I voted for Jeb in the 2016 primaries here in SC. I thought Trump was a Dem stalking horse for Hillary. He ran to stick it up Obama's ass after Barry humiliated him at that DC dinner. Trump was the dog that caught the garbage truck and was shocked that he'd latched onto the bumper. Then when elected, the GOP establishment turned their backs on the guy. The deep state was working to subvert him before he even took office. One of my problems with the guy is that he had no experience in govt- none. He was set up to fail. But he didn't.
I wish he'd stop reacting to every slight but that is just the way he is. He and Vivek are correct on Ukraine. Ukraine paid Joe Biden (what a deal- a few million for BILLIONS) to back them against Russia. The former Soviet states should have been declared a demilitarized zone. The Russians were backed into a corner and when you back the bear into a corner you get the claws- duh. Nicki in particular is super hawkish and that makes her a very dangerous person in a bad way. I wish Trump had decided to devote his time to cheating at golf but he is a stubborn dude and won't go away. He remains solid on the issues and hasn't lost anything on his fastball. He was right to steer clear of these debates. He has kicked ass by not showing up. The Don is THE MAN. And Uncle Joe will soon be put out to pasture. Buckle up, it's going to be a bumpy ride.
Very interesting analysis. I agree with you about Haley. She is scary and if elected I see nothing but war ahead. I love that Ramaswamy called out the loser Republicans-namely Rona. It is the definition of insanity-doing same thing over and over and expecting different results. Republicans will keep dying on the abortion hill until they learn the art of compromise. All entertaining if not for the fact that our country’s future hangs in the balance. Please-can’t we just elect someone who puts our own country first? Period.
Ramaswamy’s answer on shoring up Social Security was Kryptonite to Haley. $7 trillion dollars and counting spent on foreign wars is the problem, not the age of retirement. The look on her face after he made the point was priceless, kind of like she "feels dumber every time he speaks”.
She was trotted out on Fox too. Now for Noonan to weigh in. I said in another comment I think Christie is Biden with an R by his name. I think Haley is HRC with an R by her name.
Social Security requires very intelligent heterodox thinking. Bismark thought he'd finissed that; the Reich ditched the pilot for evolutionary and revolutionary communists.
Is there a conservative handle on this problem? I don't see any candidates here with a clue on that. The God-Emperor? So not his wheelhouse, and the chances of him being hornswaggled by some Fauciesque doomcock on the matter grave.
Sadly I agree. The US is in descendency. The lunacy of the 81million strong election of Joe Trouser Micturator Biden has given license to our many global competitors to do as they wish. The results of the 2024 election won't make a bit of difference. The stolen 2020 in favor of the lunatic left will cost us.
That was a terrible turning point. We have a long history of fraudulent elections stretching back to Tammany hall and beyond including LBJ 1948 Senate race and 1960 Presidential election. But this was the most organized, multi-faceted fraud that involved elements of the Government itself. Essentially a bloodless coup. That was the death blow for “our democracy “.
I hope you’re right. But I can’t help but think that China and Russia will throw in with them to break us. The candidates last night put it well, we’re so busy fighting about things like abortion that we’re distracted and divided, ignoring much bigger issues. I don’t even think this is political anymore. It’s good vs evil and evil isn’t even hiding itself. God save us.
"The enemy of our enemy is our friend." We have been burned by this philosophy. It is yet to be seen if Russia and China will suffer the same fate by aligning with their enemies against their mutual enemy-us.
I think that was the case pre-2020. Now I am not sure that genie can be put back in the bottle. But I honestly believe that is the way the modern Democratic party wants it.
I have to reluctantly agree. Republicans are going to have to accept mail-in ballots are here to stay. The problem is I truly believe Democrats are not above cheating in ANY Machiavellian way, and Republicans do not cheat!
I don't know... genetically modified sure beats the hell out of continuous miscarriages due to my embryos having too many or too little chromosomes. Miscarriages are one of the most heartbreaking experiences a woman can have and is quite common. It's also literally hell on your body. So I could see an argument for it with limits.
pretty much on point, Trump does get tedious and didn't have experience or connections in Washington. And how did DC react? Democrats tried to jail him and still are, GOP elites tried straddle the fence of subverting him whole not antagonizing voters, and civil servants undermined the elected president of the United States.
I haven't voted for either party's candidates since 2012, and I have no regrets. We need candidates who are better people.
Theoretically, our government treats all Americans equally, but if so, why is Trump facing 91 felony charges while bagman Hunter Biden was offered two misdemeanors for failing to report to the IRS the $20 million or more he collected from China and Ukraine? Yes, TikTok messes with the stupidity of our youth, but let's not forget that the level of US overdose deaths is creeping toward 100,000 per annum -- also thanks to our Chinese friends. Is that not kinda bad as well?
Why is Xi coming to San Francisco, of all places, next month without offering first to reduce even a small amount of the damage his policies have caused here? Does anyone think a Biden-engineered rapprochement with the world's biggest totalitarian state will improve the situation at all?
Because Trump is the threat to the uniparty. Because China is waging a Fentanyl War against the heirs of the empire that ravaged it in the Opium Wars. Because the fix is in and Newsom is the 2024 candidate so SF it is.
If I say it is time to repeal the Patriot Act. Or, that we should remove the damaging influence the Citizens United decision gives the billionaire class over American politics and elections. If I state the belief that, as in Europe, women should have the right to choose but there should be reasonable laws governing abortion or, that legal immigration is a good thing but mass forced illegal immigration hurts America. Then I add the thousand other seemingly obvious death by a thousand cuts instances of D.C. grift, neglect and looting and, complain endlessly until the day I die. So what? I'm not even in the conversation. As wiser minds than mine have pointed out: Sheep can muddy the wolf's drinking water but can otherwise do him no harm at all.
Fascism has no, has never had, any intention of stopping. In the same way the Patriot Act was in place and ready long before 9/11, the American CCP style hidden prison/re-education camp, and the euthanasia center, are already budgeted and planned for. It is cold cold winter and we're all on Solzhenitsyn's train. The well lit luxurious dining car in front is filled with champagne and the smiling faces of the malicious elite, who don't know, or wish to know, that the car behind is filled with pneumonia stricken shivering, ragged gulag bound passengers on their way to hell. Somewhere in time Hitler is preparing his speech and his doctor is preparing the ampule of methamphetamine. Joseph Stalin is practicing his sardonic smile for the billboard. He must seem benevolent but strike "just" the right amount of fear. Mao, dressed in silk pajama's, is up late busily rewriting Chinese history. In the night they all dream of public works, slave labor, utopian perfection and photo opportunities. They have worked hard at building the lie and now the time is coming. The absolute success and perfection of the surveillance state allows them to dictate without conscience or moral reason the longed for revealed glory of the the new age: All citizens are criminals, salvation is in the firestorm and every travesty, well planned and executed puts money in the bank.
I also think Trump jumping into the race in 2016 was grandstanding—all part of his brand.
Agree that The Don will be the nominee. Curious about RFK Jr. as a dark horse. He’s not getting traction yet due to media blackout but that will change when it becomes clear that the 2 mainstream choices are stinkers.
How was Russia backed into a corner? They did not have to invade Ukraine at all. Theirs is a power project to reinvent the old Soviet world order, plain and simple. If we cannot stand up to one of our adversaries attacking and invading a sovereign nation, what can we stand up for? Also, Donald trump should absolutely be at these debates - to deprive the American people of hearing from the leading candidate on today’s issues in a real debate setting is pure cowardice. It’s not about “I have a big lead so I don’t have to do anything” it’s giving the American people a platform to understand his platform.
Russia took Ukraine in order to retain a Black Sea naval presence. The west shrugged. Then, Ukraine bought Biden and others and began poking the bear. They cut off the water conduit bringing water to Ukraine which had been built and funded entirely by Russia. Before that project, Crimea’s farmland was not half as productive. But - since Ukraine now had the DNC in its pocket - it started this war.
This may be the best assessment of Trump I have read. Ever. And I agree with everything except I do think he failed to understand the rot in the executive branch itself until it was too late. Imagine Comey creeping into his office and saying "Mr. President there's something I think you should know" and disclosing the Steel dossier complete with pee tape allegations but not disclosing that the dossier was bought and paid for by HRC. That being said I think he understands it now and as such is the only one who can excise the rot. I think Haley would just join hands with the rotten and sing kumbaya. I think Christie is Biden with an R by his name. I think both Ramaswamy and Scott are not yet experienced enough. If there is an alternative to Trump I think it is DiSantis but IMO his earnestness could be exploited.
