Can You Imagine that Debate Without Carly Fiorina?

 

Carly_fiorina_speakingI only just finished watching the debate a minute ago and I have already forgotten everything that was said. Honestly who here feels the same way? If there is one thing I learned from this debate it is that they need to have a third higher level of debate reserved for Carly Fiorina. She was the only person on that stage that was actually interesting (with a small caveat for my man crush Rubio who I think always give good answers, but who seemed to be mostly ignored in this debate). She fought her way into the conversation and she laid the smack down on every question. Can anyone recall a bad answer from her? She even managed to give a great put down of that 10 dollar bill question.

Aside from Fiorina, the only real other story out of this debate is just how bad it was. Did Hugh Hewitt even ask any questions? I know he did, but if you were just tooning in and out of the debate I doubt you ever saw any candidate answering one of his. This CNN/Salem thing was a farce. Talk about being a token conservative. Also the early round of questions were an embarrassment for CNN and Jake Tapper. The goal of a debate isn’t to get the candidates fighting like schoolchildren about the immature things Trump has said. It is to move the discussion beyond that. I’m sure it will give people a lot of gossip and saucy sound clips to play, but this is more suited to a reality TV show than a respectable news organization. I really thought much more of Jake Tapper, whose show on CNN has always seemed above par when I have caught it.

I think the next Debate needs to be smaller, hopefully this will just happen naturally, but if it doesn’t I don’t see much reason for Rand, Huckabee, and Christie to be there next time. Hopefully a few others drop out too.

So, over all it was a great night for Carly. Of course I fully expect that Donald Trump will go up another 5 points in the polls.

What did you guys think of Carly, or anyone else. Give me and Ricochet your honest assessment, also place your bet on how much better Trump will do then what any rational person expects.

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  1. The King Prawn Inactive
    The King Prawn
    @TheKingPrawn

    Carly wowed. Marco did his thing and did it very well. Christie was ok on a few answers when he had to go Jersey on some stuff. Bush was an animated cadaver, which is a step up for him. The rest were mostly forgettable. Huckabee was good on Sunday afternoon television and I wish he would return there. Honestly, his show was decent.

    • #1
  2. DocJay Inactive
    DocJay
    @DocJay

    Carly was fantastic. I think she will continue to surge, the GOP needs her leadership. Trump is a flaming jerk and the moderators spent way too much time dealing with him. I mute him usually. I’m hoping he drops in the polls. I was hoping Jeb would have some GI bug and let loose an involuntary liquid fart but sadly he just talked a bit and put me to sleep.

    • #2
  3. Eustace C. Scrubb Member
    Eustace C. Scrubb
    @EustaceCScrubb

    I loved how Tapper would say, “Turning to another topic, what do you think about what Donald Trump said about this thing?”

    • #3
  4. TalkGOP Inactive
    TalkGOP
    @TalkGOP

    I am still watching on DVR delay, but I agree that Fiorina having a very strong night.

    Trump is basically an experiment in how many ways an individual can say, “I’m great and you suck.”

    A lot of good answers from Cruz, Rubio, Walker, and Huckabee, even Christie.

    If there was one guy I could give a boot up the derierre it would be Kasich.  Does he have any principles at all other than “create jobs”?  I couldn’t believe he wanted to go along with the UN and just trust Iran.  His position that we will just punish Iran if we catch them cheating sounded delusional to me. Good grief.

    • #4
  5. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    TalkGOP: Trump is basically an experiment in how many ways an individual can say, “I’m great and you suck.”

    I’m getting tired of saying that Trump might have finally jumped the shark, but Trump might finally have jumped the shark.

    Carly was great.  I particularly liked the way she muscled her way into one question where Tapper seemed to be determined to ignore her.

    • #5
  6. Sam Thatcher
    Sam
    @Sam

    I thought Rubio made his presence known and had solid answers. He was reading from a script, but it’s not a bad script. Fiorino had a solid finish. They are  my ticket for 2016. Rubio-Fiorino.

    • #6
  7. Hoyacon Member
    Hoyacon
    @Hoyacon

    Agree 100% that the opening questions were cringe worthy, and I’m really surprised that Tapper played that game.  It seems likely that a decision was made to involve Trump immediately for ratings purposes, so let’s try to start a slugfest early on and drop any pretense at seriousness.

    Winners in order:  Carly, Rubio, Christie, Walker.

    Losers: the rest in no particular order.

    Random thought:  Whatever happened to Rand Paul?

    • #7
  8. Louie Mungaray (Squishy Blue RINO) Inactive
    Louie Mungaray (Squishy Blue RINO)
    @SquishyBlueRINO

    Marco and Carly shined.

    Trump was a flaming sack of poo on Reagan’s front porch.

    Jeb! came alive when he defended his wife and his brother.

    Kasich and Carson need defibrillation stat, and Christie beat his chest and tossed some gorilla dust.

    The rest I already forgot entirely.

    • #8
  9. EJHill Podcaster
    EJHill
    @EJHill

    All I have to say is that Nickelodeon better re-secure their trademarks on that iCarly thing. They’re gonna need it.

    • #9
  10. Louie Mungaray (Squishy Blue RINO) Inactive
    Louie Mungaray (Squishy Blue RINO)
    @SquishyBlueRINO

    Eustace C. Scrubb:I loved how Tapper would say, “Turning to another topic, what do you think about what Donald Trump said about this thing?”

    I think CNN held Tapper’s family hostage the way he snuffled up to Trump.

    • #10
  11. Richard O'Shea Coolidge
    Richard O'Shea
    @RichardOShea

    Biggest disappointment of the night was Hugh Hewitt.

