[nathanbedford]

The media is biased, the debate moderators are biased, Republican candidates are physically ugly, too young, losers, okay doctors etc. Everybody is off base but Donald Trump.

The problem is Trump cannot blame his own pathetic debate performance on anyone but himself. The electorate has reacted to Trump's performance in the second debate just as I predicted they would do in the first debate.

My timing was off, Trump's standing in the polls did not taper off until he repeated his boorishness in the second debate but the analysis looks to have been correct. Donald Trump is an animal of the media who can live only so long as his momentum grows. His momentum has stopped and his standing might even be seriously declining. Once the Ponzi scheme runs out of new investors in the Donald Trump myth, the whole edifice comes down.

Will it crash on the way down or simply erode? That is difficult to predict and probably dependent on Trump's own behavior. But if past is prelude Trump will engage his mouth either in debates or otherwise and his hubris will ultimately bring him down.

The Republican establishment is trying to decide whether to back Fiorina or Rubio. I continue to support the only conservative with a chance to win, Ted Cruz.

[2ndDivisionVet]

See my tagline...

[2ndDivisionVet]

See my tagline...

[woofie]

The media is biased, the debate moderators are biased, Republican candidates are physically ugly, too young, losers, okay doctors etc. Everybody is off base but Donald Trump.

.....

You noticed that too?

Political Wars don’t sound like a good idea for someone who is going to want a whole lot of votes someday

[TheRightGuy]

well said, thank god sanity is still alive on fr

[firebrand]

There’s a factor aside from his being a media animal: the man in the street. People are talking about him one on one and in groups everywhere, and the issues he’s championing are resonating with the people. No way the pundits and experts can beat that.

As long as Trump and his staff keep picking the important subjects and doing their homework, there will soon be more substance to this campaign as well as the accurate zeroing in on the issues that we have now.

I have never been so sick to my stomach over the bashing of a candidate. I’ve never seen the like of it. That is adding gasoline to the fire.

[entropy12]

You are forgetting the most important thing!

Which is...ding ding ding ding....

14 candidates are professional politicians (includes Carly who actively campaigned for McCain..see the video below).

What do professional politicians do every day? Give speeches and debate and take no actions promised before election.

Trump & Carson have not spent their lives giving speeches every day and debating everyday. Instead, they have achieved real things in life. Built real things. Cured real sick children.

Is that difference sinking in?

[CPT Clay]

Cruz or lose.

[ek_hornbeck]

The media is biased, the debate moderators are biased, Republican candidates are physically ugly, too young, losers, okay doctors etc. Everybody is off base but Donald Trump.

There's plenty to criticize about Trump based on his past statements and actions. That doesn't change the fact that Fox News is more interested in being a mouthpiece for the RNC than supporting conservative principles. Fox supports the GOP establishment against any and all, regardless of ideology. Sometimes, the enemies of that GOP establishment are liberal Democrats, and in those instances Fox can pretend to be the voice of conservatism. Other times, the enemies of the GOP establishment are authentic conservatives or populists, in which case Fox takes the side of the liberals.

Fox's quarrel with Trump isn't really about Trump, they'd have the same problem with anyone else challenging Jeb and Jeb's pinch-hitters.

[ScottinVA]

Great assessment.