3 winners and 3 losers from the fifth Republican debate

[jimnyc]

Winner: Donald Trump

It's a good time to be Donald Trump. While he's fallen a point behind Ted Cruz in Iowa, he remains ahead by double digits in New Hampshire and South Carolina. Nationally, he's doing as well as he ever has, with the two most recent polls showing leads of 23 and 27 points respectively. What he needed tonight was (a) to not be embarrassed and (b) for no one out on stage to break out in dramatic fashion.

He accomplished both, and then some. Jeb Bush and Rand Paul both unleashed attacks in his direction, and he deflected both in grand fashion. Bush he dispatched with all the ruthless efficiency and contempt of a schoolyard bully. I mean that as a compliment —if not of Trump the person, then of Trump the candidate. I mean, just look at this:



Trump: You're a tough guy, Jeb. I know.

Bush: You're never going to be president of the United States by insulting your way…

Trump: I'm at 42, and you're at 3. So far I'm doing better. You started over here [gestures next to himself in the center of the stage]. You're moving over further and further. Pretty soon you're going to be off the end.

Same goes for Trump's exchange with Rand Paul, who assailed Trump's comments about "closing up the internet in some way" as an assault on Americans' freedoms: (Rand tried the same as on here, and Trump said basically what I've been saying and put him in his place)

TRUMP: And as far as the Internet is concerned, we're not talking about closing the Internet. I'm talking about parts of Syria, parts of Iraq, where ISIS is, spotting it.

Now, you could close it. What I like even better than that is getting our smartest and getting our best to infiltrate their Internet, so that we know exactly where they're going, exactly where they're going to be. I like that better. [MIXED APPLAUSE/BOOS]

But we have to -- who would be -- I just can't imagine somebody booing. These are people that want to kill us, folks, and you're -- you're objecting to us infiltrating their conversations? I don't think so. I don't think so.

http://www.vox.com/2015/12/16/102746...winners-losers

[Gunny]

Winner: Donald Trump

It's a good time to be Donald Trump. While he's fallen a point behind Ted Cruz in Iowa, he remains ahead by double digits in New Hampshire and South Carolina. Nationally, he's doing as well as he ever has, with the two most recent polls showing leads of 23 and 27 points respectively. What he needed tonight was (a) to not be embarrassed and (b) for no one out on stage to break out in dramatic fashion.

He accomplished both, and then some. Jeb Bush and Rand Paul both unleashed attacks in his direction, and he deflected both in grand fashion. Bush he dispatched with all the ruthless efficiency and contempt of a schoolyard bully. I mean that as a compliment —if not of Trump the person, then of Trump the candidate. I mean, just look at this:



Trump: You're a tough guy, Jeb. I know.

Bush: You're never going to be president of the United States by insulting your way…

Trump: I'm at 42, and you're at 3. So far I'm doing better. You started over here [gestures next to himself in the center of the stage]. You're moving over further and further. Pretty soon you're going to be off the end.

Same goes for Trump's exchange with Rand Paul, who assailed Trump's comments about "closing up the internet in some way" as an assault on Americans' freedoms: (Rand tried the same as on here, and Trump said basically what I've been saying and put him in his place)

TRUMP: And as far as the Internet is concerned, we're not talking about closing the Internet. I'm talking about parts of Syria, parts of Iraq, where ISIS is, spotting it.

Now, you could close it. What I like even better than that is getting our smartest and getting our best to infiltrate their Internet, so that we know exactly where they're going, exactly where they're going to be. I like that better. [MIXED APPLAUSE/BOOS]

But we have to -- who would be -- I just can't imagine somebody booing. These are people that want to kill us, folks, and you're -- you're objecting to us infiltrating their conversations? I don't think so. I don't think so.

http://www.vox.com/2015/12/16/102746...winners-losers

He didn't win crap. He just didn't lose. Jeb handed him his ass as far as I'm concerned. But Trump mostly remained silent. Someone in his campaign must had advised him to quit taking the bait.

[jimnyc]

He didn't win crap. He just didn't lose.

I thought several of them did quite well. As usual, I thought Trump did well. They tried to trip him up and it didn't work. I thought Cruz was fantastic. And believe it or not, I thought Christie made a few great points as well. And unless the others knock him off his perch, that is winning for him right now.

[jimnyc]

He didn't win crap. He just didn't lose. Jeb handed him his ass as far as I'm concerned. But Trump mostly remained silent. Someone in his campaign must had advised him to quit taking the bait.

Ooops, saw you added. Was he asked something that he didn't or refused to answer? I missed a few minutes on bathroom mistakes, don't know if I missed that or not.

[Gunny]

I thought several of them did quite well. As usual, I thought Trump did well. They tried to trip him up and it didn't work. I thought Cruz was fantastic. And believe it or not, I thought Christie made a few great points as well. And unless the others knock him off his perch, that is winning for him right now.

I think Christie (Ralph Cramden) did VERY well. He'll probably go up more spaces than anyone else. I also think Rand Paul and Carson and Fiorina need to just pack it in. Not because I don't like a couple of them, but they don't have a chance are are just cluttering the field.

Winning the nomination does NOT win the White House. You just don't listen to facts. Trump is NOT going to get the moderate nor independent votes. Shrillery is going to get ALL the leftwingnut votes. There's not enough Trump fans to win by yourselves.

