Posted on 02/06/2016 10:46:36 PM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
What a glum, drab debate. ABC clearly tried to make all the candidates look bad, and the bad blood between the candidates left over from Iowa meant that they just did not care about showing any level of solidarity against the media, as they often do. Christie successfully tore down Marco Rubio for the first hour of the debate, but made himself look like a royal, braying jerk in the process. Normally in these posts, I have three winners and three losers, but I don't think there even were three winners - but there were a whole bunch of losers. Let's go to the scorecard.
WINNERS
1. Ted Cruz - Cruz was nicked by Carson's strong opening on the Carsongate controversy, but I think Cruz's apology on that point came off as sincere and genuine. After that point, Cruz clearly had the strongest night of any of the candidates on stage. Cruz was the first recipient of Martha Raddatz' pointless and dishonest badgering, and handled it well. Cruz did well with the guns trained away from him once again, as everyone focused on Rubio. Cruz's answer on his family member who succumbed to heroin addiction was the most poignant moment of the night and really humanized Cruz in a way that no one has yet seen in this campaign. Cruz was one of the two likeable people on stage tonight.
2. Jeb Bush - Surprisingly strong performance from Bush tonight. He absolutely kneecapped Trump in the exchange on eminent domain. He avoided any meaningful verbal flubs. He appeared wonky but likeable. He was in command of the facts. His story about the guy who died (according to the VA) was charming and humorous. I don't know if it's because the rest of the candidates don't consider him a threat, but Jeb was able to really rise above the fray and be one of the only two positive presences on stage tonight.
LOSERS
1. Marco Rubio - Here's what I don't know: I don't know how much people watch beyond the first 45 minutes of these debates, especially on a Saturday night. If they do, they they saw Rubio really regain his feet after his own Martha Raddatz dishonest badgering session. But the initial exchange with Christie was very bad for him, visually. He was accused by Christie of repeating a pat line, and in response he repeated a pat line, twice. Then after every answer he gave, he was followed by a hounding Chris Christie, who he never brushed back off the plate. Again, Rubio recovered very well for the last two hours of the debate, but the concern for camp Rubio is that people turned off the debate when the clock hit 9pm. Rubio's answer on the life issue was an absolute home run - but who was still watching at 10:15pm?
2. Chris Christie - Christie clearly came to the debate with one goal, which was to trash Marco Rubio. He succeeded to some degree, but made himself look like an especially angry chihuahua in the process. Then, after trashing Rubio for repeating himself, he spent the rest of the night repeating himself over and over and over. I think his victory over Rubio, if it was one, will have to be seen as a pyrrhic one in the end.
3. The RNC, again - It's an absolutely incredible fact that the RNC allowed Martha Raddatz to moderate another debate in which Republicans were on television after her horrible and clearly biased performance in the 2012 Vice Presidential debate. Raddatz is not only a known and vocal critic of Cruz, but she spent the entire night arguing with the candidates about answers they did not give. She repeatedly accused the candidates of not answering questions when the problem actually was that she was not listening. On the other hand, when she asked Trump to answer a question with specifics, and he refused, she never once followed up and pressed the issue.
The entire production of this debate was awful. The lighting was bleak, the pre-debate commentary was geriatric and low energy, former Clinton employee George Stephanopolous was running the show. Bill Kristol had about 15 seconds on air and he was the only thing within sniffing distance of a conservative voice.
This was a worse debate than the CNBC debacle and it had the effect of lowering all the candidates on stage. There were numerous red flags about the entire ABC production that the RNC should have seen coming from a mile away, but did not. What tonight's experience showed was that, in spite of their largely symbolic move to cut NBC out of the debate process, the RNC has actually learned very little about using their negotiating power with the media to ensure a level playing field for Republican candidates. And that's disappointing to all the campaigns.
Also present -
John Kasich - John Kasich pretending to be a happy person is one of the most awkward things you've ever seen. ABC forgot he was there for the first 45 minutes and I remember literally nothing about him being there other than his weird gooberish attempt at being funny when he said "AWWW THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PATIENCE SO MUCH." Kind of surprised that he was left alone by both Christie and Bush, but I don't think he made any sort of impression in spite of the opportunity.
Donald Trump - Surprisingly low energy performance from Trump. Got stomped by Bush in the only direct confrontation he had in the night. Mostly faded into the background and spewed nonsense. But he wasn't really a loser because of the likelihood that Rubio took a step back. Call it a draw for Trump.
Ben Carson - Ben Carson had a great opening moment of the debate and may have earned himself some sympathy on the Carsongate issue. But then, every question he answered afterwards, he began with a complaint about how long it had been since the last time he got a question. Very off putting. At least he looked awake during this debate, so it was a marked improvement from previous debates.
Trump’s plan is clear that he intends to send the illegals back where they came from.
Ted’s plan says only that he’ll deport “criminal†illegals.
