I got my selfie!!! I really loved hearing her speak & hearing her goals for our country! #HillaryForPresident pic.twitter.com/zGpdcGSZBD
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) August 7, 2015
Early reviews are all over the place — not a good sign for an entertainment intended to “clear out” the no-hopers and bring the GOP contest down to two or three crowd-pleasing frontrunners. Fox News is widely seen as attempting to shiv Trump, with mixed results, per NYMag‘s Jonathan Chait:
Donald Trump has dominated the early phase of the Republican campaign. The Republican Party needs to put an end to it. The question going into the first debate was which candidate would take it upon himself to take down Trump. The answer is that none of them did. Fox News did the work itself, a division of labor that made sense for both sides. The candidates could refrain from alienating the Donald’s loyalists; and the moderators, who don’t need Iowans to tromp through the snow for them, can peel the bark off him. The Fox News moderators brutalized Trump with questions about his partisan loyalty he could not answer because there is no answer. Trump is in this race for himself, not for the party…
And this would be different how from the other nine + seven candidates divided between the two rounds? All of this year’s GOP candidates, from JEB! Bush to Jim Gilmore, act as though they don’t care what the RNC thinks, as long as their latest stunt can draw another sliver of market share. And if the whole campaign is just an unusually poorly-scripted reality show, Donald Trump — star of his own reality show since the early 1970s — is more experienced, a better TV Celebrity, than any of the “real” politicians in the Repub pack.
Speaking of TV ratings, when will we find out how Fox measured up against Chuck Todd’s fantasy of “maybe the largest cable television audience for a live news event ever”?
***********
Apart from dissecting the spectacle, what’s on the agenda as we wrap up the week?
The real winner? Fox News. Politics is now entertainment and they look like the grown-ups.
— Jeet Heer (@HeerJeet) August 7, 2015
Valdivia
Given how the prognosticators declaration that Kasich and Rubio were the winners it is instructive to see the Drudge poll which has Trump as the winner with Cruz coming in second. Rubio only gets fourth and barely ahead of Rand Paul. I think that what the media want to see happen is very different than what the base wants.
I found Josh at TPM the one that came closest to an assessment of the debate that tracked with some of the results (except for the Cruz surprise)
If someone can explain to me why Rubio is thought to be a rock star I would appreciate it, because he seems like a teenager playing grown up to me.
Comrade Nimrod Humperdink
Just starting these now. I’m 15 minutes into the kid’s table debate and already ‘stand up’ would be giving me alcohol poisoning if I’d been in time to attend a drinking game. Fuck me these clowns love to feed the Tough Guy chum to these skittish doughy little sharks. Some of them even seem to believe their own bullshit. Conservatives love to crap on Hollywood but damned if they don’t seem to be the ones having more trouble discerning movies from reality.
Frankensteinbeck
I’m not sure this will affect Trump at all. Isn’t his base pissed at the Republican Party for not being conservative enough? It might even drive others who thought Trump was a clown but who are generally pissed about RINOs into his arms.
It’s very hard to predict anything about Trump.
Comrade Nimrod Humperdink
And Lindsey Graham is making Rick Perry almost seem coherent. If he didn’t wet his pants and wring his hands about how many more bombs need to come down on the brown people to make him start to feel safe it might improve his delivery. Seriously, he shifts his weight from one foot to the other like he’s carrying something he’d rather not be.
David Koch
Who’s the hot blonde with Kanye?
NotMax
Whole mess was a clusterfox.
Comrade Nimrod Humperdink
President Jindal seems to think that the entire federal bureaucracy exists to serve as his goons. Won’t he be disappointed?
Comrade Nimrod Humperdink
@David Koch: Miley Cyrus?
David Koch
Pew Poll: GOP ratings collapse to 23 year low (32-60) while public sees Dems favorably (48-47) [See bottom of page 19]
Comrade Nimrod Humperdink
@David Koch: “Very Favorable” opinion of the Republican Party: 7%. Damn Then again Dems only get 12% on that question.
Alexandra
Just a few minutes ago, the top three ledes at Politico:
• Are voters ready to tune out Trump?
• GOP insiders: Trump is biggest loser
• I overdosed on Donald Trump
The establishment are shit-scared.
Splitting Image
A lot of people look down their noses at Kim Kardashian, but they should keep in mind that 60,000,000 Americans will vote Republican next year. She won’t be one of them.
