On the debate, after action
Donald Trump: He was Trump. Loudmouthed and attacking. Went after the moderators. The moderators were more interested in asking “gotcha” questions than moderating. But that was for all candidates. Some good one liners. And if anyone thinks he gave money to Clinton to get her to his wedding, well, I’ve got this bridge.
Jeb Bush: Meh. Nothing to exciting and nothing too awful. I’m still scratching my head over his position on Common Core.
Scott Walker: Even keeled but not terribly exciting.
Mike Huckabee: He came off well. Had some good, obviously scripted, lines. But he did not come across as Mike Huckabee.
Ben Carson: I thought his comments on race were fantastic. He’s obviously been doing his research.
Ted Cruz: He was a little disappointing. By most accounts, he is the smartest man in the room. He seemed stodgy and interested in tossing lines to the base. He hit a home-run but, based on what others have said about him, I expected a double.
Marco Rubio: My opinion of him has improved. He was very straightforward and you could hear passion in his voice. One of the few guys I felt was actually saying what he believed.
Rand Paul: Right out the gate, he went after Trump. Gutsy move and one that, had the moderators let go on, would have bumped his exposure. He got the least amount of speaking time, even though he twice asserting himself in a discussion. He’d have probably been under 4 minutes had he not done that. And I like that he went after Christie on spying. Also, the only candidate to bring up guns.
Chris Christie: His loudmouth shtick was overcome by the other loudmouth. He came across as an authoritarian, big government, law and order guy. And he lied.
John Kasich: He had some of the oddest arm movements I’ve seen. I was trying to decide if he doing Tai Chi or something. Seemed solid but also meh.
August 7th, 2015 at 3:22 pm
Having had Kasich as our Gooberner for the last few years, “Meh” pretty much sums him up. Definitely a Fiscal Conservative, and he never Opposed any expansion of the RKBA, but he never actively pushed for it either. But since he’s Term-Limited in a couple of years, I think he’s really shooting for the Veep Slot, probably with Jeb. We shall see.
But do not be surprised if The Donald pulls a Perot next year. And we all know how losing those Votes gave us the Clintons.
August 7th, 2015 at 3:48 pm
Christie pretty much went from being my least favorite republican candidate to my least favorite candidate.
August 7th, 2015 at 4:49 pm
Good observations.
August 7th, 2015 at 6:54 pm
I find it interesting how many people whose governor is running really don’t like their own governor.
To be fair, I wouldn’t back mine, either… all politics is local, eh?
My anger at Christie has only intensified as the day wore on and I’ve read various things. I think he might have goofed.
August 7th, 2015 at 8:55 pm
Carly Fiorina might have surpassed most of them.
August 7th, 2015 at 9:53 pm
Ditto what Les said.
Kasich doesn’t have any terribly negative points, but I can’t give you any really good reasons why he’s better than the rest of the field.. The man he replaced, Strickland, ( A Dem) wasn’t all THAT bad, far as Dems go.
MEH, for sure.
August 7th, 2015 at 10:34 pm
A half-dozen good veeps between the two “debates”. Irrelevant though; not a potus in the crowd. Is it so unreasonable and futile for me to hope for a Reagan? Once in a lifetime I guess.
August 8th, 2015 at 3:52 am
I’ve always looked at Chris Christy as a POS.
Nothing in this debate has been able to change my mind.
August 8th, 2015 at 9:19 am
I’m with Roger – Carly Fiorina all the way.
August 8th, 2015 at 10:23 am
I heard some post debate political commentary re: the Paul-Christie exchange refer to “the Constitutional lobby” which included Paul and Cruz. Now that’s a new one. I suppose it’s to relegate those of us who expect our political employees to abide by their oaths of office, that is, their job descriptions, to a “special interest” lobby group.
August 8th, 2015 at 10:32 am
So far, for me, it’s Carly & Ted. I don’t really care which one of that tag dream team would be the veep.
Let’s face it: Carly & Ted turns the stomachs of the blue blood establishment loser Republicans; and that’s a good thing…
August 8th, 2015 at 10:48 am
If “bimbo” is euphemistic for whore/prostitute and applied in a um, broad sense, Ms. K certainly fit the description in her obvious gotcha effort. Amazing how some can be so enamored of physicality as to overlook or even endorse such an obvious “bought and paid” performace, but I guess that’s exactly the point of prostitution.
