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
I’m with Trump or Cruze.
But Rubio was well prepared.
[Scoring smooth points and Pretty-Boy image won’t be enough for a Rubio win against Cruz.]
I’ll stack up CRUZ anytime against RUBIO Gang of 8.
I agree.
One more debate and I suspect Paul and Huckabee will join them.
I think the four still standing after Iowa and New Hampshire will be Trump, Cruz, Rubio and Carson.
But in the immortal words of Yogi Berra,” It ain’t over till it’s over.”
Damn, I miss Yogi and Bob Uecker.
I think we are going to wind up with Clinton/Castro vs Cruz/Carson.
Problem here and I see the rats playing this perfectly is comparing Obama to Carson and asking if maybe it’s time to go in another direction. Outright racism and the media will lap it up as saying, maybe it’s time for a woman and the Republicans are sexist.
lol
Don’t mess with tâ€â„ raw political talent
Concur with your analysis
Fiorina will hang around because she’s a female counterpoint to Hillary, who it appears, will be the democratic nominee. As the VP candidate, She would be useful bashing Hillary. She’s also good in a debate.
So, there are reasons to keep her beyond the fact that she did well last night. She didn’t stumble, but she didn’t resurrect her campaign either.
She doesn’t have a state to offer. No way she’ll deliver California, so what she’ll do is blunt the “I’ve got to vote for the woman” crowd. Those most likely to deliver states that already aren’t automatically in the republican column are Christie (NJ), Kasich (OH), Santorum (PA), Rubio (FL), and Carson (FL, MD, MI)
Carson is a very attractive VP candidate also because of his giving blacks a reason to break the Dem Party’s hold on their vote.
Post of the day! What a great idea--the mind boggles.
I agree with you. Rubio shined. Jeb is a moron for attacking him. Rubio showed that he can take the attacks, frame them to his advantage, rise above, and retaliate without having to get into the gutter. It is not for me to decide these things, but 12 on the stage is nonsensical. The only reason they do this is because they want to knock Trump and Carson out. If they had only 6 they would be in effect endorsing those top 2 and the establishment definitely does not want want those 2 to hold onto a lead, so the GOP pushes for this giant field hoping they will either tear down the leaders, one will rise to steal their vote, or one will stumble and fall. But the reality of it ends up that nobody gets any serious time and the debate ends up being mostly meaningless.
Anyway, I think the two most electable overall in the general are Rubio and Christie. But this does not mean I like them or their policies and my mind could change. Its still early.
If you find the video of huckabees statement I’d like to see the other candidates reflexes
-——but I’m alive to tell about it!——
I ‘bout fell out of my chair laughing after Huckabee uttered that line
lest we forget...... his band Capitol Punishment played for FReepers at two inaugural balls.
I watched it, and my immediate reactions were:
""""like “I’m against anything that’"""...
It's in everywhere now, what gives?
LMAO!!!!
Does this mean that Rubio is now leading in the IOWA polls? Just curious who the media choice was this week.
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In such a scenario, Dr. Carson should hold a press conference rolling his eyes while announcing that he is a trans-lesbian (a lesbian trapped in a man's body).
Ridicule and contempt does wonders to shut down these morons in the media.
I agree on all of those except Carly. She is chum in the shark tank and it showed last night.
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