My Review of the GOP Debates

I know it's been a while, but just as other people love sports, I love politics, and it's Presidential election season, so I'm back.  I watched the debates last night and the first thing I have to say is that we have a lot of qualified people running, much unlike last time.  One of the reasons I had supported Newt Gingrich in 2012 was that he was one of the few Republicans running who was both a conservative and could put two words together.  Remember Herman Cain and his 9-9-9 plan???  So embarrassing.  This time around, even George Pataki sounded credible and if it was last cycle, maybe he could have done something.  But we have 17 frigging candidates, giving each one between 5-10 minutes to speak, be heard and remembered. 

Unfortunately, Donald Trump is great at being heard and remembered.  I don't think Megyn Kelly's attempts to hurt his candidacy worked (btw, I was furious with her in 2012 when she did the same thing to Newt).  He basically said, yes I gave to the Democrats because I needed them for stuff.  Basically admitting to bribery but making it sound like the most practical thing in the world (probably because it is).  He's one of the few people that people who tuned in for the hell of it will remember and probably like (who doesn't hate Rosie O'Donnell).  Anyway, here is my review of the candidates from both debates yesterday.  In the end, I think the business people (Trump and Fiorina) without political experience won.  Maybe it's because successful business people are smarter than politicians.  Politicians have to smile and lie for a living, business people actually do have to do stuff and be creative in their problem solving. Anyway, here is my review of the candidates from last night:

Donald Trump:  Complete blow hard who probably makes up half the things he says (he gave to Hillary so she had to come to his wedding?) but people will probably still walk away feeling he is refreshingly honest.  I swear I will vomit over myself if I have to vote for him in 2016 (though I still will over any Democrat).

Carly Fiorina:  She really does speak well (and with passion!) and can take the heat.  She even seemed to impress Chris Matthews on MSNBC. I would like to see though her answer questions on national television about the layoffs at HP and why she was fired and how that plays.  Ironically, she's not a pussy like Mitt Romney but she could be painted as another cold, mean capitalist boss by the Democratic machine.  Also, does she have any ground game at all in Iowa or New Hampshire???

Jeb Bush:  God help me but I though he did a decent enough job last night.  I really hate the Bush family, especially HW and his pals like James Baker.  But I thought he came across as truly conservative last night as he highlighted his record as Governor.  Of course we know he won't govern that conservatively as President as he already said he won't tear up the Iran agreement and will be just as squishy and wimpy as his dad (and probably not terribly pro-Israel either).

Scott Walker:  I was definitely a Walker guy going into the debate, just based on his record as Governor.  And I think he did okay though I felt he didn't get much speaking time.  He was left trying to put in zingers right before commercial breaks.  He just looked physically small next to Trump.  Also, not allowing an abortion to save the life of the mother?  We can argue about the morality of that all day but is that really practical?  This might turn out to be his mulligan election cycle.

Marco Rubio:  He got a nice impassioned line about Hillary Clinton not being able to lecture him about living paycheck to paycheck but otherwise I thought he was just okay.  He will definitely benefit from when some of the other candidates drop out and he gets more of a platform.

Ted Cruz:  Cruz is the guy who I would vote for if I could vote for anyone and they would become President.  He aligns most closely with my views on just about everything.  But he was a disappointment, possibly due to all the hype about him being a debate champion.  I remember one segment where Trump lashed out against political correctness and then Cruz essentially said the same thing but just with a lot less passion and verve.  He looked like a 2nd or 3rd tier candidate which I know he is not.

Rand Paul:  He was kind of embarrassing much of the time and this is coming from someone who ran a Jews for Rand Paul website!  I stopped supporting him because I felt he was too sloppy and unserious to be the nominee for President.  He was so obviously trying to get some media attention by attacking Trump from the get go and it looked desperate.  And what the f*cking f*ck was that eye roll when Chris Christie was talking about 9/11 victims.  Yes I know Chris Christie was using them to make a political point but just out of respect don't eye roll when they are mentioned.  I watched the planes hit the towers and so that is just not f*cking okay.  Good luck getting support outside of stoner college students and neoconfederates.

Chris Christie:  He sounded pretty good after all, this kind of thing is what he is good at.  But between New Jersey's awful economic record and his own relatively liberal views, he isn't going anywhere.

John Kasich:  I remember when I worked at the Cato Institute when he was a Congressman, he sounded like one of us, now he kind of sounds like one of them, another big government Republican.  I thought his answer on gay marriage though was excellent and should be adopted by whomever the nominee is.

Ben Carson:  Just not polished enough.  He is a brilliant person who I definitely respect.  I loved the video of him giving Obama a lecture from 10 feet away, I don't think our fearless leader was used to that.  I'd rather he just have a talk show on Fox or something.

Mike Huckabee:  Speaking of talk shows, he should go back to his.  He had an interesting take on pro-life, using the 5th and 14th amendments but I don't see him doing terribly well outside the Santorum states.

Rick Santorum:  It is almost like he was defrosted after he was put into cryogenic freezing after the last election cycle.  It's basically the same old Rick.  He did surprisingly well in the weak field of 2012 but no way now.

Rick Perry:  The glasses make him look smarter but he needs to admit to himself that his Presidential ambitions are done for the following three reasons... Okay I'll stop.

Bobby Jindal:  I've been a Bobby Jindal fan for quite a long time, a smart young conservative policy wonk, what is not to like?  Unfortunately, he isn't even popular in his own state anymore so how is that going to play?

Lindsey Graham:  He should stay in the Senate making out with John McCain while whispering sweet nothing about boots on the ground in Syria to each other.

George Pataki:  As I mentioned above, he probably would have done better last cycle, he is just lost in a sea or riches.  He sounded credible enough though.  I think that is all I have to say about him.

Jim Gilmore:  Just like Pataki he is credible enough but I just don't see him catching fire.  Plus even though I am a political junkie I kept thinking he was the Republican from Virginia who got in trouble for the macaca comment (it was George Allen). I'm probably not the only one.