Patterico's Pontifications

10/28/2015

GOP Debate Open Thread

Filed under: General — Dana @ 4:26 pm



[guest post by Dana]

The top-tier debate starts at 8:00 pm ET from the University of Colorado’s Coors Events Center, where 10,000 of the 11,000 seats will be empty . It will air on CNBC.

Debating in the top-tier will be: Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Marco Rubio, Carly Fiorina, Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz, Mike Huckabee, John Kasich, Rand Paul, and Chris Christie.

And to add some amusement to this tragicomedy, Rand Paul and Chris Christie’s campaigns are complaining about their greenrooms being dominated by toilets. Also, let’s not forget that this debate will be moderated by the ever-impartial and unbiased John Harwood of CNBC.

–Dana

145 Responses to “GOP Debate Open Thread”

  1. Hello.

    Dana (86e864)

  2. Leave it to the RNC to have Harwood candy crawley the debate.
    Will this be pile on the Donald night?

    mg (31009b)

  3. This should be pile on bill’s wife night.

    mg (31009b)

  4. Is it that bad a thing to have an impartial moderator at this point? We want our guys sharp.

    scrubone (c3104f)

  5. It figures that Rubio would be the one in a shiny suit.

    nk (dbc370)

  6. Carly’s legs look stubby. Is it the skirt or the camera angle?

    nk (dbc370)

  7. Baseball for me, and your comments for laughs.

    mg (31009b)

  8. First question: “What is your biggest weakness?” Huckabee gives good answer, “Ask my wife, she’ll tel you”. Jeb is impatient. Rubio’s is his optimism. Trump trusts people too much. Carson’s does not really see himself as President. Carly does not smile enough. Cruz is too agreeable and easy-going … “just kidding, I’m the opposite, I’m a fighter”. Christie sees no weakness on this stage; he goes after the Democrats. Paul apparently is worried about the deficit. Christie for the win.

    nk (dbc370)

  9. Okay… Carly-ho, dead baby, puppy killers, Bushfamilyfail, tasty Thai tofu pancakes.

    Now happyfeet can take the night off.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  10. Ok, that’s enough for me.

    nk (dbc370)

  11. i’m still working on emails and stuff i forgot about the thing

    wtf are they doing in boulder anyway why not just go to berkeley

    happyfeet (831175)

  12. OMG!!! CNBC is hosting this thing. What on earth was the RNC thinking????

    Perhaps the current incumbent in the Office of the President will designate the Republican Party as the JV Team of the Democrat Party and give it some sense of mission.

    BobStewartatHome (a52abe)

  13. Notice how this CNBC panel acts like Democrat activists asking questions that they won’t accept answers to because they’ve already thrown in with Clinton. Compare this to CNN’s tongue-bath Democrat debate.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  14. After last night’s baseball game, there’s no doubt what I’m going to watch. Especially with the snarky commentators. This will generate more contributions to Hillary! and the geezer from Vermont than anything either of them could have thought of.

    What on earth was the RNC thinking!!!?

    BobStewartatHome (a52abe)

  15. It’s the John Kasich Show, because CNBC wants to make sure they argue and Kasich is the most willing.

    DRJ (15874d)

  16. Marico Rubio wants to be the Establishment candidate who also appeals to the base. Maybe he can thread that needle but I don’t think he can. Ryan is proof that this isn’t the year that one person can be all things to all people, but maybe everyone loves Rubio.

    DRJ (15874d)

  17. If Rubio’s a “young man in a hurry”, what are Bernie Sanders and Hillary! Clinton? Old and in the way, that’s what they are!

    Colonel Haiku (436b69)

  18. Cruz with a haymaker, and he’s not done!

    Colonel Haiku (436b69)

  19. Cruz: The questions that have been asked so far in this debate are the reason the American people don’t trust the media. Yay, Ted!

    nk (dbc370)

  20. I think it’s more pronounced now than ever before.
    RNC tells the base to kiss off.
    RNC begs the base for lots of money.
    RNC doesn’t understand why the base doesn’t give them money.