It seemed obvious to me from the first that Trump--long a good friend of the Clintons--was part of a set-up to make sure that Hillary would win.
The MSM gave him billions in free advertising by talking about him, front and center, every day. They were droning on and on--almost exclusively--about a Hillary-Trump contest, long before it was rational to make the assumption that Trump would be her official opponent. They used the well-known phenomenon of name-recognition to help make sure he won the Republican nomination. Trump was designed to be the only one that Hillary had a chance of defeating.
I could not help noticing that every time Trump inched ahead in the polls, he would immediately say something even more outrageous. I could not help noticing the look on Melania Trump's face on election night: she had clearly been promised that this would all be over, and it wasn't.
But once he caught that garbage truck, what could he do? Even if his enormous ego would have allowed it, he couldn't exactly say, "Just kidding. Hillary was supposed to win." To give the man credit, he tried to follow through with the promises he'd made, even while the Democrats who had ensured his candidacy stabbed him in the back with their pre-arranged "kill switch" if something went wrong with their plan.
But Trump needs to go away. He won't. But for the health of our country, he needs to. If Trump is elected in 2024, the Left will burn this country to the ground.
I find the notion that Trump is "solid on the issues" hard to accept. He strikes me as having no real convictions, just a thin skin and a taste for power. Sure, lacking convictions doesn't really differentiate him much from anyone else in Washington, Republican or Democrat. But the latter characteristics — reacting to every slight, as you put it, and holding the most petty, laughable grudges — really sets him apart as a national-level politician. It also puts him in disturbing company among historical figures with famously (or infamously) fragile egos.
"Ukraine paid Joe Biden (what a deal- a few million for BILLIONS) to back them against Russia. "
So is your theory that Hunter Biden's business dealings in Ukraine when Joe Biden was out of Office, and not on anyone's radar for the 2020 Presidency, was to shore up against an also not-really-predicted Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2021? I mean... that's a lot of crystal balling there on behalf of Ukraine!
It's not just Ukraine that the Bidens took money from - the Biden family took money under the table from many countries that are not our allies. The real question is what did they buy? If a country manages to bribe a public official - and then has proof that that bribery took place (which they would certainly have) then how much sway do they have over that politician? If they have proof that a politician committed an illegal act then how much can they affect US policy? I think about the prosecutor who was investigating corruption at Burisma - did the Biden family care about the Ukrainian people when he got paid off to stop that investigation? It seems that allowing and enabling government corruption would not be so good for the people. It seems to me that the Bidens care more about themselves than they do the Ukrainian - or American - people.
You aren't going to find anyone, let alone anyone in a position to run or be written in (apart from the likewise insane) to run on your frankly bonkers platform.
I can't think of any, and that doesn't give Trump a pass. Speaker Johnson seems to have strong morals, I don't know about his integrity. Jamie Raskin also may qualify. If we could do a thorough seach through the ranks, we could probably find others. Mainly those who are not in the spotlight. Ideally, for me, we'd vote everyone out and start over and have qualifying benchmarks such as: All candidates must be able to pass the citizenship test given to foreign applicants, prove that they have read, understand, agree with and support the Constitution. That will do for starters. 1 caveat; I like dreaming while awake.
Corporate funding of campaigns has done away with the requirement of character as an ever dumbed down electorate will fall for the shiny object of the day. As Exhibit A regarding the dumbed down electorate I give you the folks that vote for abortion up to birth who at the same time bemoan the Israeli oppressors. Those folks are being played like fiddles as they Vote Blue No Matter Who!
Most New Yawkas would strongly disagree that they share much in common with Trump other than maybe a regional accent and a birth zip code - and most find him an embarrassment.
Trump has been a very controversial and actually pretty unpopular figure in his home region, and had been long before 2016, you know that right? People from the Tri-State area that grew up in the 80's were much more familiar with the actual Donald Trump of the multiple bankruptcies, mob associate, and fraud that screwed over many small businesses and contractors in the region (and was a key figure in the ruin of Atlantic City) than the fictitious version "Uber CEO" that "The Apprentice" produced and went on to win the Presidency while losing the votes of those same NY'ers, because they actually knew who the guy was based on his actual record as opposed to the bulk of his fans that do not come from the region that bought into the reality TV fiction and his neo-Fox News persona.
What I object to is using justification for even the most aberrant behavior by saying the other side does it too. Everyone on both sides does it and it leads us to the very bottom.
Exactly. I grew up in Queens contemporaneously with President Trump. He is a typical "Outer Borough" male of my generation. Loud, often unbearable, but afraid of NOTHING.
My mother-in-law knew his mother in Queens and she (the mom) didn't have a lot of nice things to say about her son. That makes sense now that we have seen how Trump has become-- loud, obnoxious, and arrogant. I wonder if he had shown more dignity if he would have had more of a broader appeal.
This is Trump fan-fic. Trump actively avoids any setting where he might encounter a large portion of not-Trump fans - including the Republican primary debates. He's super tough behind the keyboard and at his "safe space" rallies though, I'll give you that, especially when he does his special little "jerking off two dicks at once" YMCA "dance" ; P
He offered Federal assistance to several municipalities during the 2020 disturbances, but DEMOCRATIC mayors and governors REFUSED his offers.
Thoroughly Modern Milley, that disgrace to the US Army, advised him AGAINST direct use of Dederal troops against the rioters and arsonists.
He u fortunately relied on the fake expertise and non-existent integrity of Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx other recommendation of poorly informed subordinates. Relying on the recommendations of supposedly qualified subordinates is what executives do. The responsibility for Fauci abd Birx is on the subordinates charged with vetting them, NOT the Presudent. That's the way large, complex organizations function.
Well you did seem to imply that Trump's personality and behaviors are somehow a product of the region, which again, I don't think many would agree that serial lying, corruption and thin-skinned ego are "NY Traits", which tends to be the lens that most of his detractors view him through, versus "aggressive and stubborn" - although I will give "stubborn" to the point of delusion and "aggressive ignorance", but I really don't give Trump much points for "toughness" that I think maybe you meant to imply there. Maybe we're working off of different definitions of "tough" which is certainly fair.
Just spit balling, but what if the polls showing Trump's commanding lead are wrong? I seem to recall that prior to the 2016 election, these same polls showed him as the loser.
"...showed him as the loser." Heck, Hillary was such a lock on victory that Newsweek issued a full color commemorative perfect bound checkout aisle thing headlined "Madam President" which a few grabbed as soon as they became available. I have one, framed in my office. The rest had to be subject to a panicked recall much like "Dewey Defeats Truman" across the front page of the Chicago Tribune.
No serious pollster expected Trump to win. He was a thumb in the eye of the prevailing wisdom and office occupants of entrenched D.C. Pollsters just didn't know how to measure that. Less emphasis on objective questionnaires and more on focus groups might have helped. But cluelessness still reigns.
Trump will probably lose all the trials he currently faces. The venues all assure hostile juries which was the intent. Those decisions will be overturned for various reasons including the incredibly embarrassing video evidence of judicial and prosecutorial bias along with the novel prosecution application of ambiguous laws. It's the Dems who've caught the car this time.
I actually knew Trump would win in 2016 and said so. Spouse would say "Stop it, you just want to annoy me!," but having taken a few trips south and north that year and seeing all the tiny Clinton signs in precious, tidy towns populated by local college professors and big, barn-size Trump billboards plastered everywhere else beyond town limits, I expected catastrophe and got it.
Not that Clinton didn't win the popular vote; she did. Not that I didn't like a couple of things Trump did as President; I did. But he's puerile and vindictive, and anyway he ran for President in order to land that real estate prize, The White House. He's bidding for it again. Damn.
Trump is the only R the Dems can beat, so the polls have him way ahead.
Furthermore, these polls that have him beating Biden in the 5 swing states may be BS as well in an effort to get Biden to drop out. We'll see on election day.
If there is one certainty in this country (aside from death and taxes…and the fact that the Chicago Bears desperately need new ownership), it’s that the polls are woefully inaccurate.
It's not necessarily that the polls are wrong. It's that many states have open primaries where Ds and Is could influence the primary since it's Biden or Biden on their side. I think that's what Christie is counting on in NH. I recall a family member in Ohio who voted for Trump in the primary because he didn't like the D choice. He would rather die than have an R president.
