Donald Trump had a chance to take a shot at Carly Fiorina. He didn't take it.
He responded mildly to jibes from Jeb Bush, noting that "he's doing very poorly" but is "a very nice person."
He praised staffers at Forbesmagazine, even while disputing their story asserting that his net worth is less than half the $10 billion Trump has claimed. He reacted with equanimity to challenging questions, and mused about abandoning his presidential bid if his poll numbers head south.
At least briefly this week, during our interview in Trump Grill inside the mid-town Manhattan tower that bears his name, the normally bombastic Trump struck a milder tone. Perhaps it was simply that day's mood, or perhaps it was a reflection of the sobering moment he has reached during his stunning turn in the race for the White House.