Here's how I'm calling last nights debate...
Trump - tied for the win with Paul, he didn't hurt himself, he made the audience laugh at Bush again. He made nice with Cruz blunting the moderators attempts to stir up shit between him and Cruz. He defused the moderators attempts to stir up shit regarding running as a independent. His from the heart line about having learned a lot in the past 6 months having never been a politician, and that he was honored to be the front runner probably the most presidential level thing he's said, it resonated with the audience. Trump continues to lead, the other candidates continue to follow. Issue by issue Trump takes risks, takes a tough position on an issue, takes the hits from the media and establishment, he defends his position. The other gutless candidates wait until Trump does all the heavy lifting then when its safe they agree with him on the issue.
Paul - tied for the win with Trump, his best debate yet, frequently he was the only adult talking. He's got the regime changers by the balls, every example of toppling some thug leader has created and even bigger mess. There's 50 other thug leaders in the world, why aren't we toppling them too? He's got Rubio's number, he's hammering him on his tough talk vs his actual voting record and he's landing punches. Rubio was pretty much Paul's punching bag last night.
Christie - His best debate yet until he walked right into a debate moderators trap. All night long the moderators were framing questions to tee up gotcha's for Democrats to use later during the general. Christie stating he would shoot Russian planes out of the sky made him look like a crazy nutter holy shit.
Rubio - He went backwards, he's getting called out on his record, records are important, its what the Democrats will attack and his voting record sucks on some important issues. He will basically have to concede on those issues just as Romney did on Obamacare. If I were Hillary's campaign strategist I'd be planning to destroy Rubio as a double talking flip flopping flake who can't reconcile his actual record with his rhetoric.
Bush - He's spent $50 million dollars and 6 months campaigning trying to convince Republican voters that he's a leader and he's at 5%, they are not buying it. That he has the stones to question the front runner's leadership credentials is laughable. At this point he's really nothing more than Trump's punching bag. He acted even more angry last night than during previous debates, its time for him to bow out.
Fiorina - Boring, she better come up with some new material and quick. She seems to be hanging back and unwilling to take any risks. Enough we what she has done in the past, she's wasting what little time they give her repeating what we already know, she needs to focus like a laser on what she will do if elected president. Points for her attacks on Hillary and Obama though.
Cruz - He had been doing so well but last night he sounded like he was making a speech on the senate floor or arguing a case before the supreme court, dull and boring. Nothing he said really stood out, just blah blah blah. I imagine that's why some judges fall asleep on the bench. He needs to stop speaking like a politician and lawyer and start speaking like a normal person. So not so much what he's saying, but how he's saying it. His one good line, he'd get Trump to pay for the wall. lol
Kasich - Why is he still on stage? I see he dropped the angry attack dog approach that failed in previous debates, mostly he just smiled and agree with others, and talked about Ohio 40 times in a row.
Carson - He mortally wounded himself by threatening to leave the party, put a fork in him. He's a nice man, a very intelligent man, but he doesn't have the chops to get down in the gutter and do battle with these politicians and media.
