First GOP Debate Reactions

First impressions of the performance of the candidates.  I list them by how much pre-debate buzz they had generated.



1. Trump.  He was exactly what we expected because that is the only thing he is capable of being.  He may recede in the polls, but that was going to happen anyway. I don't think anyone landed a good punch on him, which may be a sign of maturity. I think the serious candidates know that he's not a real threat.  (Kudos to Fox News for getting the crowd to boo him by asking the candidates if they would pledge to endorse the eventual Republican nominee.)

2. Bush: didn't do great. They may call him Vito Corleone in Florida, but I'm beginning to think he's still called Fredo at family reunions.

3. Walker: Boring, as advertised. But he didn't really need to do much tonight and he didn't have any Perry like "Ooops" moments, and that's probably all he needed to accomplish.

4. Rubio.  The clear winner, in my view. He looked mature and articulate and I think he may get a modest bounce out of this event.

5. Carson: He's a really bright guy who got all of his non-medical information by listening to Rush Limbaugh to and from Johns Hopkins. And any candidate who doesn't know shit about the Baltic Republics is dead to me.

6. Paul.  He obviously was told by his staffers that he needed to make an impression and he came out swinging but I don't think he made much of an impression either way.

7. Kasich. He had obvious home-court advantage but he didn't do much with it.

8.  Cruz:  Wow, did he come out flat. I think he is used to formal, competitive debates and that does not translate well into these televised joint television appearances.  He might be the biggest disappointment of the night. But I also think he will prep like hell for the next one and come out swinging.

9. Huckabee.  Solid but bland. He's destined for the back of the pack so who cares?

10 Christie.  Pretty much an after-thought His whole shtick of being the straight talker has been stolen away by the man at the middle podium.


Upshot:  I think Rubio will close the gap on Walker and Bush in the next few weeks. No one else made much of an impression. Trump will begin to fade over time, but that was going to happen anyway.

What did we learn?  Trump will probably run as a 3rd party candidate and if he does next year's debates will be awesome!