The GOP Debate Changed Nothing

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As promised, I did not watch the Republican debate last night. I might have done so for a significant amount of money, but I got no offers.

So I’m reading the reviews. The first thing I wanted to know is, did anything significant happen that might change the trajectory of anyone’s campaign? And the answer appears to be, probably not.

Rhonda Santis didn’t catch fire. Early this morning I saw some conservative commentary that labored mightly to put some lipstick on him, but then I read this in National Review of all places, by Christian Schneider.

DeSantis, on the other hand, was shaky throughout. The one-liner-o-matic machine was belching smoke all night, as he tried desperately to resemble an actual human. It is a tough act for the Florida governor — if he were to flame out of this race (and recent results haven’t been good), it means returning to a state where he set a bonfire of bridges on his way to becoming a national candidate. Imagine the pathetic image of poor Ron walking back to his state, gluteus in hand, and having to repair relations with Disney and his university system.

Does DeSantis have any genuine supporters left who aren’t on his campaign staff?

Mr. Schneider of National Review didn’t care for Vivek Ramaswamy, either. “If you listened to what he actually said, Ramaswamy exposed himself as a fraud,” Schneider wrote. “His takes on foreign affairs sound like Wikipedia articles that have been translated from English to Hungarian, then back to English.” But that won’t matter, because the target audience doesn’t care about policy, especially foreign policy. I take it Ramaswamy revealed himself to be an aggressively ignorant asshole, but that’s what the MAGA crowd likes. I’d say he has a shot at being Trump’s new Veep pick, but only if he’s willing to convert from Hinduism to evangelicalism first.

Conversely, Nikki Haley impressed some of the old-school Republicans at National Review, which means the base will continue to ignore her.

At the other end of the scale, I haven’t heard a word about Tim Scott in any of the reviews. I assume he was there. It sounds as if Mike Pence was being more aggressive than usual. Chris Christie was less entertaining than some had hoped. But other than a bump for Ramaswamy I doubt anything was accomplished last night.

Word is that Trump’s pretaped interview with Tucker Carlson had Tucker fantasizing about violence — in particular, Tucker predicted “they” will soon try to assasinate Trump — and Trump basically ignoring Tucker and rambling on about his usual grievances. Tucker also spent time on the pressing question of whether Jeffrey Epstein was murdered. Trump is claiming some huge million-something number of views of the interview, but this Yahoo article explains why counts of “views” on X are meaningless. It appears that the number of people who engaged in any way with the interview is in the hundreds of thousands, but not millions.

Best review I’ve seen is at Talking Points Memo, by David Kurtz. Just go read it.

Trump is still expected to surrender at the Fulton County Jail during prime time this evening.

In other news: It now appears to be official — Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin was killed in a plane crash caused by an intentional explosion, the Associated Press is reporting.  “In all, the other passengers included six of Prigozhin’s lieutenants, along with the three-member flight crew,” the AP says. I guess falling out of high-rise buildings was getting old. .

36 thoughts on “The GOP Debate Changed Nothing”

  1. I almost never read Hugh Hewitt, a Grand Prize Finalist for most retarded wingnut columnist, but his column in the WaPo, written from Earth-2 said the evening was a gift to Biden – and he's probably right. Someone speculated that Alexandra Petri is ghost writing Hewitt, which makes sense, his bubble is so divorced from reality.

    Have seen Ramaswamy called Trumpaswamy.

    Back on Earth-1, Chesbro, one of the defendants in Georgia, as part of his booking, petitioned for a speedy trial. Willis was ready for this, and is putting forward I believe October 23, this year, a couple months ahead of her initial January date. I so love watching a pro in action, she's had plenty of time to game out and prepare for moves like this.

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    • Hugh Hewitt "most retarded wingnut columnist"! Hey if your gonna get ratings, don't let the morons change the channel!

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  2. Trump won't name Rama-lama-ding-dong as his running mate. He won't name anyone who could steal the spotlight from him. My money is on Trump picking the inanimate carbon rod from The Simpsons.

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  3.  Christie gave a good emotional speech on the Russian war crimes in Ukraine, based on having been there and seen firsthand what he was talking about. Vivek, standing next to him, just sounded stupid 

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  4. I also did not watch the debate. Not good for my blood pressure. From the reviews, I agree. Nobody busted out. I was hoping Christie would say Trump is ineligible but it didn't happen.

