Republican debates/primaries.

• HitsRus

  

  Final statements
  Kasich solid... Stresses need to bring everyone together.
  Carson appeals to the people.
  Bush promotes himself as a servant with a backbone.
  Rubio.. Appeals to families and stresses this election as turning point.
  Cruz...tries to draw distinction between him and Trump and says liberties hang in balance.
  Trump... Blasts Washington politicians and rues that we " don't win anymore".
• HitsRus

  

  Grades...
  Rubio... A. He was passionate ...on point... Appealed to traditional republican values.
  Kasich.. B+... Definitely established himself as reasonable, not extreme, and touted himself as a uniter.
  Carson B-... Pretty good, but not inspiring.
  Cruz... C+ Solid in many areas, but took some hits.
  Bush... C. Pretty good but dragged down by brawling with Trump.
  Trump... D+... Ugh. Weaknesses exposed ...made several anti republican statements.
• majorspark

  

  I give Trump an F. Unfortunately for many voters he is an F as in F you to the establishment. If after this performance his numbers do not significantly drop the republican party needs to evaluate what they have done to their base.
• Spock

  

  At this point they are all a better choice than HC or Bernie
• Wolves of Babylon

  What a show last night. Why can't the Republicans have a serious debate for once? I know the Media is part of the problem with the questions but honestly these debates make those of us who consider ourselves conservative look like buffoons. I literally thought yo mama jokes were about to go down.
  
  Kasich and Bush are the only serious candidates. Rubio has zero accomplishments and can't go off script, Carson looks asleep or clueless, Trump can't answer a question with specifics and Cruz is a slime ball liar.
  
  Is this really the best we have to offer? Then you have a socialist and pathological liar on the other side. This is where we really need a good third party candidate.
  
  
  
  Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Tapatalk
• HitsRus

  

  ^^^(at Spock) that has been a point since the first debate.
  
  I'm shocked reading some recaps of the debate. There are actually some pundits saying that Trump and Bush "won" the debate which makes me question their credibility or agenda. Others, including polls of Republican insiders, were impressed with Rubio and Kasich, as well as Bush.
  I thought Trump was bizzare....While you would think and expect these candidates to go after the sitting president of the opposition party, and the democratic candidates for the upcoming election, Trump went out of his way to go after George W. Bush, blaming him for everything including 9/11. The attack sounded like something you would expect from a progressive democrat, not a person running for the Republican nomination, ....in fact it was blatantly anti Republican. The attack was so weird that Jeb Bush seemed a bit flummoxed by the attack on his brother. Although he managed to get some shots in, it was Rubio who rose to defend the former president with a definite, passionate, off the cuff statement.
  
  This morning, I thought surely Trump's remarks, which should be offensive to a republican voter, ....would be highlighted. Instead, it seems it's glossed over.
  After last night's display and attack on the last Republican president, , I'm not sure how ANY Republican could cast a vote for him. I guess the proof will be in the SC primary.... a state that is highly military.
• HitsRus

  

  Wolves of Babylon;1781405 wrote:What a show last night. Why can't the Republicans have a serious debate for once? I know the Media is part of the problem with the questions but honestly these debates make those of us who consider ourselves conservative look like buffoons. I literally thought yo mama jokes were about to go down.
  
  Kasich and Bush are the only serious candidates. Rubio has zero accomplishments and can't go off script, Carson looks asleep or clueless, Trump can't answer a question with specifics and Cruz is a slime ball liar.
  
  Is this really the best we have to offer? Then you have a socialist and pathological liar on the other side. This is where we really need a good third party candidate.
  
  
  
  Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Tapatalk

  admit it...you didn't really watch the debate last night, and that's okay. I thought Kasich did look really good, and Bush has gotten better.
  ....and Yo mama jokes were in there (Barbara Bush)....and Rubio did go off script, and pretty effectively.
• Wolves of Babylon

  HitsRus;1781407 wrote:admit it...you didn't really watch the debate last night, and that's okay. I thought Kasich did look really good, and Bush has gotten better.
  ....and Yo mama jokes were in there (Barbara Bush).

  I did watch it, you can't seriously think that debate made independents or people on the fence have a positive reaction about the Republicans.
  
  Kasich did try to keep it positive and had a good message about talking about what they are for as opposed to being negative. If he makes it to Ohio. I will vote for him in the primary just because he is at least competent and not crazy not necessarily because I agree with him on everything.
  
  If he can survive the south, he could have a shot.
  
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• HitsRus

  

  ^^^ well you don't get to go after the independents, if you don't win the nomination.
• Dr Winston O'Boogie

  

  I think the debate probably reinforced opinions. I don't know how it could have caused much candidate switching. Undecideds may have favored Ubio, although I don't think Trump did as poorly as some do.
• ptown_trojans_1

  

  This is a legit question, that I have not seen or heard ask. (Maybe I am wrong, as it was covered in a debate), but it is Afghanistan. The place is still a mess. The President has delayed pulling troops out, and the outgoing general wants to put forth a plan to increase troop involvement and the DOD is seriously considering it. The plan was to only have half of the 9,800 troops there by 2017, but the President may not do that and whoever is the next President will still have to deal with Afghanistan.
  
