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Since the debate, his numbers have plateaued, and in some places declined. In New Hampshire, for example, he's gone from the mid-20s to the high teens. And he had a rough debate, as reflected in the Suffolk University poll in Iowa taken right afterward, in which, by 55-23, respondents felt less comfortable with him as president. Nonetheless, his core support, somewhere around 20 percent (plus or minus a couple), remains as solid as that once commanded by Ron Paul and Ross Perot. Which means Trump will likely continue to lead until the field whittles down to a handful, at which point 20 percent is no longer a plurality.

Dr. Krauthammer's analysis and prediction mirror my own made before the debate. I think he's been reading my mail here.

“And he had a rough debate, as reflected in the Suffolk University poll in Iowa taken right afterward, in which, by 55-23, respondents felt less comfortable with him as president.”

In other words, this one isolated poll in one state is extrapolated for all states for the duration of the campaign. The pundits say the polls don’t matter until it breaks the way they desire.

During the debate, each question for Trump was an attack on him personally. The people polled merely had picked up on the suggestions that the moderators put forth. They didn’t have time to see the trickery vetted. Note the words “taken right afterward”.

This proposed ceiling for Trump supporters is laughable. Why aren’t the other candidates with their low percentages assigned a ceiling? According the pundits, front runners are now dirt. Evidently, it would pay for the candidates try to defeat themselves for a period of time to prevent “peaking”.

I have been noticing that the network news cast almost invariably began their reporting on Trump with the words such as “controversial”, “firestorm”, etc. I expect at any time that they will say: “A firestorm of controversy erupts as Trump is seen boarding his plane to attend a campaign event!!!”

1. Why would Trump plateau at 20% while those polling behind him go higher as the field whittles down? I dont see Rand Paul or Huckabee supporters breaking for Krauthammer’s pets Jeb Bush or Pretty Boy Rubio for example.

2. Why is he taking the one poll where Trump's numbers are down slightly and running with it as his basis for his “Trump has plateaued” conclusion, and ignoring all the other post debate polls where Trump is actually up? A bit of intellectual dishonesty there eh Dr Krauthammer?

Dr Krauthammer is still in denial. But he is going to be dragged kicking and screaming to reality, sooner or later.