Anyone watching?

Could be some fireworks...

ABC 8:00 EST

I usually try to watch that stuff.

You bet. I watch all the debates. Kind of like a sporting event for me even though some of it tends to get a bit silly.

Watching Bernie and Hillary argue over points is like visiting my parents at the senior center during lunch......

I have no real interest in watching two old socialist argue the best way to destroy our once Great nation!

I guess I should have said I watch all the Republican debates. I agree that it's pretty depressing watching Bernie and Hillary.

More idiocy brought to us by the RNC...........

MM

And the landmines placed by the liberal media.

Go Trump........

I'm going to watch

I've seen similar sentiment here on the 'fire.

I really think that is important to watch both parties' debates. Need to know the enemy.

I will likely watch, although I am getting so sick and tired of the whole thing it makes me want to puke just to turn on the tv.

I'd vote for Hilary today if this f(cking cough would go away.

Socialism at a glance.

thinking this is the one where the gloves come off and it gets really ugly.

However, I will say it's pretty f'd up for them not to let Carly on that stage. I'm not her biggest fan BUT she does not deserve to be omitted just because there were not enough for an under card.

Will still vote for Rafael no matter who "wins" the debate.

Bush, Crispie Cream, and that spas Kasich shouldn't be allowed on the stage, either.

Thinking you are right. The more these guys talk....the more I like Carly....who doesn't get to.

well this is starting off smoothly. ha ha ha


To quote Dennis Miller - I have seen better choreography during the Oswald prison transfer

Carson & Trump weren't smart enough to find their way on to the stage!

Ole'Dr Carson just flipped off Cruz in the most polite fashion,,,

-------

You must only have access to closed-captioning.

Well so far it's the same old he said this and he said that.....someone call me if they ever start talking about anything of substance....I'll be over on FS1 watching the UFC fights...

Rubio outed BIG time!! Go Christie!

Was being sarcastic. Damn we need a sarcastic icon!

Christie just shlonged ( ) Rubio. Showed EXACTLY what he's made of....

Yup tonight is all about Governors versus others.

Cristy and Rubio really going at it

Cruz did a great job with the NK response.

Can't any of these channels put together a quality team of moderators?

Who's is this liberal moderator Bitch, and why is she attacking CRUZ ???

ABC News is almost as bad as CNN!

Hey Pat can you please tell Cruz to stop pecking his podium??

Bush is a mess. He really can't even formulate an entire comprehensive sentence.

Carson not getting any time tonight.

Rubio is sweatin like a village person.

Trumps comment about opening up the states so insurance companies have to compete is an excellent point and a very big part of fixing our healthcare debacle.

Did Trump just say that we will have people dying in the street?

Are those the ones he's going to shoot??

Don't agree with the Keystone/Canadian pipeline being a candidate for eminent domain....

Jeb nailed Trump and Trump's just digging a hole now.....

So much for the Rubio surge. His entire debate tonight is like an extended slow motion replay of his infamous awkward reach for that glass of water.

The more I watch these debates, the more I'm convinced CRUZ is the only real choice for POTUS.

Trump was right again.
Im getting tired of all of his victorys.

dave

It ain't gonna happen without it.

They allow this stuff on broadcast TV now?

I'm not a Christie fan, but he has kicked Rubio's ass tonight! It's actually quite amusing.

Somewhere, someone stated "i've seen monkey schit fights at the zoo more organized than this"..

I would rather listen to Kasigh and Carson. Better yet kick Jebs ass out and put Fiorina or Gilmore up there.

Most of these clowns on stage dont deserve votes...

I hope Cruz makes them all look silly.

Go Cruz!

We like Trump best and think he can win an election for president.

Bush bested Trump

Christie and Bush slamming Rubio and Trump were a big plus for Cruz. He was able to make many clear, unchallenged points because his competition was too busy swatting at the flies!!

Rubio's suffering from serious cotton-mouth from being so stressed out about his talking points getting called on the carpet....