Standing up for the unborn, who cannot speak for themselves, is almost like standing up for Jews today. It may not popular, but it's the right thing to do.
I will NEVER compromise on abortion. It is murder. I will live peacefully under the rules voters endorse while being constant in my opposition. It took a long time to convince people slavery was wrong, it took a long time to convince people that everyone deserves equal rights. Stay the course.
And you are certainly entitled to that belief. But I will never agree to take away a woman’s choice. This should not be the overriding issue to determine the course of our country.
Who are "you people"? And to state "abortion is murder" or "I will NEVER compromise on abortion" is indeed taking away a right to choose. I wholeheartedly agree with 15 weeks.
I will accept whatever can pass. Every life saved is a win. I will never stop trying to convince and persuade that abortion is murder. It is a terrible violent bloody affair, much more then a “choice”
I'm good with terminating a pregnancy whenever the need (or desire) arises. Sometimes fetal anomalies aren't detected until way late, and I see no reason for a woman to carry a fatally deformed baby to term. I see no reason, moreover, for the victim of rape whether by a stranger or an uncle to live a single minute with the terror that she might become pregnant, and so long life to morning-after pills too.
My godson's wife had recently a dangerous ectopic pregnancy. Good thing they don't live in a state that outlaws abortion.
Much better for women to get IUDs as soon as their bodies are ready and for men to be trusted to use condoms. But hey, abortion is fine too when either birth control or common sense fails.
I respect your opinion. As a practical matter, though, there is not much you can do about it. Most abortions are accomplished now with Mifepristone pills, which can be purchased from European sellers or acquired by friends in abortion-friendly states.
Have you ever read Freakonomics? It has a very interesting reason to be pro-choice. More of a question of is it for the good of one or the good of society that matters most.
While a majority of pundits ask “Who won?” the better question is “Who lost?” These debates have been a winnowing, not a selection. The first two debates got us down to these five (and that other guy), and this debate really allowed the differences to show.
Vivek, who was near the top of the pack back before the first debate, has now so fully revealed himself to be reckless, unhinged, and more of a performer than a serious candidate. His maturity is in question, especially after he tried repeatedly (and failed repeatedly--talk about loser) to pimp his stupid joke about DeSantis’ heels. Scum indeed. As discussed, he has tried to be Trump 2.0, and maybe he was, but his performance clarified just what a dead end Trumpism really is. He destroyed himself and damaged Trump. Good, and good riddance.
Tim took over the mantle of religious zealot that was left behind with the departure of Pence. His voters will no doubt be very loyal but insufficient to bring him the win.
That leaves the three serious candidates. Christie is a stateman; Haley is the negotiator; DeSantis is the warrior. Any of them would make a decent president; all of them would be better than either Trump or Biden. Will any of them make it to the general election? I can only hope.
The only winner that I could see was the mainstream/legacy media. I loathe their egregious bias, but it must be said that NBC did a hella better job than the nincompoops of FOX. So kudos. This is why, in addition to FP and other independent press, I also read and follow MSM, despite their deep and obvious flaws.
I thought this was a substantive debate. It was surprising, since the first two were not.
I thought Haley was clearly the adult in the room, and appreciate her willingness to defer to voters’ preferences on the abortion issue (as did Christie, I must say). Her pragmatism on foreign affairs is welcome. It is a scary world right now.
It’s hard to understand why Republicans would prefer almost certain defeat with Trump over equally certain victory with Haley, but they aren’t called the stupid party for no reason.
I am a Republican and anyone who knows me would not call me stupid (no genius either). SO, with that said, I pray that DJT goes away and that Joe B is the Dem nominee (which I doubt). Trump cannot win the general election and DJT is the only GOP'er Biden can beat (fact is, DJT is the only guy Biden has ever beaten running for POTUS, how would you like that distinction?)
I also liked this debate better than the 1st 2 , mostly due to format and time.
I absolutely disagree about Haley. She can talk about war all day...... doesn't mean she will be a good President. If he is willing to "deal" on the abortion issue to get "less babies killed"... what else will she bargain with and for... My Life?... Your Life???
She had nothing to offer as solutions to any of the multiple problems this country is facing, border, crime, inflation, energy, jobs, education, deficit and spending .... Let's keep Neo-con Nikki out of the Oval .... perhaps another Ambassadorship, just not the UN... gotta get outta that quagmire of uselessness!
I agree about Hailey. I like her less now. She is qualified and a good campaigner but would ensure we are at war and likely has support from all of the huge military contractors that make money off of our wars. Vivek is the only one correct on TikTok. This is where voters are. Banning TikTok is a losing position. Imagine being Hailey's 25 yo married daughter and having to suspend your TikTok account for mom's campaign. She prob has a shadow one. I watched debate clips and coverage from all major networks on ...TikTok. Have not been fed one thing about Israel, Hamas or Palestine. Vivek was fire. Hailey almost went Will Smith.
Tik Tok can easily be replaced with the next social media platform dujour. That will probably happen sooner or later anyway, but damage IS being done in the meantime. Failing that the government should mandate its sale to an American owned company.
I gave up watching the debates. They’re pointless and performative - just puttin’ on a show for us rubes. Unless one of them has a stroke or kicks the bucket, we’re going to see Biden vs. Trump next year. Just great.
If I were a Republican and someone asked me about abortion, I’d tell ‘em “that’s between a woman and her God, whatever she conceives that to be,” (bad word choice, I know.) and just leave it there. Republicans on abortion are like that idiot in “Tin Cup,” hitting ball after ball into the water on principle. “I think I can, I think I can…” only works in children’s books and bad movies.
Republicans are truly the party of stupid. The ink wasn't even dry on the Dobbs ruling before morons like Lindsey Graham started yapping about imposing federal bans. The whole freakin point of the Supreme Court’s ruling, besides Roe's constitutionality, was to get the issue back to the states and let them decide.
If I were a candidate being asked for my position, I'd look the questioner in the eye and say, "the question you should be asking is, should there be a time limit on a woman's right to an abortion or should she be able to dispose of a baby up until the instant it takes its first breath. The answer to that isn't mine to give, it's a burden that every voter must bear, and I pray that before they answer it, each of them takes a long, hard look in the mirror”.
Great point Timothy....SCOTUS directed the matter back to the states where it belongs. I don’t understand why people are surprised by the various debates each state is having. You are right also about Lindsay Gram grabbing the last word and trying to make a federal case before it was even debated within each state.
Great “Tin Cup” analogy. I think the focus on abortion should be reducing the demand (by reducing unwanted pregnancies), educating, increasing access to birth control, providing more support services for women and infants that isn’t a pathway to poverty. Address the root causes for unwanted pregnancies and the demand for abortion will go down. Does anyone really want to have to make that choice? I also thought Youngkin was onto something with the 15 week ban, but I think the VA losses were multi faceted.
I think you’re exactly correct, Peggy. Doing what you suggest would be constructive and helpful. It may not immediately lead to a reduced number of abortions, but it would make people’s lives better and, over time, present a viable alternative.
It really was unwatchable, not the least because again the RNC decided it was a good idea to have liberal moderators who absolutely refuse to ask any non-D approved questions. Thank God for Vivek for raising at least some GLARING issues that are on a lot of people's minds. I'm not even a Republican but it was just ridiculous. Am no fan of Tucker Carlson either but Vivek was absolutely right. Tucker Carlson should've been the moderator. That alone would've pulled in millions of viewers and Tucker would've asked questions that made the show worth watching. I'm not sure Joe Rogan qualifies to do this in terms of being a reporter, but hell, why not? Shake things up. Plus he would've pulled in his millions of followers too. These debates are so pointless even if the candidates had a real shot. They might as well go for broke and do something drastic. If nothing else, it would get the GOP party publicity. As it is, it's like the GOP party wants to lose.
Vivek's pros and cons aside, damn that was good when he called out the ridiculous choices of moderators, demanded to know what the Dems' real plan is when they get rid of Biden and put up their real candidate. It was the only time I didn't feel like like brain was turning into mush.
The pundits were all lying morons. No, DeSantis didn't "win". It was all a Rorschach test. He won in the eyes of people who already are behind him. What I saw was his scowling and looking pugilistic all the time, even when he's just answering questions when he had no need to be on the offensive. All that scowling is really a turn off. Plus his constant head bobbling was very distracting. Given his physique, I just kept seeing a human bobble head every time he does that and everything he was saying just became white noise. People who like him can say you can't vote for someone on something this flimsy. But what I'm point out is that he turns people off and that's a big issue. That's been an issue with him from the start when he went national, and it contributed to his declining popularity. I didn't think he looked presidential at all. The more I see of him, the more provincial he looks and not ready for big time.
