Red State: Winners and Losers from Tonight's ABC Debate

Red State ^ | February 6, 2015 | Leon H. Wolf

[Cincinatus' Wife]

What a glum, drab debate. ABC clearly tried to make all the candidates look bad, and the bad blood between the candidates left over from Iowa meant that they just did not care about showing any level of solidarity against the media, as they often do. Christie successfully tore down Marco Rubio for the first hour of the debate, but made himself look like a royal, braying jerk in the process. Normally in these posts, I have three winners and three losers, but I don't think there even were three winners - but there were a whole bunch of losers. Let's go to the scorecard.

WINNERS

1. Ted Cruz - Cruz was nicked by Carson's strong opening on the Carsongate controversy, but I think Cruz's apology on that point came off as sincere and genuine. After that point, Cruz clearly had the strongest night of any of the candidates on stage. Cruz was the first recipient of Martha Raddatz' pointless and dishonest badgering, and handled it well. Cruz did well with the guns trained away from him once again, as everyone focused on Rubio. Cruz's answer on his family member who succumbed to heroin addiction was the most poignant moment of the night and really humanized Cruz in a way that no one has yet seen in this campaign. Cruz was one of the two likeable people on stage tonight.

2. Jeb Bush - Surprisingly strong performance from Bush tonight. He absolutely kneecapped Trump in the exchange on eminent domain. He avoided any meaningful verbal flubs. He appeared wonky but likeable. He was in command of the facts. His story about the guy who died (according to the VA) was charming and humorous. I don't know if it's because the rest of the candidates don't consider him a threat, but Jeb was able to really rise above the fray and be one of the only two positive presences on stage tonight.

LOSERS

1. Marco Rubio - Here's what I don't know: I don't know how much people watch beyond the first 45 minutes of these debates, especially on a Saturday night. If they do, they they saw Rubio really regain his feet after his own Martha Raddatz dishonest badgering session. But the initial exchange with Christie was very bad for him, visually. He was accused by Christie of repeating a pat line, and in response he repeated a pat line, twice. Then after every answer he gave, he was followed by a hounding Chris Christie, who he never brushed back off the plate. Again, Rubio recovered very well for the last two hours of the debate, but the concern for camp Rubio is that people turned off the debate when the clock hit 9pm. Rubio's answer on the life issue was an absolute home run - but who was still watching at 10:15pm?

2. Chris Christie - Christie clearly came to the debate with one goal, which was to trash Marco Rubio. He succeeded to some degree, but made himself look like an especially angry chihuahua in the process. Then, after trashing Rubio for repeating himself, he spent the rest of the night repeating himself over and over and over. I think his victory over Rubio, if it was one, will have to be seen as a pyrrhic one in the end.

3. The RNC, again - It's an absolutely incredible fact that the RNC allowed Martha Raddatz to moderate another debate in which Republicans were on television after her horrible and clearly biased performance in the 2012 Vice Presidential debate. Raddatz is not only a known and vocal critic of Cruz, but she spent the entire night arguing with the candidates about answers they did not give. She repeatedly accused the candidates of not answering questions when the problem actually was that she was not listening. On the other hand, when she asked Trump to answer a question with specifics, and he refused, she never once followed up and pressed the issue.

The entire production of this debate was awful. The lighting was bleak, the pre-debate commentary was geriatric and low energy, former Clinton employee George Stephanopolous was running the show. Bill Kristol had about 15 seconds on air and he was the only thing within sniffing distance of a conservative voice.

This was a worse debate than the CNBC debacle and it had the effect of lowering all the candidates on stage. There were numerous red flags about the entire ABC production that the RNC should have seen coming from a mile away, but did not. What tonight's experience showed was that, in spite of their largely symbolic move to cut NBC out of the debate process, the RNC has actually learned very little about using their negotiating power with the media to ensure a level playing field for Republican candidates. And that's disappointing to all the campaigns.

Also present -

John Kasich - John Kasich pretending to be a happy person is one of the most awkward things you've ever seen. ABC forgot he was there for the first 45 minutes and I remember literally nothing about him being there other than his weird gooberish attempt at being funny when he said "AWWW THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PATIENCE SO MUCH." Kind of surprised that he was left alone by both Christie and Bush, but I don't think he made any sort of impression in spite of the opportunity.