    John Hitchcock (b8d535)

  21. If you guys can find the rerun, see the whole Cruz statement.

    nk (dbc370)

  22. I’m in the Philippines, further away from a US TV station than normal, so Haiku and nk, thanks for the Cruz slam updates.

    John Hitchcock (b8d535)

  23. It is currently 8:50am October 29 here.

    John Hitchcock (b8d535)

  24. Cruz with a haymaker, Quintanilla goes down, saved by the bell but is in his corner bleeding profusely

    Colonel Haiku (436b69)

  25. John Harwood swallowed his own testes in that last barrage

    Colonel Haiku (436b69)

  26. I might be a little optimistic, but from the sounds of it, Cruz is definitely going to see an uptick after this debate is done.

    John Hitchcock (b8d535)

  27. Cruz: This [budget] deal in Washington is the reason why Washington is broken.

    nk (dbc370)

  28. Cruz: I’m not finished yet.

    Yeah!

    Dana (86e864)

  29. Cruz and Christie, anyway, know that their real opponents are Hillary and Bernie.

    nk (dbc370)

  30. Trump is good at using bankruptcy; that’s how he’ll solve the deficit.

    nk (dbc370)

  31. Crazy Cramer! Boom! And he’s off his meds!

    Colonel Haiku (436b69)

  32. I’m not too worried about Christie. I like that he’s making a splash here.

    In a Venn Diagram with Bush and Trump, Christie is the overlap.

    John Hitchcock (b8d535)

  33. Carson: Want lower drug prices; reduce regulatory burden.

    nk (dbc370)

  34. Christie: Political Justice Department under Obama. Contrasts GM with Petraeus.

    nk (dbc370)

  35. He could have segued from Petraeus to Hillary in a neat little pivot.

    Dana (86e864)

  36. What was that question to Rubio about his finances all about?

    nk (dbc370)

  37. Cruz: Cares about single moms. Lots of them in his family.

    nk (dbc370)

  38. the luxurious yacht remember?

    narciso (ee1f88)

  39. Carly: Goes after Hillary. Every policy Hillary and Obama have espoused has been bad for women. Blonde lady does not like hearing it.

    nk (dbc370)

  40. The female panelist doesn’t want to hear Fiorina’s answers.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  41. Carson: Good answer on gay stuff gotcha question.

    nk (dbc370)

  42. That got testy, good for Cruz.

    Dejectedhead (5ce477)

  43. good answer from Dr. Carson!

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  44. Jihn Kasich-I’m and architect.

    Bugg (fa64ec)

  45. Carson was very good on gay question.

    Dana (86e864)

  46. Yeah, I meant blonde lady female panelist in my 39. Hey, this is more bearable than I thought, thanks to Cruz, Christie, Carly and Carson. (That’s alliteration and assonance, JVW.)

    nk (dbc370)

  47. Quintanilla has his testicles surgically removed by Dr. Carson. seems only fitting…

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  48. becky quick, the wannabe couric, at cnbc,

    narciso (ee1f88)

  49. Fkuc Kasich. The other panelists ought to tell him to go run for the Democrats. Fkuc him.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  50. A soft-spoken, easy manner was precisely how the gay question needed to be answered. So much more effective than a combative tone.

    Dana (86e864)

  51. Kasich is so utterly full of himself, while simultaneously full of disdain for the others on the stage.

    Dana (86e864)

  52. (That’s alliteration and assonance, JVW.)

    Hat’s off to you, sir.

    Anyone want an update on baseball? Mets 1-0, top of 5th.

    JVW (ba78f9)

  53. All you Kasich haters out there, I’m an Ohioan (a Buckeye), and on a pH scale, Kasich was far less acidic than the former (Dem) Governor. Of course, being far less acidic than a 0.5 does not make him alkaline.

    I will never vote for Kasich in the Primary. If, somehow, he were to become nominated, I would hold my nose and vote for him.

    John Hitchcock (b8d535)

  54. Kasich is so utterly full of himself, while simultaneously full of disdain for the others on the stage.

    I remember being really impressed with him back in 1995, but I guess he’s a guy who spent too long in politics. Not unlike his mentor Newt.