Nikki Haley did less well than she did in the previous two performances. Foreign policy is definitely important with the world as is right now but it was nuts they spent like half the debate on that. (Seriously do they think voters will make their voting decision based on how many naval ships the candidate will build???? I'm sure it's very strategically important but WTF this is something we expect they'll appoint the right people to handle.) Was this foreign policy the theme of this debate? If so they should've told us upfront so we'd know what to expect. The long segment on foreign policy turned her into a policy wonk and while she sounded very knowledgeable, it never helps any candidate ever to veer into policy wonk. Everything else she said we've heard before. They basically asked her questions that had been asked already in past debates and she repeated the same answers. We learned nothing news.
I no longer know why Tim Scott is there.
Chris Christie surprised me with some thoughtful things to say on policies. But he's got snowball's chance in hell, and he's not even really fighting for a chance. He's just there to be interviewed. Why can't he do that on some podcasts instead? It'll be interesting to hear him out but not on a pointless debate show.
Here are some issues that still haven't been touched on after 3 freaking debates:
1. Censorship. Can we please hear what they're going to do about the widespread government censorship, big tech censorship, and social censorship? What are they going to do to push back against cancel culture running amok? What are going to do to ensure free speech going forward? What do they have to say about the recent discoveries of government collusion to censor?
While we're at it, can we also talk more about the rotting of our higher education institutions, and their fundings by Arab countries and China?
2. Surveillance: Can someone please address government and corporate surveillance out of control? Oh ofc not. Every one of them wants more surveillance and expand government power to do so.
3. Fentanyl: The freakin moderators didn't even bring this up but to their credit the candidates addressed this. But they did so as related to China and the border. What are they going to do to help our cities return to some kind of normal and what's their plan to deal with the current masses of homeless addicts. Are they going to punt it to a local issue and don't get involve somehow to try to turn things around? Even so, crimes is definitely an urgent issue on voters' minds.
4. Porn: The kind of violent degrading porn today is rotting our children's brains. It's now the de facto standard sex ed for a whole generation. All the talk about TikTok and none of them even touched on this. Seriously?
I won't vote for Trump in the GOP primary because IMO, if elected president, his sole focus will be on enacting revenge on his political enemies. I don't want a president like that. His narcissism and eggshell ego drive every decision he makes.
The Washington Post is TDS on steroids. Call it what you want, but the MSM should not be protecting this bag of oats you elected and his criminal minions.
But they won't even investigate.....it's all Russia misinformation. Pleeeeease.
I didn't elect anyone. We all elected him, and although I didn't vote for him, I at least accept the results. I don't know why anything that is mildly anti-Trump is immediately deemed TDS. Nobody can criticize the orange man without having the TDS thing lobbed at them. It's like when the left calls anyone who criticizes their views as racist, sexist, etc. Everything is so tribal.
Buttigieg just took a private jet to Ukraine supposedly to discuss rebuilding their transportation infrastructure. He sure took a long, long time to get to East Palestine, Ohio if it ever happened. Hmm. Complete disregard for American infrastructure —he must want run as a Democrat.
I find it interesting that every commercial break featured TikTok ads. It’s almost like they knew banning TikTok would be a subject and China seeks to manipulate our gullible public.
fyi, I tried to donate $10 to Nikki Haley's campaign. For whatever reason, the website would not accept it. I tried it 2 different times....and sent an email that did not get answered. I'm computer literate enough to pay my bills online. Nikki seems like the only serious candidate that I would feel comfortable supporting.
How is it that the Republican candidates decry TikTok while TikTok ads clearly pay for the debates themselves and nobody mentions that? Am I hallucinating, or is that a double standard to beat all?
I noticed that too. Obviously TT was anticipating their being hit hard in the debate. I think that the two recent posts/article in TFP about TiK Tok should be required reading for kids 12 and up.
The Republican party has two millstones around its neck: The abortion issue and Trump. To defeat the Ds next year they need to remove both of them. On abortion, invoke the libertarian principle that the government needs to stay out of a citizen's personal life. On Trump, I have no idea, except hope he bows out gracefully. -Not!
Of course, huge unpredictability factors remain that could make scrambled eggs out of the entire political class: Trump goes to prison, Biden goes to the nursing home, Kennedy ruins it for the Ds, the woke coalition falls apart, WW3, etc.
It is a giant mistake for the Republicans think they have it easy based on this week's Times-Siena poll.
None of these candidates have the grit or smarts of Donald Trump. He confronted the CCP. He secured our border against much of his own party’s lack of support (thanks Mitch, thank Ryan). He delivered an economy where every every race and sex saw their wages increase while keeping inflation at or under 2%. He kept Russia at bay, delivered on the Abraham Accords and reduced our presence in Afghanistan and protected the troops there. And he did all of this as Democrats pushed a bogus Russia Collusion narrative and impeached him over what we now know was corrupt behavior on the part of the Biden’s in Ukraine. In short, he’s done the job. The people on stage vomit bromides that make them sound so I ready for the job. Time to end the charade and back Trump. I did agree with one thing Rona Romney McDaniel needs to go.
Joe, I agree with the job DJT did and thank him for exposing many things the public was unaware of. BUT, the democrats are ruining the country IMO. We have to win at the ballot box to stop them.
Whether we like it or not, Biden won in 2020. DJT probably still has much of his base but he has lost many independents and a few other republicans. How can he win?
I think you will agree the GOP has significantly underperformed in every election since 2016. Why is that?
I seriously doubt Biden will be Dem nominee (because they centrally control their party). If he is, DJT is the ONLY republican that can lose to him. Heck, he is the only candidate to have EVER lost to him in a POTUS election.
Many of us don’t believe that Biden legitimately won or Trump legitimately lost. IMO A legal closely monitored rematch would be revealing to both sides.
I voted for Jeb in the 2016 primaries here in SC. I thought Trump was a Dem stalking horse for Hillary. He ran to stick it up Obama's ass after Barry humiliated him at that DC dinner. Trump was the dog that caught the garbage truck and was shocked that he'd latched onto the bumper. Then when elected, the GOP establishment turned their backs on the guy. The deep state was working to subvert him before he even took office. One of my problems with the guy is that he had no experience in govt- none. He was set up to fail. But he didn't.
I wish he'd stop reacting to every slight but that is just the way he is. He and Vivek are correct on Ukraine. Ukraine paid Joe Biden (what a deal- a few million for BILLIONS) to back them against Russia. The former Soviet states should have been declared a demilitarized zone. The Russians were backed into a corner and when you back the bear into a corner you get the claws- duh. Nicki in particular is super hawkish and that makes her a very dangerous person in a bad way. I wish Trump had decided to devote his time to cheating at golf but he is a stubborn dude and won't go away. He remains solid on the issues and hasn't lost anything on his fastball. He was right to steer clear of these debates. He has kicked ass by not showing up. The Don is THE MAN. And Uncle Joe will soon be put out to pasture. Buckle up, it's going to be a bumpy ride.
Very interesting analysis. I agree with you about Haley. She is scary and if elected I see nothing but war ahead. I love that Ramaswamy called out the loser Republicans-namely Rona. It is the definition of insanity-doing same thing over and over and expecting different results. Republicans will keep dying on the abortion hill until they learn the art of compromise. All entertaining if not for the fact that our country’s future hangs in the balance. Please-can’t we just elect someone who puts our own country first? Period.
Ramaswamy’s answer on shoring up Social Security was Kryptonite to Haley. $7 trillion dollars and counting spent on foreign wars is the problem, not the age of retirement. The look on her face after he made the point was priceless, kind of like she "feels dumber every time he speaks”.
She is vile.
The current top comment on the WSJ editorial today titled "Nikki Haley Stands Out on Foreign Policy at the Republican Debate":
"I believe we need more conservative governance from the executive branch. And Nikki is the best chance of that happening."
Surely they can't be serious. (and don't call me Shirley)
She was trotted out on Fox too. Now for Noonan to weigh in. I said in another comment I think Christie is Biden with an R by his name. I think Haley is HRC with an R by her name.
Social Security requires very intelligent heterodox thinking. Bismark thought he'd finissed that; the Reich ditched the pilot for evolutionary and revolutionary communists.
Is there a conservative handle on this problem? I don't see any candidates here with a clue on that. The God-Emperor? So not his wheelhouse, and the chances of him being hornswaggled by some Fauciesque doomcock on the matter grave.