Zinsky
It was totally pathetic. When is someone going to ask, “can we raise your taxes to pay for all of the wars you want to wage?”
Comrade Nimrod Humperdink
Ok combine these assimilation comments from Jindal with that notorious portrait and you’ve got an entire psych dissertation
Keith G
@Keith G: My bad. Something did happen last night. (Reference link to a comment on the last thread)
Trigger warning:
David Brooks’ column (NYT) published last eve is perhaps the most poisonous and irrational screed that I have ever read from his vast collection of chaotic and ill-considered thoughts. It is about the agreement with Iran and it is so detached from reality (and angry at Obama ((for giving up?))) that it makes what must have happened at Cleveland last night surely seem sane.
OzarkHillbilly
Meanwhile, back in the real world…
Splitting Image
Regarding Trump, the G.O.P. can complain about his lack of loyalty all they want, but according to the ethical principles preached by Randian assholes, such as the entire G.O.P., he’s doing the right thing.
If everyone but him commits to dropping out of the race if they don’t win the nomination, then rational self-interest demands that everyone vote for Trump, that being the only way anyone can be sure no one will run third party. Q.E.D.
Besides, loyalty is for little people, not job creators. The main difference between Trump and Romney is that Romney tried very hard to mask his contempt for “The Help”. Trump doesn’t bother with that and makes sure everyone in the room understands that “The Help” includes politicians who come to people like him for money, and that includes everybody else on stage.
raven
What bullshit, Pitty Pat freaked out because no one was there. Like a fucking senator doesn’t speak in an empty chamber all the time.
Mack
” Megan behaved very badly tonight”. lol.
Baud
@Splitting Image:
This.
bystander
Moanin’ Joe is orgasmic over Kasich. Bone to Mika: “Carly was fierce!”
I hate Chuck Schumer. What a douche.
Elaine Benes
@Alexandra:
Shit scared? Yep. I thought the same thing looking at Megyn’s FB. There’s gotta be panic at FOX, the RNC, etc. The peasants can no longer be controlled and they’re lighting torches.
Baud
@bystander:
MSNBC was gushing last night about Kasich and Rubio.
BillinGlendaleCA
Mika thinks Trump will go up in the polls, Joe thinks he’ll go down. Fun times. The Donald called in and is pissed at Megan.
Comrade Nimrod Humperdink
Ok let’s see if I can get this right:
Gilmore: “I was a spook in the Cold War and a governor on 9/11, I can totally kick ISIL ass, and that makes me relevant AND conservative, I swear!”
Graham: “Brown people will suicide bomb you all to death unless you elect me President so I can mobilize a large scale extermination program. Anybody have a clean pair of pants?”
Perry: “Rick Perry will STAND UP, uh, Tijuana El Paso Brownsville! Thank you!”
Jindal: “This country is broken because it is insufficiently pure. And I (unsettling pause) will purify it, by whatever means necessary!”
Fiorina: “I’ll make tough choices, and Khamenei’s craaazy, Obama’s hopeless, so call me Bibi!”
Santorum: “I’ll create manufacturing jobs by being so tough on immigration that illegals will THANK ME!”
Pataki: “I did conservative stuff in a blue state. And Jim Gilmore and I will be signing merch out front with Duncan Hunter afterwards, thanks.”
My guess is that Santorum and Fiorina survive and advance. Pataki doesn’t foam at the mouth enough for anyone to pay him any mind, he’s Huntsman but not as smooth. Gilmore reminds me of Pat Buchanan with less overt racism so I fail to see his niche. Perry is still a bumbling idiot. And Graham and Jindal are genuinely scary dudes.
F
@Alexandra: Apparently they haven’t read the post debate polls.
David Koch
Mika and Blow are upset at Fox for treating Trump so badly. They predict a backlash will occur.
And to be sure MeganKelly is getting savaged on twitter. The inmates have turned on her.
Baud
I wonder how many real people watched the debate. It’s August.
Mack
It’s early and I didn’t sleep that much, but I remember hearing a story that might (if true) shed some light on Donald Trumps business acumen. During one of his bankruptcy proceedings, the bank threatened to repossess his yacht. Trump said (paraphrasing here to say the least) “well, okay, then you will have a used yacht worth X dollars. How much is it worth as Donald Trumps’ yacht?”