Kasich thinks the key to being conservative is "tax cuts". Seriously??

Trump is handling the moderators and the candidates with the same vigor that made him the clear front-runner he is.

In the order of winning debate performance so far it's, Trump, Christie and Cruz.

Wonder if Christie will take over Cruz's 3rd place finish in NH.

Man Trump needs to keep his mouth shut if he wants to have a chance.

As for Rubio and water. I do a ton of public speaking in the security sector and it's not easy. In fact, some folks really do suffer from chronic dry mouth. I consume a ton of water during meetings and conferences.

I certainly would not judge a person by this. We all suffer from something.

Christie is winning this one with ease.

I wish Christie was a true conservative because he's one helluva debater and GREAT at connecting with the viewers.

I'm convinced Rubio either shoots up speed or snorts coke before each debate.

Gov Kasich is having his best night yet.....but he's still a putz.

He sure made Rubio look like a bumbling idiot. That's the only part of the debate I watched.

Geeee zusssss Rubio is sounding like a broken record!!

Christie should keep calling him out on his Congressional "25 second speech!"

Best line of the night!

How in the hell did Rubio get third in Iowa???? Carson might as well leave! Christie is clearly ontop so far.

Christie's shooting these topics between the eyes.....NAILED the issue with taxes on the wealthy.

Everybody do a shot everytime Cruz spanks his lectern.

See ya in a couple days.

Yup!

Rubio wants the Sunnis to save us.....I think I'll stick with Cruz's plan to take the gloves off our fine military and let them do what they do best without all the BS ROEs and protect them from all the BS lawyers while you're at it!!!

Recording it and watching the Thunder @ Wariors

Finally watched about 45 minutes of the debacle.

Christie handed Bubble Boy his ass on a platter.
Nobody wants to talk to Ben Carson.
Jeb's version of his Florida legend is BS. He is a petulant child.
Cruz is being ignored to large degree but shoots straight when questioned from what I hear.
T Rump is barking loud, not hearing a lot of specifics.

Etc.

Etc.

I feel a need to go shower. Bunch of slimy bastids for the most part.

More of a process of elimination than anything, if Cruz doesn't win the nomination I'm voting for the dead cat.

HA! He's gonna need OCare on his right index finger for sure....

Bush is a babbling idiot!

I'm going to invest in whoever makes Sharpie markers because I'll be rich from all the protesters sporting their "No blood for OIL" signs under Trump. I don't have an issue with taking their oil to starve them and help pay us back for our efforts but you can phrase it much better than Trump does.....

Water boarding! Hell yeah!

Jeb is such a milk-toast.....

Cruz eliminating all of Obama's BS executive orders is BIG positive for him.....

Obama was a guest at Martha Raddatz's wedding. Just FYI.

Carson's wearing a short sleeve dress shirt. Thinking that right there eliminates him as a capable candidate.

^^^^^^^This^^^^^^^^

One would think that any candidate should be able to beat an evil, lying, criminal witch or proclaimed socialist.


That it's uncertain is a testament to how [bleep] the majority of people are.

Personally, I see tonight as Trump's weakest stance. Also, notice how when someone mentions his name he is the only one not asking to respond. I don't think he wants to speak.

Governor's are winning tonight.

Ted's top of podium has to look like a fav spot for the red headed woodpecker. Obama does that!

Cruz just hit it out of the park with his specific response to the addiction problems in America (and his efforts to help his nephew).....

Christie is killing it tonight.....

Perhaps, BUT Christie had a solution. People do not want to hear about OPP. They want to hear solutions to problems.

POS=Problem-Opportunity-Strategy!!!

Christie really commands the people! Wasn't a fan but he's growing on me.

Is Rubio drunk?? He should be....

All things being equal I will ALWAYS have more respect for a Governor than a Senator.

BIG time!!

For me a Governor is running a big business or a small country.