    JVW (ba78f9)

  55. Rubio: Democrats have the ultimate SuperPac – it’s the mainstream media.

    Dana (86e864)

  56. Back in the 90s, I had a lot of respect for Budget Chairman Kasich. He was like Newt but without the social skills.

    John Hitchcock (b8d535)

  57. Rubio: Democrats have the ultimate SuperPac – it’s the mainstream media.

    Not to mention a government-funded, ahem, “think tank” in higher education.

    JVW (ba78f9)

  58. Just saw an ad for the new movie The 33 about those Chilean miners who were stuck in the mine shaft a few years back. Surprised to learn that they and their rescue team apparently all spoke English to each other throughout the ordeal. That sure must have made casting a whole lot easier for the Hollywood producers.

    JVW (ba78f9)

  59. Yeah, cos when Hollyweird does a movie of an actual event, they are scrupulously honest about the details. Like Redford’s Truth, for example.

    Gazzer (3add11)

  60. The feminazi cult with Amanda Marcotte have to hate the rescued miners. They’re social conservatives, on the US scale.

    John Hitchcock (b8d535)

  61. Kasich must have heard you, guys. He’s against marijuana and for jobs for young people.

    nk (dbc370)

  62. The feminazis must be really upset about Bruce Jenner being named Woman of the Year by Glamour Magazine. Damn patriarchy will even give the job of being a woman to a man.

    nk (dbc370)

  63. I know that baseball is not everyone’s cup of tea in this day and age, but this World Series is off to a great start. Some fantastic ball has been played the last two nights. Royals up 3-1 in bottom of 5th with men on first and third and two out. They’ve gotten to deGrom this inning.

    JVW (ba78f9)

  64. Rubio wants to get rid of family unification immigration.

    Trump has a NYC carry permit, and would allow his employees to bring a gun to work. Says gun free zones are targets for sickos. Would allow guns at his resorts.

    nk (dbc370)

  65. Huckabee: Trump would be better President than Hillary.

    nk (dbc370)

  66. What a question: does Trump have the “moral authority” to unite the country?? What is wrong with these moderators! Worse, what was the RNC thinking!

    Huckabee was good on the question.

    Dana (86e864)

  67. I’m not in the position to do the research, nor do I have the ability (I suck at that sort of thing) but it would be nice to know if his resorts allow guns now.

    John Hitchcock (b8d535)

  68. Rubio wants to get rid of family unification immigration.

    Family unification is a relic from the days when families were separated by a ridiculously expensive and long ocean voyage. Today with relatively cheap airplane travel (not to mention email and video conferencing) there is less need for them to all live in the same town in the New World.

    JVW (ba78f9)

  69. These moderators are effin awful. It is ridiculous.

    JD (34f761)

  70. Update: 4-1 Royals at the end of the 5th. They hammered deGrom for all four runs this inning.

    JVW (ba78f9)

  71. They’re more like paparazzi. Democrat attack dogs.

    nk (dbc370)

  72. Not the Royals, the debate moderators.

    nk (dbc370)

  73. Jeb is 7-0 in his fantasy football league. He wants it regulated. “Some regulation”. Christie reams him a new one. “We have a 17 trillion dollar deficit and you want the government involved in fantasy football?”

    nk (dbc370)

  74. Oh God, government in fantasy football???

    Dana (86e864)

  75. kasich seems to have walked into this,

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLlv_aZjHXc

    narciso (ee1f88)

  76. Rand Paul: “I blame the Baby Boomers”. So do I.

    nk (dbc370)

  77. And I saw an ad for a movie where Sandra Bullock tells the LBJ “he has sex with pigs” story.

    nk (dbc370)

  78. Christie should wear that conservative look more often. He wears it well.

    Dana (86e864)

  79. Narcisco, that sketch brought back some happy memories. Thanks.

    Gazzer (3add11)

  80. CNBC gets its marching orders from Comcast, one of the biggest Democrat slushfunds in the nation. “Moral authority”??? Do they mean like Barack Obama?

