GOP debate winners & losers

Losers:

  • Chris Christie
  • Vivek Ramaswamy
  • Tim Scott
  • Donald Trump
Chris Christie: the most descriptive phrase for Gov. Christie is 'almost lifelike.' During tonight's debate, Gov. Christie looked cautious, almost statesmanlike. That isn't who he's been during his political life. The thing that debate watchers reward is authenticity. Tonight, Gov. Christie wasn't authentic.

Tim Scott: When this contest first began, I kinda hoped that he'd be part of the short list for VP. At this point, I hope he returns to the Senate to be Sen. Kennedy's whip. It's clear that we need a new Senate GOP leadership team that doesn't include Mitch McConnell. Sen. Scott is a great ambassador for the GOP and a great campaign surrogate. Slot him into that type of spot. Either that or make him the chair of the NRSC.

Vivek Ramaswamy: Tonight's biggest loser -- by far. Personality wise, he's off-putting. His 'everyone's been bought off' schtick is tiring. His fights with Nikki Haley are tiring. I wouldn't walk across my living room to watch one of them. That's saying a lot because my living room is kinda tiny. Policywise, he's the personification of the wet-behind-the-ears kid who know he isn't the expert he thinks he is. Worst of all, the only thing he adds is negativity.

Donald Trump: By not showing up, he took some shots, especially from Gov. DeSantis:

Winners:

  • Nikki Haley
  • NBC moderators
  • Ron DeSantis

Nikki Haley: She should pay Vivek Ramaswamy for being on stage. Without him, she'd turn to dust and blow away. With him, she looks reasonable. If there wasn't an establishment lane, she'd be hurting. She got hurt during the debate on China, too. The @DeSantisWarRoom lit her up on China on Twitter during the debate. Check out this thread for more.

NBC moderators: Lester Holt did a nice job of preventing the candidates from talking over each other. Hugh Hewitt asked some thoughtful foreign policy questions (to nobody's surprise). Kristen Welker was the lefty on the panel but her questions were reasonable enough.

Ron DeSantis: Tonight was the night that Gov. DeSantis put it all together. He hit Trump with effective jabs. Gov. DeSantis said Trump "should explain why he racked up so much debt. He should explain why he didn't drain the Swamp and he said Republicans would get tired of winning. Well, we saw last night. Well, I'm sick of losing." Check this out:

After the debate, Chip Roy explained why he's supporting Gov. DeSantis: If you're looking for a celebrity with a big personality who gets some positive things done but then shoves his foot in his mouth up to his knee, then Donald Trump is your guy. If you want a guy who won't hesitate to lie if it helps him win, then Donald Trump is your candidate. If you want a no-drama guy who gets important things accomplished with little fanfare but who also can be relied upon to keep his promises while growing the GOP, then the only guy left standing is Gov. DeSantis.

Comments

  1. jerrye92002November 9, 2023 at 7:48 AM

    To me the overwhelming question is how to reconcile the "never Trump" wing of the Party with the "ONLY Trump" wing. Sure, Trump fell short on performance, but still accomplished a great deal, especially in driving Democrats and the MSM into full-blown TDS. LOTS of people just love that, and with it still evident, want more of it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. R-FiveNovember 9, 2023 at 3:29 PM

      That move has to be Trump’s, draping the robe of state over DeSantis’s shoulders. Like Moses and Joshua.

      Delete
    2. Gary GrossNovember 10, 2023 at 2:25 AM

      That won't come easy for a magnanimous person like Trump. Oh wait. He isn't that magnanimous. LOL

      Delete
    3. jerrye92002November 11, 2023 at 9:35 AM

      It does appear that Trump (or his minions) have diminished their attacks on DeSantis and started pushing real policy proposals. Wouldn't it be great if we finally had an election in which policy was the deciding factor?

      Delete
    4. Gary GrossNovember 13, 2023 at 4:06 PM

      With Trump in the race, that won't happen. He loves the limelight too much. PS- In case nobody's noticed, this year's Trump is less issues-oriented & a) more into attacking Gov. DeSantis & b) citing junk polls. Let's see what happens as activists get serious in Iowa & NH.

      Delete
  2. jerrye92002November 15, 2023 at 9:58 AM

    It still bothers me greatly that the arguments against Trump tend towards his personality, rather than policy. Yes, he has an ego a mile wide and is a "showman" with a gift of gab. The biggest complaint seems to be his pugnacious nature- the "mean tweets"-- but that is what so many of us like about him! He simply annoys the dickens out of all the "best people."

    My big concern about the polls isn't that they show Trump handily beating Biden, or any other Dem, but that the easy poll answers may not translate to real votes, or that /real/ ballots will not decide the election. And of course, the long-standing problem of voting negatively based on personality rather than positively based on policy.

    ReplyDelete

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