Haley's response to a Russian provocation in the Black Sea was to sail a US fleet into the Crimean Sea. These elites just can't hep themselves.
She just wants to play Battleship. Ramaswamy nailed her - Dick Cheney in heels.
And just about nothing else. This "empress" is starkers!
The same polls that show Trump with a narrow lead over Biden in swing states, show an even larger lead with Haley over Biden. Go figure.
“Elites” - what does this mean?
Complete fuck-heads playing with very large matchboxes.
Isn't that all of them - Democrats and Republicans alike?
You don’t see “nothing but war ahead” regardless of who is in office? Ive assumed that the WW3 horse was basically out of the gate already.
Sadly I agree. The US is in descendency. The lunacy of the 81million strong election of Joe Trouser Micturator Biden has given license to our many global competitors to do as they wish. The results of the 2024 election won't make a bit of difference. The stolen 2020 in favor of the lunatic left will cost us.
That was a terrible turning point. We have a long history of fraudulent elections stretching back to Tammany hall and beyond including LBJ 1948 Senate race and 1960 Presidential election. But this was the most organized, multi-faceted fraud that involved elements of the Government itself. Essentially a bloodless coup. That was the death blow for “our democracy “.
Yes
I disagree. Peace through strength will conquer coward terrorists.
The Arabs don't have the guts to take on the US military, as long as we don't have a coward in chief, like we do now.
I hope you’re right. But I can’t help but think that China and Russia will throw in with them to break us. The candidates last night put it well, we’re so busy fighting about things like abortion that we’re distracted and divided, ignoring much bigger issues. I don’t even think this is political anymore. It’s good vs evil and evil isn’t even hiding itself. God save us.
Putting scissors in the back of full term infants is evil as well.
"The enemy of our enemy is our friend." We have been burned by this philosophy. It is yet to be seen if Russia and China will suffer the same fate by aligning with their enemies against their mutual enemy-us.
Couple that with stretching your enemy thin and voila.
I think that was the case pre-2020. Now I am not sure that genie can be put back in the bottle. But I honestly believe that is the way the modern Democratic party wants it.
I have to reluctantly agree. Republicans are going to have to accept mail-in ballots are here to stay. The problem is I truly believe Democrats are not above cheating in ANY Machiavellian way, and Republicans do not cheat!
An overstatement? I don't think so.
They cheat each other.
I surely hope not. I am hopeful-probably deluded.
Haley = Dick Cheney in 3" heels. Perfect.
I don't know... genetically modified sure beats the hell out of continuous miscarriages due to my embryos having too many or too little chromosomes. Miscarriages are one of the most heartbreaking experiences a woman can have and is quite common. It's also literally hell on your body. So I could see an argument for it with limits.
pretty much on point, Trump does get tedious and didn't have experience or connections in Washington. And how did DC react? Democrats tried to jail him and still are, GOP elites tried straddle the fence of subverting him whole not antagonizing voters, and civil servants undermined the elected president of the United States.
I haven't voted for either party's candidates since 2012, and I have no regrets. We need candidates who are better people.
Theoretically, our government treats all Americans equally, but if so, why is Trump facing 91 felony charges while bagman Hunter Biden was offered two misdemeanors for failing to report to the IRS the $20 million or more he collected from China and Ukraine? Yes, TikTok messes with the stupidity of our youth, but let's not forget that the level of US overdose deaths is creeping toward 100,000 per annum -- also thanks to our Chinese friends. Is that not kinda bad as well?
Why is Xi coming to San Francisco, of all places, next month without offering first to reduce even a small amount of the damage his policies have caused here? Does anyone think a Biden-engineered rapprochement with the world's biggest totalitarian state will improve the situation at all?
Because Trump is the threat to the uniparty. Because China is waging a Fentanyl War against the heirs of the empire that ravaged it in the Opium Wars. Because the fix is in and Newsom is the 2024 candidate so SF it is.
If I say it is time to repeal the Patriot Act. Or, that we should remove the damaging influence the Citizens United decision gives the billionaire class over American politics and elections. If I state the belief that, as in Europe, women should have the right to choose but there should be reasonable laws governing abortion or, that legal immigration is a good thing but mass forced illegal immigration hurts America. Then I add the thousand other seemingly obvious death by a thousand cuts instances of D.C. grift, neglect and looting and, complain endlessly until the day I die. So what? I'm not even in the conversation. As wiser minds than mine have pointed out: Sheep can muddy the wolf's drinking water but can otherwise do him no harm at all.
Fascism has no, has never had, any intention of stopping. In the same way the Patriot Act was in place and ready long before 9/11, the American CCP style hidden prison/re-education camp, and the euthanasia center, are already budgeted and planned for. It is cold cold winter and we're all on Solzhenitsyn's train. The well lit luxurious dining car in front is filled with champagne and the smiling faces of the malicious elite, who don't know, or wish to know, that the car behind is filled with pneumonia stricken shivering, ragged gulag bound passengers on their way to hell. Somewhere in time Hitler is preparing his speech and his doctor is preparing the ampule of methamphetamine. Joseph Stalin is practicing his sardonic smile for the billboard. He must seem benevolent but strike "just" the right amount of fear. Mao, dressed in silk pajama's, is up late busily rewriting Chinese history. In the night they all dream of public works, slave labor, utopian perfection and photo opportunities. They have worked hard at building the lie and now the time is coming. The absolute success and perfection of the surveillance state allows them to dictate without conscience or moral reason the longed for revealed glory of the the new age: All citizens are criminals, salvation is in the firestorm and every travesty, well planned and executed puts money in the bank.
Got Constitution?
I also think Trump jumping into the race in 2016 was grandstanding—all part of his brand.
Agree that The Don will be the nominee. Curious about RFK Jr. as a dark horse. He’s not getting traction yet due to media blackout but that will change when it becomes clear that the 2 mainstream choices are stinkers.
I think Trump was the dog that caught the car. Uncertain what to do next!
If you think RFK Jr is a dark horse, try adding Liz Cheney as an independent bid just to thwart Trump.
The media would have to work hard to make her interesting to anyone other than paleocons.
How was Russia backed into a corner? They did not have to invade Ukraine at all. Theirs is a power project to reinvent the old Soviet world order, plain and simple. If we cannot stand up to one of our adversaries attacking and invading a sovereign nation, what can we stand up for? Also, Donald trump should absolutely be at these debates - to deprive the American people of hearing from the leading candidate on today’s issues in a real debate setting is pure cowardice. It’s not about “I have a big lead so I don’t have to do anything” it’s giving the American people a platform to understand his platform.
Russia took Ukraine in order to retain a Black Sea naval presence. The west shrugged. Then, Ukraine bought Biden and others and began poking the bear. They cut off the water conduit bringing water to Ukraine which had been built and funded entirely by Russia. Before that project, Crimea’s farmland was not half as productive. But - since Ukraine now had the DNC in its pocket - it started this war.
This may be the best assessment of Trump I have read. Ever. And I agree with everything except I do think he failed to understand the rot in the executive branch itself until it was too late. Imagine Comey creeping into his office and saying "Mr. President there's something I think you should know" and disclosing the Steel dossier complete with pee tape allegations but not disclosing that the dossier was bought and paid for by HRC. That being said I think he understands it now and as such is the only one who can excise the rot. I think Haley would just join hands with the rotten and sing kumbaya. I think Christie is Biden with an R by his name. I think both Ramaswamy and Scott are not yet experienced enough. If there is an alternative to Trump I think it is DiSantis but IMO his earnestness could be exploited.
It seemed obvious to me from the first that Trump--long a good friend of the Clintons--was part of a set-up to make sure that Hillary would win.
The MSM gave him billions in free advertising by talking about him, front and center, every day. They were droning on and on--almost exclusively--about a Hillary-Trump contest, long before it was rational to make the assumption that Trump would be her official opponent. They used the well-known phenomenon of name-recognition to help make sure he won the Republican nomination. Trump was designed to be the only one that Hillary had a chance of defeating.
I could not help noticing that every time Trump inched ahead in the polls, he would immediately say something even more outrageous. I could not help noticing the look on Melania Trump's face on election night: she had clearly been promised that this would all be over, and it wasn't.
But once he caught that garbage truck, what could he do? Even if his enormous ego would have allowed it, he couldn't exactly say, "Just kidding. Hillary was supposed to win." To give the man credit, he tried to follow through with the promises he'd made, even while the Democrats who had ensured his candidacy stabbed him in the back with their pre-arranged "kill switch" if something went wrong with their plan.