    Colonel Haiku (436b69)

  81. Huckabee thinks it would be good to eradicate Alzheimers, cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Who can argue with that?

    Trump is still upset that Nabisco/Oreo is leaving Chicago.

    nk (dbc370)

  82. For what it’s worth:

    Frank Luntz
    15m15 minutes ago
    Frank Luntz ‏@FrankLuntz
    Ted Cruz’s focus group dials hits 98 with his attack on media bias. 📈

    That’s the highest score we’ve ever measured. EVER. #GOPDebate

    Dana (86e864)

  83. Rand Paul wants to raise the age and means-test for Social Security and Medicare. All the old people just wrote him off.

    nk (dbc370)

  84. And I’m still upset Chicago has ANY businesses within its borders.

    John Hitchcock (b8d535)

  85. Christie is impressive with his focus on the Democrats.

    nk (dbc370)

  86. Paul promises to filibuster budget deal tomorrow.

    nk (dbc370)

  87. Jeb is 7-0 in his fantasy football league. He wants it regulated. “Some regulation”. Christie reams him a new one. “We have a 17 trillion dollar deficit and you want the government involved in fantasy football?”

    It’s odd that every now and again in these debates comes a moment that perfectly encapsulates what is wrong with a candidate. Sounds like Jeb! just had his moment.

    JVW (ba78f9)

  88. Carly: I’m Hillary Clinton’s worst nightmare. Yup.

    nk (dbc370)

  89. Trump: I’m a good negotiator and “those pesky foreigners”.

    nk (dbc370)

  90. Jeb has a proven record of success. He will change the culture in Washington just like he changed the culture in Tallahassee.

    Huckabee has five grandchildren.

    nk (dbc370)

  91. Nk, the way you worded Trump’s push, it just adds to the Stormfront push. It doesn’t mark the delineation between legals and illegals. I’m currently working on putting together a K-1 petition. That, my heritage, my daughter’s heritage, and my grandson’s heritage (adding half black-Italian to the mix) puts me at odds with the Laup Nor Aryans who are gung ho for Trump. (And they’d hate it if they heard “gung ho” attatched to them, Asian as it is.)

    John Hitchcock (b8d535)

  92. Christie talks a good fight, but I think New Jersey needs him more than America does.

    nk (dbc370)

  93. Jeb changing the culture in DC is like using hydrogen hydroxide to dilute dihydrogen oxide.

    John Hitchcock (b8d535)

  94. Chris Christie for Chief of Staff.

    JVW (ba78f9)

  95. John, I was referring to his closing statement where he was talking about ISIS, Iran, and other Obama failures in foreign policy.

    nk (dbc370)

  96. Also trade and currency manipulation (by China and Japan) in the post-game interview.

    nk (dbc370)

  97. WS commercial … I thought Carson did a nice rip on the three mouthpieces “moderating” this charade.

    BobStewartatHome (a52abe)

  98. hardwood lied about the debate.

    Dana (86e864)

  99. All the old people just wrote him off.

    I doubt it. I’m an old people and I worry about my grand children. I don’t think I’m the only one. Nobody intelligent thinks Social Security and Medicare will be there in 20 years. Rubio made a good point that reforms will to apply to the present beneficiaries. Ryan got savaged over his plan but that was for LIVs who are gonna vote D anyway.

    Mike K (90dfdc)

  100. I am ready to go off the grid.

    JD (b3cb62)

  101. This was an unusual moment in political history. The evil within the statist left allowed themselves to be seen as never before. The hopeful thing is they were blind to what was happening, and continued to expose themselves – right to the bitter end when Harwood flat denied the facts of the original plans for a 3-hour + extravaganza. I have never seen them be this brazen and still show their true colors.

    Something significant has shifted. Why? This is well beyond typical explanation.

    Ed from SFV (3400a5)

  102. Ed from SFV,

    You are so right. I wonder if any all-important Independents got a clue? It was a brilliant exposure of the Democrats as a whole.

    Dana (86e864)

  103. All important should be in scare quotes…

    Dana (86e864)

  104. They were so brazen and clueless because they are true believers and believe they are representative of the smart, informed and more important part of the population. It would never occur to them to be concerned about being exposed. Why would they?

