Watched both debates last night.
I know. I know. Still, here’s my report.
Florina. Best of the pack.
She replaces Trump’s faux outsider mythology with a true disdain for DC Dealing. Replaces Trump’s bluster with intelligence, articulateness, specificity and credibility. Would destroy Hillary or Bernie (or Bloomberg, Biden or Warren). Electable. Few care.
Christie-Cruz-Rubio. Tie for second.
Focus group apparently thought Rubio was awesome. I didn’t see that, but 75% of them switched their allegiance to Marco.
Many focus group people really didn’t like Trump skipping the debate. It’s possible they desperately want an alternative to Trump, and Cruz didn’t do well enough – thus Rubio. If the sample applies generally, Monday will be quite surprising.
Carson. Surgeon General.
Paul. The conscience of the debate. Should be on stage no matter his poll numbers.
Kasich. Should be on the Democrat undercard by himself. Or somewhere by himself.
Bush. His best performance. The bar is set below sea level, of course.
Gilmore. Who?
Huckabee-Santorum. Scurried over to carry Trump’s coat (as Gilmore said) after their typical performances.
Trump. Best debate performance yet.
Two other notes.
1- Having watched some old video of Trump, I wonder what happened to the far more articulate (relatively speaking) and polite guy in them.
He’s assumed his Apprentice persona. Or maybe I should say it has assumed him. We can be thankful he stayed away from the Honey Boo Boo show, I guess.
The election has morphed completely into a ‘reality’ show.
Next: Real Housewives of Chappaqua and Authentic Old Socialists of Somewhere that should be in Sweden.
2- Anybody starting to react to the sound of Trump’s voice they way they do to Hillary’s or Obama’s? I’m probably much more susceptible to Trump fatigue than most, but you gotta wonder how long even his acolytes can tolerate Trump 24/7. TV shows do get cancelled on short notice, and I’m disinclined to attribute persistent attention spans to the politically suddenly interested.