>> Rothman clearly hasn’t seen the post-debate poll yet <<
Did you read the article? IMO, here is the money line:
While 36 percent said they thought better of Trump after the debate, another 45 percent said they thought less of him
If that was really true, 1) he wouldn't be essentially unchanged from same poll before debate (-1) and 2) he would be at 100% unfavorability, since supposedly before the debate he was at -60%. And THAT'S the "money line."
Whatever else they say, they still come back to preferring him 3:1 over Bush and significantly over Cruz.