Who Won The South Carolina Republican Debate? – analysis by Ray

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Who Won The South Carolina Republican Debate? – analysis by Ray

The Republican South Carolina debate Saturday night was full of food fights, pillow fights, with a couple of bricks thrown in. If anyone thought that Marco Rubio was through after he so badly flubbed the New Hampshire debate last week, they should have a new think coming. Marco was fluent tonight and protected himself strongly from attacks by Ted Cruz and others. In fact, Marco sounded downright presidential.

This was a strong night too for Ted Cruz. Cruz is an excellent speaker and debater who very much speaks from his heart. A former Texas Attorney General who argued before the United States Supreme Court many times, Cruz had been a friend of Justice Antonin Scalia for twenty years – the Justice who was found dead in bed this morning at the age of 79. All six candidates urged lame-duck President Barack Obama to not appoint a new Supreme Court justice during his final year in office – something that has as much a chance of not happening as me winning the lottery. But Ted Cruz powerfully synchronized their thinking by explaining why it is so vital to elect a true conservative as our next president, because he will probably have the power to appoint three or even four new Supreme Court justices in his first four years. That, of course, is exactly why President Obama will attempt to put a very strong liberal on the court to replace Scalia now.

One of the food fights that took place on the South Carolina stage during the debate last night was a strong disagreement between Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz on their freshman Senate positions about a pathway to citizenship regarding illegal aliens. Both accused the other of having been for it before they were against it. As an original member of the so-called “Gang of Eight” that urged the Senate to pass a bill creating amnesty for the illegals and their path to citizenship, Marco still supports a plan for keeping those with a clean record here in the United States.    Ted called the results of the “Gang of Eight” “the Rubio/Schumer bill”. A fiery Marco said Ted had argued passionately for the very same thing in Congress. Cruz denies it.

Cruz also attempted to paint Donald Trump as a liberal and not at all is a conservative. It’s impossible to tell what tonight will of done to the Donald, but this was his weakest night of the debates. At one point he defended Planned Parenthood, saying that it isn’t the abortions they perform but the other medical help they give women that makes them worthy of support.

Trump also defended the government’s right of eminent domain, saying it was sometimes necessary for the building of infrastructure. Jeb Bush for a second time during the Republican debates brought up Trump’s attempt at using eminent domain to take over a widow woman’s house so that he could build a parking lot for one of his casinos. I will do what I can do check on that attack since Jeb has made it twice.

Perhaps the biggest gaffe that Trump made tonight was his attack on George W. Bush. He said the 9/11 attack was on Bush’s watch as president and that Bush used the excuse of Saddam Hussein’s Weapons of Mass Destruction to enter the Iraq war full knowing that these weapons didn’t exist.

When Trump began the debate tonight he was 40% ahead of all the others in South Carolina. George W. Bush is a much loved president in that state. It will be very interesting to see what that will mean to the results in South Carolina’s primary this coming Saturday. However, nationally his words may have been very popular because 80% of Americans believe the United States never should have entered Iraq or Afghanistan.

Slow talking Doctor Ben Carson also had a weak night against the others. He offered little more than what he’s already shared in earlier debates.

John Kasich always presents himself as a good guy and a conservative in debates and he did so again last night. But Donald Trump said Kasich is no conservative but a moderate who too often sides with the Democrats. Bricks flew from both Jeb Bush and John Kasich several times over who was the best governor.

All of this proves that it ain’t over till the fat lady sings. However, last night’s debate may have found this fat lady waiting in the wings. You can expect to hear her sing loudly on March 1st – Super Tuesday.

Who Won The South Carolina Republican Debate? – analysis by Ray

Who Won The South Carolina Republican Debate? – analysis by Ray