Debate thread

[taxed]

Cute, but as I recall Cruz co-sponsored the USA Freedom Act with Schumer, Warren and Durbin and that one actually passed and Obama praised it.

Link?

[Josie]

Link?

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2015/11/cruzs-vulnerability.php

[kit saginaw]

First off, the moderator should've been taken behind the woodpile and shot. 

In two hours, no candidate angrily took-on that lib hack??  Unbelievable.  What a blithering imbecile...

Performance-rating, from best to worst:  Cruz, Carson, um... an amorphous blob of bluster tied for third.

The audience was planted with Bush-and-Rubio tonks.  Wtf?  I'd be willing to bet that CBS was behind that.  Those insipid hot-bytes going into commercial-break and coming out commercial-break really pissed me off.  They (collectively, as a gimmick or an 'entity') were trying to subliminally convey to intelligent viewers that what you're watching is silly, thus all conservatives are silly. 

Carson's the only one that confronted the mod, albeit mildly.  He confronted him twice.

The most damaged candidate was Trump, but the audience-hacks kept stepping on themselves by not allowing Trump to implode in a natural, humiliating rhythm... so I couldn't tell how badly he was damaged.   

[keyboarder]

Trey Gowdy is on Fox right now praising Rubio. Unfortunately his hair was not cooperating. There was a follicle uprising.

What's the matter with this man?  He looks terrible!  I'm surprised his hair hasn't fallen out after all the lies he's been telling. 

[Dubinsky]

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2015/11/cruzs-vulnerability.php

For argument's sake let's roll with that site and add this:


Cruz may be less vulnerable due to his support of the USA Freedom Act than Rubio is as a result of supporting amnesty and a path to citizenship. In this election, immigration looks clearly like a bigger issue for conservatives than surveillance, and it's likely to remain so even after the Paris attacks. It may also be the case that conservatives in the Republican base are more closely divided on surveillance (even after Paris) than they are on immigration.

Personally, I hold both stances, Rubio's and Cruz's, strongly against the candidates. Unfortunately, the alternatives on the main stage the other night consisted of three candidates with no experience in office (and no concrete record against which to compare Rubio's and Cruz's); a former governor whose views on immigration are quite similar to Rubio's; a Senator whose position on surveillance is worse (in my view) than Cruz's; and a cranky governor intent on making it clear that he's the least conservative candidate in the field.


In this context, Rubio and Cruz don't look so bad.

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2015/11/cruzs-vulnerability.php


Not exactly a ringing endorsement for Rubio

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Now let's fast forward to what  "PAUL MIRENGOFF" recently said about Rubio and amnesty:

WOULD RUBIO SIGN AN AMNESTY BILL?

As conservatives sort through the wreckage from Marco Rubio's close encounter with Chris Christie the other night, some are debating the question of what Rubio would do as president about illegal immigration. It's a vitally important question and a fair one, given that Rubio has been all over the place on this issue.

Rubio couldn't govern without the support of the conservative GOP base. To defy something like half of the Republican members of Congress and the will of most Republican voters would doom his presidency.

A more realistic concern is that Rubio-Ryan will enact border security legislation, getting Democratic support by assuring them that amnesty will follow, and later push for amnesty based on false or inflated claims that the border has been secured.


I agree with Mark Krikorian who says "the odds that [Rubio and Ryan would] try [amnesty] again are greater than we should be comfortable with." Any odds greater than zero make me feel uncomfortable, and deep into a Rubio presidency, the odds go up.


(Lo and behold from the same person on the same site. ):

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2016/02/would-rubio-sign-an-amnesty-bill.php



You decide...

[Billy's bayonet]

Rubio got burned when Cruz pointed out his going on Univision to promise amnesty, Rubio: "You dont even speak spanish"

Cruz fires back in Spanish  "Now who is speaking spanish?".....I think that is what Ted Said, there was so much noise from the idiots in the audience I couldn't hear it clearly and yes my Spanish is a bit rusty.