Entertaining as it might have been, this thing was in no manner of speaking a “debate”, but rather just another “reality” show with scripted performances intent only on creating conflict and drama. How pathetic for something that could play a part in a contest where the ultimate “prize” rewards the winner with nearly unlimited power, fame, and fortune but also the responsibility for the future viability of the free world. A fucking circus of clowns, and I really fucking hate clowns.
This commentary is intended to damn the lot of those on the stage and at the “journalists” table, and I sure as hell am no big fan of the Donald, but as to Ms. Kelly’s “performance”, and that’s all that it was right from the get-go in a show of hands which was guaranteed to show just one hand…I kept waiting -and hoping- that he would have played the ultimate Trump card, paraphrasing one of the best and most famous lines ever in a teevee comedy portrayal of “journalists”, which is all this thing was, and intoning after one of her attack questions/comments:
“Megyn, you ignorant slut!”
August 8th, 2015 at 10:57 am
Oh, and today the blowhard is “disinvited” from a quorum ostensibly to bypass the Political Correctness and anti-Constitutional bent of MSM.
How pathetic and ironic is it that the “leaders” of even the Tea Party are now engaged in the very censorship, nauseating PC, and ad hominem attack that they rail about so.
August 8th, 2015 at 1:29 pm
I watched it, and while Rand had the best moment, overall I came away thinking Trump walked out the ‘winner’, because the attempt to break him failed, and have only led to a backlash for Kelly
August 8th, 2015 at 5:21 pm
JTC: as to Ms. Kelly’s “performance”, and that’s all that it was right from the get-go in a show of hands which was guaranteed to show just one hand
That wasn’t Megan Kelly, that was Bret Baier. Her first question was directed at Ben Carson.
Her gotcha question to Trump was the, “You’ve called women you don’t like “fat pigs, dogs, slobs, and disgusting animals” question.
I understand the feeling that this was just more “bread and circuses” to feed the electorate but let’s keep to facts.
August 8th, 2015 at 6:58 pm
KM, you are correct. In fact the whole show was a concerted group effort to set up Trump; everyone on the dais, at the Fox table, in the audience, and at home knew that the opening was a trap for Chump, I mean Trump, and he obligingly took the bait.
Of course it was Kelly with obvious hatred in her heart and “blood in her eyes” that went in for the kill…and not too successfully as it turned out.
No doubt her Fox patrons and handlers were disappointed as they found it necessary to have their backup lackey Erickson do the disinvite today.
The sheep in Fox clothing want desperately to continue the milquetoast mainstream GOP and Trump is a seriously disruptive obstacle to that agenda.
August 8th, 2015 at 7:15 pm
Adam, I live in TX and I would back Perry in a heartbeat.
August 8th, 2015 at 9:52 pm
I don’t see myself warming up to Rubio until the twelfth of never.
I seem to recall, when he was promoting the Group of (eight? twelve? what was it this time) “compromise” on immigration, conservatives were QUOTING FROM THE BILL and he was blaming them for spreading “right wing talking points” and no way was that in the bill.
If Schumer can play him that easily as a Senator, how much better do you think he would be as a President?
August 9th, 2015 at 12:40 pm
I recently read Trump’s book, “The Art of the Deal” in which he mentioned his first wife Ivana frequently and always in high regard and to whom he handed over decisions and management stashivh he said she was highly competent. A few weeks ago, I saw an interview with Trump by a woman whose name I don’t recall. In response to Trump saying he favored traditional marriage, she immediately retorted, ” what about your three marriages”? Trump replied that his divorces were “all my fault spending too much atention on my business”. He went on to say ” they were and are all great women.” But needless to say, most reporters like to spend much time on politically-correct offenses and they are not tolerant of being challenged or having to be accountable for their questions…something I’ve observed for many years.
August 9th, 2015 at 12:42 pm
“Stashivh”…wrote my iPad…? I meant to write ” at which”
August 9th, 2015 at 4:32 pm
I thought it was some Hungarian slang. 😉
August 9th, 2015 at 6:17 pm
@ KM, LOL
August 10th, 2015 at 8:56 am
If you guys are all so intent on getting Hillary back into the White House, at least give your vote to Rand who is a guy you can trust to sell you a used car and won’t give you an STD when he shakes your hand.
August 10th, 2015 at 9:46 am
nk, Rand is my first choice. But I think he should take the Cruz tact and ignore this drivel between Trump and Kelly. Trump too, needs to ignore it and move on. I would like to hear him, as Rand Paul suggested, explain the basis of his positions. All candidates should do that. If they are conservatives, I want them to be conservative of the Constitution and ALL of the Bill of Rights.