    Trump seems to be micromanaging four criminal charges. Delegation is not Trump's strong suit when his a$$ is on the line. He's hiring lawyers but I don't think Trump trusts any of them. Trump's strategy continues to be to attack (directly and thru surrogates) the prosecutors and judges involved. The House is going to “investigate” Willis. The harassment of judges will come back to haunt Trump come sentencing. 

    Trump seems to think that he can energize the violent end of his base to kill or intimidate all the people he blames for his legal woes. (Look in a mirror, bub.) And for the most part, it's not happening. The mass demonstrations for Trump are absolutely not happening. IMO, the cultists are convinced the Deep State is trying to get the names and addresses of all Trump supporters because Joe Biden will put them all in concentration camps. So the paranoid philosophy the cultists subscribe to may prevent the revolution from ever developing regardless of how specifically Trump calls for riots.

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  5. re: Chesebro speedy trial request, on msnbc tonight, Amy Lee Copeland, GA attorney, gleefully announced that she has been waiting all day to say, on national TV: "The Chese stands alone…"  Made me laugh.

    On a more serious note, if Chesebro and/or his lawyer/s thought they could catch Willis unprepared, it occurs to me that Willis has already had two "dress rehearsals" presenting the case to the special grand jury and then again to the indicting grand jury.  I understand that there was no defense in those practice runs, but nonetheless, Willis and her staff had prepared the case very fully. 

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    • Lots of people were crabbing at D.A. Willis for taking so long to bring indictments, but it turns out she knew what she was doing. She made sure she was ready to go to trial first. Smart. 

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  7. Making that kind of a carbon footprint just to get busted should be a crime in itself.  

    Putin, the new tough love poster child.

    Republicans are having a hard time looking toward the future.  Most of us are having a hard time watching them trying to be forward looking.  Those that do enjoy watching, seem to be those who enjoy watching NASCAR just for the wreaks. 

    For quite a few Republicans, the future appears to be hard time. They seem to be having a hard time dealing with that.  Now, at least, one sane idea they can all agree upon. It's a start.

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  8. “If you listened to what he actually said, Ramaswamy exposed himself as a fraud,”

    Well as you say the MAGAT's love them some narcissistic Con Men. If Stump somehow falters my money is on Ramadama din dong! I wouldn't dream of voting for any GOP'er though if that party had half a brain they would go with Haley, I think she would have the best chance of winning, fortunately that aint gonna happen.

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  9. Joyce Vance explains that Chesebro’s “speedy trial” gambit was really about getting his case dismissed. It’s a wrinkle in Georgia law, that (simple explanation) if a defendant asks for a speedy trial, and his request can’t be accomomodated within a certain set of (mostly time) parameters, the case is dismissed. Chesebro rolled the dice and lost.

    There are small fortunes to be made on merch based on Trump’s mugshot, which of course he must’ve practiced for hours. I’d like to see items with the word “MONSTER” or “STABLE GENIUS” printed under his menacing face. He has already come up with his own phrase, “Never Surrender”, kind of a fitting, ingenuous sop to Galaxy Quest, which in turn is a fitting cartoon to hang on the man-baby and his followers.

    The grift goes on: The Jenna Ellis Show. I have a special place in my heart for the day this self-righteous, home-schooled, crusading, and now grifiting twit meets her comeuppance.

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    • I love that they're using "Never Surrender" with the mug shot…after he actually surrendered – not that his logic and critical thinking skills deprived supporters will notice.

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      • Beau of the Fifth Column said that "Never Surrender" is his message to his followers. Trump obviously had to surrender.

      • I disagree. It's past the point of no return. Trump is on is way out, his mojo has worn off.

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        • Hope your right, but don't discount desperation, they are going to have her removed, they have the votes. This will be Kemps comeback.

      • Kemp broke with Trump on the 2020 election. Trump blames Trump for not succeeding in the attempt to overthrow the election. I think Kemp knows that Trump is Putin without the power to assassinate his enemies, If Trump becomes POTUS, he will try to develop the power to deliver "retribution." Putin officially pardoned the head of Wagner – look how that turned out. 

        If Kemp is in the category of "sane Republicans", he knows Trump is going to destroy the GOP. Officially, Kemp won't break with Trump but I don't think Kemp will allow Willis to be removed.

