Rubio Success In Last Night’s Debate Should Terrify Women
Republicans sparred over economic issues and immigration Tuesday, a more expansive exchange that allowed the candidates to speak in more depth and likely allowed most to bolster their appeal without substantively changing the contours of the presidential race.
During the debate Tuesday, billionaire businessman Donald Trump declared himself a “stablemate” with Putin because both were on the same TV program – once and thousands of miles (kilometers) apart. His attack on Rubio’s spotty Senate attendance record in last month’s debate backfired, causing concern among his network of donors and supporters already anxious about a sudden round of staffing reductions.
“My worry is that the real economy has been hurt by the vast overreach of the Obama administration”, Bush declared. He wasn’t in the main debate because his polling numbers are so bad, but he did well in what’s called the undercard debate, with minor candidates. The reason she is in the field is to criticize Hillary Clinton and blunt “War on Women” accusations from the left.
The Republican presidential candidates are debated for the fourth time in the 2016 nomination contest, this time in Milwaukee, as they compete to narrow down the wide-open contest.
Trump’s comments about wages being “too high” came in response to a debate question about raising the minimum wage, which Trump and other GOP candidates said they oppose.
Trump says it’s “very, very unfair” to make legal immigrants wait years to get in, while those in the USA illegally can stay. Cruz did have a significant oops moment when naming the five federal departments he would eliminate, reminiscent of fellow Texan Rick Perry’s debate blunder in 2012. “There is nothing we do now to win”. The top issue: Taxes, followed by immigration, the minimum wage, jobs and health care.
Marco Rubio: He had another solid debate performance, giving memorable soundbites (“We need more welders and less philosophers”) and flexing his hawkish muscles on foreign policy.
Rubio did face criticism from a few rivals, most notably Kentucky Sen.
Speaking to reporters after a town hall meeting, Bush was asked whether he thinks Rubio, whose relationship with the former Florida governor goes back more than a decade, could beat Clinton next November.
“The big question that hangs over me as I saw this debate is what the hell is holding Ben Carson up?”
“I have no problem with being vetted”.
Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina and John Kasich had decent appearances, each with strong moments. Bringing up the rear are Jeb Bush (3 percent) and John Kasich (2 percent).
“It would tear communities apart”, echoed Bush.
After the debate’s conclusion, 43% of Republicans who watched said that they viewed Rubio more favorably than they had before the debate, and 37% said the same of Carson, who ably parried questions regarding inconsistencies in his personal narrative that have dogged his campaign over the past week. It is a silly argument.