Donald Trump spokeswoman Kellyanne Conway ends interview after struggling to back up claim about the election

Sometimes it's better to quit while you're ahead. Especially when you are live on camera

Being Donald Trump’s spokeswoman can’t be an easy task. Defending some of the most outlandish, controversial, provocative and bizarre claims set out by her charge is no mean feat. Presidential debates must prove particularly taxing.

Mr Trump outdid himself in his third and final joust with Hillary Clinton with graphic - and completely refuted - claims about late-term abortions, a reference to ‘bad hombres’ that inadvertently produced hundreds of images of well-coiffed ombre dip-dyed hairstyles and a "nasty woman" remark about his political opponent that did little to repair his fractured relationship with the female electorate (but made for some amusing tweets).

He also made one suggestion that was unprecedented - that he could refuse to accept the results of the election if they do not go in his favour.

His spokeswoman Kellyanne Conway's interview with CNN’s Chief Political Correspondent Dana Bash was evidence of how difficult her position can be when the only solution to his latest headline-grabbing suggestion was to do an about-turn and walk out of an interview.

When asked about his suggestion that he might not accept the result of the election, a serene Kellyanne was initally unequivocal about why he would accept the final vote.

“Donald Trump will accept the results of the election because he is going to win the election, so it will be easy to accept," said Conway. "He won the debate tonight, amazing performance, getting back to all of those core issues that really catapulted his campaign from the beginning.”

Bash was determined to get Conway to repeat her assertion that the 70-year-old would accept the result and asked if she would expect him to accept a defeat put in front of him. ”Absent evidence of widespread abuse and irregularities, yes, I would say that,” she replied.

But sometimes, the best thing to do is just quit while you are ahead. This strategy was employed by Conway who turned away as Bash began to ask her next question and walked off, although not before adding: “But I actually think I’ll be saying to him, ‘Congratulations, Mr. President.’ And I’ll see you there in two weeks.”