what we ought to do is, let's expand trade in the Asian Pacific rim, but let's do it one at a time with one country at a time so we can hold them accountable to the promises that they make," Pence said.

Pence also refuted allegations against Trump on climate change. "What Donald Trump said was a hoax is that bureaucrats in Washington DC can control the climate of the Earth. And the reality is that this climate change agenda that Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton continue to expand is killing jobs in this country," he said.

"There's no question that the activities that take place in this country and in countries around the world have some impact on the environment and some impact on climate. But Donald Trump and I say, let's follow the science, but for heaven's sakes, let's not go rushing into the kind of restrictions on our economy that are putting Americans out of work, and frankly are driving jobs out of this country," Pence said.