First GOP Presidential Debate

[GeoBQn]

I liked Rachel Maddow's analysis of the "kids table debate" with the 7 who didn't make the final cut. It seemed to be staged for the explicit purpose of humiliating those candidates, including shots making it obvious that there was almost no audience and Lindsay Graham standing on a small platform because he is short. The candidates were all asked questions that basically amounted to "Why the hell should anybody vote for you now?"

[Toothfairy]

Republican candidates are all pro-life until they cheat on their wives

[nausicaa]

Just watched it on YouTube (was at an amusement park all day yesterday). I'm with Geechee Girl that Carson wins Miss. Congeniality; however I think his lack of political experience REALLY showed.

Donald Trump. Oh God, Donald Trump.And yeah, I was glad Megyn Kelly hit him pretty hard on the misogyny question. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the questions to the candidates. Not just the total softballs I expected.

Also, Ted Cruz's face is just so unpleasant. It's like a permanent sneer. I realize he can't help this, but with how superficial and media savvy politics is now; I'm surprised this isn't more of an issue for him. Especially considering what a big deal people have made of Chris Christie's weight,

I'd actually say Jeb Bush won that debate. Came off as pleasant but much more educated than his brother, and his experience showed. I was really surprised at how much I didn't hate him. :lol:

[Firiel]

Just watched it on YouTube (was at an amusement park all day yesterday). I'm with Geechee Girl that Carson wins Miss. Congeniality; however I think his lack of political experience REALLY showed.

Donald Trump. Oh God, Donald Trump.And yeah, I was glad Megyn Kelly hit him pretty hard on the misogyny question. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the questions to the candidates. Not just the total softballs I expected.

Also, Ted Cruz's face is just so unpleasant. It's like a permanent sneer. I realize he can't help this, but with how superficial and media savvy politics is now; I'm surprised this isn't more of an issue for him. Especially considering what a big deal people have made of Chris Christie's weight,

I'd actually say Jeb Bush won that debate. Came off as pleasant but much more educated than his brother, and his experience showed. I was really surprised at how much I didn't hate him. :lol:

My ebil, liberal, socialist boyfriend thinks very highly of Jeb Bush (wouldn't vote for him, but thinks highly of him). I kind of think he's the best Republican candidate, and it's unfortunate he's put his foot in his mouth so many times so far.

[Cleopatra7]

I'm calling it. The GOP just handed Hillary Clinton the presidency on a silver platter.

The whole GOP debate felt like one of those SNL sketches that get made into a movie. Except this sideshow is real life. :wtf: :pull-hair:

[RosyDaisy]

We do not need another Bush in office....EVER!

[Toothfairy]

I never seen Fox viewers turn on their own kind. They're pissed what Megan and Fox did to Trump. Trump got you viewers Faux.

[Walking Cat Bed]

There was an episode of Battlestar Galactica called "The Farm," where the Cylons abducted surviving women of childbearing age, then forcibly impregnated and imprisoned them, connected to machines til they gave birth (Starbuck put the kibosh on that). My fear is that science fiction is about to become fact if we keep going the way we are. Apparently, the forced birthers won't be satisfied until women are stripped of any and all rights when it comes to bodily autonomy.

That was the most terrifying episode of the series.

[sawasdee]

Trump's true view of women (more than half the eligible voters......)

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2 ... kelly.html

-- :wtf:

[JMarie]

So I don't like Megyn Kelly. I hate how easy she was on JB and J'Chelle, I hate how she was more sympathetic to Joshy-boo than a 13 year old black girl who was manhandled/beaten by cops over nothing, I think she is the poster child for white feminism.

But I have to say I was amused at how she actually used her brain and called Trump out. And amused at how Trump/his supporters got really butthurt about Megyn and Fox.

Though it's not nice to call women "bimbos."

I don't generally like Megyn Kelly, and I think she did a terrible job with the Duggar interviews. Something about her speech pattern, it's too clipped or tense. But she looked relaxed during the debate. She asked Trump some hard questions, but she asked all the candidates hard questions. It's just easier to find a stupid quote from Trump because he's been socially relevant for so long. Neither Paul, Rubio, nor Cruz were being interviewed by the mainstream media ten years ago. Trump has been doing big interviews for decades.

[HarryPotterFan]

BBC news questioned whether Trump finally went too far for insulting Megyn Kelly on Twitter and in an interview after the debate. He called her a bimbo and said she was bleeding out of her eyes "or somewhere" for questioning him on his horrible mysoginism. Finally went too far? He did a long time ago. And people CHEERED for him after he said he doesn't have time for political correctness (or treating women like they're human beings).