Agreed, except no two people are equal.

I agree that Christie did even better and those results would make a big difference for this country as a whole (if they're actually accurate/true)......

Unless you're Larry Root!

And the IRS!

Very true. Cruz has done a lot to put himself back up on top overall tonight so I pray he's careful now so he doesn't give them all a poorly worded sound-bite that they can use to take the spotlight off the real issues.....

I just wish somebody would explain to Christie and Kasich that being a Federal Prosecutor or from Ohio are not the holy grail of conservatism.

Cruz is the clear winner over both Trump and Big Ears tonight.

Early yet. That moderator HATES him. Rush was talking about that Thursday. On the other hand, he knows that.

No doubt, LT. I wish someone would slap that bitch right off the damn stage

Carson nailed the vetern, selective service, draft issue.

He did and I think, if he were the POTUS, he would do a good job changing the system to get them the help they need and deserve (along with some of the others).

Cruz nailed the ransom issue and highlighted the fact that Americans now have a bounty on our heads! Travelling out of the country is a no-no anymore IMO.....

Thee are a lot of Carson yard signs in SC.

Time for Kasich to break in line...

Jeb did a good job on the pro-life topic IMO.

Rubio nailed the press as to why they have never asked hillary and sanders questions about abortion.

Rubio should be able to hear his supporters no matter where they are in the country.

Damn, I just came in an hour ago for dinner (killer ham and beans in the slow cooker) after spending most of the day wrenching on my and my son's car and handloading for the hog hunt. Oh, and a gunshow this AM.

So you arrived just in time to hear the most important question of the night. Who wins the Superbowl!?

Rubio finished strong. Cruz stayed pretty level but I think Christie was the most consistent. Not sure where I think Trump finished.

I'll take a conservative senator over a RINO governor any day!!!

Cruz and Rubio did well tonight!

There were times when even Trump sounded sincere and on point! When he is not in campaign mode and talking to someone one-on-one, he seems like a good guy with pretty good ideas.

I watched Trump on Watter's World and was somewhat impressed.

I think they all made a good showing, sans Jeb!. Jeb just needs to quit.

Rubio did a good job??????? Never seen a canidate so rattled. Christie had him on the ropes.

Actually, even Jeb did okay. BUT he simply cannot articulate what he wants to say. Always looks like someone caught up in a lie. Definitely the ultimate deer in headlights.

I continue to have an enormous respect for Doctor Carson.

Still very much undecided here.

Cruz did a good job with his summary and Trump just made himself look even more petty.

Rubio had his moments. He did get Crispi Creamed a few times though.

Cruz did a good job of sounding less "slick", other than avoiding the abolishing the IRS question. (or saving it until he was out of time)

Rubio's fake wife is pretty hot.

Another YUGE win for Donald Trump.
dave

Get a grip! HUGE my asss.

Personally I believe collectively the Governors had the best night.

Trump only had a good night because he kept his mouth shut.

+1 thought Trump did ok until his closing statement,that made him look so weak.

The polls will show a trump win.

Now hes won all the debates.
dave

so he says

They showed a Trump win in Iowa too...until people voted.

I'd rate the debate:

Top - Cruz/Christie
Middle - Carson/Kasich
Bottom - Trump/Bush
Epic Fail - Rubio

They all had their good moments. But just stop and contrast them against the opposition. A screeching grandma on the run from the FBI and a grandpa who is the personification of Che Guevara. Both who can't wait to take more of your money.

Last time Iowa voted for santa-stor-chit.
Really?
Shows how much they count for anything...
Looks like all you do is listen to FOX news and play jimmy carter videos.
dave

We give the average voter way too much credit. No one who posts in political threads at the Campfire is even close to "average". The average voter is lost after the first sentence. Trump has that figured out. What we think is shallow, is, and by design.

I missed the first part of the debate; however, in the second half of it Rubio held his own quite well.

My man Cruz had a very good night! Jeb and Kas need to leave the race.

