Posted on 01/28/2016 9:03:41 PM PST by Helicondelta
It turns out that a world without Donald Trump is filled with Donald Trump anyway.
To many in the Republican Party, Thursday night's debate was a dream scenario -- seven candidates, and not a reality TV show billionaire in sight. No huge walls were hypothetically built, and no religious groups were banned from entry into the United States.
Yet Trump was still everywhere. He was there for viewers on another channel, giant American flag behind him, two other Republican candidates beside him, chants of "USA, USA, USA" enveloping them.
He was also there with the candidates as the "elephant not in the room," as moderator Megyn Kelly put it, or as Jeb Bush's non-showing "little teddy bear."
His absence was felt, moreover, when the leading candidates tangled over the hot-button issue of immigration. Trump wasn't there to take heat for them, or to face any real scrutiny of his own.
Trump's dominance in the race was revealed by the extent to which the debate lacked an obvious center of gravity. The party and its candidates have grown used to the front-runner; surely the same is true for viewers treated to a debate season like no other.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
Moderators don’t usually argue with the candidates either.
Megan and Chris seemed to think they were doing studio interviews.
CNN has been stellar ever since Trump first announced he would not be at the debate.
They brought out all their heavywieghts for analysis tonight (8 of them at the same time!) and it was fair and thoughtful.
Not that they would EVER be either if it was a general election debate.
His wife, his kids, and a bunch of Ohio GOPe types.
Fox dropping that second press release once they were sure Trump was not coming really sunk them. They admit to their bias and cnn repeatedly pointed it out.
Regardless your feelings on Trump, fox was in the wrong and now everyone knows it.
Ted Cruz took on attacks from several of his rivals, even complaining to the moderators that too many questions were aimed at attacking him. He sought a lifeline in making light of Trump, in a joke that fell flat in the room.
“I will say this: Gosh, if you guys ask one more mean question, I may have to leave the stage,” Cruz said.
Countered Rubio: “I’m not leaving the stage, no matter what you ask me.”
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Chris Axlerod said Trump’s gamble worked. Kinda painful to be the other guys. I think Trump and his beautiful wife Melania, turned in early. Lord knows, Trump has 4 events in the next 4 days.
Prediction: After the way tonight turned out, Melania is going to jump The Donald's bones so hard tonight, he will be the now who has trouble walking tomorrow...
let’s be sure and listen to an opinion piece from the socialist mouth breathers at abc news. because they’ve always been so perfectly in tune to conservative issues. And it so clearly pains them to pump out these “replicants in disarray!” peices again, and again, and again. because they know that it’s not helping hillary or bernie. God knows that’s not their ultimate goal.
</sarc>
creepy post is creepy.
You have the numbers?
Melania received heavy applause. Can’t wait for Melania Trump to take the place of “the Beast”.
Yes, did you read that in the first debate with Fox News, Bret Flattened Curl Baer actually has planned some “really cool attacks” for when Bleedy Gyn was going to hit him with his words toward women in case Trump walked off the stage.
These characters are plain old mean and nasty, playing junior high games. Trump and Cruz are onto them and don’t like it, and I’m glad we are finally seeing some bitchslapping of the media. I hope this hurts Fox. They doubled down on dumb.
I too enjoyed the CSpan coverage. We don’t need talking heads! They have agendas. They are often vicious little people (paid by vicious big people) who want to control us.
I did watch the debate after the rally was finished but what a let down after the very American rally and those heroes who put their bodies in jeopardy so that we can live. I didn’t see much of Bleedy Gyn but “Woody Wallace” was so slimy. We don’t need these creeps.
"When you're treated badly, you have to stick up for your rights," he said. The candidate then compared his act to how he would handle Iran's nuclear ambitions. "We have to stick up for our country when weare being mistreated," he said. ..."Trump winning debate so far because Cruz has had an awkward first 40 minutes," tweeted National Review editor Rich Lowry.
I've been saying this, but too many Cruzers are still loyal to Fox and Lightweight Journalist Megyn Kelly.
I think Anderson Cooper is a secret Trump supporter. He's a very fair host.
The CNN crowd seemed to think this was Cruz's best chance, but his worst debate challenge. He didn't stand up to well when the spotlight and the heat were on him.
They ALL thought Trump was the real winner, but thought Rubio had a reasonably good night. I only saw clips, but the segment when Bush said, "I miss Trump, we had such a cozy relationship" (or something like that) was actually LOL funny. The only time I've felt any emotion about him. It was fleeting.
You'd think that Lightweight Journalist Megyn Kelly could simply have asked the same questions to all candidates. Being "fair and balanced" and all.
What she really meant is she had hit-pieces all prepared.
It's all good. I hope she stayed up all night getting them ready, because God knows she'll never get the chance to ask them to Trump.
As for Chris Wallace, never watch him, haven't liked him since he came on Fox, maybe because he is his Father's son, and old Mike Wallace was a big time Liberal kisser..
Just had a nice conversation with a neighbor farmer, who said the entire area is for Trump. everyone here in the boonies is sick of professional politicians who make promises and get in office then ‘look out for themselves’ and forget the voters...
and for the life of me, I don't know a soul who voted B. Hussein Obama yet he won twice~~~ or at least got in to office twice, with the help of fraud...
Mark has been my second most favorite talk radio host since I first ran into him years ago, but since Trump challenged Cruz's NBC status, Mark has become unbearable. I can take only a few minutes before I have to bail for my sanity's sake. I think the dude is going to give himself a heart attack.
It's exactly what she meant. You can bet they had some plenty of antique video clips too.
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