I just finished watching the third primetime Republican debate online since I was teaching at church and couldn’t watch it live. In my opinion U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) was the winner of the primetime CNBC GOP debate. Rubio was sharp, he parried attacks and gotcha questions with ease. He was relatable, and he was positive. It was a very, very good night for him. I suspect he will see a bump in the polls as a result.
Well done.
The biggest loser of tonight’s debate was CNBC. I thought the moderation of the first two primetime debates was bad, but CNBC set a new low. The moderators totally lost control of the debate. They were inconsistent in giving response time. They spent too much time talking. Their line of questioning was biased and they at times engaged in debating the candidates. Carl Quintanilla was actually booed not once, but twice by the audience.
The best response of the evening was made by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) criticizing the line of questioning. The moderators didn’t even work with each other well as they interrupted on another. John Harwood’s tried to argue with Rubio over his tax plan. They also were in numerous places did not have their facts straight when questioning the candidates.
I could go on and on. It was simply embarrassing. They should never be allowed to host a GOP debate ever again.
Cruz deserves an honorable mention. This was his best debate so far. I’d consider him the runner-up. Carly Fiorina had a solid debate as well. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie also had a good debate.
Ohio Governor John Kasich was allotted more time than his polling deserves. Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee didn’t receive enough time. Dr. Ben Carson’s response to CNBC’s attack of his tax plan was good, but was unremarkable after that.
Was U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) even present? He was probably given the least amount of time. He and Cruz discussed monetary policy so kudos to both of them for that.
Trump was Trump. He didn’t say anything outrageous so in that respect it was a win for him. I don’t think he gained supporters through this debate, but I don’t think he lost either.
Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush was just flat, and Rubio turned around Bush’s critique of Rubio’s missing votes. I would also say Bush is the winner of the most awkward statement award. Bush said, “You find me a Democrat for cutting spending $10, and I’ll give them a warm kiss.”
That creeped me out a little.
Who do you think won the debate?
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