[HarryPotterFan]

We do not need another Bush in office....EVER!

I was just thinking about the Bush dynasty we seem to have going on...what if Jeb had been elected president and not his brother? Jeb is a tool but I think he's smarter than George.

[Mela99]

Is anyone else genuinely terrified of the attention Trump is getting? How can people agree with such a monster?

Someone needs to reassure me that he's going to go away.

[nausicaa]

I was just thinking about the Bush dynasty we seem to have going on...what if Jeb had been elected president and not his brother? Jeb is a tool but I think he's smarter than George.

I read once that Jeb was the son always being groomed to be president when the Bushes were children; GW's rise to power came as a big surprise to the family. Mayeb that's why I expected Jeb to be more stiff and awkward, since I assumed George beat him out because of his charm.

I would definitely take Jeb over George, but agree I'd rather not have another Bush in office.

[Vivi_music]

Is anyone else genuinely terrified of the attention Trump is getting? How can people agree with such a monster?

Someone needs to reassure me that he's going to go away.

Someone needs to reassure me too. I'm starting to get truly scared and I'm not even American (I mean.. I won't be stuck with Trump if he wins the GOP nomination. Technically not my problem). At first, the media seemed almost excited, and his declarations were seen as ''kind of'' entertaining, almost like a novelty phenomenon on the political scene. But his campaign has been going on for more than a month now and watching this from up north, I have a hard time believing it. 0.0

[HarryPotterFan]

Someone needs to reassure me too. I'm starting to get truly scared and I'm not even American (I mean.. I won't be stuck with Trump if he wins the GOP nomination. Technically not my problem). At first, the media seemed almost excited, and his declarations were seen as ''kind of'' entertaining, almost like a novelty phenomenon on the political scene. But his campaign has been going on for more than a month now and watching this from up north, I have a hard time believing it. 0.0

It scares me that the more shitty things he says the more he seems to climb in the polls. And people keep cheering for and supporting this POS. Someone posted a article on Facebook about why we shouldn't expect him to go away, which scares me. He is such a horrible asshole and I can't believe people are praising him for his brashness and speaking his mind. How does that qualify him? As a meme I saw says, my drunk uncle speaks his mind too but I wouldn't want him to be president!

Trump knows nothing about politics. He probably thinks he can throw money at things to get laws he wants passed quickly, screw the democratic process.

I might have to seriously consider moving to another country if he wins. He's such an egotistical asshole who attacks anyone who challenges or disagrees with him. Megan Kelly is getting a lot of flak for confronting him about his sexism. But since she has a vagina I guess we can't take her seriously and she's not allowed to stand up to blowhards.

[ShepherdontheRock]

Trump knows nothing about politics. He probably thinks he can throw money at things to get laws he wants passed quickly, screw the democratic process.

Sorry to say, but that's the way the political process seems to be running lately. Since the Citizens United ruling.

Which is why we need a not-republican in the white house.

Also, not that I watched the debate, but what do most of the rest of these candidates actually disagree on? Because considering their views, I thought it ended up basically being a God Guns and Gayz conservative circle jerk.

[Cartmann99]

It scares me that the more shitty things he says the more he seems to climb in the polls. And people keep cheering for and supporting this POS. Someone posted a article on Facebook about why we shouldn't expect him to go away, which scares me. He is such a horrible asshole and I can't believe people are praising him for his brashness and speaking his mind. How does that qualify him? As a meme I saw says, my drunk uncle speaks his mind too but I wouldn't want him to be president!

Trump knows nothing about politics. He probably thinks he can throw money at things to get laws he wants passed quickly, screw the democratic process.

I might have to seriously consider moving to another country if he wins. He's such an egotistical asshole who attacks anyone who challenges or disagrees with him. Megan Kelly is getting a lot of flak for confronting him about his sexism. But since she has a vagina I guess we can't take her seriously and she's not allowed to stand up to blowhards.

Honestly, I keep expecting to hear that he's appeared at some event and called President Obama the "N" word. If he does that, the base of the Republican party will do everything in their power to make him the Republican nominee. :|

It's disgusting that a vulgar carnival barker is the candidate of choice for many Americans. :(

[HarryPotterFan]

Sorry to say, but that's the way the political process seems to be running lately. Since the Citizens United ruling.

Which is why we need a not-republican in the white house.

Also, not that I watched the debate, but what do most of the rest of these candidates actually disagree on? Because considering their views, I thought it ended up basically being a God Guns and Gayz conservative circle jerk.