But Trump needs to go away. He won't. But for the health of our country, he needs to. If Trump is elected in 2024, the Left will burn this country to the ground.
Sad to say, but I agree that Trump’s re-election will have the Dems going completely berserk. A scary scenario.
I do not look forward to another 4 years of Trump and his obnoxious behavior. The mainstream media will love it, though.
I find the notion that Trump is "solid on the issues" hard to accept. He strikes me as having no real convictions, just a thin skin and a taste for power. Sure, lacking convictions doesn't really differentiate him much from anyone else in Washington, Republican or Democrat. But the latter characteristics — reacting to every slight, as you put it, and holding the most petty, laughable grudges — really sets him apart as a national-level politician. It also puts him in disturbing company among historical figures with famously (or infamously) fragile egos.
"Ukraine paid Joe Biden (what a deal- a few million for BILLIONS) to back them against Russia. "
So is your theory that Hunter Biden's business dealings in Ukraine when Joe Biden was out of Office, and not on anyone's radar for the 2020 Presidency, was to shore up against an also not-really-predicted Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2021? I mean... that's a lot of crystal balling there on behalf of Ukraine!
It's not just Ukraine that the Bidens took money from - the Biden family took money under the table from many countries that are not our allies. The real question is what did they buy? If a country manages to bribe a public official - and then has proof that that bribery took place (which they would certainly have) then how much sway do they have over that politician? If they have proof that a politician committed an illegal act then how much can they affect US policy? I think about the prosecutor who was investigating corruption at Burisma - did the Biden family care about the Ukrainian people when he got paid off to stop that investigation? It seems that allowing and enabling government corruption would not be so good for the people. It seems to me that the Bidens care more about themselves than they do the Ukrainian - or American - people.
Trump can't duck every debate forever. He'll have to sneak a few in somehow - if he can get past those pesky court dates, that is.
It will be a bumpy ride, you're right about that, Michael.
It's not his "aggressive and stubborn attitude" that is the problem, it's his lack of morals and integrity and thousands of lies that are the problem.
Unlike the leftists though. As we know they're pure as mountain snow.
Ron DeSantis is a politician on the national level with strong morals and integrity and who doesn’t constantly lie.
You aren't going to find anyone, let alone anyone in a position to run or be written in (apart from the likewise insane) to run on your frankly bonkers platform.
I can't think of any, and that doesn't give Trump a pass. Speaker Johnson seems to have strong morals, I don't know about his integrity. Jamie Raskin also may qualify. If we could do a thorough seach through the ranks, we could probably find others. Mainly those who are not in the spotlight. Ideally, for me, we'd vote everyone out and start over and have qualifying benchmarks such as: All candidates must be able to pass the citizenship test given to foreign applicants, prove that they have read, understand, agree with and support the Constitution. That will do for starters. 1 caveat; I like dreaming while awake.
Jaime Raskin?, lol.
Just checking to see if anyone was paying attention. He was the first Democrat name that came to mind. Shumer would have been too obvious.
Corporate funding of campaigns has done away with the requirement of character as an ever dumbed down electorate will fall for the shiny object of the day. As Exhibit A regarding the dumbed down electorate I give you the folks that vote for abortion up to birth who at the same time bemoan the Israeli oppressors. Those folks are being played like fiddles as they Vote Blue No Matter Who!
Raskins a lying POS
That doesn't justify the biggest, boldest liar of them all.
Most New Yawkas would strongly disagree that they share much in common with Trump other than maybe a regional accent and a birth zip code - and most find him an embarrassment.
Trump has been a very controversial and actually pretty unpopular figure in his home region, and had been long before 2016, you know that right? People from the Tri-State area that grew up in the 80's were much more familiar with the actual Donald Trump of the multiple bankruptcies, mob associate, and fraud that screwed over many small businesses and contractors in the region (and was a key figure in the ruin of Atlantic City) than the fictitious version "Uber CEO" that "The Apprentice" produced and went on to win the Presidency while losing the votes of those same NY'ers, because they actually knew who the guy was based on his actual record as opposed to the bulk of his fans that do not come from the region that bought into the reality TV fiction and his neo-Fox News persona.
What I object to is using justification for even the most aberrant behavior by saying the other side does it too. Everyone on both sides does it and it leads us to the very bottom.
Exactly. I grew up in Queens contemporaneously with President Trump. He is a typical "Outer Borough" male of my generation. Loud, often unbearable, but afraid of NOTHING.
My mother-in-law knew his mother in Queens and she (the mom) didn't have a lot of nice things to say about her son. That makes sense now that we have seen how Trump has become-- loud, obnoxious, and arrogant. I wonder if he had shown more dignity if he would have had more of a broader appeal.
"Loud, often unbearable, but afraid of NOTHING."
This is Trump fan-fic. Trump actively avoids any setting where he might encounter a large portion of not-Trump fans - including the Republican primary debates. He's super tough behind the keyboard and at his "safe space" rallies though, I'll give you that, especially when he does his special little "jerking off two dicks at once" YMCA "dance" ; P
You're a dad person. I feel sorry got you. Also, hiding behind a pseudonym.
Well, I do love my dearly passed dad so you got me there :)
Enjoy the imagery nonetheless :D
Afraid of nothing? He turned the country over to Fauci and Birx during Covid and did nothing during the 2020 riots except tweet “law and order”.
He offered Federal assistance to several municipalities during the 2020 disturbances, but DEMOCRATIC mayors and governors REFUSED his offers.
Thoroughly Modern Milley, that disgrace to the US Army, advised him AGAINST direct use of Dederal troops against the rioters and arsonists.
He u fortunately relied on the fake expertise and non-existent integrity of Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx other recommendation of poorly informed subordinates. Relying on the recommendations of supposedly qualified subordinates is what executives do. The responsibility for Fauci abd Birx is on the subordinates charged with vetting them, NOT the Presudent. That's the way large, complex organizations function.
"His aggressive and stubborn attitude shouldn’t surprise anyone familiar with that part of the country."
must be why he's so popular in that part of the country... oh wait : p
Well you did seem to imply that Trump's personality and behaviors are somehow a product of the region, which again, I don't think many would agree that serial lying, corruption and thin-skinned ego are "NY Traits", which tends to be the lens that most of his detractors view him through, versus "aggressive and stubborn" - although I will give "stubborn" to the point of delusion and "aggressive ignorance", but I really don't give Trump much points for "toughness" that I think maybe you meant to imply there. Maybe we're working off of different definitions of "tough" which is certainly fair.
Just spit balling, but what if the polls showing Trump's commanding lead are wrong? I seem to recall that prior to the 2016 election, these same polls showed him as the loser.
"...showed him as the loser." Heck, Hillary was such a lock on victory that Newsweek issued a full color commemorative perfect bound checkout aisle thing headlined "Madam President" which a few grabbed as soon as they became available. I have one, framed in my office. The rest had to be subject to a panicked recall much like "Dewey Defeats Truman" across the front page of the Chicago Tribune.
No serious pollster expected Trump to win. He was a thumb in the eye of the prevailing wisdom and office occupants of entrenched D.C. Pollsters just didn't know how to measure that. Less emphasis on objective questionnaires and more on focus groups might have helped. But cluelessness still reigns.
Trump will probably lose all the trials he currently faces. The venues all assure hostile juries which was the intent. Those decisions will be overturned for various reasons including the incredibly embarrassing video evidence of judicial and prosecutorial bias along with the novel prosecution application of ambiguous laws. It's the Dems who've caught the car this time.
I actually knew Trump would win in 2016 and said so. Spouse would say "Stop it, you just want to annoy me!," but having taken a few trips south and north that year and seeing all the tiny Clinton signs in precious, tidy towns populated by local college professors and big, barn-size Trump billboards plastered everywhere else beyond town limits, I expected catastrophe and got it.
Not that Clinton didn't win the popular vote; she did. Not that I didn't like a couple of things Trump did as President; I did. But he's puerile and vindictive, and anyway he ran for President in order to land that real estate prize, The White House. He's bidding for it again. Damn.
After 2016 I no longer trust the polls.
Trump is the only R the Dems can beat, so the polls have him way ahead.
Furthermore, these polls that have him beating Biden in the 5 swing states may be BS as well in an effort to get Biden to drop out. We'll see on election day.