[jimnyc]

You just don't listen to facts.

You see, this is the stuff I've been trying to point out. Just because I like a different candidate it somehow means I don't listen to facts? Many of you guys against Trump tend to instantly judge those of us who do support him, and imply that we aren't as smart as others, or that we "don't get" things as a result. Perhaps it's you guys who don't listen to facts? But I am not saying that, as I'm not somehow jumping on others because of the candidate they support. Again, I like them ALL and would proudly vote for ANY of them. I've not gotten on you or others for who you support. Well, perhaps that's because I have no idea, as all your time is spent in getting on Trump, or telling others how wrong they are or how they don't get things.

Why is it not simply possible that we like different candidates for different reasons? Seriously, WHO is it you support most at this point of the campaign? And when you voiced such here on the board, has anyone told you how dumb it was? Or how you don't understand things or can't see the facts? Or really jumped on you on any way at all because of that candidate? I really don't get it.

[jimnyc]

Nope :

Very interesting. I'll have to monitor those stats and see how they continue towards the primaries and throughout. But not surprising considering the numbers he is getting in polls and the numbers at his events.

[NightTrain]

Trump is NOT going to get the moderate nor independent votes. Shrillery is going to get ALL the leftwingnut votes. There's not enough Trump fans to win by yourselves.

Nope.

http://www.cnbc.com/2015/11/24/voter...16-ballot.html

[NightTrain]

Very interesting. I'll have to monitor those stats and see how they continue towards the primaries and throughout. But not surprising considering the numbers he is getting in polls and the numbers at his events.

Tried to embed the graph, but it was huge... need to brush up on my editing skeels to reduce some of these graphics.

[jimnyc]

Tried to embed the graph, but it was huge... need to brush up on my editing skeels to reduce some of these graphics.

I saw it when you posted it, like it. Made it clear for all to read.

[NightTrain]

I saw it when you posted it, like it. Made it clear for all to read.

Many people don't bother going out on links, you want to take a stab at reducing the size of that beast and posting here?

[jimnyc]

Many people don't bother going out on links, you want to take a stab at reducing the size of that beast and posting here?

How's this? Want it smaller, or is this cool?

[NightTrain]

Perfect!

Thanks man.

[Gunny]

You see, this is the stuff I've been trying to point out. Just because I like a different candidate it somehow means I don't listen to facts? Many of you guys against Trump tend to instantly judge those of us who do support him, and imply that we aren't as smart as others, or that we "don't get" things as a result. Perhaps it's you guys who don't listen to facts? But I am not saying that, as I'm not somehow jumping on others because of the candidate they support. Again, I like them ALL and would proudly vote for ANY of them. I've not gotten on you or others for who you support. Well, perhaps that's because I have no idea, as all your time is spent in getting on Trump, or telling others how wrong they are or how they don't get things.

Why is it not simply possible that we like different candidates for different reasons? Seriously, WHO is it you support most at this point of the campaign? And when you voiced such here on the board, has anyone told you how dumb it was? Or how you don't understand things or can't see the facts? Or really jumped on you on any way at all because of that candidate? I really don't get it.

No. I don't care who you like. I point out what I see about THEM. I can't help it if you, or others, take it personally that I don't like "your boy". I'm not getting on YOU at all. Unless you're Donald Trump. I can get all over Rubio as well. He IS a RINO. I lived in Miami for 8 years and I can tell you a conservative in that liberal hellhole is NOT a conservative in Texas.

I don't support any one person. They're mostly the same to me. If I had to pick any one of them today it would probably be Cruz. Although I was kind of impressed with Christie. I still believe Bush is the most qualified but that last name is killing him.

The whole problem here is people running on media and emotion. I'd have picked Scott Walker or Rick Perry over ANY of them. But they're boring. Any of the preceding mentioned are more qualified than Trump.

But y'all need to quit taking this crap so personally. There're countless threads on Trump and this election. My opinion isn't going to change about him and if all I have to post in are Trump threads, then I'm posting in them. This and a 20 minute run to Circle K for smokes and Powerade constitute my social life nowadays. Unless you want to count changing diapers and making bottles social.

[jimnyc]

But y'all need to quit taking this crap so personally. There're countless threads on Trump and this election. My opinion isn't going to change about him and if all I have to post in are Trump threads, then I'm posting in them. This and a 20 minute run to Circle K for smokes and Powerade constitute my social life nowadays. Unless you want to count changing diapers and making bottles social.

I only take things personally when it sounds like the posts replied to me sounds more personal. Pointing out what I get and what I don't get - that's personal opinions. I'm not crying over it, but I'll damn sure point it out, especially when others are claiming that it's Trump supporters somehow getting emotional.

I post Trump threads as I like him. I'm MORE than happy to post in many, many threads - but doesn't seem like folks that like other candidates are posting an awful lot about the candidates that they prefer over Trump.

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That's the one thing that sucks about the "lower half" of the states. I notice that in Florida, and it was horrid when I stayed with Jeff in Georgia. To go out and get a damn coffee, or pack of smokes, you had to drive like at least 10 miles and 20 mins away. Sometimes even on the highway and down to the next city for lame things!! Here in NY you can walk to everything you need. Now, you may get shot on your way to get the smokes, but at least you can walk back home with that wound!