Posted on 10/29/2015 6:06:18 AM PDT by xzins
The three winners of the night were pretty obvious: Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and Donald Trump.
Rubio ended Jeb Bush’s campaign with the kind of body shot that buckles your knees. That’s on Bush, who never should have come after Rubio in that spot for a host of strategic and tactical reasons. But what should scare Hillary Clinton is how effortless Rubio is even with throwaway lines, like “I’m against anything that’s bad for my mother.†Most people have no idea how fearsome raw political talent can be. Clinton does know because she’s seen it up close. She sleeps next to it for a contractually-obligated 18 nights per year.
Cruz was tough and canny—no surprise there. He went the full-Gingrich in his assault on CNBC’s ridiculous moderators. He did a better job explaining Social Security reform than Chris Christie, even (which is no mean feat). And managed to look downright personable compared with John Harwood, whose incompetence was matched only by his unpleasantness. If you’re a conservative voter looking for someone who is going to fight for your values, Cruz must have looked awfully attractive.
Then there was Trump. Over the last few weeks, Trump has gotten better on the stump. Well, don’t look now, but he’s getting better at debates, too. Trump was reasonably disciplined. He kept his agro to a medium-high level. And his situational awareness is getting keener, too. Note how he backed John Kasich into such a bad corner on Lehmann Brothers that he protested, “I was a banker, and I was proud of it!†When that’s your answer, you’ve lost the exchange. Even at a Republican debate.
And Trump had a hammer close: “Our country doesn’t win anymore. We used to win. We don’t anymore.†I remain convinced that this line (along with his hardliner on immigration) is the core of Trump’s appeal. But he didn’t just restate this theme in his closing argument. He used it to: (1) beat up CNBC; and (2) argue that his man-handling of these media twits is an example of what he’ll do as president. It was brilliant political theater.
Those were your winners. You also saw tonight several campaigns which are over, even if the candidates don’t know it yet. Kasich was less likable than Rand Paul. Rand Paul was mostly invisible, and petulant when he was visible. Mike Huckabee wasn’t visible enough, except when he was doing his populist defense of Medicare and Social Security. But the effectiveness of this spot was diminished by Cruz’s excellent response, which is what people are apt to remember. There just isn’t enough space for him to make an impact by dint of personality in a field with a bunch of other strong and attractive personalities. And as for Bush? Jeb’s dead, baby. Jeb’s dead.
That leaves us with Chris Christie, Carly Fiorina, and Ben Carson, who, by the way, is actually leading the field in some polls.
Christie was as impressive tonight as he could be, given his position. He had a great opening. His interjection on regulating fantasy football was tremendous. The “Even in New Jersey what you’re doing is called rude†line to Harwood just killed. If the establishment had jumped on Christie early, instead of being scared off by the GW bridge scandal and going for Bush . . . well, this race would probably be different. But they didn’t. That said, we’ll keep Christie in our final grouping because he’s so talented that he’s always going to have a puncher’s chance.
Fiorina had a solid debate, but wasn’t the run-away winner she’d been in the first two debates. If her numbers couldn’t hold when she was the class of the field, I doubt they’ll move much when she’s merely on the high-side of the average. It looks more and more like Fiorina isn’t running to win the nomination.
And what to do about Carson? Gentle Ben was fine—great in some moments; pedestrian in others. I don’t think many people in the media fully grasp the passion for Carson, but that doesn’t make it any less real. And if you look at the history of Iowa, and Carson’s numbers now, it’s not hard to imagine him doing very well there.
So there’s your final six: Trump, Carson, Rubio, Cruz, and maybe—just maybe—Fiorina and Christie
You nailed it. What everyone has to remember is, this is the GOPe - C of C Plan. Ryan as Speaker and Rubio as POTUS gives us Amnesty for sure.
Test ,,’’”””
Did you put them (the special characters) in your example ?
“Rubio took the night.”
I am certainly not a Cruz fan, because of his votes, but he certainly did a better job than Rubio. I predicted that Rubio would be made the hero of last night’s debate. Rubio did take down Jeb!, but that is not saying much.
Somewhere in her musty, dank lair, one Ubershrew is in a cold sweat over the possibility of having to face Cruz or Rubio in a general election debate.
I thought I had a computer virus.
Ha ha! Indeed, ol' Jeb thought he could bully Rubio, but he got sucker punched.
What does Marcellus Wallace Marco Rubio look like?
What the he11's Huma got to do with any of this..?
LMAO!!!!
Ditto, with a re-look for further winnowing down after next month's debate.
As for the rest of the field. It's time for them to pack it in and head home.
I’m glad you got it, I thought he was talking about a debate translator!
LOL
It was obvious to anyone with eyes to see that ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢> won the debate.
Christie? A Final Six?
More like a GOPe backup or VP negotiation, should Rubio fail as the great GOPe hope (despite Bush loyalists still pushing for Jebbie).
Christie has been on his game in every debate. I hate his stupid anti therapy for gay kids bill, and it dooms him until he gets on his knees and begs forgiveness from God, because it’s sinful what he did.
That said, he’s excellent in these formats, and he would very likely deliver New Jersey, and that would be a game changer.
I mean as a VP candidate.
I think (maybe) it means that a new word translator is being used..........somewhere, lol.
hahahahahahahahahahaha.........that’s good.
are were you cussing?
Debates are fun sideshows. What matters is amnesty vs no amnesty and jobs jobs jobs. A lot of pro amnesty candidates did fairly well last night but are still pro amnesty and will further hurt Americans re jobs. Trump can’t be bought and he is the death of the GOPe and that is becoming popular even with repubs voters who aren’t as informed as FReepers.
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