After the first GOP presidential primary debate of the 2016 campaign season in August 2015, CNN reported, "It was the most dramatic opening to a presidential debate in recent memory—and Donald Trump stole the show before he'd even said a word."
Indeed, no candidate on the stage could outmatch Trump in showmanship, who used his experience as a reality TV star to his advantage.
"One of the things people love about you is you speak your mind and you don't use a politician's filter," moderator Megyn Kelly said to Trump toward the beginning of the debate. "However, that is not without its downsides, in particular, when it comes to women. You've called women you don't like fat pigs, dogs, slobs, and disgusting animals."
Trump interrupted Kelly and said, "Only Rosie O'Donnell." The crowd roared with applause and laughter.
Trump proved that you don't have to be the most polished person on the stage to win in the end.
"For more than a month, Trump has defied the normal patterns of politics and Thursday night was no exception," CNN reported at the time.