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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsA Panic-Inducing Night for the GOP Establishment
At Saturday night's debate, Republicans wanted Marco Rubio to soar and Donald Trump to stumble. The opposite happened
BY BRIAN BEUTLER
February 6, 2016
The Republican establishments fondest hope before Saturday nights debate was that Marco Rubio would deliver yet another solid (if unmemorable) debate performance, and that Donald Trump would fall on his facecompounding the damage he suffered in Iowa, and surrendering more, if not all, of his lead in New Hampshire over to Rubio, whos in second place and climbing.
Instead, the establishment got almost exactly the opposite.
The single biggest spoiler wasnt Trump, or even Ted Cruz, but New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, wholets not euphemizehumiliated Rubio in an exchange about Rubios dearth of experience and accomplishments. Christie became the first Republican presidential candidate this cycle to weaponize Rubios grating habit of pivoting to relevant portions of his stump speech rather than answering the questions posed to him.
I want the people at home to think about this, Christie said. Thats what Washington, D.C. does. The drive-by shot at the beginning with incorrect and incomplete information, and then the memorized 25-second speech that is exactly what his advisers gave him.
Rubio responded to Christie by proving his point, pivoting not just to a portion of his stump speech, but the exact same portion of the stump speech he had just recited.
There it is, Christie gloated. There it is. The memorized 25-second speech. There it is, everybody.
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https://newrepublic.com/article/129394/panic-inducing-night-gop-establishment
EdwardBernays
(3,343 posts)Shocking how badly Rubio damaged himself.
groundloop
(11,521 posts)And of course I don't imagine for an instant that Christie made up that zinger on the spot, I'm sure one or more of his advisers prepared him and he was just waiting to pounce when the chance presented itself.
It was starting to look like Rubio was the one to rise above the clowns at the top.... now even that is in question.
brush
(53,833 posts)It was laughable to watch Rubio, even after Christie described his stock mannerism, predictably follow the description with the very robotic and memorized performance Christie described.
Talk about not read for prime time, Rubio's like a one-trick automaton.
Just wind him up and watch him go.
Wounded Bear
(58,694 posts)Obviously well rehearsed and prepared, but effective for the audience.
Octafish
(55,745 posts)The memorized 25-second gloat.
You could've been a contender, Tony.
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)Oh man, that was embarrassing to watch.
and yet....I played it over again.
adigal
(7,581 posts)Of course not. May damage him with Independents. He did stand there looking like a lost little boy. I can't imagine he could win - he just looks too young and dumb.
I also like the line about Rubio's truancy. Whoever is the Dem candidate needs to run with both these things. Either Hillary or Sanders would make mincemeat out of this fake Boy Scout. He's just in way over his head - but so was GW Bush, and he got appointed president. We can't underestimate this guy.
B Calm
(28,762 posts)she will sit this election out and not vote.