I can’t stand him, but he does strike me as clever, very clever, and I don’t totally dismiss that when considering his candidacy.
bystander
@Baud: Joe is, too. Had to turn that off for Laurel and Hardy in “Jitterbugs”. At least L&H intend to make me laugh. I’m sorry I missed Joe and Chris Matthews going at each other last night.
I hate Chuck Schumer. It can’t be said often enough.
Mack
“Fiorina: “I’ll make tough choices, and Khamenei’s craaazy, Obama’s hopeless, so call me Bibi!””
Okay, dammit, I’m wearing my coffee.
David Koch
Drudge has online poll.
361,295 votes so far:
Trump 50% ◄
Cruz 13%
Carson 8%
Rubio 8%
Baby Doc 7%
Kasich 4%
Huckabee 3%
Walker 3%
Jeb! 2% ◄
Christie 1%
OzarkHillbilly
@Baud: There’s not enuf money in the world to get me to watch a GOP debate. Hell, there is barely enuf money in the world to get me to watch a Dem debate.
Comrade Nimrod Humperdink
Oh, and “Live at the Quicken Loans Center?” Damn man, I miss the days when stadiums were named for local leaders or historical figures or the geography or war veterans. It at least gave the illusion that the arena was part of the community that financed it.
Baud
@David Koch:
Online polls are bunk, but ha!
Baud
@bystander:
As long as Obama’s veto isn’t overridden, I don’t care.
David Koch
@Mack: Iran is so crazy that Carly broke the law and sold them a boat load of HP products
And get this — they kept trading with the Axis of Evil only until Obama came into office.
Zinsky
It’s telling that the words “climate change” did not even come up in this so-called ‘debate’. Cutting taxes on the wealthy and providing vouchers to religious schools is not going to do a damn thing to mitigate climate change. For the one truly existential problem of our time, the Republican Party not only has no answers, they don’t even want to talk about it!
Comrade Nimrod Humperdink
@David Koch: I guarantee you that if she makes the main stage somebody will drop that on her, and it’ll be fun to watch.
satby
The threads and whatever post mortems I happen to read today are as close as I ever want to get to watching a R scrimmage. I’m healthy as a horse and I don’t think my heart could stand the trauma.
Comrade Nimrod Humperdink
@Zinsky: James Inhofe speaks for all of them, except maybe Lindsay Graham, who apparently wants to use solar panels to make his bombs.
Waldo
Carson, Kasich and Cruz should clean out their lockers. They aren’t going to make the varsity team — each for completely different reasons.
Rand can’t take a punch.
The Donald’s house afire routine is starting to flame out — as it must.
Walker at least did his homework. If he can buy back his soul or get a charisma injection, he might be the last non-Bush standing.
Huckabee is a dick.
The rest were just treading water, which might not be a bad position to be in while Trump is still in the mix.
Comrade Nimrod Humperdink
Oh Aqua Buddha, you amateur… “He’s already hedging his bets because he’s used to buying politicians.” Trump “Well I’ve given him plenty of money…”
ThresherK (GPad)
@David Koch: Joke is on them for buying the printers, which is just icing on the cake, rather than getting em for free. Everyone knows the real money is in toner.
Gin & Tonic
Is it just me, or was our Jeb!-fellating troll pretty quiet last night? Is the loser-stink so strong that even he can recognize it?
Comrade Nimrod Humperdink
“In Florida they called me ‘Jeb,’ because I earned it.” WTF?
PaulW
@Zinsky:
that question will never be asked because Republicans figured out to never pay for the wars, ever. No taxes, no war bonds, just massive deficits because when it comes to filling up the war machine deficits just don’t matter. Until a Democrat is in charge, at which point ZOMG BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT RAISING TAXES IS STALINIST FASCISM.
EZSmirkzz
Obviously, there just isn’t enough masturbation going on in America.
PaulW
@Comrade Nimrod Humperdink:
In Florida, we call Jeb “A-Hole” because he deserves it.
David Koch
Iowa Old Lady
@Waldo: Mostly I laughed at the live blogs I followed last night, but Walker’s willingness to let women die for his religious beliefs was beyond my ability to make fun of.
Still bless live blogs. They’re way more fun than actually listening to these guys.
