This might be another in a long line of firsts in presidential debate history: Donald Trump vowed to order his top prosecutor to investigate his opponent if he wins the presidency -- and quipped about throwing her in jail.
Shortly into the second presidential debate, Trump turned toward Hillary Clinton and paused for a moment.
“I'll tell you what, I did think I'd say this, is going to say it. I hate to say it. But if I win, I am going to instruct my Attorney General to get a special prosecutor to look into your situation because there has never been so many lies, so much deception,” he said. “There has never been anything like it. And we're going to have a special prosecutor.”
He’s referring to Clinton’s use of a private email server while she was secretary of state, which has long dogged her campaign. Clinton gave her most concise apology to date at the debate in Hofstra University, which she echoed in St. Louis on Sunday.
“That was a mistake, to take responsibility for using a personal email account. Obviously, if I were to do it over again, I would not,” said Clinton. “I'm not making any excuses. It was a mistake, and I am very sorry about that.”
But perhaps the sharpest exchange of the night happened after Clinton said “it’s just awfully good that someone with the temperament of Donald Trump is not in charge of the law in our country.”
Trump shot back: "Because you'd be in jail."
That won him sharp rebukes from many on social media, including some Republicans.
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