    Dana (86e864)

  105. Did anything really shift or were they simply so clueless, or is it just impossible for true believers to suppress what lies within?

    Dana (86e864)

  106. Those moderators getting called out like that will be certain to create some clips that will circulate the internet and get into news commentary the next few days.

    Dejectedhead (5ce477)

  107. Jeb has a proven record of success. He will change the culture in Washington just like he changed the culture in Tallahassee.

    Given that he didn’t do much to change the culture in Tallahassee….
    Actually whatever change in the culture there was resulted from GOP dominance in the legislature.

    kishnevi (159f9c)

  108. Dana – That’s the thing…they have ALWAYS insisted that they adhere to some notion of “journalism” or “academic/intellectual curiosity” and they have forever been careful to retain the patina of centrism and fairness. When someone managed to nail them, they veered away and went on to different matters. Tonight was unlike anything I have seen in 40+ years of passionate observation of these liars.

    It’s also been happening generally, most especially since BHO’s second term commenced. They aren’t even trying with one exception: Just don’t call them “socialist.” Otherwise, it has been breathtaking to behold how they ignore even basic law in advancing their agendae.

    Tonight was something other-dimensional. Something significant has flipped.

    Ed from SFV (3400a5)

  109. The moderators will never understand. They consider themselves reasonable centrists, like the rest of the Democrat Party. Trump had the best line when asked shy what he said contradicted what the reporter had read: “I don’t know — you guys as the ones that write that stuff.”

    They read lefty blogs and lefty newspapers, watch lefty TV shows and are immersed in a pervasive lefty media. They never see the cocoon that is all around them. Those on the right attempt to do the same, I’m sure. It’s just impossible — you cannot breathe without being immersed in this lefty propaganda. For us there can be no cocoon.

    And they don’t get that either.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  110. And again I vote for being able to edit posts. I’d even hit the tip jar if anyone was working towards that.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  111. it’s the parable of the cave, and they project the images on the cave wall,

    narciso (ee1f88)

  112. There there is this about Kasich:

    https://twitter.com/RogerJStoneJr/status/659546046771519488

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  113. “The moderators will never understand. They consider themselves reasonable centrists, like the rest of the Democrat Party. Trump had the best line when asked shy what he said contradicted what the reporter had read: “I don’t know — you guys as the ones that write that stuff.”

    – Kevin M

    Of course, he was lying out his a@@, with both middle fingers in the air, but let’s not let that get in the way of a good line.

    Trump 2016

    Leviticus (5e9105)

  114. Those moderators getting called out like that will be certain to create some clips that will circulate the internet and get into news commentary the next few days.

    They are already up over at National Review Online. Great for those of us who watched the Royals rout the Mets instead.

    JVW (ba78f9)

  115. And again I vote for being able to edit posts. I’d even hit the tip jar if anyone was working towards that.

    What are you talking about?

    Dana (86e864)

  116. Mr. Praline: Never mind that, my lad. I wish to complain about this parrot what I purchased not half an hour ago from this very boutique.

    Donald Trump: Oh yes, the, uh, the Norwegian Blue…What’s,uh…What’s wrong with it?

    Mr. Praline: I’ll tell you what’s wrong with it, my lad. ‘E’s dead, that’s what’s wrong with it!

    Donald Trump: No, no, ‘e’s uh,…he’s resting.

    Mr. Praline: Look, matey, I know a dead parrot when I see one, and I’m looking at one right now.

    Donald Trump: No no he’s not dead, he’s, he’s restin’! Remarkable bird, the Norwegian Blue, idn’it, ay? Beautiful plumage!

    Mr. Praline: The plumage don’t enter into it. It’s stone dead.

    Donald Trump: Nononono, no, no! ‘E’s resting!

    Mr. Praline: All right then, if he’s restin’, I’ll wake him up! (shouting at the cage) ‘Ello, Mister Polly Parrot! I’ve got a lovely fresh cuttle fish for you if you show…

    (Donald Trump hits the cage)

    Donald Trump: There, he moved!

