Even before Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump took the stage for the second presidential debate in St. Louis, the two candidates appeared ready for an explosive debate when they refused to shake hands.
What followed was 90 minutes of heated exchanges and insults that strayed from a long-tradition of presidential candidates debating their ideas and visions for the future of the U.S.
Moderated by CNN’s Anderson Cooper and ABC News’ Martha Raddatz, Sunday’s showdown came just days after a video of Trump making obscene comments about groping women was leaked and published by the Washington Post.
READ MORE: Trump denies he grabbed, kissed women despite video boast
On Sunday night, the candidates hammered away at one another on an array of issues, and the debate saw many notable highlights including Trump acknowledging that he’s avoided paying federal income taxes for years, called his taped description of sexual assault “locker room-talk” and said that if elected president he would appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Clinton.
Meanwhile, Clinton continued to stick to her campaign talking points and said Trump was unfit to be president saying he “owes our country an apology.”
Here are 5 things you missed from the fiery debate:
Trump again calls vulgar comments ‘locker room talk’
WATCH ABOVE: Donald Trump responds to leaked tape calling it just “locker room talk”
Moderator Anderson Cooper confronted Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump over a recording of his obscene comments that leaked on Friday.
“You described kissing women without consent, grabbing their genitals,” Cooper said. “That is sexual assault. You bragged that you have sexually assaulted women. Do you understand that?”
Trump denied that he had ever kissed and grabbed women without their consent. He said repeatedly that his words in 2005 were merely “locker room talk” and paled in comparison to what he called Bill Clinton’s abuse of women.
“No, I didn’t say that at all,” Trump said. “I don’t think you understood what was said. This was locker-room talk. I’m not proud of it. I’ve apologized to my family, I’ve apologized to the American people.”
Hillary Clinton calls Trump ‘not fit to be president’
WATCH ABOVE: Hillary Clinton says leaked video represents exactly who Donald Trump is
Responding to questions about Trump’s comments from 2005, Clinton said that her opponent is not fit to be president.
“Donald Trump is different. I said, starting back in June, that he was not fit to be president and commander in chief,” she said. “What we all saw and heard on Friday was Donald talking about women, what he thinks about women, what he does to women, and he has said the video doesn’t represent who he is. But I think it’s clear to anyone who heard it, that it represents exactly who it is.”
Trump says ‘of course’ I didn’t pay federal taxes
WATCH ABOVE: Trump admits using $916 million loss to avoid paying income tax
During a response to a question about a New York Times report on Trump’s tax returns, the GOP nominee said “of course” he used a $916 million loss in 1995 to avoid paying federal income taxes
“Did you use that $916 million loss to avoid paying personal federal income taxes?” moderator Anderson Cooper asked during Sunday’s presidential debate,
“Of course I do, of course I do,” Trump said.
The New York Times suggested a loss of that amount could have been used to avoid paying federal income taxes for almost two decades.
“I understand the tax code better than anybody that’s ever run for president,” Trump said. “It’s extremely complex.”
Trump did not say for how many years he has avoided paying federal income taxes.
“I pay tax, and I pay federal tax too, but I have a write off. A lot of it is depreciation, which is a wonderful charge,” Trump said. “I love depreciation.”
Trump goes after moderators
WATCH ABOVE: Trump accuses moderators of siding with Clinton
Trump went on the offensive against the debate moderators, Anderson Cooper of CNN and Martha Raddatz of ABC, accusing them of ganging up on him.
“It’s nice to have one on three,” Trump charged. He later added: “Why do you interrupt me all the time? Why don’t you interrupt her?”
The moderators offered sharp words for Trump at times, as he repeatedly interrupted Clinton.
After 90 minutes of disagreeing, sometimes harshly, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump ended their second presidential debate on a positive note when they were asked by to say something they admire about the other.
Clinton said she respects Trump’s children, a comment Trump calls “a very nice compliment.”
Trump said Clinton was a “fighter” even though he disagrees with much of what she’s fighting for. He says “she does fight hard and doesn’t give up and I consider that a very good trait.”
Clinton questioned on WikiLeaks
WATCH: Trump says if he was president Clinton would ‘be in jail’
Clinton was questioned about thousands of emails which Wikileaks said belong to Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta.
The emails included a document that outlined what Clinton said in dozens of highly paid speeches before launching her presidential bid. Throughout her campaign, the Democrat has refused to release transcripts of the speeches.
“They are not doing it to get me elected,” said Clinton, stressing Trump’s ties to the country and praise for Russian leader Vladimir Putin. She said Americans “deserve answers” about Russia’s involvement.
*With files from the Associated Press
Comments