MSNBC panelist Mark Halperin said Thursday that Hillary Clinton's performance at NBC's Commander-in-Chief Forum would terrify him if he were part of her debate prep team.
Clinton was put on the defensive Wednesday by continued questions about her private email server and handling of classified information, as well as her Iraq War vote and support for the Iran nuclear deal. Panelist Willie Geist said Clinton seemed "annoyed" at the email questions, in particular.
"I thought her stylistic performance—if I were involved in her debate preparation, I'd be terrified if she replicates that in the debates," Halperin said on Morning Joe.
Halperin also assailed Donald Trump, saying substance and intelligence matter, and his lack of specifics should also concern his team.
"One of these two will probably be president in January, and again, I think, as a country and as a profession in the media, we need to figure out how to have more moments ... like last night, so one of these two at least improves," he said.
Halperin pointed to John Podhoretz's New York Post column saying it wasn't clear which candidate "won" the forum, but "America lost" due to the unsatisfactory candidates.
"This was a really discouraging moment for the country, I think, to see the two of them," Halperin said. "Neither of them rose to the occasion of what we need in the next president, I don't think. I hope they do going forward, but they didn't last night."