I just watched the GOP debate, and it was a bit cathartic, actually. I had low expectations going in.
Kudos to Trump for avoiding it. Regardless of the fact that it made (probably) strategic sense for him to do so, it meant we got to hear mostly a genuine exchange, to the extent that you can in a Presidential debate. And in my opinion, it was the undercard candidates who had the best moments of the night.
For each candidate, I will give a recap of where they stood going in, how they did, and a final score, in order of their placement on the stage.
Ron DeSantis
Going in: The Trump-slayer on thin ice.
How he did: He told the truth about the most important issues to me, personally. Technically. Reluctantly. He didn’t resort so much to new-fangled double-speak (see: Vivek). He just … sorta … whined out the answers on the third or fourth time being asked.
On Jan. 6: “Yes, Mike did his duty.”
On Ukraine: “Increased aid to Ukraine should be contingent on Europe doing more”. So we want to help them win, we just have to put an own-the-libs spin on it. Sure.
The problem is, by showing that tiny sliver of inner Mitt Romney his candidacy depends on, he is showing himself to be a bit phony in his shtick.
The debate also had a few cheesy “everyone raise your hand if you agree with X”-type questions. The first time, Ron rightly refused to raise his hand, called it a stupid gimmick, and took the microphone. This also mercifully spared the others from having to choose whether to put their hand up.
But on the second or third hand-raise question of the night, I swear it’s like he had to wait to see whether others put their hands up first.
He needed to have the performance; that he did not. However, the rest of the stage bashed him little, focusing on the newcomer instead (see: Vivek). Maybe that’s because they think DeSantis will flame out soon; I think its because they are still expecting to endorse him come February.
Final score: “I said it before, yes, Mike Ron did his duty, I got no beef, but is this what we are gonna talk about?”. 1
Vivek Ramaswamy
Going in: Millennial man raps Enimem all the way to the debate stage. He is having a smaller version of a Herman Cain/Ben Carson polling bump, up to third place at 10%.
How he did: Well, he brought the memes, and he talks like he is 38. He stole the show for about 20 minutes. But this guy is 100% pathos and 0% logos IMO.
He had one exchange I liked. In brief:
Vivek: The youths are not allright, we are listless and hungry for purpose, we need revival.
Pence: “Revival? Lol no, the American people are strong, ask anyone
Vivek: Are you kidding? This is a moment of darkness for us as a people.
Facts, Vivek. But he takes things way too far. He was the only person on stage who said things I really did not like. The cute “I can tell you how things REALLY are unlike these windbags” bit wears thin very fast when you start selling bridges.
Christie, Pence, and Haley all viciously roasted him. He got dragged. The first time he gave his clapback it was fun, but by the end he withered. And I mean, literally withered under the thundering applause the others got for blasting him to the high heavens. Mind you, he had plenty of sympathetic members in the audience too.
Final score: He lost himself. Memes aside he was the most talked about, which is a win for him. (Actually, I am listening to him live, right now, in a post-debate interview. His own self-review is: “hey, for my first debate ever this exceeded my expectations.” Fair enough man.)
Mike Pence
Going in: Why are you in the race? I’m so sorry. This race will not give you the vindication you deserve for January 6. (But he is still polling higher than my people.)
How he did: Exceeded my expectations. Strong answers on the Jan 6 stuff obviously, and a good combo of old-school conservative greatest hits with some nuanced and correct legal takes.
For example, I think he had the best answer on whether he’d pardon Trump.
Vivek: “Only I have the courage to vow that I will pardon Trump.”
Pence: “First of all, he’s not been convicted of anything. But I’ve actually given pardons before, and in my experience, they usually follow a finding of guilt, and then contrition. If I’m president, Trump would be entitled to the same considerations”.
Pence is one of the two candidates who will get a second look because of tonight, I think. May not count for much, but I liked everything he said and maybe, just maybe, the smoke-filled back rooms of Fox news could organize a rally behind Pence at the 11th hour. Anyone else want to limp across the finish line in third place with Pence, Kasich style? I’m down.
Final score: 8/10 Goodnight Sweet Prince. I think he spoke very well. Maybe it was worth running just for the mild vindication of having a few of the candidates tell it like it is on Trump vs. Pence.
Nikki Haley
Going in: Where are the RINOs? The “Haley Hive”?? She should have been the RINO champion going in. Surely, people can’t think she is ‘tainted’ by having been Trump’s UN ambassador? I BOUGHT HER BASEBALL CAP. AND HER BEER COOSIES. I DID MY PART.