    Mr. Praline: No, he didn’t, that was you hitting the cage!

    Donald Trump: I never!!

    Mr. Praline: Yes, you did!

    Donald Trump: I never, never did anything…

    Mr. Praline: (yelling and hitting the cage repeatedly) ‘ELLO POLLY!!!!! Testing! Testing! Testing! Testing! This is your nine o’clock alarm call!

    (Takes parrot out of the cage and thumps its head on the counter. Throws it up in the air and watches it plummet to the floor.)

    Mr. Praline: Now that’s what I call a dead parrot.

    Donald Trump: No, no…..No, ‘e’s stunned!

    Mr. Praline: STUNNED?!?

    Donald Trump: Yeah! You stunned him, just as he was wakin’ up! Norwegian Blues stun easily, major.

    Mr. Praline: Um…now look…now look, mate, I’ve definitely ‘ad enough of this. That parrot is definitely deceased, and when I purchased it not ‘alf an hour ago, you assured me that its total lack of movement was due to it bein’ tired and shagged out following a prolonged squawk.

    Donald Trump: Well, he’s…he’s, ah…probably pining for the fjords.

    Mr. Praline: PININ’ for the FJORDS?!?!?!? What kind of talk is that?, look, why did he fall flat on his back the moment I got ‘im home?

    Donald Trump: The Norwegian Blue prefers keepin’ on it’s back! Remarkable bird, id’nit, squire? Lovely plumage!

    Leviticus (5e9105)

  117. What are you talking about?

    I think he means being able to edit your own posts after posting them, like you can do on Facebook or with Disquss or other blog commenting systems.

    JVW (ba78f9)

  118. “Edit your own comments after posting them” that should read.

    JVW (ba78f9)

  119. if you’re going to quote python, remember who’s ‘pining for the fjords’

    narciso (ee1f88)

  120. They (the nedia) are desperate to affect our thinking. But these moderators are basically morons. Every one of the candidates is magnitudes brighter than they are. And much more skilled debaters — it’s what they learned first. If the moderators tried to enter the debate, they were going to get their heads handed to them. But they were too dumb or too arrogant to realize that. [Add gratuitous snark:] Or maybe they thought they were dealing with Sarah Palin and Mitt Romney.

    nk (dbc370)

  121. Let me put it another way: We had people who (nine of which, anyway) can realistically aspire to be the President of the United States versus second-rate readers of teleprompters from a second-rate cable news channel. It was not going to turn out good for the teleprompter readers.

    nk (dbc370)

  122. CRUBIO

    Mitch (bfd5cd)

  123. “Edit your own comments after posting them” that should read.

    Yes. Sorry for being imprecise.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  124. if you’re going to quote python, remember who’s ‘pining for the fjords’

    Jeb?

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  125. lol, I meant the moderators,

    narciso (ee1f88)

  126. By the way, Rubio’s answer about H1-B visas was ignorant, at best. Sure there are all these safeguards in place to prevent abuse, but that doesn’t mean that they actually stop abuse.

    The H1-B program requires a company that sponsors H1-B workers to pay these employees as much or more than their US workers in the same position. What it does NOT do is require them to pay as much or more for a contractor in the same position.

    So BigTecCo goes to Cheap Overseas Consulting, Inc, and hires COC to provide them with personnel at a set (and much lower) hourly wage. That these COC employees are H1-B visa holders isn’t a problem — they aren’t BTC’s H1-B employees — even though they are paid a third of what BTC used to pay the US employees that they just downsized.

    It’s also not a problem for COC, because COC pays them the same as they would any US employee that wanted to hire on. That no US person is willing to work for $50K a year in Silicon Valley isn’t COC’s problem,

    None of this violates the “safeguards” even though it makes them toothless.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  127. wake up POLLY!!

    GUS (7cc192)

  128. Nk. They are LIBTARDS. These pathetic f=wads are LIBTARDS. They have been trained from jump street, that things that ARE NOT. ARE. They live in a f-wad bubble, and believe that their REALITY is indeed REALITY. It is not. The 3 f-wads on CNBC this evening, made ABSOLUTE FOOLS of themselves. The question is, did America notice, or is America too far gone to recognize HACKERY.

