The GOP Christmas Dinner Debate

So who won Tuesday's GOP debate? Frankly, despite a few zingers and a few faces, I don't think any significant amounts of earth were moved. When all is said and done and a fresh new round of polls are released, I would be surprised to see any dramatic shift in the ranking of the candidates. Some percentage points may change.

By the way, there is a Democrat debate Saturday night. At least two major markets won't be watching at all. The Saturday night NFL game have the Jets visiting the Cowboys in Arlington with playoff implications for the Jets and perhaps the Cowboys if the NFL East craters. And I would expect the snow-buried west to be night sking, and elsewhere either Christmas parties or shopping to be ingoing. Congratulations, D's. You all are hiding Hillary well.

Now we release the thread to abnormal abuse... err, correction... use.

 

The debates are honestly just a waste of time. Party needs to wake up and realize there can't be 8 candidates. Have to start getting serious about a few if they want a real shot at competing in the 2016 election.

I think your description of the republican debates was spot on; a couple zingers and everyone trying to say how they're better than the Obama or the person standing next to them. No real substance.

 

I haven't seen the entirety of the debate because I was busy yesterday. But from what I gathered, the debate just sowed confusion to the voters on whom to vote. Honestly, my take on that is that Donald Trump remains the candidate to beat for the Republican nomination and if there are no dramatic events then the ratings will not change and Mr. Trump will be on the road to the White House.

 

I thought Trump did well... only because he said exactly what i have been talking about here. The trillions we wasted in Iraq would have been better spent on schools, bridges and advancing our military. While I still think he is actually just pretending all this and in February he will have a pay2view Las Vegas event where he announces it was all a joke and he will have another reality show.

The one that annoyed me the most was Cruz, the way he just kept talking over people out of turn and his inability to answer questions without resorting to lines from his stump speech. It is like he just heard one word from the question, then goes of on some rant. Not the sharpest knife in the drawer. He is just one of those guys who is going to play well in Iowa, but will have 0 attraction to anyone not already a hardcore republican. Way to phonie and predictable.

 

Trump has so many fans that are propping up his image no matter what he says whether in interviews or in debates. I cannot really say what makes Trump click with the voters but maybe his candidness is what attracts people to his political caravan. In other words, Trump doesn't act like any other politician since he says what he wants to say no matter if it can turn off some voters. Well, it looks to me that Trump is not really courting voters but just making a statement, i.e. strong personal statements that people accept.

 

He isn't. Him being the nominee would just give way too much ammo to the democrats and his character is so easy to attack. Also, he'd just be a horrible president; he's just trying to play off people's fears to get support.

I think Rubio would give us the best chance. He's the candidate who can get some votes across the aisle and he has the charisma that people look for.

 

I agree completely about Rubio. He supported/wrote the immigration bill that had pretty wide cross-party support. He would get all the Republican votes because they would want to vote against Hillary, plus he could get a lot of moderate votes and INSTANTLY change the game as far as hispanic voting for the next decade.

I guess I am too much of a RINO.. the two guys I like are guys that worked with democrats to actually accomplish something.. Kasich is 50% of the reason we balanced budgets under Clinton, and Rubio gave at least a decent start on immigration.

Cruz and Trump are just way too extreme. Both of them are going to top out around 45% in an election and would lose the electoral map 3:1. Rubio would give the Reps a chance in Nevada, NC, VA and Florida.

 

Saw a report on the BBC a couple of days ago saying that Trump was polling well not just with white working-class men, but with middle-class women of all colors. I think his base is actually a lot broader than people give him credit for, and should easily beat Hilary, who is, let's be honest, clinically insane.