Otherwise, look what the smooth talking politicians have given us and continue to give…massive $18+ trillion debt and then allowing, aiding, abetting, appeasing and accommodating the invasion of our own country while using and abusing our military in undeclared, unending, no-win wars against countries which cannot attack us. All the while, facilitating massive immigration from Islamic nations from which jihadists hail!!!!
August 10th, 2015 at 1:50 pm
If there was any real interest in or intent to determine the plans and platforms of these wannabes, they would dispense with the pulpits and the panel and seat them at a round table, give each nothing but a pen and legal pad, and have them take turns stating what the first 100 days of their administration would bring. There would be a rotating camera in the middle, focused on the face and eyes of the speaker, and a timer that would cut the speaker’s mike at the 3-minute mark, switching both to the next speaker.
While one is speaking the others would take notes, then in the second round they would comment on or refute statements of others, clarify or reinforce their own. Then a third round of the same, and fourth and a fifth…all with no scripts and no interruptions. By that time each will have had enough time and rope to hang himself or pull himself up, and we would have a chance to see and hear their real thoughts and beliefs and plans and character.
That would be an actual debate, which would probably weed several pretenders in the minds of voters. Have another identical session in three months, and another three months after that. I’m betting at that point there would be a pretty good consensus of which if any of these people we want to try to undo the damage of the last decades and plot a plan of action to reclaim America’s domestic greatness here at home and global power/standing in the world, and rebuild our Constitutional Republic.
Never gonna happen
August 10th, 2015 at 4:01 pm
Trump is a used car salesman. His only claim to ability is to go bankrupt several times and come out personally ok (but his investors went real broke.) I would not trust him with my pocket change, much less the US.
Christie = Democrat, nothing more, nothing less.
Of all the rest Rubio, Cruz, and Walker are the best. Carson would make a good cabinet member, as would Carly Fiorina (and a VP pick to.)
Now why Carson and Fiorina just cabinet or VP? Cause neither of them have served in government nor military.
The rest of them are, well, also rans.
August 10th, 2015 at 5:04 pm
At this stage, I still like Ted & Carly, but one thing I’ll say about the Trumpster is that he has changed the game of presidential hopeful politics in our time, and the way mainstream media covers/reports it.
Neither the blue blood establishment Republicans nor media know how to deal with Trump at this juncture; other than throw discrediting barbs that always miss their mark and end up only bolstering and raising his standing with voters. Needless to say, there has to be a lot of head scratchin’ going on at the RNC and media offices these days. I think they’re both scared to death of Trump.
It’s kinda’ like when Richard Douglas Fosbury debuted his unique style in the high jump on the world Track & Field stage back in 1965, and then took home a Gold Medal in the 1968 Olympics. No one had ever seen such a high jump style as the Fosbury Flop; many were critical of it, but now it’s the standard.
If anything, I hope Trump has changed the “canned BS” served up to us by political parties pushing their slate of presidential hopefuls.
August 10th, 2015 at 5:15 pm
Kasich was one of the two “Crime Bill/Scary Gun Ban” votes back in 1994.
Claimed he “didn’t read the bill”.
Was doing that loooooong before it was cool to admit it.
SO, F that guy.
He “governs” my state, and was (thankfully) the Representative I would have been stuck with if after the “AWB” vote and he lost about 30% of his “Yes” vote, he quit to go be a Crony Capitalist, then on TV, then…somehow that qualified him to be “Ohio’s Gubernator”.
Ick.
At this rate, with Rand Paul likely to somehow get taken down prior to the “Selection”, I anticipate pining for a “None of the Above” option.
Whoever wins the “Elephant Party” nomination will have to surpass whoever the “Donkey Party” gets to run. And…due to the “Elephant Party” importing so many cheap workers, more than likely they’ll all get “legal voting status” prior to next year.
Plus, people like me are done voting “against the lesser of two evils”.
August 10th, 2015 at 5:17 pm
Oh.
“Walker”.
As in, “George Herbert Walker Bush”.
Along with relative Jeb.
Pretty much all of the candidates on both sides are poster children for a lifetime limit of “government service”.
How about 6 years.
Lifetime.
Per family, per 100 years.
Total.
August 11th, 2015 at 2:03 pm
Andrew, I too recall that Kasich supported the AWB. Unless he’s repented, as Trump seems to have re: his previous support for gun control, he’s definitely off my list. While I do give space for a change to obey the Bill of Rights, a gun-grabbing candidate is OFF my list! IMO, anyone who doesn’t trust me with the choice to acquire, keep and carry the means of self defense are NOT to be trusted.