    GUS (7cc192)

  129. Kasich is so utterly full of himself, while simultaneously full of disdain for the others on the stage.

    Personally, I can tolerate the personality flaws of a Republican like Kasich but I can’t tolerate such people’s philosophical mushiness, even more so when being a “centrist” in 2015 (in Obama’s America, in Bruce “Caitlyn” Jenner’s America, etc, etc) is fairly liberal by the standards of America in, say, 1970 or 1950, if not more recently.

    Mark (f713e4)

  130. Cueto pitched a gem. Looks as if I need to read about Mr. Cruz.
    Thanks for the laughs.

    mg (31009b)

  131. My impressions, by candidate (alphabetically), regarding their performances in this debate. Note well: This is not a list of my preferred candidates, this is just my guestimation of how this debate is likely to affect their respective candidacies.

    Carson: Those who support Carson because they think he’s a nice and smart man, a different sort of man, a non-politician, etc., will still feel the same way about him after this debate, but I think that otherwise he did nothing to attract new voters. And I have serious doubts whether those warm fuzzies will continue to translate into primary voters or delegates. GRADE: C+

    Christie: Once again I thought Christie ranted very effectively. I think he’s improving his general favorability among GOP voters, but not to the point that they’ll ignore actually consider voting for him. He’s running now for Attorney General. I might be okay with that. GRADE: B-

    Cruz: I have no doubt whatsoever that Cruz anticipated the “us candidates versus you moderators” turn that this debate might take, and that he seized — and exploited to magnificent effect — his first opportunity to strike that blow. His scathing denunciation of the questioning will be, by a very large margin, the most re-played clip from the debate for the next two days.

    This was Cruz at his very best, applying devastating rhetorical and oratorical skills in framing and delivering those lines. It is a very classical style — it would have been recognized and appreciated by Lincoln and Douglas! — but without a sufficiently dramatic context, it sometimes strikes observers as overly theatrical or over-dramatic. Seeing it tonight, though, I thought: That’s exactly why Ted Cruz was among the most effective and sought-after appellate oral advocates in the country: He thinks on his feet, he absorbs and assimilates what’s going on around him, and he uses that to constantly refine and restructure his prepared arguments. He can seize the mike and the spotlight and take over a public discussion just as decisively as an NFL Hall of Fame QB can seize the ball and take over a football game. It’s thrilling to watch. I was hugely entertained.

    Beyond that, I think Cruz made a small handful of other points on his checklist in an effective way. He’s putting together a nice string of performances in each of which he’s prompting some number of viewers who thought they already had ruled him out — based on bad, but shallow, first impressions, based in turn mostly on MSM propaganda (echoed by Cruz’ most whiny detractors among GOP establishment circles) — to lift an eyebrow and say, “Hmm.” GRADE: A+

    Fiorina: She started strong, I thought, and spoke well. I don’t think she lost ground, but she didn’t have a moment as dramatic as her clash with Trump (re his “look at that face” line) in the last debate. She strikes me as an increasingly likely Veep choice for several other candidates, especially (as I think now inevitable) that Hillary gets the Dem nomination. GRADE: B+

    Huckabee: Non-factor, got no traction; the genial uncle, but it’s way after his bedtime, and he needs to drop out of the race before he does something to mess up his prospects for his next cable TV show. GRADE: C

    Kasich: Disastrous performance. Trump’s line about Lehman Bros. scored, but most of the damage to Kasich’s candidacy was done by Kasich’s own rashness and weirdness. Who could possibly be giving this guy any money? GRADE: D-

    Paul: Wait, was he even there tonight? Why? GRADE: INC/ABSENT

    Rubio: Rubio had powerful comebacks to a series of strong attacks tonight, and although I don’t think he had a single moment that was as powerful as Cruz’ attack on the questioners (which Rubio and others “me-too’d”), I think overall he had the strongest performance. GRADE: A+.