How she did: To be honest, everything she said was, by my ear, not only good, but too good. She is actually trying to tell it like it is on a level that the world isn’t ready for. Nothing earth shattering, right? Just stuff that rings like common sense to my ears; in order words, sorcery.
I think she had a good night. She came across as confident and strong. She is the second candidate that I think will earn a second look. But its clear now, even if she has a breakout moment, she can’t win, because she just makes too much sense to me.
Standout moment: Brutally demolishing Vivek for wanting to appease Putin.
Final score: 6/10 too good to be true.
Chris Christie
Going in: A bridge too far.
How he did: What else needs to be said? Hilarious performance from our favorite reformed Trump-basher. He said what needed to at least be said, in some cases, in spite of booing. And you know what? I think he got the last word in over the boos.
He also got some good Vivek-bashing in, possibly the best; a final score on Vivek bashing will be in the bonus round.
Final score: 8/10 “Really, I get the UFO question?”
Tim Scott
Going in: The only moderate (comparatively) to be showing a hint of momentum. The Senator from South Carolina has little traction nationally, but his ad buys in Iowa and NH have put him to 10% - it’s a sign of life.
How he did: No signs of life. Look I like him a decent bit, I’m of course sympathetic to him and I don’t want to reduce politics to the ‘energy’ or ‘vibes’. But he didn’t have it there. The elephant in the room here is that he is a sitting senator among a lot of other folks with more interesting experience and battle scars. And he came across that way to me, that’s all. He was not much of a presence on stage.
Final score: 5/10 I think he may have actually lost the most tonight.
And finally, for the 1% bracket
Doug Burgum
Going in: Who? (Even I hadn’t heard of the Governor of South Dakota until he announced.)
How he did:
Award for best handling of breaking your achilles tendon the night before
Multiple awards for small town style
He pulled out his pocket Constitution to explain why the 10th amendment means there can’t be a federal abortion ban
Final Score: Winner of the 1% bracket, and based on my live-tweeting to my wife, I think she might vote for him regardless of whether he is still in the race next spring.
Asa Hutchinson
Going in: Who? (Even I hadn’t heard of the Governor of Arkansas until he announced.)
How he did:
Most stale talking points
Most stale vision
But, the most blunt Trump criticism. Asa was the only one to say that Trump’s legal issues could (could) make him constitutionally ineligible to be President.
Bonus round
In a few cases, actual issues were discussed. I thought it was fascinating that the candidates were evenly split on whether to support a 15-week national abortion ban:
Christie: Not in favor
Asa: In favor, because Roe v. wade empowered states but also the legislature to act2
Pence: In favor, because there should be some minimum standard
Haley: Not in favor, but because its can’t pass a filibuster
Doug: Not in favor, but because of the 10th amendment
Scott: In favor
DeSantis: Pretended to answer but actually said nothing. Read between the lines: he knows it wouldn’t fly but thinks he’d be weakened by answering either way3
Vivek: Literally missed what he had to say here if anything
Best Vivek bashing?
Pence: His Trump pardon line
Haley: Under your watch you will make America weaker; you have no foreign policy experience and it shows.4
Christie: I’m tired of listening to someone who sounds like ChatGPT.
Winner: Christie
Closing thought
All-in-all, an exciting comeback night for RINOs, in which several of our candidates looked good, even great, which is sure to prevent us from consolidating enough to make even a futile, symbolic push.
And really, I have to say, having heard these talking heads go at it while I typed, I nailed every one of the professional reactions to these candidates, I should be paid.
This is an almost literal paraphrase of what DeSantis said, after he refused a few times to answer the explicit question from the moderators, “did Pence do the right thing on Jan 6.” The question went to Pence, who turned to Ron and said, “no I think we all deserve an answer on this one, from all the candidates”. Finally, Ron gave the answer I spoofed above: “Yes, I’ve said it before, Mike did his duty, I got no beef, but is this really what we are gonna talk about? This election isn’t about January 6th its about January 20th 2025”.
This peculiar argument is another reason Doug was the hands-down winner of the 1% bracket.
Refusing to answer questions that just aren’t in your political interest to answer? You know, maybe he actually should be nominated.
This was the culminating of a long riff in which she got a crescendo of applause, she really thundered this one out to big applause.