Anybody else catch it?

[supsalemgr]

I have read all the posts in this thread and it seems the consensus is Trump came off badly. I wonder if he is trying to throw this thing. Poor timing to pick SC to attack George W. Jeb must have taken his vitamins yesterday as he seemed more energized. Cruz did his normal solid performance. Rubio was not bad. Carson was MIA and Kasich was his same old arrogant self.

[Hoofer]

I have read all the posts in this thread and it seems the consensus is Trump came off badly. I wonder if he is trying to throw this thing. Poor timing to pick SC to attack George W. Jeb must have taken his vitamins yesterday as he seemed more energized. Cruz did his normal solid performance. Rubio was not bad. Carson was MIA and Kasich was his same old arrogant self.

Agree, how the heck do you get out of this thing, without getting tarnished as a LOSER?

Best guess, Trump wants to be a King-maker, which in the business world, major plus, "I put YOU in office, here's what -I- want, or I'll ruin you!"  Rubio comes to mind, with all his NY connections, via Miami, Trump and Rubio could be closer allies than we realize...  If Trump REALLY wants to be Prez, he's either set out to win it without a ground game - brute force advertising, MEH... it's not working.  Or, he's already gotten further than expected, "HEY!  I'm gonna OWN a President!!!"  I'm sure he'd be excited about that prospect.

[Hoofer]

Was listening via Radio....

Did they cut off Trump's mic a couple of times last night?  It sounded like he was trying to interrupt Cruz, the first time, I thought he shut up, after that...  I could barely hear him grumbling in the background, like someone killed his mic.  Almost sounded like Cruz was still hearing Trump interrupt, regathered himself and went on.

[quiller]

You first.

I remember you from the Romper Room, girlie. Will you fail here as badly?

[AmericanMom]

Exactamundo. They should grab a double handful of hair and drag him offstage in a wet sheet.

I have never been as frustrated as I was last night watching this debate. Trump is nothing more than a lying liberal idiot. He has catch phrases that one can just about put money on that he will say, I wish someone would call him out on exactly who he thinks will make America great again?   As soon as someone questions him on his past, his donations, his support and business practices he attacks with calling them liars. It amazes me the stupidity of the electorate. I may or may not agree with decisions made by GWB but I can say without a doubt that I also thank God it was he in office and not AlGore when 9/11 hit.  You can see by who he attacks who he is running against, he strokes Carson cause he knows Carson is on his way out.  He threatens to sue Cruz because he knows Cruz is his biggest threat. This is a man who in the business world destroys people who stand in his way, the fact that he still has supporters makes me question their knowledge of what an American President should be.   

[Dori]

This is a man who in the business world destroys people who stand in his way, the fact that he still has supporters makes me question their knowledge of what an American President should be.   

I agree with you AmericanMom.

It's been mind boggling to me since he got into the race the support he's had. 

[walkstall]

I agree with you AmericanMom.

It's been mind boggling to me since he got into the race the support he's had.

Like kids looking for instant gratification.  There looking for an instant fix, there is no instant fix.  It took over 45 year getting into this mess not following laws or the Constitution.   I call it the want it now syndrome!

[AmericanMom]

Like kids looking for instant gratification.  There looking for an instant fix, there is no instant fix.  It took over 45 year getting into this mess not following laws or the Constitution.   I call it the want it now syndrome!

Well that actually is hitting the proverbial nail on the head... We live in an instant gratification society 

[supsalemgr]

Like kids looking for instant gratification.  There looking for an instant fix, there is no instant fix.  It took over 45 year getting into this mess not following laws or the Constitution.   I call it the want it now syndrome!

What amazes/concerns me is that some people I know who support Trump are mature and quite conservative individuals. I just don't understand why they cannot see there is no substance with Trump. As you point out Walks there is no instant fix and this is the narrative that Trump spouts.