Moderators
Hats off to them and the Fox crew. It’s always better when pbs/msnbc interviews the Dems or Fox the Republicans. Since the moderators have the target voters’ respect the candidates don’t gain points simply by saying “screw the media that’s an unfair question.” They made every candidate squirm, throwing really pointed questions across the board. It was always going to be fantastic television, but they helped raise it to legendary status.
Baier started the debate off with a bang and had a fantastic delivery for the ‘will Trump run as an independent.’ It was also a great choice to make him raise his hand. Kelly nearly lost it but held her composure when confronted with Trump’s misogyny and Rosie O’Donnell interruption, and delivered the abortion exceptions quite well (though I do one day want them to be asked ‘if your daughter was gunna die unless she got an abortion and wanted one would you support a law that forced her to see the pregnancy through?’). Wallace was less flashy but also consistent.
Trump
The first exchange was absolutely incredible reality television. If he ends up running as an independent and handing Hillary the presidency, kids for the next century will get to re-watch this during AP US. Here’s to hoping.
What a wretched human being. This debate provided me peak Trump ‘enjoyment,’ but if he stays up in the polls over the next few months it will get harder and harder to laugh. The shtick will get old soon and then I’ll be forced to think about how 10% of Americans would vote for this atrocity.
His line on how he was only a democrat because he lived in nyc was a pretty rich cop-out.
That said, the man is good at what he does. The ‘we wouldn’t be talking about immigration unless I called Mexicans rapists’ was a deft turn. As was the ‘well Rand you’re in my pocket too’ line.
Jeb
Before the debate started Megyn asked if anyone was nervous. He was the only guy who actually raised his hand.
His ‘should we have gone into Iraq’ answer stumble was pretty pathetic given that he knew 3 months ago he was going to face it. His responses really picked up after that however. He gave a really great answer on a common core question.
He’s an awkward dude. I don’t think that disqualifies someone from being a strong presidential candidate. But he’s definitely not smooth. I feel like he’d make an above average cabinet secretary for something like Education or Interior. But president?
Principle and Rand
Jeb stuck up for common core with conviction, Kasich did a good defense of expanding Medicaid, and Cruz is just in his own ‘principled’ la la land. Unlike in ’08 and ’12 when the GOP nominees seemed to all be gravitating towards the same policies, caving left and right from prior statements, this go-around candidates are deciding to highlight their differences. Maybe it’s because the field is so big or perhaps GOP ultra-orthodoxy has just run its course after losing two presidential cycles.
Of all the ‘principle’ Republicans Rand comes off as most sincere to me. I have to respect him for bucking everyone else on stage and standing his ground. He had a great NSA wiretap battle against Christie and delivered the most nuanced criticism of Obama foreign policy (ISIS driving around in our humvees) of the field. He’s a skilled speaker and it’s encouraging for the future of political debate in America that when he talks you feel like he’s actually trying to persuade you of his view.
Don’t sleep on Rand. In another four years, he could win the nomination.
Kasich
I know nothing about him and his politics, but by this debate alone he seems like he’d make the best president out of the pack. But, he embarrassed himself by being nice to Trump.
Carson
Braaaaiiinnns.
Cruz
Underwhelmed me. After just 3 years in the senate he feels played out.
Rubio
He’s pretty good. But not that good.
Christie
He looked like he was about to cry the entire time.
Also his ‘I prosecuted terrorists so I know how to be commander in chief’ is really rich. His chest-puffing vs. Rand on the Patriot Act didn’t come off as authentic, though his “you wasn’t with me prosecuting terrorists, you were futzing around in a subcommittee” line was a great canned shot.
When the moderators call you out for running your state into the ground it’s hard to take you seriously. His response to this question, also an entirely predictable one, was underwhelming. Good for him for sticking with his ‘raise the retirement age’ line at least.
This man will never be president. I remember in ’12 there was some news story of Kissinger calling him up and begging him to run. Wonder what he thinks of him now.
Huckabee
Wins the award for most ignorant comment of the night. What’s the military for? “Kill people, break things.”
I was making bad jokes in my high school newspaper about his 07 presidential run.
On Iran
For whatever reason their ‘tear up the deal’ lines had me the most depressed. It’s not that it’s an unreasonable position but rather that they just put zero thought into something so important and are willing to go on record for something they can actually change with the stroke of a pen. Not that ‘politics stops at the water’s edge’ was ever a real thing, but…ugh.