Donald Trump - Surprisingly low energy performance from Trump. Got stomped by Bush in the only direct confrontation he had in the night. Mostly faded into the background and spewed nonsense. But he wasn't really a loser because of the likelihood that Rubio took a step back. Call it a draw for Trump.

Ben Carson - Ben Carson had a great opening moment of the debate and may have earned himself some sympathy on the Carsongate issue. But then, every question he answered afterwards, he began with a complaint about how long it had been since the last time he got a question. Very off putting. At least he looked awake during this debate, so it was a marked improvement from previous debates.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

The paucity of post-debate coverage about Ted Cruz is a good barometer for how well he did.

Shhhhhh....talk up the governors.

[kabar]

LOL. It is Red State after all.

[Impy]

Trumpbots coming to say Cruz is a RINO and personally attack Cincinatus’ Wife for posting this thread in 3-2-1....

[ObamahatesPACoal]

Trump was right about Keystone. It’s private. You can’t walk up to it. You can use travel on any road and or travel through the premises of any hospital.

[joyce11111]

That article is bullsh$t.
Trump won the debate, the WSJ said Trump won handily.
Cruz and Rubio made too many mistakes, and, they said Bush should drop out.

[Hugin]

1. Ted Cruz

Ha! Why bother to look, Wolf and redstate are completely in the tank for Cruz.

[Helicondelta]

Redstate = Garbage

[DoughtyOne]

They should at least toss Trump a bone. The guy is getting 65 to 85% win ratings on polls across the internet.

That makes these comments look silly.

[freedomjusticeruleoflaw]

Jesus.. Red State is incapable of impartiality.

[Gene Eric]

>> Donald Trump - Surprisingly low energy performance from Trump. Got stomped by Bush

Leon is an idiot.

[freedomjusticeruleoflaw]

Trumpbots... I guess we don’t get to point out the obvious anymore?
Every poll I have seen shows Trump winning by a large margin... VERY LARGE MARGIN.

Sorry, I’m just the messenger. Cruz will not break 10% Tuesday.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Well, Breitbart is covering Ted Cruz:

Breitbart: Ted Cruz: 'We're Going To Build A Wall'

Presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) laid out a strategy to "build a wall" along the United States border as a paramount portion of his plan to solve illegal immigration.

During Saturday night's Republican Presidential debate in New Hampshire he added, referring to Donald Trump, "I've got somebody in mind to build it."

Moderator David Muir asked Cruz about his immigration plan and how he would deal with "11.5 million undocumented people."

Cruz responded:

So, in terms of a practical solution, I've laid out the most detailed plan for solving illegal immigration. It's 11 pages, single-spaced, chapter and verse. It's on our website, tedcruz.org.

In short,....."

Breitbart: Ted Cruz Shuts Down Martha Raddatz's Cheap Gotcha on North Korea

"During Saturday night's ABC News debate, co-moderator Martha Raddatz, a personal friend of Barack Obama's, asked Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) an incredibly dumb gotcha question premised on the idea that Cruz is some kind of war-monger, but only when he wants to be. Cruz was first about the news that, in violation of treaty, North Korea launched fired a long-range rocket Saturday.

Cruz gave an impressive and detailed answer about North Korean threat that included legitimate criticism of President Clinton's mishandling of his failed nuclear deal. Raddatz then attacked:........"

[Salvavida]

Yes actually came off as a Tea Party-ish candidate. If you closed your eyes you would not have guessed it was a GOPe candidate.

[Neu Pragmatist]

Jeb and Cruz ...LOL ! What a team ...

[Windflier]

Red State says Cruz won the debate, and Trump was “low energy”.

I’m shocked, just shocked, I tell ya!

[BigEdLB]

Trump’s online polls are 10-15 above what they usually are.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

He tossed Trump a bone.

But he wasn't really a loser because of the likelihood that Rubio took a step back. Call it a draw for Trump.

BTW, Trump was booed - his antics flopped, his repertoire is stale.

[Impy]

If you told me a year ago Cruz would be one the leading candidates for President and that “yuge” numbers of freepers would be CHEERLEADING for him to lose, calling him an anchor baby owned by Goldman Sachs and supporting some blowhard who gave money to Hillary Clinton and Harry Reid, I’d wouldn’t have believed you.

Insanity.

[DoughtyOne]

Yes, they are very high tonight.

I don’t think I saw one under 60%, and most seemed to be 65% and above.

Wow. That’s pretty amazing.

I know these aren’t scientific, but there are a lot of people out there voicing and opinion.