    Trump: I don’t think Trump lost any of his most rabid fans. They could care less about whether he did or didn’t attack the Facebook guy about visas. But I’m confident that Trump made no new ones, either because he certainly had nothing new, different, or substantive — and I don’t know how many more seasons this reality TV show can last (scale: one month of real-life campaign time is roughly the equivalent of one season of “The Apprentice Presidential Candidate” can maintain its ratings — er, poll numbers. My sense is that anytime he’s not the center of attention, he’s bored, and he didn’t get, or warrant, much attention in this debate. GRADE: D

    Beldar (fa637a)

  132. It’s interesting to watch the other cable networks’ coverage of CNBC’s performance: Everyone at Fox was uniformly contemptuous, with only the tiniest fig leaf of “gosh this is a hard job and yes we’re all professionals.” But to my surprise, the commentators at CNN were almost as critical.

    I tend to agree with SE Cupp, who I just heard say something to the effect that the RNC should send CNBC a big bouquet tomorrow, to thank them for being so uniformly vile, thoroughly unprepared, and obviously, corruptly partisan that they gave every candidate on-stage a rallying point, converting what could have been a Hindenburg-scale disaster into a pretty good night for the Grand Old Party.

    Beldar (fa637a)

  133. Oh. I forgot Jeb Bush.

    Yes, let’s forget Jeb Bush. My heavens, that was a painful performance to watch, and I hope Barbara or someone in the family will stage an intervention. GRADE: F

    Beldar (fa637a)

  134. Just in terms of raw intellectual horsepower, ability to think on one’s feet, and ability to craft coherent and vivid sentences that both sound good and read well transcribed: Cruz, Rubio, Fiorina, and Christie all run rings around every one of the Dem candidates.

    Beldar (fa637a)

  135. I thought that Fiorina did quite well with Part 57 of the “You got fired from HP” attack. And when the reporter came back with her planned ambush on Tom Perkins (sourced from Daily Kos or some such), she finessed the attack with trivial ease (“That’s why we had disagreements…”).

    Either she plans a few moves further ahead than the reporters, or she is quicker on her feet than I thought.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  136. It is almost like someone said “too bad we can’t have a bunch of left-wing wackos to punch instead of each other” and then they hit upon the idea of NBC.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  137. Great summary, Beldar! Right on, Kevin.

    Colonel Haiku (436b69)

  138. “moderators” heh
    anyone get license plate?
    liberal roadkill

    Colonel Haiku (436b69)

  139. Cruz Fiorina
    a Red House over yonder
    retire McConnell

    Colonel Haiku (436b69)

  140. Clinton and Sanders
    Last Ride of Geritol Gang
    ride those chrome wheelchairs

    Colonel Haiku (436b69)

  141. That is an excellent summary, Beldar.

    Re: the VP, I think Rubio would have to consider Fiorina as his VP but if Rubio isn’t the nominee then IMO he would have to be everyone’s first choice for VP. The eventual nominee will likely face Hillary and Julian Castro. Cruz is my favorite but because of Rubio’s waffling on amnesty, I think Rubio is the best person to counter Castro’s youth, rhetoric, and appeal to Hispanics.

    DRJ (15874d)

  142. Last night also made me think of Christie as a possible AG.

    DRJ (15874d)

  143. Hispanics are a factor only in Florida. They can’t swing any other state, blue or red. We need to appeal to young white working men and convince to come out and take their country back in the purple states.

    Besides, I’m not happy with the prospect of having both a President and a Vice-President with names that end in a vowel. The only thing missing is an FBI informer for the definition of a conspiracy under federal law.

    nk (dbc370)

  144. nk, I think having Rubio to counter Castro is about the young/white vote, not the Hispanic vote.

    The GOP won’t win the Hispanic vote with a Cuban-American on the ballot because very few Hispanics identify with the Cuban heritage. In addition, Democrats will dominate Hispanics in the short run (especially after Trump), just as they dominate the black vote. But Obama’s election shows that many young/white voters want to see minority candidates succeed. I view it as the voters’ version of affirmative action, and the GOP ticket needs to check the Hispanic box more than it needs to check the female box.

    DRJ (15874d)


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