PaulW
@David Koch:
361,295 votes so far:
WHOA. Kasich kept 4 percent?!
…if accurate towards the GOP voting base – can’t imagine anyone else reading Drudge at this point – the Establishment names – Jeb!, Walker, even Christie – are in serious trouble. The only one the financial backers really like that’s doing well is Cruz… oh God no…
Comrade Nimrod Humperdink
@Iowa Old Lady: Yeah I just saw that Walker abortion answer, that’s some scary Bobby Jindal type shit. Even Mike “zygotes are people” Huckabee didn’t go that far.
Botsplainer
Just had one of those weird recollections from years ago about conservative punditry. I had a flash (like Chuck) on how I was still listening to Limbaugh in 1998, and how the slob mocked the missile strikes on Bin Laden affiliate compounds in Afghanistan and Sudan – and how the Wingnut Wurlitzer went on about how it was a “Wag the Dog” distraction on the blowjob scandal.
I went googling, and there were some pieces printed on it in the aftermath of the 9-11 attacks, undoubtedly ignored in the atmosphere of “we’re all gonna die” and “shut up and sing”.
http://www.cnn.com/2001/ALLPOLITICS/10/18/column.billpress/
Betty Cracker
Good lord, Donald Trump’s Twitter feed is a riot since he went to war with Fox News. Here’s a sampling of his tweets / retweets:
Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump 4h4 hours ago
“@timjcam: @megynkelly @FrankLuntz @realDonaldTrump Fox viewers give low marks to bimbo @MegynKelly will consider other programs!”
Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump 4h4 hours ago Manhattan, NY
.@FrankLuntz is a low class slob who came to my office looking for consulting work and I had zero interest. Now he picks anti-Trump panels!
Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump 4h4 hours ago
“@FrankLuntz: I’m getting a lot of @MegynKelly hatemail tonight. ? #GOPDebate” She is totally overrated and angry. She really bombed tonite
Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump 4h4 hours ago
.@FrankLuntz, your so-called “focus groups” are a total joke. Don’t come to my office looking for business again. You are a clown!
Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump 4h4 hours ago Manhattan, NY
I really enjoyed the debate tonight even though the @FoxNews trio, especially @megynkelly, was not very good or professional!
Waldo
@Iowa Old Lady: Walker is to me the scariest of the whole frightening bunch. But let’s be clear: women won’t be dying for his religious convictions; they’ll be dying for his political ambitions.
Walker will never be Reagan, but he could be the next Nixon.
Baud
@Waldo:
The most liberalest president of them all, according to some bloggers.
Comrade Nimrod Humperdink
In a sane universe Trump’s immigration answer to Chris Wallace would get jeers rather than a standing ovation, but these are Republican primary voters. Raw truthiness, straight from the gut, Colbert would have to give a tip of the cap. I have no idea if it’s intentional or not, but Trump is the greatest Republican troll in modern political history.
Comrade Nimrod Humperdink
@Waldo: Walker may have Nixon’s cunning and ambition, but he has nowhere near the actual brains. I’m hoping that’s enough to keep him from winning.
OzarkHillbilly
@Comrade Nimrod Humperdink: Didn’t stop W.
Tissue Thin Pseudonym
@Comrade Nimrod Humperdink:
No, they won’t. If she makes it to the main stage, none of them* will say anything about her at all, except maybe to praise her presence. No one fears that she’s going to win the nomination, and they all need her to make the attacks on Clinton that they’re afraid that they’ll look like the misogynistic loons they are if they make. So no one is going to attack her.
*This comment not valid for Donald Trump. He may or may not attack her, but he’s not afraid of looking like the misogynistic loon he is. I’m still only 85% convinced that he’s not really a Democrat punking the GOP.
WereBear
The problem is, Fox (and other outlets) have already turned elections into entertainment. And then Trump, the reality TV veteran, is going to have a huge edge.
Historically, show biz personalities in general have a bit of an edge, because they do get elected, despite the fact they have sweet damn all in the way of expertise or background.
Comrade Nimrod Humperdink
@OzarkHillbilly: Unfortunately W’s one true talent was campaigning. Can take the guy outta cheerleading, can’t take the cheerleading outta the guy
Omnes Omnibus
@OzarkHillbilly: W could present himself as likeable to a significant segment of the population. Walker cannot.
different-church-lady
@Mack:
Nothing, unless you like going yachting with Donald Trump.