I agree with you, I greatly respect Ben Carson!

Carson would be a valuable asset in a republican administration in implementing the huge downsizing of the CDC and NIH.

It will be interesting to see the order of the candidates after Trump in NH.

Big time. The man is even smarter than he shows. Too bad he didn't run in 2008.

Just very respectful and grounded.

Cruz won the debate hands down IMO.

Immutable rules:

1) "Winner" of debate will follow nationwide polling numbers;

2) Results of NH will be whatever they are;

3) RNC is *still* lettin Demorat Fn states select, or at least winnow, our choices for nominee.

IDGAS about *history*: If a Fn state went blue in the last election, the MFers go Fing LAST in the primary selection process.

Trump leads 30 to only 16 for the nomination as of right now.

Poll - Republican nomination.

I lost respect for Carson when he didn't take responsibility for his own actions.

Of course Trump is proclaiming himself the winner,but when doesn't he.
Jeb actually bested him on the eminent domain exchange

Do tell please?

It was Carsons staff that reported him not going on to NH and returning to Florida to CNN

More than precisely...

He is the guy who told his guy he was leaving. His guy told CNN. CNN reported it. Cruz heard and passed the information to his people.

Trump will probably maintain his thirty something percent until he meets Rubio with his sixty something. I'm still holding out for people to do the right thing for the country and vote for Cruz. Call it a flaw, but I have more faith in people than they probably deserve.

Leaving what? The race or simply Iowa to FL for a rest and who knows what else?

I really fail to see where Carson did anything wrong. He showed up in NH right?

[video:youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=26&v=F1tIH5XhXa0[/video]

But did Carson or his staff actually say Carson was dropping out??

He didn't do anything "wrong". He (or his) made a mistake by simply telling a CNN reporter that he was going home, skipping Iowa and would going to a Prayer meeting (or something) in Washington later in the week. They quickly amended it to add that he wasn't dropping out, but it was too late. It had already spread. Rubio's camp was doing the exact same thing but wasn't the one that Carson's people heard.

Obviously not, but that was the context reported.

Go Bernie Sanders!!!!

You dog YOU!

Go Panthers!!

The media has you right where they want you.
Not only is cruz not malleable.Hes unelectable as well.
You just keep listening to the second worst pres ever.
Next thing you will be telling us about how your feeling the "burn"

dave

yup ..but if he is doging u/me....I'd smack him

[video:youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=26&v=F1tIH5XhXa0[/video]

yep just like i said.

dave

Carter was right.

DONALD TRUMP: “You have to get people in, grab them, hug them, kiss them and get the deal done.”

did you see the audience and their "WTF was that" when he delivered that one?

Classic!!

They quickly amended it to add that he wasn't dropping out, but it was too late. It had already spread.
-------

HS.

The damaging messages that were spread emanated straight from Cruz's camp.

The timeline and the tweets are even subject to debate. Cruz got called out for doing exactly what his camp intended to do.

Carson did say that his tweet of clarification was exactly one minute after.

In conjuncture with his correction tonight he was not combative but asked that folks simply do the right thing along the way.

I prefer to believe the good Doctor.

Seriosly?
Come on fellas. Act like you got a fuggin' clue.

He did. You don't believe Cruz has people watching everything that the other candidate says every second, ready to pounce?
Cruz also told people that the info was incorrect and not to continue with the message, but the cat was out of the bag.

MM ABC blew that one not Carson. They even forgot to intro Kasich and were ready to start the debate without him. Rubio had to remind them.

Bunch of media idiots.

I don't blame any of them. Just an honest misunderstanding by all. Leastwise, from my past "learning."

Only one making an issue out of it is you know who!

Cruzzies:

1) Blame it on the video;

2) What difference, at this point, does it make?

3) Moveon.org/cruz

That's what he does.

Trump should win New Hampshire by a landslide. He said it... They're more his kind than those people in Iowa. Everybody else on that stage knows it too, and that's why he was left alone tonight.

