Jason Vigorito
Ridgewood NJ, There has been a lot of analysis and banter regarding Thursday’s Republican Primary Debates at 5 and 9 o’clock. If you’re didn’t get the opportunity yourself, and you want a quick run-down, here you go…
The Primetime Debate:
Trump was Trump. Aside from the Mexico question, all the questions were personal attacks. Good for him for staying aggressive. He’ll have to get more tangible and specific on more issues to maintain his front-runner status. He’s definitely not a moron. His ego is nothing new, by the way, folks. Teddy Roosevelt, Andrew Jackson, LBJ, hello? And he has to be brilliant to maintain a multi-billion dollar business empire and reach the proverbial summit in multiple fields, including publishing and television. He’s to modern television what JFK was to early television.
Bush did very well, but, as has been pointed out, the dynastic thing isn’t popular, including with me. We’ve made exceptions in the past, but not a three-time one. He was prepared with good answers since they were the same questions he’s always asked about, such as the “If you knew then what you know now about Iraq” question. Nothing new from Jeb.
Scott Walker treaded water. His record is fantastic; but as he pointed out, he’s normal, and modern America wants sensationalism, not vanilla. He’s lost in the crowd.
Mike Huckabee performed very well. He stood out almost as well as Trump. Some great lines too: the Hillary comment toward the end when folks thought he was talking about Trump; also, the military social experiment line was superb. He’ll be a long-haul contender with his demeanor and wit. (Reality is, whether you like it or not, that’s what the voters eat up.)
Ben Carson was smooth, methodical, extremely intelligent, and held his own. His closing remarks may have been the night’s highlights. If he isn’t given the VP nod, if not the Presidential nominee, it would be a terrible mistake. The guy’s a neurosurgeon for crying out loud, so he can learn politics and international relations easily enough: nothing more than history and social skills, people.
Ted Cruz was another who performed very well that night. He had the best overall mixture of responses: his record, his family, his plans. Hell, he was one of only two to lay out tangible specifics, and that’s guts right there in an age when hair-splicing occurs over every word! This guy is a force to be reckoned with. A brilliant contender.
Marco Rubio, I thought, treaded water as well. Nothing stood out with him, and he was ho-hum throughout. If he performs that way, he’ll be forgotten soon enough. I found him to speak ambiguously on most things, save his faith.
Rand Paul was way, way too controversial and fisticuffs. You think Trump is aggressive, holy cow! Paul outdid Trump in that regard during the debate. While he isn’t necessarily wrong on most issues for the base, Paul often comes across as leaning wrong. Being the most libertarian candidate on the stage will naturally produce a perception of political radical. He’s principled and didn’t backstep on anything, though.
Chris Christie did surprisingly well, I thought. He stuck to his guns, he showed his Jersey Attitude, and had some almost-memorable lines. He was the other one to lay out some specifics, good for him. He’ll gain ground if he keeps it up.
Jon Kasich was great overall. He came across as the most genuine, and he wasn’t nervous like Carson was. He mixed up variety into his messaging well. His was a good, solid performance, and this first national spotlight for him has elevated his status too. Kasich will most definitely be picking up ground, but I don’t think he’ll pull off the nomination unless he gets more aggressive and more memorable.
The other major players were the three Fox News moderators: Chris Wallace, Megan Kelly, and Brett Baier. They asked some tough questions depending on the candidate, and there was particular animosity toward Trump. The three, particularly Kelly and Wallace, came across as Rupert Murdoch hacks, following Murdoch’s marching orders to take out the front-runner. Nothing fair or balanced in that. Treat all candidates equally, which the three did not.
By the way, don’t even bother paying attention to the 5 o’clock debate. The only one from that pack who has any chance is Carly Florin, but she’s a long-shot too.
And there you have it. Want more? There’s plenty on YouTube and social media to keep you busy for hours! Good luck with the sorting, voters!
🙂