Trump has significant rank and file support, it's there, perhaps not as overwhelming as the polls but certainly a plurality of GOP voters.
It's a strong plurality now, but what about when it's him against one other. I'd love to see Vivek, Scott, and Christie get out and see what happens.
If there is one certainty in this country (aside from death and taxes…and the fact that the Chicago Bears desperately need new ownership), it’s that the polls are woefully inaccurate.
It's not necessarily that the polls are wrong. It's that many states have open primaries where Ds and Is could influence the primary since it's Biden or Biden on their side. I think that's what Christie is counting on in NH. I recall a family member in Ohio who voted for Trump in the primary because he didn't like the D choice. He would rather die than have an R president.
Standing up for the unborn, who cannot speak for themselves, is almost like standing up for Jews today. It may not popular, but it's the right thing to do.
I will NEVER compromise on abortion. It is murder. I will live peacefully under the rules voters endorse while being constant in my opposition. It took a long time to convince people slavery was wrong, it took a long time to convince people that everyone deserves equal rights. Stay the course.
And you are certainly entitled to that belief. But I will never agree to take away a woman’s choice. This should not be the overriding issue to determine the course of our country.
Agreed!
Will you people EVER understand, this issue is all about an unborn human being?
We're willing to compromise @ 15 weeks, but you keep spinning this issue as "we're taking away your right to choose"
No, we're not. Meet us half way. 15 weeks!
Who are "you people"? And to state "abortion is murder" or "I will NEVER compromise on abortion" is indeed taking away a right to choose. I wholeheartedly agree with 15 weeks.
I will accept whatever can pass. Every life saved is a win. I will never stop trying to convince and persuade that abortion is murder. It is a terrible violent bloody affair, much more then a “choice”
I'm good with terminating a pregnancy whenever the need (or desire) arises. Sometimes fetal anomalies aren't detected until way late, and I see no reason for a woman to carry a fatally deformed baby to term. I see no reason, moreover, for the victim of rape whether by a stranger or an uncle to live a single minute with the terror that she might become pregnant, and so long life to morning-after pills too.
My godson's wife had recently a dangerous ectopic pregnancy. Good thing they don't live in a state that outlaws abortion.
Much better for women to get IUDs as soon as their bodies are ready and for men to be trusted to use condoms. But hey, abortion is fine too when either birth control or common sense fails.
I respect your opinion. As a practical matter, though, there is not much you can do about it. Most abortions are accomplished now with Mifepristone pills, which can be purchased from European sellers or acquired by friends in abortion-friendly states.
Have you ever read Freakonomics? It has a very interesting reason to be pro-choice. More of a question of is it for the good of one or the good of society that matters most.
While a majority of pundits ask “Who won?” the better question is “Who lost?” These debates have been a winnowing, not a selection. The first two debates got us down to these five (and that other guy), and this debate really allowed the differences to show.
Vivek, who was near the top of the pack back before the first debate, has now so fully revealed himself to be reckless, unhinged, and more of a performer than a serious candidate. His maturity is in question, especially after he tried repeatedly (and failed repeatedly--talk about loser) to pimp his stupid joke about DeSantis’ heels. Scum indeed. As discussed, he has tried to be Trump 2.0, and maybe he was, but his performance clarified just what a dead end Trumpism really is. He destroyed himself and damaged Trump. Good, and good riddance.
Tim took over the mantle of religious zealot that was left behind with the departure of Pence. His voters will no doubt be very loyal but insufficient to bring him the win.
That leaves the three serious candidates. Christie is a stateman; Haley is the negotiator; DeSantis is the warrior. Any of them would make a decent president; all of them would be better than either Trump or Biden. Will any of them make it to the general election? I can only hope.
The only winner that I could see was the mainstream/legacy media. I loathe their egregious bias, but it must be said that NBC did a hella better job than the nincompoops of FOX. So kudos. This is why, in addition to FP and other independent press, I also read and follow MSM, despite their deep and obvious flaws.
I though Vivek killed it.
I'm all for my man Ramaswamy!
I thought this was a substantive debate. It was surprising, since the first two were not.
I thought Haley was clearly the adult in the room, and appreciate her willingness to defer to voters’ preferences on the abortion issue (as did Christie, I must say). Her pragmatism on foreign affairs is welcome. It is a scary world right now.
It’s hard to understand why Republicans would prefer almost certain defeat with Trump over equally certain victory with Haley, but they aren’t called the stupid party for no reason.
Haley is a war monger. No thanks.
I am a Republican and anyone who knows me would not call me stupid (no genius either). SO, with that said, I pray that DJT goes away and that Joe B is the Dem nominee (which I doubt). Trump cannot win the general election and DJT is the only GOP'er Biden can beat (fact is, DJT is the only guy Biden has ever beaten running for POTUS, how would you like that distinction?)
I also liked this debate better than the 1st 2 , mostly due to format and time.
I absolutely disagree about Haley. She can talk about war all day...... doesn't mean she will be a good President. If he is willing to "deal" on the abortion issue to get "less babies killed"... what else will she bargain with and for... My Life?... Your Life???
She had nothing to offer as solutions to any of the multiple problems this country is facing, border, crime, inflation, energy, jobs, education, deficit and spending .... Let's keep Neo-con Nikki out of the Oval .... perhaps another Ambassadorship, just not the UN... gotta get outta that quagmire of uselessness!
DeSantis is the one we need to ALL get behind.
I agree about Hailey. I like her less now. She is qualified and a good campaigner but would ensure we are at war and likely has support from all of the huge military contractors that make money off of our wars. Vivek is the only one correct on TikTok. This is where voters are. Banning TikTok is a losing position. Imagine being Hailey's 25 yo married daughter and having to suspend your TikTok account for mom's campaign. She prob has a shadow one. I watched debate clips and coverage from all major networks on ...TikTok. Have not been fed one thing about Israel, Hamas or Palestine. Vivek was fire. Hailey almost went Will Smith.
Tik Tok can easily be replaced with the next social media platform dujour. That will probably happen sooner or later anyway, but damage IS being done in the meantime. Failing that the government should mandate its sale to an American owned company.
I gave up watching the debates. They’re pointless and performative - just puttin’ on a show for us rubes. Unless one of them has a stroke or kicks the bucket, we’re going to see Biden vs. Trump next year. Just great.
If I were a Republican and someone asked me about abortion, I’d tell ‘em “that’s between a woman and her God, whatever she conceives that to be,” (bad word choice, I know.) and just leave it there. Republicans on abortion are like that idiot in “Tin Cup,” hitting ball after ball into the water on principle. “I think I can, I think I can…” only works in children’s books and bad movies.
Republicans are truly the party of stupid. The ink wasn't even dry on the Dobbs ruling before morons like Lindsey Graham started yapping about imposing federal bans. The whole freakin point of the Supreme Court’s ruling, besides Roe's constitutionality, was to get the issue back to the states and let them decide.
If I were a candidate being asked for my position, I'd look the questioner in the eye and say, "the question you should be asking is, should there be a time limit on a woman's right to an abortion or should she be able to dispose of a baby up until the instant it takes its first breath. The answer to that isn't mine to give, it's a burden that every voter must bear, and I pray that before they answer it, each of them takes a long, hard look in the mirror”.
Great point Timothy....SCOTUS directed the matter back to the states where it belongs. I don’t understand why people are surprised by the various debates each state is having. You are right also about Lindsay Gram grabbing the last word and trying to make a federal case before it was even debated within each state.
Great “Tin Cup” analogy. I think the focus on abortion should be reducing the demand (by reducing unwanted pregnancies), educating, increasing access to birth control, providing more support services for women and infants that isn’t a pathway to poverty. Address the root causes for unwanted pregnancies and the demand for abortion will go down. Does anyone really want to have to make that choice? I also thought Youngkin was onto something with the 15 week ban, but I think the VA losses were multi faceted.
In other words, make abortion “safe, legal, and rare”?
Sounds good to me.
Exactly!
I think you’re exactly correct, Peggy. Doing what you suggest would be constructive and helpful. It may not immediately lead to a reduced number of abortions, but it would make people’s lives better and, over time, present a viable alternative.