The omission is so glaring that David Muir was compelled to ask Ted to clarify it in his interview. Ted’s response was a typical lawyer’s dodge. He purposely didn’t answer the question.
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AND Trump said he would then expedite bringing the “good ones” back to the US. That’s called “touchback”.
Ted’s reply to Muir’s question pointed out he had an 11-page detailed plan on his website and then he summarized each of the points on that document.
Please stop twisting and spinning the truth in your posts.
The Carson attack on Cruz was unfounded and absolutely tells me what a piece of dog do-do he is.
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Agree with that sentence as well as the rest of your posting!
I have the Iowa Caucus thread bookmarked for comedic enjoyment. Early in the thread the Trumpets were celebrating, and even claiming they would get near 50% when it was said and done. They really believed their poll numbers. After the evening progressed, you could have heard crickets from that side of the room. Absolutely hilarious.
Point is, is that these are loud obnoxious tools who get over counted due to the decibels of their voice.
Trump will win RINO-CENTRIC New Hampshire, it's his base. But watch the Trumpets make this out as a rebuke of Cruz. Mark my words.
Osama Bin Laden was natural born.
Standard fare for the hardcore, personal insults like their leader.
I’ll have some of whatever Leon is having!
What you don’t accept is that Trumpbots have consciously decided that Cruz cannot win. Trump will win New York, which almost certainly guarantees victory. Immigration is all that I care about, Trump started there.
There is no mention of a plan to deport all the 11.5 million illegals.
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This is not a slam on you, JR46.
I just want people to stop repeating the “11-12 million” figure for illegal aliens in the US. That was the number being used back in the 2005-06 years when Bush 43 was trying for amnesty. ....Illegal aliens in 2016 now probably number around 20-30 million, since Obama has refused to enforce the laws. He even counts turn-backs at border crossings as deportations, so no one can believe his numbers.
I’ll grant you that, but do you honestly think Trump has people going out voting on the internet for him. That was Paul’s trademark.
Inside the Trump camp they tell me that many of Rand Paul’s supporter are now for Trump because he is the Anti establishment candidate.
You heard the result of audience packing for Bush. Trump only got 20 tickets in a big seating capacity hall.
The RNCe will do anything to beat Trump and the Paul people hate the RNCe people. Just look at the polls tonight Trump getting from 66% ; 75% ; 83% kicking everyone else’s butt
Now the vote of the Anti Trump forces is total 28% split four ways. Just the same as the anti Romney vote was similarly split last cycle.
Nice post as usual CW.
The article accurately reflects my take on the debate but is unlikely to get a majority blessing here in Trumpville, AKA Free Republic.
My comments last night reflected my growing view that when it comes to actual policy there is not much there with Donald Trump. Either he is not willing to do the homework or is not capable of it. The contrast between Trump and Cruz in the policy area was stark. Cruz: Facts and figures and well thought out policy. Trump: It’ll be GREAT. Trust me.
But the Trump hand-waving continues to sell quite well and I expect he will win on Tuesday. Cruz is likely to finish 3rd but could surprise.
The Keystone pipeline will transfer oil to refineries on the Gulf Coast, providing jobs for people and more tax revenue. The pipeline is a much safer way of moving the oil than the railroads that have had tragic derailments and spills over the past few years. ...The pipeline benefits the public.
You can't put a price on Energy Independence in this country. The looney left tree huggers are complicit in this treason as far as I am concerned.
WSJ has an irrational via earl hatred of Ted Cruz and all social Conservatives. The WSJ is is very pro amnesty and and pro-abortion.
CW, your posting #100 is great and a keeper for me! Thanks!
“In 2012, 121,354 Republicans caucused in Iowa, setting a new record and helping propel Rick Santorum to a narrow victory over eventual nominee Mitt Romney. On Monday, according to estimates by Edison Research, 185,000 Republicans turned out, 46 percent of them attending their first GOP caucus. The large number and influx of first-time voters was widely expected to help Donald Trump, “that was not how things went, raising the prospect that some of the voters who turned out were interested in stopping Mr. Trump, instead of propelling him to victory,” says Maggie Haberman at The New York Times.....”
Great!
Share wide and far.
I agree 100%.. and it’s not a publicly owned company that owns the pipeline and it’s not a government project it’s a private company looking to make profits for it’s shareholders just as Trump’s casino(that would employ hundreds of employees and bring in tens of millions worth of tax monies for the local economy was sorely needed) wasn’t a public owned entity
but somehow it’s great to have the Keystone pipeline built using eminent domain against hundreds of private people but Trump is a villain for trying to get the local Atlantic City government to do the same for his casino with one old cantankerous old broad holding up the whole project...
that’s the hypocrisy at the highest level
Leon Wolf serves it up.
I agree with you on the benefits of energy independence. I was just posting relative to the eminent domain issue, as there was disagreement between Trump and Bush about whether the pipeline was for private or public benefit.
Erikson is a passionate Trump hater and babbles on endlessly on the radio about how bed he is. Nothing he can say here has any credibility.
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