Grading the South Carolina Debate: Trump, Carson, Rubio, Cruz, Kasich, Bush

Opinion ^ | 14 Feb 16 | Xzins

[xzins]

1. Trump, A+ -- Fought like a champion. Finally, someone with the guts to call out our nation for being 15 years at war, still killing our sons and daughters so politicians can put a feather in their cap, and most of them calling for more war. Bush wants BWIII, Bush War III

2. Carson, A-, quietly but effectively said that he was in it for the people, that he'd been asked to run, and that he wasn't there for any other reason. Outstanding.

3. Rubio, B+, Say what you like, but Rubio wiped the floor with Cruz on the immigration question. The April 2015 video shows Cruz supporting 'talking about what to do with immigrants after the wall is built.' It shows him calling for massive increases in H1B visas.

4. Cruz, C, Clearly the most knowledgeable about the supreme court vacancy. He needs to stop misrepresenting others' positions. Trump called him out on the Planned Parenthood question. Trump has clearly called for defunding PP if they keep doing abortions. If they voluntarily stop doing abortions, then he would support their doing breast exams and pap smears and the like.

5. Kasich, C, Did a Mr. Rogers in the neighborhood act. Hillary Clinton will eat his lunch.

6. Bush, F-, This man is totally lacking in insight. He actually called for another war in the middle east AND he wants to fund Al Qaeda in Syria. He's simply not up to the task.

[Yaelle]

No one said Bill Clinton or Lyndon Johnson weren’t “presidential.” They raped and murdered in the WH. I trust Trump not to do either. Your main goal is presidential? Get the actors who played presidents Heller, Logan, and Palmer on 24.

[xzins]

Some are a lot nicer, and will be able to prioritize when the time comes.

You're probably right.

[Steve_Seattle]

It’s funny how you get such radically different views on who did and didn’t do well in the debate. This guy gives Trump an A+, but others said it was easily his worst debate.

[Yaelle]

Excellent post.

[xzins]

This guy is a brilliant observer of political debates.

:>)

[Yaelle]

Hmmmmmm. That could have been Bush’s personal motivation to go into Iraq because they tried to kill his daddy. But I do believe they either had WMDs or Saddam’s scientists and underlings were all fooling him that they had them. Saddam was PAYING FOR WMDs and their creation. Lots of Iraqis were getting very rich off these deals with European arms dealers or materials producers. Kickbacks for all.

Saddam thought he had WMDs.

[xzins]

He didn’t need them.

He had recipes, manufacturing capability, and access to precursors.

He could have been locked and loaded in plenty of time.

[moehoward]

Completely agree with the grades..

[Steve_Seattle]

I hate the slogan "Bush lied, people died," because he was basically reiterating the claims that Clinton had been making and which were shared by most of the world's intelligence agencies.

And everyone seems to have forgotten the failed ten-year effort to tame Saddam through sanctions, and the widespread claims that the sanctions were killing hundreds of thousands of Iraqi citizens (including tens of thousands of children), and the fact that "international opinion" was calling for an end to the sanctions, which would have put Saddam right back in the drivers' seat, chuckling at his cleverness.

And everyone has forgotten that "expert opinion" assured us that Iraq was basically a modern, secular state, full of educated people who weren't particularly fanatical about their religion.

And everyone has forgotten that "experts" claimed that Muslims hate us because we cynically support dictatorships in their region just to protect the oil supply.

And everyone has forgotten that virtually no one predicted the endless religious-based terrorism that dragged Iraq into the mire.

Having said all that, you can still argue that the war was a mistake, but I'm just trying to get people to remember the state of affairs that led up to the decision to attack.

As for my own view - which I think are consistent with those of the Founding Fathers, but which conservatives rarely endorse - is that massive, permanent standing armies are not part of the design for this country, and never were.

I favor a downsized military with second-to-none technology, and a military that is only used when American interests are directly affected and in which the use of the military is the only option.

[xzins]

ping to #125

[CottonBall]

Trump mentioned CIA reports that W ignored. I don’t know about those.

[DoodleDawg]

And he’s one of two outsiders left. Unless you count Cruz as an outsider.

Well keep thinking those good thoughts and maybe your candidate will double his New Hampshire results and almost hit 5%.

[xzins]

I like your post, but I want a robust military in both technology and in size of force. Both are important.

While I’m tired of being in the 15th year of this war, the big issues are that no one is trying to win, that no one has had a definition of winning from the beginning, that no definition of winning would have ever been met at any point in this war, and that no one in America lives as if we are at war.

That means that this is no nation that has the moral authority to bring our brave troops home in body bags or injured for life.

[Stalwart]

Short youtube clips, first is Trumps hilarious Jeb’s mom running.

Freeze at the 30 second mark to see the stance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rl0A5OaVx9M

Bonus clip, the audience donors comment by Trump:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftuAF1Oi4uk

[xzins]

I think South Carolina will surprise you.

Get back to me if Carson breaks your prediction of 2%.

I think it’s obvious from my posting history that I think Trump will win.

[xzins]

Thanks Moe.

They are based on message and not on style.

[kiltie65]

That was one good point Kasich made. We should stay the hell out of civil wars going on in the world. We have no right to change regimes anywhere in the world or attempt to impose democracies where they will never work at the present time, and risk incapacitation or death to our military men and women who have to fight these wars.

[DoodleDawg]

I think it’s obvious from my posting history that I think Trump will win.

Oh it's certainly that obvious. I just find it amusing that you think Carson is a legitimate candidate as well. I suppose you're one of those Trump/Carson people.

[Just mythoughts]

My favorite part was the two Cubans fighting over speaking Spanish... I have read that Cruz does not speak Spanish ... But he sure showed Rubio...

[Just mythoughts]

http://christiannews.net/2016/02/03/u-s-house-fails-to-override-obamas-veto-of-bill-defunding-planned-parenthood/

Are you aware of this recent vote? The GOP can pull the plug on funding the PP body parts business... and yet they continue to play games for the next election..

Trump as private citizen has NO power over using US tax dollars to fund a body parts business.