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        • Like the rest of the old Big Money wing of the GOP, Kemp actively wants Democrats to get rid of Trump.  Of course if he says that out loud he'd lose his next Primary…

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  10. Donny Doll-hands first xweet after he surrenders to the court is a scream to never surrender like a bad Galaxy Quest reference (to be cool with the kids, you know).

  12. I watched as much of the indictment coverage as I could stomach. I used to have a cast iron gut so it was only 15 minutes or so. This is what we have become, major news outlets following the motorcade like it's a fucking moon landing? Endless analysis of his deranged stare into the mugshot camera. Any wonder this asshole made it to the White House? Any doubt the The Tee Vee machine wants him back there again?

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6otjCKg594

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  13. Agree with uncledad about the media sideshow. There's a silver lining to the huge cloud that modern "journalism" has decayed into. The circus is gonna be huge and all bad for Donnie. A poll I saw today indicates a strong majority wants trials before the election. A smaller number is convinced of Trump's guilt but a lot of independent voters are interested in seeing the proof (or lack of proof if the cases are fabricated.) 

    This doesn't just mean Trump will likely be convicted (I think the proof is irrefutable.) – it spells the end of the MAGA movement with a strong majority of voters. MAGA will cling to Trump's innocence and throw tantrums after the verdict is in and voters who SAW the proof are gonna be fed up with the denial of facts. The GOP will be living the classic Come To Jesus moment. They will return to the principles of a Democratic Republic or , IMO, the GOP  faces extinction. 

    The GA trial is gonna be televised. It will make the OJ trial look like Pee Wee Herman's Playhouse. People aren't gonna tune in for spin – they will tune in for the facts and the drama. Yeah, the entertainment factor. The format of a trial will NOT give Trump a stage. He will have to sit there, day after day, as facts against him pile up. His lawyers won't be allowed to call Hunter Biden as a witness, or even mention the Bidens in the trial. It will be devastating and everyone will see Trump melt, slower than the Wicked Witch, but just as certainly and very publicly.

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    • Whether Trump is convicted or not, but especially, even if he is convicted, "MAGA" will still be here.  Even though Trump did not participate in the debate, MAGA was on stage that night.  It has a strong influence over the candidates.  No candidate can win without MAGA support,  and until the GOP realizes that it has to actually have policies before it can and must moderate, MAGA will continue to reign on the right.

  14. This is gonna be a factor. Trump is running the legal show and his strategy stinks. (You don't insult and attack the judge who will sentence you. Karma, dude.) Trump will desperately need sharp lawyers to try to pick apart testimony in cross-examination. But Trump is dumping (or driving away) lawyers with trial skills. It's a recurring pattern and Steve Benen describes. I don't see any sign that the turnover is abating or the result of turnover is a stronger legal team. When Trump asks for a continuance because he does not have competent legal counsel, the judge will tell Trump that a self-inflicted injury does not justify the delay Trump has been demanding all along.

    https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/charges-trump-shakes-legal-defense-team-rcna101792

     

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    • Trump dumped Drew Findling for Steve Sadow, who I think is based in Atlanta and has experience battling Fani Willis over RICO. Sadow is outspoken in his opinion that RICO is too broadly applied in Georgia.

    • That is so beautiful in a strange sort of a way. 

       …just going to keep lying until they quit listening.

       

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  17. Just letting everyone know that I've heard from our friend gulag. He had to have some surgery and is still in the hospital, but he expects to be out soon. 

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  18. If a cat gave me a look like Trump gave in his mugshot, and kitty needed a visit to the vet, then I'd fetch a towel, a cage, and two elbow-length welder's gloves. I'd open the cage, don the gloves, throw the towel over the cat, scoop cat and towel up, push cat and towel into the cage, close the door, and latch it. There! Problem contained.

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    • Jesse Watters, who claims to have "an unblemished record of heterosexuality", said regarding the mugshot; "he looks good, and he looks hard".  I think perhaps a note has just been added to his file at the Bureau of Heterosexual Records at least an asterisk.  The self-ridicule is nonstop with that bunch!

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  19. Oliver Anthony, the guy who wrote “Rich Men North of Richmond”, repudiates the Republicans who co-opted his music at the debate.

    That song has nothing to do with Joe Biden. It’s a lot bigger than Joe Biden..

    I wish I could tell Anthony: Artist, never let your work be weaponized in this way. You have a responsibility to ensure your talent and output hit the mark.

    I read a great quote from Steve Jobs recently: Real Artists Ship. I would add, they don’t ship their stuff out to bandits and criminals.

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