  Other than doing what we are currently doing, are any of the candidates putting forth options on more troops? I don't know, I assume so, but has any candidate pledged to send more troops to Afghanistan?
  
  https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2016/02/05/outgoing-afghanistan-general-u-s-military-needs-to-beat-back-taliban/
• HitsRus

  

  I have not heard Afghanistan mentioned directly. Nobody wants to own being in favor of boots on the ground. I believe a few of the candidates being in favor of more special ops in a support role for troops composed of allies in the region.
• sleeper

  

  gut;1781377 wrote:Carson is so painful to watch. Begging for time to speak and to be asked questions. You are irrelevant and your ideas are dumb. Shut up and withdraw from the race.

  Carson might be the worst candidate to ever run for President. He's so freaking boring.
• QuakerOats

  http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/02/18/palestinian-leader-gives-wife-beating-tips-on-gaza-tv.html?intcmp=hpbt3
  
  Muslim wife beating tips...........................
  
  
  
  But Trump is the bad guy.
• HitsRus

  

  I'm liking this as the new face of the Republican party....
  
• HitsRus

  

  QuakerOats;1782140 wrote:http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/02/18/palestinian-leader-gives-wife-beating-tips-on-gaza-tv.html?intcmp=hpbt3
  
  Muslim wife beating tips...........................
  
  
  
  But Trump is the bad guy.

  ...and yet the Donald won't take sides in the Israel- Palestine conflict....and doesn't "want to blame anyone"
  http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2016/02/18/Trump-says-he-wont-take-sides-in-Israel-Palestine-conflict/6511455810268/
  
  He sure had some blame to pass handout last Saturday at the debates.....
• HitsRus

  

  Trump will claim a victory in South Carolina....with half the returns in Trump is in the 33-34% range with Cruz holding a half point lead over Rubio for 2nd ...22.1% to 21.6% respectively.
  
  Distantly, the battle for 4th has Bush and Kasich around 8%....and Carson trailing the field with about 6.5%
  
  Ben Carson has already gone on TV to say that he is not dropping out.
• gut

  Bush out, Carson and Kasich are going to continue to help Trump win a bit longer.
• gut

  HitsRus;1782463 wrote: Ben Carson has already gone on TV to say that he is not dropping out.

  No idea what he thinks he's accomplishing at this point. Nobody pays attention to him and nobody cares.
  
  I think he's hanging on trying to get momentum for a book deal, and maybe angling for a spot on Fox.
• ptown_trojans_1

  

  gut;1782464 wrote:Bush out, Carson and Kasich are going to continue to help Trump win a bit longer.

  Yeah, agreed. Gracious speech by Jeb.

  gut;1782465 wrote:No idea what he thinks he's accomplishing at this point. Nobody pays attention to him and nobody cares.
  
  I think he's hanging on trying to get momentum for a book deal, and maybe angling for a spot on Fox.

  That's the only thing I can think of at this point.
  It is down to 4 now really.
  
  If Cruz finishes 3rd tonight, I do not see how he can really go far in March. It may come down to Trump v. Rubio by the end of March.
• like_that

  

  gut;1782465 wrote:No idea what he thinks he's accomplishing at this point. Nobody pays attention to him and nobody cares.
  
  I think he's hanging on trying to get momentum for a book deal, and maybe angling for a spot on Fox.

  Or trying to be trumps VP. He needs to drop the fuck out. Fuck him.
• like_that

  

  ptown_trojans_1;1782468 wrote:Yeah, agreed. Gracious speech by Jeb.
  
  That's the only thing I can think of at this point.
  It is down to 4 now really.
  
  If Cruz finishes 3rd tonight, I do not see how he can really go far in March. It may come down to Trump v. Rubio by the end of March.

  Let's be real it's down to 3. Kasich doesn't have a shot unfortunately. Carson needs to go fuck himself and drop out. All these dumb fucks are helping out trump for Super Tuesday.
• bases_loaded

  

  like_that;1782473 wrote:Or trying to be trumps VP. He needs to drop the fuck out. Fuck him.

  Angling to be Trumps VP for sure.
  
  
  Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
• rydawg5

  like_that;1782474 wrote:Let's be real it's down to 3. Kasich doesn't have a shot unfortunately. Carson needs to go fuck himself and drop out. All these dumb fucks are helping out trump for Super Tuesday.

  
  I think Kasich can do well in Blue & Purple states and he may gain traction if he wins a larger one. Also, Trump may eventually say/do something to kill his campaign. Also Cruz can only pull a certain percentage for how right he is. I think if he hangs in there he has a shot.. it might not be realistic but he shouldn't quit until after Ohio.
• gut

  rydawg5;1782480 wrote:Also Cruz can only pull a certain percentage for how right he is. I think if he hangs in there he has a shot.. it might not be realistic but he shouldn't quit until after Ohio.

  Trump is taking a good number of Cruz voters - won all the heavily Evangelical districts Cruz was supposed to take. Cruz doesn't appear able to pass Trump. His only chance is if Trump implodes (and WTF would Trump have to do for that to happen?!?), or Rubio drops out and I don't see that happening.
  
  Agreed Kasich could do better in the purple and midwest states. Probably why he remains in the contest, but he will prevent Rubio from overtaking Trump. Carson staying in the race, even with as few of votes as he's getting, probably helps Rubio a little.