Last thing "this"country needs is another politician running it.

isaac,



Cruz is obviously the best for president then. He was able to get Carson's man to tell CNN that Carson was going home and not going to New Hampshire and and then was going to the prayer breakfast on Thursday. And then after all that Cruz pretended like he didn't orchestrate the whole thing. Genius!

Trump has Carters "endorsement". Cruz has Ringmans.

Both damaging.

True, but they're the only ones stupid enough to want the job.

Net impact of the debate:

- Trump under performs his double digit lead
- Steam taken away from Rubio's Iowa bounce
- Cruz minimizes impact of Carson fiasco
- Everyone else over performs polls

Unfortunately, I think the weak links are going to do better and stick around longer.

Gilmore, the dark horse, comes out unscathed.

Tag

Cruz did better for me tonight.
He had a great story about his sister and his answers were much more presidential.

I think that he took responsibility for his campaign manager who is a bit of a floorflusher.

He did better than any debate thus far.

However, I feel that Trump did something that was damaging to Cruz and Rubio. He lays out the dialogue of what is going on the debates. Trump basically controls the tempo. He has done this a couple of times stealing the narrative from the other candidates and the moderators. These moderators were really underpowered. Mary Hamm is great but she didn't come out that strong.

Cruz or Trump or Rubio needs to build upon the importance of the next POTUS selecting two or three SCOTUS judges. Nobody has said this but it is Trump's Achilles Heel.

Rubio and Jeb both look ill prepared to be chief executive.

Sincerely,
Thomas

Trump Triumphant

A strong night for the governors, but a good night for the frontrunner.

"The Weekly Standard"
Feb 06, 2016 By Jonathan V. Last

The big media story from the debate will be Marco Rubio’s confrontation with Chris Christie. But the larger picture might be about how well Donald Trump did.

Trump was relatively reserved. He wasn't bombastic. Or erratic. He was—by Trumpian standards—presidential? Okay, let's not get crazy. Trump wasn't able to stay in check for the full three hours—he couldn't help himself from lashing out at Cruz in his closing statement. And where candidates often lash out at the media when they get in trouble in a debate, Trump attacked the audience. The move was classic pro-wrestling—like Vince McMahon baiting the crowd. And it was so crazy that it kind of worked.

But here's the thing: Trump had, easily, his worst moment in any of the debates so far. Jeb Bush gutted him on eminent domain. Trump has never lost an exchange so decisively. Yet Trump wound up skating past that defeat.

Partly it was the dynamics of the debate that favored Trump. Aside from eminent domain, Bush focused on Rubio and Christie looked like he was on a kamikaze mission to destroy the Florida senator. Nobody else even glanced Trump's way.

And in spots, Trump was pretty good. His full-throated law-and-order defense of the police is likely to play well with Republican voters. When he talked about James Foley he—again, by Trumpian standards—was somber and serious.

Yet what really made Trump the winner is this: He entered the debate with a commanding lead in the New Hampshire polls and his only worry was a surging Rubio. Rubio got stopped cold—but by a guy who's polling at 5 percent here. The second-place slot got more muddled by the debate, not less. And that's good news for the front-runner.

The net effect of tonight's debate will probably be to preserve—or even extend—Trump's position on Tuesday night.

I didn't watch it, but from what was said on the 'net, Rubio was pretty much the loser and Cruz was thought to have not done well. Trump seemed to have done slightly well with Jeb! surprisingly doing better than he has before and most thinking Krispy made points off of Rubio.

And it comes from The Weekly Standard, a up until now, anti-Trump GOPe NRO ugly, red headed stepdaughter.

Most are going to pick their own guy. The point here is that Trump at least stayed steady whereas his two chief competitors seemed to have faltered.

Trump is a gambler and he gambled big that staying out of the last debate was the thing to do. He seems to have come up bupkus on that one, but I doubt he lost any sleep over it. Trump is so effing rich that he pays guys to lose sleep for him.