RSA
@PaulW:
Makes you wonder if, in the backs of their minds, they think of wars as wars of conquest–you conquer and you start looting. We know that’s the case with some proponents of war in the Middle East.
different-church-lady
@David Koch: I’m surprised Trump is only pulling in 50% of the batshit insane vote.
debbie
Didn’t watch it, don’t plan to, but anything that makes Kasich look sane and grownup has got to have been a mess.
different-church-lady
@RSA:
Yes, but traditionally you’re supposed to loot your enemy, not your own country.
OzarkHillbilly
@Comrade Nimrod Humperdink: And he was good. Also, he had Rove. Say what you want about Rove (and I do, repeatedly) the man had a real talent for shivving his opponents.
Comrade Nimrod Humperdink
@debbie: It’s also making Rubio appear somewhat articulate. That’s the caliber of oratory I’m witnessing here.
different-church-lady
@Gin & Tonic: No, the fountain was on. But there were some obvious tells in the mix, so we just had a good time with it.
Mike E
@Gin & Tonic: Just you wait til 9!
/Dunno if that’s an o’clock or number of candidates left.
Comrade Nimrod Humperdink
Ok I’d love to see the leadership of the John Birch Society lock Jindal and Cruz in a room for a purity contest to the death. The quality of the answers in THAT interrogation would get about as close to zero as you can on that whole ‘wingularity’ curve
JPL
Mediate appears to be a fox light, site. Most of their videos have to do with Trumps worse moments. I assume that is what Fox is going to cover today, also. There is a feeling that he must be destroyed. Trump could be helped, if someone took his twitter feed away. Since he doesn’t have a campaign staff, so to speak, I wonder how long he is going to last anyway.
JPL
@debbie: SRV put up a link for a sky news live feed. The section that I watched showed that Rubio and Kasich, were the sane ones. There was a moment where I thought Paul and Christie were going to get into a fist fight, so that was fun to watch.
Comrade Nimrod Humperdink
Aqua Buddha is a spectacle of petulant glib douchebaggery, on a stage full of petulant glib douchebags. He makes his Pops seem likeable by comparison.
OzarkHillbilly
@Omnes Omnibus: Yeah, he got the “guy I’d like to have a beer with” vote, which I always found funny considering he doesn’t drink.
@different-church-lady: Their fellow citizens are the enemy.
Mike E
@JPL:
Speaking of Laurel and Hardy…
raven
@OzarkHillbilly: These Morning Joe morons are just all tingly about drinking in their show.
NonyNony
@JPL:
Eh – Fox News may be trying to destroy him by airing his “worst moments”, but I would assume everyone else is just showing Trump at his worst because that’s what you WANT to do with Trump. He’s a reality TV star after all – you don’t tune into reality TV to see well-adjusted people doing well in life. You tune in to watch car wrecks. The narrative for Trump before he started was going to be “let’s see how high he climbs – the higher he gets the more fun it will be when he crashes.” Everyone is assuming the crash happened last night and they want to be ready to cover it.
I assumed that as well, but it was pointed out to me that I was wrong. He appears to be in it enough to actually spend money on staffing a campaign.
WereBear
Also, I’ve been sick in bed a lot, and so i’ve been reading, and Book Bub brings me cheap or free books every day.
However, having indulged in some of these, I must say that these thriller writers need to up their game. What happened to Three Days of the Condor type trickery! A little cleverness, please?
Having your klutzy protagonist turn out to be:
the long lost godson of a Mafia don
having a brother reveal himself as a super spy
calls on a lodge brother who is the long lost godson of a Mafia don and a retired super spy
I mean really, I’m fine with man who has rejected his violent past or quick learner with access to info or even the time-honored big bag o’ money and its ease in hiring expertise. The person has to have some kind of leverage or they will be a puddle pretty soon.
But you can’t have your protagonist become the Wow! guy or gal just trailing in the wake of the coincidentally great-at-it friend or relative.
Makes for a dull read.
debbie
@JPL:
Aside from the fact they’re all a pack of fools, I’d like to have an event where each in turn steps up and gives some form of an elevator statement about what they stand for. No comparisons to anyone, no slams of anyone, just them and their core belief up on the stage.
