Republican Smackdown!!

With all the panache, tension and excitement of a World Wrestling  Royal Rumble, the first republican debate took place in Cleveland before thousands of people. Hosted by Fox News anchors Meghyn Kelley, Chris Wallace and Bret Baier the top ten republican presidential candidates fielded hard hitting questions from the panel. The questions were more hard hitting than any past debates I’ve heard over the years and each of the candidates answered them directly and honestly.

Everyone was tuned in mostly to hear how Donald Trump would react and he came across succinctly and more truthful  than anyone else and although he toned down the rhetoric he still came back at the panel’s antagonistic questioning to him directly and with a toughness yet firm replies that showed he knows what he’s talking about and when you attack Trump he pushes back and says what he means and means what he says.

First of all I didn’t care for the panel asking the candidates who wouldn’t  take a pledge to not start a third party if they didn’t get the nomination. This was obviously aimed at Trump who many say would start a third party if he didn’t get the nomination. Trump was the only one who raised his hand saying he wouldn’t take the pledge. Everyone else stayed silent. I thought that was courageous of Trump and he has a right to his opinion. He has said in the past he wouldn’t start a third party because he knows he’s going to win. Later on when Sean Hannity was interviewing him after the debate Trump said he did that just to gain some leverage. He said this government should use leverage, but they don’t and he would get behind a republican candidate 100%. This is how a true businessman operates when brokering a deal which Trump is a master at.

I also thought it was unfair, low down and mean spirited of Meghyn Kelley to ask Trump about him calling women names in the  past such as dogs, slobs and disgusting animals  and what I call the phony” war on women.” Trump responded in true Trump fashion like a father scolding his foul mouthed daughter saying “Meghyn I don’t have time for political correctness and neither do you.” Later on when talking with Hannity he said he said what he did because he felt that was a very unfair question by Meghyn Kelly.

MEGYN KELLY, FOX NEWS CHANNEL: Mr. Trump, one of the things people love about you is you speak your mind and you don’t use a politician’s filter. However that is not without its downsides, in particular when it comes to women. You’ve called women you don’t like fat pigs, dogs, slobs and disgusting animals. Your twitter account–

DONALD TRUMP: Only Rosie O’Donnell.

KELLY: For the record, it was well beyond Rosie O’Donnell.

TRUMP: I’m sure it was.

KELLY: Your Twitter account has several disparaging comments about women’s looks. You once told a contesttent that it would be a pretty picture to see her on her knees.

Does that sound like the temperament of a man we should elect as president?

And how do you answer the charge from Hillary Clinton, who is likely to be the Democratic nominee, that you are part of the war on women?

TRUMP: The big problem this country has is being politically correct. I’ve been challenged by so many people and I don’t frankly have time for total political correctness. And to be honest with you, this country doesn’t have time either. This country is in big trouble. We don’t win anymore. We lose to China, we lose to Mexico both in trade and at the border. We lose to everybody. Frankly what I say and oftentimes it’s fun, it’s kidding, we have a good time. What I say is what I say. And honestly, Megyn if you don’t like it, I’m sorry. I’ve been very nice to you although I could probably not be based on the way you have treated me, but I wouldn’t do that. But you know what? We, we need strength, we need energy, we need quickness and we need brain in this country to turn it around. That I can tell you right now. Trump to Megyn Kelly: ‘I Don’t Have Time For Political Correctness and Neither Does This Country’… 

The debate got tense between New Jersey. governor Chris Christy and Sen. Rand Paul over national security and the collection of personal data.

Paul said that he didn’t want less federal surveillance of terrorists, just of innocent Americans. Christie said that that was a “ridiculous answer,” because it’s impossible to know who’s who at the start.

You fundamentally misunderstand the Bill of Rights,” Paul shot back, later adding: “I don’t trust President Obama with our records. I know you gave him a big hug.” It was a reference to the way Christie welcomed the president to New Jersey after Hurricane Sandy.

Christie: “The hugs that I remember are the hugs that I gave to the families who lost their people on September 11^th.”

They both scored points. They both made sense. And they both came out ahead—because they articulated their positions with clarity and passion.

Over all I thought all the candidates performed well with Trump, Christy and Cruz coming across the best. I like Ben Carson as he’s a brilliant man, well spoken and knowledgeable and seems like someone I’d love to sit down with over a lunch discussing world events, but I think he’s too soft  spoken and low keyed to be president. He’d served best in a cabinet position maybe as Secretary of health. I did like his comment in the final statements where he said he’s the only one on stage who separated Siamese twins and “took half a brain out though there are many in Washington with half a brain.” 😀

Mike Huckabee  is a good man, but two soft spoken to be president. He’s a good man,but should never have left his FOX show.

It was an exciting and fun night and not like your typical debate. I wish more were like that. I remember watching professional wrestling and seeing the opposing wrestlers hurl insults and verbal attacks in interviews at each other. I remember saying then, “I wish political debates were like this.” Well after Thursday night’s debate now I guess they are. 😀