I think he needed to have the post-debate conversation be a positive one for him. For example, I thought he should have pressed yesterday’s outstanding “term limits” announcement at every turn. Every topic that came up could be circled back to “Career politicians caused this whole mess. My proposal would begin to drain that swamp”
This isn’t the headline he needed. I don’t think it’s a death knell but it’s just not what he really needed.
Trump has an occasional habit of digging in when he could easily pivot. Not a fatal flaw but it is was it is. A lot of people running for political office do that. I guess they just believe they are right and keep on hammering.