ThresherK
@WereBear: Not really caring about reality TV, or consuming any of it*, I wonder if any of The Apprentice is live, and if you’re overestimating Trump’s experience being applicable from one to the other. That also goes for being in front of an audience v. on a soundstage.
Live and taped are two different things. It is akin to the difference between an actual discussion, and whatever Bill O’Reilly does.
(*Except Jackson Galaxy and “My Cat from Hell”.)
sm*t cl*de
I’m old enough to remember when you had a political party which operated an entertainment / “news” channel as its subsidiary and propaganda wing. Now it’s the other way around.
JPL
@NonyNony: Thank you for the link. The recent poll numbers in GA, show him in a commanding lead here. Tomorrow night he is having a tail gate party at the Red State Convention.
WereBear
Add Kitchen Nightmares to the list, and I’m there with you. I don’t watch it much at all.
But I do go grocery shopping, and there’s always those magazines in the checkout line, 90% of them having covers bearing some reality show person. None of whom I know except by hearsay. And I have friends and coworkers with favorite shows, though I do not watch them. I know a professional in the biz and read some insider stories.
And to me, it all boils down to: Trump is made for this!
In a world where politics has become a reality show, he is a natural for a party who has been tweaking their base for decades. Enough of these boring suits blatting about policy.
Why won’t he flame and burn like the other red meat tossers? Because he’s in it for the red meat. The beauty of it is, all the other chummers try to pivot and become Serious.
Trump can’t and won’t do that. He will keep the crowds humming and tapping their Rumpelstiltskin feet.
I don’t know if he’ll become the nominee. I figure the backroom boys will come up with something to shut him down. But you know what?
I wouldn’t mind if he did. Because this party and this candidate deserve each other.
raven
bye
WereBear
@ThresherK: And to belatedly answer your question, often moments in Reality TV are dragged out of a person after waking them suddenly or jumping on them in a vulnerable moment. While unscripted, they are certainly manipulated.
But they never had to do that with The Donald. That’s all him up on the screen.
Look, all the man has ever done involves conning this group or that one. Probably his one talent.
Now, how far can he take it?
RaflW
This from the Guardian liveblog made my evening:
I think Walker might have been one of the night’s bigger losers. Which makes this Minnesotan happy.
Comrade Nimrod Humperdink
Trump scores the line of the night debating his bankruptcy history with Wallace: “This country owes 19 trillion dollars, and it needs somebody like me to fix it!” With a straight face. That is performance art.
WereBear
@Comrade Nimrod Humperdink: I’m telling ya! This show has legs!
ThresherK
@WereBear: You know more about The Donald than I do.
Of course, you’re a stronger person than I am in that regard, as I’ve been avoiding consuming much of his presence except in short clips, and transcripts. I haven’t the stomach for it…yet.
Another thing that deserves each other is the right’s fascination with “successful bidnessmen” (or -women): Enough years of having it drummed into them that it’s what matters, and there’s nobody on the right (or the courtiers in the middle) to say otherwise about Donald. (I forgot where I stole this.)
Plus his math (his bankruptcies) isn’t really much less rigorous than the crap others there have been giving us about their patent-medicine state miracles in LA, TX, WI or the like.
PS I thought you might like to hear the report from our cat-sitting neighbors while my wife and I were on vacation. The tabby male (wife’s cat), the one who is a bit bossy and bitchy, ended up being a bit cranky to the neighbors, and they cut him a bit of a wide berth.
Why did he do this? We don’t know. He is much more adaptable to new people than my calico; maybe he just decided these folks were okay for feeding him but he’d much rather have his mommy.
Anyway, he stopped running to the door when they let themselves in. And my cat, the one who went up the stairs, down the hall, into the bedroom and under the bed on the first visit, actually came out of her shell in the absence of the tabby’s “number one cat” presence. Our neighbors got all the bomping, purring and trilling out of the calico that I do, a nice surprise.
RSA
@different-church-lady:
LOL.
Paul in KY
@Comrade Nimrod Humperdink: His dick?
Paul in KY
@David Koch: Is a nice picture of her.
Paul in KY
@Splitting Image: Same for Miley. She’s a proud Democrat from Kentucky.
rikyrah
BWA HA HA HA HA AH AH AH HA AHA
Trump Steals the Show, Mixing Politics and Pizazz
Donald J. Trump was outrageous. He was demeaning. He was even somewhat menacing, warning a female moderator that he could turn on her at any moment.
