Posted on 02/26/2016 1:10:17 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
Over the course of the last 48 hours, the Rubio campaign pulled one of the great head-fakes in recent political history by telegraphing that they weren't at all interested in attacking Donald Trump at tonight's debate.
Technically, this wasn't a ruse because Rubio didn't just attack Trump. He went after him with a chainsaw. And Ted Cruz brought a pair of pliers and a blowtorch.
If the normal laws of politics applied to the 2016 race, it would have been a catastrophic night for Trump. By any reasonable measure, Trump had a meltdown. He was exposed as a policy lightweight on a host of issues: A health care repeal plan which consists entirely of "removing the lines." He defended Planned Parenthood (again!) by claiming that abortions are only a small part of what the organization does. Most amazingly, he claimed that his sister, who is a judge, "signed a bill" with Judge Sam Alito. Two judges ... "signed a bill." It's enough to make you wonder: If a single exchange between Rubio and Chris Christie two weeks ago cost him several spots in New Hampshire, how could this two-hour demolition not cost Trump a great deal?
But will it hurt him? Probably not by itself. But if tonight's debate is the beginning of a sustained counterattack against Trump-by Cruz and Rubio themselves on the stump, by their campaigns on the air, and by reluctant donors who now see that there's a blueprint for dismantling the orange menace-then it could mark the beginning of the end for Trump.
What's the blueprint? Stylistically, Rubio showed that you don't need to out-argue Trump. You can mock him. And over the course of the debate, Rubio and Cruz put into play a number of issues that are real problems for Trump:
* His fishy tax returns, which he falsely insists he can't release because he's being audited.
* His total lack of a plan for replacing Obamacare.
* His lies about supporting/opposing both Iraq and Libya (which he repeated during the debate).
* The continuing charges of fraud (and lawsuit) concerning Trump university.
* Trump's use of illegal immigrant labor to build Trump Tower.
Why are these problems? Because the average voters doesn't know about most of them. Because they go to the heart of Trump's appeal. And because some of them-such as the tax returns and Trump University-are ongoing stories in which there are plenty of details still to be reported. The Cruz and Rubio campaigns ought to push these issues relentlessly at campaign stops, through surrogates, and in ads because their attacks will, in turn, force the media to finally confront (rather than enable) Trump.
Trump's rise has been powered by his dominance of earned media-and not just his perpetual access to it, but the obsequious toadying of TV hosts who don't want to lose their ratings chum. But a sustained campaign which focuses on these specific and detailed charges about Trump will force the media to start actually asking questions and pushing back against Trump when he dissembles or evades. In short, a real campaign against Trump will force the media to start treating him like a real candidate. And once that starts happening, Trump will be much less eager to submit himself to real questioning.
The final step to beating Trump is that his rivals have to tie their attacks to a central idea of what Trump really is. As effective as Rubio was in torching Trump at the debate, Cruz did a better job of this tonight. Cruz used all of Trump's problems to support the argument that Trump is a liar and a negotiator who is going to sell out his supporters the first chance he gets. (And believe it or not, that's the most charitable interpretation. Throw in his squeezing grandmothers to build casino parking lots, his penchant for bedding married women, and his four bankruptcies and you can grope your way to much worse characterizations.)
Yet Trump cannot be destroyed in a day. No matter how disastrous tonight's debate was, defeating him will require time, resources, discipline, and initiative. Cruz and Rubio have, finally, shown how it can be done.
But if this debate isn't followed by a pro-longed counter-offensive, then it will serve as nothing except a preview of what the Democrats will do to Trump in July.
Cruz and Rubio didn't look SOLID or like LEADERS, they looked like debate school grads who crammed the night before and ganged up on a guy.— John Nolte (@NolteNC) February 26, 2016
Fraud where Trump tried to swindle not only the participants but ran ads where he coned the participants in the college on their entry fee debt by lowering it to make commercials saying the participants (who paid $35k) made boat loads of money off of his "education" to get more participants to join in the now defunct (bankrupt) Trump College. One great big ponzi scheme.
I think it was the time of year that affected the labor supply, just when the construction project needed people to swing a hammer at $40/hr.
This one should work.
I would never try to talk sense to him/her. Probably way smarter then this ol ranch hand but I got dirt smart and I smell a corn crib rat in Trump. I pray for America if he gets in office.
And as far as these debates. I have not watched a one of them. I have read the transcripts and draw my information from them
They are all just a bunch of reality TV BS put there for the TV ratings to make money for the RNC/DNC and MSM. The States need to take them back and set the agenda.
I agree with you Trump has a few buzz lines to enrage the crowd and get their blood going and that is it partner, nothing more. No substance after that. Once the fever is lit he goes into he diatribe about him and up a crooked cow trail. These will be empty promises. He will throw a few bones and scraps of fat to the Citizens but most of his presidency will be about him. He is a narcissist deluxe like Obama.
There is not a lot of construction up north in the Winter. If Florida is like Texas in the Winter, we get the Winter Texans all the time and that is the time of year we are talking about.
These were temp positions to be filled for this purpose. He could have hired people from up north to work during the cold months. Who would have not jumped at the chance to come to Florida during the winter?
That’s what you saw? I saw an angry, petulant, arrogant man hurting for answers to real questions resorting to personal attack.
Could you please post a close up of your face on super Tuesday? I just have to see your expression then! Can you say Helen Thomas sucking a lemon?
You are an idiot if you can’t even figure out Onyx is a woman!
The most important one.
Take out Trump.
That’s all that matters.
All we’re hearing about 24/7 is Trump has to be stopped, how do we stop Trump, on and on and on.
Nothing else matters.
Not ISIS, not the Butcher of Benghazi, not the economy, nothing.
The globalists must prevail.
It makes me sick.
Ted "Preacher in Chief" Cruz is MORE THAN DONE!....He is a complete SELL OUT by JUMPING THE SHARK! ("Rubio would be better President than Trump")
It’s DISGUSTING!
You don't do humor and neither does Trump.
And that was just the moderator!
On second thought, please don’t post a picture of your face on super Tuesday. Thank you.
You mean there was one of those present last night? I hadn’t noticed. I did see Wulf Blitzed doing a pretty good impression of a frustrated school marm trying to quiet down some mouthy boys. “Now class, we have rules...We have rules...We must follow the rules...”
...Yet Trump cannot be destroyed in a day. No matter how disastrous tonight’s debate was, defeating him will require time, resources, discipline, and initiative. Cruz and Rubio have, finally, shown how it can be done...
I am so very disgusted with the Republican party and republicans in general. Oh, and “conservatives” also. This debate was a disgrace, set up with the sole purpose of destroying Trump. What party or people would countenance that?
When the front runner, obviously supported by the people of the United States, north, south and west, is subjected to this, it should be crystal clear that our votes not longer matter. The powers that be, with the full support of media, will pick our candidate and this country will be destroyed.
Rubio made clear last night that he will support amnesty, Cruz made it clear that he supports Rubio. Our very own two illegal aliens trying their best to take down an American for their puppet masters.
...Well, at least they remained true to their ‘principles’...
And a sorrier set of principles than I have ever seen.
The real question is when has anyone in the GOP went
after a Dem has hard as they are Trump?
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