Monday 10 October 2016 9:21 am

In quotes: The most shocking and off-topic moments from last night’s US presidential debate

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton came together in their second presidential duel last night for the 2016 election, due to be held on 8 November.

Moderated by Anderson Cooper and Martha Raddatz, the town-hall style debate was held at Washington University in St Louis and got off to a rocky start after the two candidates declined to greet each other with the usual handshake.

The debate, which highlighted their vastly differing arguing styles, mostly went downhill from there on in. Here are the most salacious, surprising and down-right off-topic quotes from the evening:

Trump on the tape in which he describes groping women without consent

"This was locker room talk. I'm not proud of it. I apologize to my family. I apologize to the American people. But it's locker room talk, and it's one of those things."

Clinton on Trump's attitudes towards women

"We have seen him insult women. We’ve seen him rate women on their appearance, ranking them from one to 10. We’ve seen him embarrass women on TV and on Twitter. We saw him after the first debate spend nearly a week denigrating a former Miss Universe in the harshest, most personal terms. So, yes, this is who Donald Trump is."

Trump on sexual allegations made against Bill Clinton

"If you look at Bill Clinton, far worse. Mine are words, and his was action. His was what he’s done to women. There’s never been anybody in the history of politics in this nation that’s been so abusive to women."

Trump on putting Hillary in jail

"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….So we’re going to get a special prosecutor, and we’re going to look into it… And, honestly, you ought to be ashamed of yourself."

Trump on Clinton's claim there is no evidence any classified email documents ended up in the wrong hands

"Yet, she did not know the letter C [for 'classified']. She didn't even know what that letter meant… She's lying again. You should be ashamed of yourself for deleting e-mails."

Clinton calling out Trump for his "birtherism" towards President Barack Obama

"He owes the President an apology. He owes our country an apology."

Trump on Clinton saying he doesn't have it in him to be a good leader

"I am shocked to hear that."

Clinton on Trump's taxes

"Donald Trump lives in an alternate reality. Donald always takes care of Donald, and people like Donald. Trump's tax plan would give wealthy corporations the biggest tax cut they've ever had."

Trump actually saying something quite respectful towards Hillz

“I will say this about Hillary, she doesn’t quit, she doesn’t give up. I respect that. I tell it like it is. She’s a fighter. I disagree with much of what’s she’s fighting for… But she does fight hard and she doesn’t quit and she doesn’t give up and I consider that to be a very good trait.”

Er, what? Trump's most irrelevant rejoinders of the debate

Bringing up Isis as he was being grilled about the leaked 2005 grope-talk video:
"… but it's locker room talk, and it's one of those things. I will knock the hell out of Isis. We're going to defeat Isis. Isis happened because a number of years ago in a vacuum that was left because of bad judgement. And I will tell you, I will take care of Isis."

Focusing on Middle East migration when being asked to clarify if he had ever actually groped a woman without her consent:
"No, I have not. And I will tell you I'm going to make our country safe. We’re going to have borders in our country, which we don’t have now. People are pouring into our country, and they’re coming in from the Middle East and other places."