When confronted with his tendency to describe the women he dislikes as “fat pigs,” “slobs” or “disgusting animals,” he dismissively replied that neither he nor the United States “have time for political correctness.”
After he thoroughly rattled the Republican presidential field and emerged as its singular vexation in the 2016 campaign, the question hovering over Mr. Trump, the developer turned reality TV star turned candidate, was whether he would adopt the measured and diplomatic manner of a plausible president for Thursday night’s debate.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-steals-the-show-mixing-politics-and-pizazz/ar-BBltv2x?ocid=HPCDHP
Paul in KY
@Waldo: I’m scared of Kasich too, because he could get Ohio & no GOPer has EVER won Presidency without Ohio.
ThresherK
whether he would adopt the measured and diplomatic manner
What? Forget the base; someone’s late to the rodeo if they think that this is what the mainstream press demands of right-wing figureheads. For at least two decades the M.O. has been “they are who they are, and that gets described as the grownups are in charge or refreshingly unscripted and instinctual“.
scav
Rather somehow amusing — and illuminating — watching Trump and Graham et alia complain the press/moderator wasn’t being nice enough to them. Yeah because actual trulio presidents are surrounded by nothing but fawning servile agents of the media and tough mean questions never appear under real-world conditions. “Debates” as live communal parallel play informercials, with support staff to remond you which talking point sound bite or scripted quip is next.
WereBear
@ThresherK: How funny! The big guy did miss his mommy, sounds like :)
redshirt
In other politics news, Maine’s chump of a governor got chumped by the state Supreme Court.
Watch him ignore it.
Pie Happens (opiejeanne)
@Comrade Nimrod Humperdink: Who was the guy who said he hadn’t gotten any Trump money? We couldn’t tell who it was.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Interesting debate. Basically non-stop attempt to shiv Donald all night long, thought he handled it reasonably well. I think Fox overplayed their hand on that, his “fans” – whatever the fuck kind of sick human being that is – will be pissed off at the blatant attempts to make him look like a lunatic. Which he is.
In my book:
Winners: Kaisch, Rubio, Walker, Trump
I’m particularly troubled by how well Walker did. He was quick and largely on topic with his answers and came across like a sane and reasonable human being. He is, of course, probably the biggest sociopath in the entire race, and I include Cruz in that.
Losers: Carson, Christie, Cruz, Huckabee
Obvious second tier candidates remain second-tier. Carson will be the first one out, he’s just pathetic.
Catastrophe: JEB!
The GOP needs to figure this out right now if they want a shot at this election: John Ellis Bush can’t do it. At all. They need to pick someone else and get on with it, because this guy is not up to the task. I have never seen a national-level candidate put on that poor of a showing in any debate, ever.
ETA: the only clown in this clown car who came off as remotely being close to presidential caliber was Kaisch. That’s pretty scary too.
debbie
@Paul in KY:
They also said a president with less than 50% approval rating would never win reelection. Statistics may be indicators, but they are proof of nothing.
WereBear
These two factors correlate.
Nobody can make you believe (in the absence of facts) quite like a faker.
Waldo
@Paul in KY: Among GOPers, Kasich might stand the best chance in the general election. But his reasonable, nice guy persona pretty much guarantees he’ll never get that far.
rikyrah
They were gunning for Trump. Fox had its marching orders. I find it all quite amusing.
Paul in KY
@Waldo: Don’t want to see him as a VP candidate either (especially if still Governor). Seen funky shit go down in Ohio back in 2004.
Matt McIrvin
@WereBear: I actually don’t want Trump to be the nominee, because I think Trump can win the general election.
Under today’s circumstances, when partisan polarization is high and Presidential elections are usually close, anyone nominated by a major party can win the general. Early perceptions of the individual don’t matter a lot; nomination brings automatic gravitas. The people now saying they won’t vote for Trump under any circumstances, a significant chunk of them will have loved Trump all along come the fall.
Citizen Alan
@Comrade Nimrod Humperdink:
Hell, I don’t have a favorable opinion of the Democrats, but I’ll vote for a potted cactus plant that wins the Dem nomination over any Republican running.
Irony Abounds
I can not vote for anyone who takes a selfie with a Kardashian. Clinton is dead to me now.