My take:
- Snarky moderators had their asses handed to them by participants
- Glorious to behold
- Winner Cruz (least time, most punch)
- Rubio did well (Bush made it easy for him)
- All the others requited themselves well except Bush and Kasich
- Jindal deserves to be with the prime time group
Our inbox was deluged with debate analysis that uniformly credited Cruz and Rubio for improving their standings or “winning” the CNBC debate last night. it was easy to see why. Most of the candidates were in no mood to accept the premise or tone of the questions proffered by a panel dripping with smugness.
Several of the candidates issued devastating critiques of the questions. Cruz most thoroughly, Rubio’s particular rebuttals to the questioner about his tax plan (the moderator had it wrong) and as regards Super PACs and Citizen’s United (referring to the Democrats having the unmatched largest super PAC in the form of the mainstream media) were incisive. His exemplification of it as to how they covered up for Hillary’s Benghazi lies, exposed at the recent hearings, was devastating.
A moderator brought up Rubio’s attendance record, a question easily predicted after a Tallahassee newspaper issued a scathing editorial with that theme. Rubio was well prepared. Bush was regrettably programmed to attack Rubio on the matter and jumped in to do so as Rubio was laying waste to the moderator on a couple of aspects. Bad choice and worse timing for Bush.
Neither Christie or Trump would entertain gotcha questions . Trump was more subdued this outing but it wore well. Christie’s zinger in response to the tone and superficiality of the questions was outstanding. Carson might benefit from displaying more energy but then an aura of deliberation is his way and he is doing well. His agitation is obvious as appropriate. His dignity shines.
Carly Fiorina handled herself well making an effort to emphasize a juxtaposition between her and Hillary, (all assumed her as the presumptive Democrat nominee). Her description of how big business loves big government was classic. Rand Paul looked tired but he promised to filibuster yesterdays budget bill emanating from the House (more on that later). It is the patriotic thing to do.
Huckabee had a great zinger maybe not everybody caught with reference to being the only one there to defeat the Clinton machine and live to tell about it. Kasich was just plain icky in his effort to set himself up as a champion of big government. Huckabee regrettably seemed to be attempting a me-too approach to Kasich.
While praising him we have given little time to Cruz here. Better you hear his evisceration of the media along with his effective moment presenting his economic program. He stood out among a great night for Rubio, and a good night for Christie, Trump, Fiorina, and Carson. Huckabee and Paul did not damage themselves in my judgement but after three outings seem to have no further reach. Bush is fading. Kasich should hang it up.
The exposure of the mainstream liberal media — the bias, the smugness, the lies was marvelous. Polls refer to distrust of the media. A tape of this debate will show why. What is incredible is the Republican establishment, the weasels pushing weak hitters like Bush and Boehner and Ryan and Romney.
This Patriot Post article by Nate Jackson captures the evening well.
‘What Is Your Biggest Weakness?’
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