    • #11
  12. EThompson Member
    EThompson
    @

    Fiorina and Rubio. I think they’d make a great ticket; a sound combination of business and foreign policy experience.

    Jake Tapper shouldn’t have his job.

    • #12
  13. MBF Inactive
    MBF
    @MBF

    All I remember is that the candidates somehow meandered sideways into an actually serious policy debate about social security, and were promptly cut off by Tapper so that he could ask a series of very important questions about… climate change?

    • #13
  14. Petty Boozswha Inactive
    Petty Boozswha
    @PettyBoozswha

    I totally agree with the consensus – Rubio moved up more than anyone, Carly close behind, but only because she already has shown she can shine in that situation. Christie probably saved himself from the gong show, Kasich was the biggest loser other than Hugh Hewitt, who was astonishingly bad.

    • #14
  15. Eustace C. Scrubb Member
    Eustace C. Scrubb
    @EustaceCScrubb

    Richard O’Shea

    Biggest disappointment of the night was Hugh Hewitt.

    Hugh Hewitt was at the debate?

    • #15
  16. DocJay Inactive
    DocJay
    @DocJay

    Trump 18 minutes, Bush 15, and some of the other candidates like Walker got 8 minutes. It bothered me that CNN did whatever the dems and Preibus wanted but that’s the GOPe.

    • #16
  17. Petty Boozswha Inactive
    Petty Boozswha
    @PettyBoozswha

    Forgot to add I think Carson has taken himself out with his opposition to Afgan war and stilted, not-on-point answers.

    • #17
  18. KiminWI Member
    KiminWI
    @KiminWI

    I watched with my kids.
    17 yo on Trump: “he would have gotten a C in my speech class for slumping over the podium and making faces.”
    14 yo on Fiorina: “she’s the only one who doesn’t make me angry when she talks.”

    • #18
  19. Whiskey Sam Inactive
    Whiskey Sam
    @WhiskeySam

    Carly and Marco in either order would be a formidable ticket

    • #19
  20. DocJay Inactive
    DocJay
    @DocJay

    Donald Trump has a psychiatric disorder.

    • #20
  21. Lazy_Millennial Inactive
    Lazy_Millennial
    @LazyMillennial

    Before this debate, I was okish with a Rubio/Fiorina ticket.  Now, I NEED a Fiorina/Rubio ticket.

    • #21
  22. Valiuth Member
    Valiuth
    @Valiuth

    Petty Boozswha:Forgot to add I think Carson has taken himself out with his opposition to Afgan war and stilted, not-on-point answers.

    That is the thing about Carson he is rather inconsistent in his presentation. I think there are things he really has thought about and a lot of things he is winging. Maybe if he took another one or two years he might catch up, but this isn’t the time to do it.

    • #22
  23. Valiuth Member
    Valiuth
    @Valiuth

    Lazy_Millennial:Before this debate, I was okish with a Rubio/Fiorina ticket. Now, I NEED a Fiorina/Rubio ticket.

    Yah, I can see that.

    I think what we really need is a Carly v Rubio debate, or rather a conversation. I don’t even think they differ that much on issues. At least I can’t recall which ones. I would want to know more on foreing policy from Carly, because that is where the president really stands out the most and has the most responsibility. What are their visions for Americans role and place in the world. On domestic affairs I trust them both.

    • #23
  24. wilber forge Inactive
    wilber forge
    @wilberforge

    Took a pass on the debate so as to let the dust settle permitting a more calm evaluation after most have weighed in.

    By some odd turn, viewed an unexpected film on Netflix titled Iron Skies.

    A Euro made film with Nazi’s colonizing the dark side of the moon in 45 and then trying to engage in a space war to recapture the grandure of theReich. Ghastly lefty driven politically driven film.

    Will recap the debate, but will expect a similar outcome.

    • #24
  25. Man With the Axe Inactive
    Man With the Axe
    @ManWiththeAxe

    Rubio and Fiorina in either order.

    Just heard on Fox that Carly was chairman of the CIA’s external advisory board with a top secret security clearance, and she knows foreign policy inside and out.

    Trump, on the other hand, disappeared during the discussion on foreign policy. All he would be able to say is “I’ll appoint great people.” Or, “I’ll know so much by the time I take office.”

    Do you believe him? I don’t.

    • #25
  26. Leigh Inactive
    Leigh
    @Leigh

    DocJay:Trump 18 minutes, Bush 15, and some of the other candidates like Walker got 8 minutes. It bothered me that CNN did whatever the dems and Preibus wanted but that’s the GOPe.

    The Democrats, yes, but not Preibus. He’s from Wisconsin, you know. I don’t have any idea which candidate he’d prefer, but I do feel very confident in saying that he would have been more than content to see Trump get less speaking time than Walker.

    • #26
  27. Carey J. Inactive
    Carey J.
    @CareyJ

    DocJay:Carly was fantastic.I think she will continue to surge, the GOP needs her leadership.Trump is a flaming jerk and the moderators spent way too much time dealing with him. I mute him usually. I’m hoping he drops in the polls. I was hoping Jeb would have some GI bug and let loose an involuntary liquid fart but sadly he just talked a bit and put me to sleep.

    Was he talking? I thought it was a fart.

    • #27
  28. DocJay Inactive
    DocJay
    @DocJay

    I don’t know Leigh, there’s lots of people who wanted Trump taken down and he can hang himself with enough rope. I see your point though.

    • #28
  29. wilber forge Inactive
    wilber forge
    @wilberforge

    Way too much, gonna go with this until calmer heads prevail-

    • #29
  30. DocJay Inactive
    DocJay
    @DocJay

    Whiskey bottles piling high!

    • #30
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