Fuck crap hell I had a response typed out and it disappeared. I feel like Trump thinks he can bypass any democratic process all together and become supreme dictator of the United States. And then he'll piss of Putin and try to take over Russia. But yeah...my dad jokes that he didn't realize he has to buy candidates now.

The debate was basically arguing over who hates women/abortion/Planned Parenthood and calling each other out over opinion changes. Like one dude (can't remember who) went from "ban abortion except in cases of incest and rape" to "no abortion anytime ever." They did argue over surveillance and immigration.

[Grimalkin]

I have been trying to decide the calculated risk of Democats supporting Trump so he wins the primary, because I can't imagine him actually being voted into office. But if that backfires......the risk may be too great.

I am waiting to see pictures of Trump riding a horse shirtless Putin style.

Lastly, I wasn't going to mention it, but now I want to brag a little because I met Hillary Clinton in July and heard her speak at a private event. :dance:

[Cleopatra7]

I have been trying to decide the calculated risk of Democats supporting Trump so he wins the primary, because I can't imagine him actually being voted into office. But if that backfires......the risk may be too great.

I am waiting to see pictures of Trump riding a horse shirtless Putin style.

Lastly, I wasn't going to mention it, but now I want to brag a little because I met Hillary Clinton in July and heard her speak at a private event. :dance:

I don't know about the rest of the country, but in the South, the GOP is basically the "white people party" and the Democrats are the "black people party." I know that the more liberal areas of the South like Atlanta and the Research Triangle are growing, but for the time being, this is how it is on the ground. The Republicans could run a potted plant or a goat, and Southern conservatives would still vote for it, rather than vote for the party they associate with "welfare queens," "the gay agenda," and Planned Parenthood. This is why I'm anxious when people say that it's better to have some Republican candidate that's totally out there, which would make a Democratic win a given, because a wacky GOP candidate still has a good chance of winning. As someone said upthread, a lot of conservative women would vote for Trump in a heartbeat because they think that his comments only refer to "the wrong kind of women," not themselves. Remember, some of the biggest opponents of women's suffrage were other women who thought that the female constitution wasn't suited for politics. Not much has changed, unfortunately, in 100 or so years.

[DowntownAbbey]

I didn't have to watch the debate, thank God, but I got the cliff notes version from my conservative parents. Nothing seemed surprising. Biggest complaint from the rents was that the questions were designed to divide the candidates. Isn't that the point? Also, the moderators are not responsible for maintaining the cohesion of the part. They also hated the moderating, especially Megyn Kelly.

As for myself, if Trump gets the nomination I'm going to start making contingency plans to move to Canada should the worst happen.

[Hera]

I have been trying to decide the calculated risk of Democats supporting Trump so he wins the primary, because I can't imagine him actually being voted into office. But if that backfires......the risk may be too great.

I've been mulling over this, too. And, I'm still not sure. Obviously, Democrats wouldn't vote for him and I cannot imagine moderate Republicans or Independents voting for him, either. That said, I think the better bet is for him to lose the Republican nomination (correct me if I'm wrong, but the RNC can choose someone else even if Trump is more popular, can't they?) and run as an Independent. Then, he could pull the hard core right-wing crazies toward him and allow the Republicans to legitimately lean toward the middle and lessen the need for Democrats to lean as hard to the left, meaning we might just accidentally get a functioning government again.

Oh, hell, who am I kidding?

But at least Trump is keeping the comedians busy and the heat off of Hillary. Donald Trump being a secret Hillary supporter isn't the most farfetched conspiracy theory I have ever heard.

[Geechee Girl]

If Trump goes independent, who would bail the GOP to become his running mate? I know Charlie Crist of FL is always itching for an elected office. He was my former Governor 2007-11. He's been Republican, Independent, and Democrat all in failed attempts to run for Senate.

[louisa05]

If Trump goes independent, who would bail the GOP to become his running mate? I know Charlie Crist of FL is always itching for an elected office. He was my former Governor 2007-11. He's been Republican, Independent, and Democrat all in failed attempts to run for Senate.

I think he may pull a third party campaign which would likely get the very right-wing vote and hurt the Republican nominee, much in the same way Nader took the far left and hurt Gore in 2000.

I don't think there is much danger of him getting the GOP nomination. Remember that in spite of his lead, it is still only 23% of GOP voters, which means that 77% prefer another candidate. It is currently a ridiculously large field. As the ones at the bottom drop out, the candidates polling just below Trump are more likely to pick up those voters and their numbers will increase. I also can't see New Hampshire voters voting for Trump and winning that primary is extremely important for getting the Republican nomination. But I have no data or reason for that. It is just a hunch.