Republican Debate – Who Was The Winner?

MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL
WHO IS THE DUMBEST ONE OF THEM ALL?

When I decided to watch the first round of the Republican Debates with the top ten Presidential candidates in the Republican Party (there are seventeen in all), I had to come up with a clever title for my article.  Why such a ridiculous title?  Well, we are talking about fairy tales, for some of the candidates, at least.  Halfway through the telecast I came to realize that  the candidates are not dumb.  They’re all smart.  I may not agree with all of their positions or stances on the various topics that were discussed – and most of the key issues were covered, some more than others – I was generally impressed by the way they handled themselves.

In contrast to what took place at that venue in Ohio, I can’t wait to see how the Democrats handle themselves with the same or a similar set of questions.

In spite of the differences between the ten Republican candidates, two themes were abundantly visible throughout.  The first is that all of the candidates seem to be pro-American, America first and foremost with absolutely no exceptions.  The second is that all of the candidates have had it up the wazoo with the Obama/Clinton axis and will do everything in their power, except murder, to become the ultimate Obamanator.

Now that you know which way I’m leaning, let’s get down to the Republican candidates.

DONALD TRUMP.  Brash, opinionated, sometimes bordering on the obnoxious but definitely leading the Republican pack in all of the polls, wherein his closest competitor is doing only half as well.  How come?  Because the people are sick and tired of the usual political bullshit they’ve been getting  for all of their lives.  In fact, I’ve heard most of the speakers before and I must say that they have improved in their delivery and forcefulness. Donald Trump has definitely raised the bar for them and so they have him to thank for that.

JEB BUSH.  After George Romney declined to put up with the immense headache of running for and dealing with the job, if he got it, Jeb Bush seemed to be the front runner until Donald Trump decided to throw his hat into the ring.  What happened?  For one thing, Jeb Bush now has to contend with a new face in the race and secondly, although most people wont mention it – the media in particular, together with the so-called establishment and the cadre of our professional politicians – that they don’t want the creation of a political dynasty in our midst.  You know, like the family business.  The Kennedy’s tried it and would have succeeded if they didn’t keep getting their private parts caught in their zippers.

MIKE HUCKABEE.  Not Michael, but Mike.  A gregarious and excellent speaker from the same state as Hillary Clinton, (back in the day when she married Bill Clinton in 1975), but the complete opposite.  I even saw him play the guitar on TV.

Politicians and their advisors always discuss among themselves how to best get the, Latino, Black, Pro-Choice/Pro-Life, Female, Aryan Brotherhood, Evangelican, Jewish, Muslim or simply White Trash votes.  I say enough of that because in the real world if you try to please everyone you end up pleasing no one.  Instead of the usual pandering to one group or another they should just tell it how it is or how they see it.  Period.  Then let the people make their own judgement.

After the last Presidential election the Republicans lamented that they lost because they lost, or never had, the Latino and Black votes.  I say that they lost because they flirted with the far out right end of the political spectrum and dissed the female female vote.  For instance, when a candidate comes out strong for prohibiting abortions, it could be taken as an affront by a number of females, particularly the younger ones.

Getting back to the other seven, briefly:

JOHN KASICH.  Descended from mailmen and miners, comes across like a blue collar worker who made it to the top of the heap
CHRIS CHRISTIE.  Definitely overweight and even though he appeals to New Jersey-ites and New Yorkers he may not appeal to the rest of the country.
RAND PAUL.  Starting to look like less to the left and starting to move more to the center but is it too late to win enough votes.
MARCO RUBIO.  Looking and sounding good but over stresses his position on abortion.
TED CRUZ. Ditto.
SCOTT WALKER.  Ditto.
BEN CARSON.  I know that to become a neurosurgeon it takes eighteen years of schooling after high school, therefore, he must be pretty smart.
I could go on and on about the candidates saying things that are good, bad or in between but I decided to do something else instead.  I have posted a link – yes, it is free of all viruses – that is a selector survey that tells you how YOU fit into the political spectrum of all things.  Based on YOUR answers, the selector survey will reveal to you how YOU match up with all of the Presidential candidates.  What is interesting about this is that your choices and preferences may pair you with a Presidential candidate who is not your first choice,  Try it.