I think all these guys would do better than what we have had the last 7 years. I think Hildabeast would of been a better president than Obummer too. But you stick these guys on the stage together and Trump looks like the only one that can get the job done.

That became pretty clear last night with Trumps YUGE overall win.
Fatazz took down rubio and showed him to be raghead like in inexperience.rubio needs to go be a governor somewhere for 12 years.Might be ready for the bigshow after that, but I dought it..
Cruz.
As hard as Trump is to listen to sometimes.
The cuban for me, is always much worse.
The high handed doogooder/evangelical/preaching delivery,in a almost raghead like style, is like listening to fingernails on a chalkboard...
The rest of the crowd are toast and dont matter.


dave

The less conservative a candidate is, the less likely they are to win the general election and worse they will be for the country. Period.

I cant tell if thats from the secesh playbook of epic fail.
Or you have listened to MSLSD and jimmy carter so much they have programmed you to want kun-ton or the commie to win.

dave

No it's the results of the last two elections...unlike RINO's and Dems. conservatives don't tend to unite behind mealy mouthed candidates...McCain & Romneys penchant for giving reach arounds didn't inspire much confidence that they were that much different than the clown that now resides at 1600...

Dood...you were Romney's biggest cheerleader. How did that work out? For that matter, when did running a kinda-liberal against a liberal EVER work out for republicans? People like you were the inspiration for that Charlie Brown football thingee.

ltppowell



This shouldn't be profound, but it is. How do the Republicans miss it?

Jeb couldn't gut a sunfish.

Regarding Trump missing 1 debate, he won by avoiding a stacked deck that might have hurt him much worse than simply not attending.

Not my quote, for the record.

Trump was exactly right on Eminent Domain and he never took a house from an old lady,not that those prone to silly gossip won't buy into it, hook, line and sinker, anyways.

If not in the top 3-4,I'll be shocked if Jeb's supporters keep funding him through SC.

They're already cutting their losses and moving to Rubio.

After last night, they might think twice.

Or finance them both. There's plenty money on Wall Street.

I think I'll pass on that high lofting, slow pitched softball.

LOL...you know as well as I do that organized crime always greases politicians palms, regarless of party. They don't care who wins as long as they own them. Ideology is not a factor. You don't see George Soros financing many Republicans do you? Same for the Koch brothers. They may have money, but they both have values beyond personal wealth.

Yea the electoral college votes of a very limited number of states won it for the raghead.
Now your backing a doogooder/evangelical/preacher delivered in a raghead like style no substance guy,that will loose like Berry Goldwater.
Goldwater, Typical secesh playbook epic fail.


dave

You mean like being married to Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. ?

dave

So...are going to answer, or not? There's nothing more pitiful than a grown man pointing at other people in an effort to deflect criticism.

I did answer.
Your backing a loser.Cruz has no chance.
There's nothing more pitiful than a grown man that cant see how the media has affected his judgment.

dave

How are the PA unions voting, with your money?

You you don't even know you're a liberal, do you?

Your backing someone who cant win.
Feel the burn yet.

dave

Your paycheck are backing whom?

You've only got one that can possibly win the General... and that is Christie! Trump, Cruz, or even Rubio, none of which could win the general.

Phil

You don't actually believe that......?

Christie may have eaten Romney, but they're equally "conservative". This Country is doomed......

Trump and Rubio will under perform their polls. Cruz and Christie will over perform their polls. Carson is Carson. Don't give a rip about Bush and Kasich.

We (Americans) lost in 2008 and 2012 because Republicans nominated terrible candidates. They won their respective nominations because voters in some states believed that compromising with liberals would make them less offensive to Democrats. It did. They won the "middle" and lost the elections.

Now they want to triple-down. The stupidity is overwhelming.

Been feeling it for almost a decade, after guys like you burned America with Romney and McCain.