It really was unwatchable, not the least because again the RNC decided it was a good idea to have liberal moderators who absolutely refuse to ask any non-D approved questions. Thank God for Vivek for raising at least some GLARING issues that are on a lot of people's minds. I'm not even a Republican but it was just ridiculous. Am no fan of Tucker Carlson either but Vivek was absolutely right. Tucker Carlson should've been the moderator. That alone would've pulled in millions of viewers and Tucker would've asked questions that made the show worth watching. I'm not sure Joe Rogan qualifies to do this in terms of being a reporter, but hell, why not? Shake things up. Plus he would've pulled in his millions of followers too. These debates are so pointless even if the candidates had a real shot. They might as well go for broke and do something drastic. If nothing else, it would get the GOP party publicity. As it is, it's like the GOP party wants to lose.
Vivek's pros and cons aside, damn that was good when he called out the ridiculous choices of moderators, demanded to know what the Dems' real plan is when they get rid of Biden and put up their real candidate. It was the only time I didn't feel like like brain was turning into mush.
The pundits were all lying morons. No, DeSantis didn't "win". It was all a Rorschach test. He won in the eyes of people who already are behind him. What I saw was his scowling and looking pugilistic all the time, even when he's just answering questions when he had no need to be on the offensive. All that scowling is really a turn off. Plus his constant head bobbling was very distracting. Given his physique, I just kept seeing a human bobble head every time he does that and everything he was saying just became white noise. People who like him can say you can't vote for someone on something this flimsy. But what I'm point out is that he turns people off and that's a big issue. That's been an issue with him from the start when he went national, and it contributed to his declining popularity. I didn't think he looked presidential at all. The more I see of him, the more provincial he looks and not ready for big time.
Nikki Haley did less well than she did in the previous two performances. Foreign policy is definitely important with the world as is right now but it was nuts they spent like half the debate on that. (Seriously do they think voters will make their voting decision based on how many naval ships the candidate will build???? I'm sure it's very strategically important but WTF this is something we expect they'll appoint the right people to handle.) Was this foreign policy the theme of this debate? If so they should've told us upfront so we'd know what to expect. The long segment on foreign policy turned her into a policy wonk and while she sounded very knowledgeable, it never helps any candidate ever to veer into policy wonk. Everything else she said we've heard before. They basically asked her questions that had been asked already in past debates and she repeated the same answers. We learned nothing news.
I no longer know why Tim Scott is there.
Chris Christie surprised me with some thoughtful things to say on policies. But he's got snowball's chance in hell, and he's not even really fighting for a chance. He's just there to be interviewed. Why can't he do that on some podcasts instead? It'll be interesting to hear him out but not on a pointless debate show.
Here are some issues that still haven't been touched on after 3 freaking debates:
1. Censorship. Can we please hear what they're going to do about the widespread government censorship, big tech censorship, and social censorship? What are they going to do to push back against cancel culture running amok? What are going to do to ensure free speech going forward? What do they have to say about the recent discoveries of government collusion to censor?
While we're at it, can we also talk more about the rotting of our higher education institutions, and their fundings by Arab countries and China?
2. Surveillance: Can someone please address government and corporate surveillance out of control? Oh ofc not. Every one of them wants more surveillance and expand government power to do so.
3. Fentanyl: The freakin moderators didn't even bring this up but to their credit the candidates addressed this. But they did so as related to China and the border. What are they going to do to help our cities return to some kind of normal and what's their plan to deal with the current masses of homeless addicts. Are they going to punt it to a local issue and don't get involve somehow to try to turn things around? Even so, crimes is definitely an urgent issue on voters' minds.
4. Porn: The kind of violent degrading porn today is rotting our children's brains. It's now the de facto standard sex ed for a whole generation. All the talk about TikTok and none of them even touched on this. Seriously?
These debates are crap.
So then what is your stance on vaccines? How do you define a “civilized” society? What duties and responsibilities do you believe we have?
Thank you for your explanation. I just wanted to be sure I was disagreeing for all the right reasons.
I won't vote for Trump in the GOP primary because IMO, if elected president, his sole focus will be on enacting revenge on his political enemies. I don't want a president like that. His narcissism and eggshell ego drive every decision he makes.
You call it revenge....we call putting the Biden Crime Family on the witness stand justice.
Either way, he turns it over to a new AG, and he gets on to bigger issues.
No desire for revenge. Not at all. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/11/05/trump-revenge-second-term/
The Washington Post is TDS on steroids. Call it what you want, but the MSM should not be protecting this bag of oats you elected and his criminal minions.
But they won't even investigate.....it's all Russia misinformation. Pleeeeease.
I didn't elect anyone. We all elected him, and although I didn't vote for him, I at least accept the results. I don't know why anything that is mildly anti-Trump is immediately deemed TDS. Nobody can criticize the orange man without having the TDS thing lobbed at them. It's like when the left calls anyone who criticizes their views as racist, sexist, etc. Everything is so tribal.
Understood, but when you reference an article like this from WaPo you look like you lean left, and thus get characterized so.
One hundred percent. The man can’t help himself.
Very well stated.
Buttigieg just took a private jet to Ukraine supposedly to discuss rebuilding their transportation infrastructure. He sure took a long, long time to get to East Palestine, Ohio if it ever happened. Hmm. Complete disregard for American infrastructure —he must want run as a Democrat.
I find it interesting that every commercial break featured TikTok ads. It’s almost like they knew banning TikTok would be a subject and China seeks to manipulate our gullible public.
fyi, I tried to donate $10 to Nikki Haley's campaign. For whatever reason, the website would not accept it. I tried it 2 different times....and sent an email that did not get answered. I'm computer literate enough to pay my bills online. Nikki seems like the only serious candidate that I would feel comfortable supporting.
That's because you typed $100.00 wrong. :)
How is it that the Republican candidates decry TikTok while TikTok ads clearly pay for the debates themselves and nobody mentions that? Am I hallucinating, or is that a double standard to beat all?
I noticed that too. Obviously TT was anticipating their being hit hard in the debate. I think that the two recent posts/article in TFP about TiK Tok should be required reading for kids 12 and up.
The Republican party has two millstones around its neck: The abortion issue and Trump. To defeat the Ds next year they need to remove both of them. On abortion, invoke the libertarian principle that the government needs to stay out of a citizen's personal life. On Trump, I have no idea, except hope he bows out gracefully. -Not!
Of course, huge unpredictability factors remain that could make scrambled eggs out of the entire political class: Trump goes to prison, Biden goes to the nursing home, Kennedy ruins it for the Ds, the woke coalition falls apart, WW3, etc.
It is a giant mistake for the Republicans think they have it easy based on this week's Times-Siena poll.
You are correct on every point IMO.
Trump is for Trump. Always has been, always will be.
I found Ramaswamy's fake righteous anger tiresome after awhile. Haley was the only one who seemed remotely presidential.
You may be correct but can you just imagine a debate between Biden and Ramaswamy? The cognitive difference on display would be EPIC!
None of these candidates have the grit or smarts of Donald Trump. He confronted the CCP. He secured our border against much of his own party’s lack of support (thanks Mitch, thank Ryan). He delivered an economy where every every race and sex saw their wages increase while keeping inflation at or under 2%. He kept Russia at bay, delivered on the Abraham Accords and reduced our presence in Afghanistan and protected the troops there. And he did all of this as Democrats pushed a bogus Russia Collusion narrative and impeached him over what we now know was corrupt behavior on the part of the Biden’s in Ukraine. In short, he’s done the job. The people on stage vomit bromides that make them sound so I ready for the job. Time to end the charade and back Trump. I did agree with one thing Rona Romney McDaniel needs to go.
Joe, I agree with the job DJT did and thank him for exposing many things the public was unaware of. BUT, the democrats are ruining the country IMO. We have to win at the ballot box to stop them.
Whether we like it or not, Biden won in 2020. DJT probably still has much of his base but he has lost many independents and a few other republicans. How can he win?
I think you will agree the GOP has significantly underperformed in every election since 2016. Why is that?
I seriously doubt Biden will be Dem nominee (because they centrally control their party). If he is, DJT is the ONLY republican that can lose to him. Heck, he is the only candidate to have EVER lost to him in a POTUS election.
Many of us don’t believe that Biden legitimately won or Trump legitimately lost. IMO A legal closely monitored rematch would be revealing to both sides.
Here's some simple math. If you're behind by 1% with 98% of the votes in, to win you must get 75%+ of the remaining 2% uncounted votes.
Impossible, without cheating.
Trump is a proven success and a proven fighter. TRUMP 2024 bring back success.
Only chance we have. Not to be too dramatic, but it could be our last chance.
Unfortunately with our elections no longer secure I do not expect a fair outcome. We must fix our fraudulent system.
Be careful. Erick might ban you! 😊