How can Trump be a ghost if today, after last night's republican debate...Trump is still ahead in the polls? Megyn Kelly had a hair and face makeover. She normally has a very stern and a very serious face made of rock and concrete and has very blood red lipstick on her lips. Last night her hair was done differently and she didn't have that blood red lipstick on. What is Fox doing to the poor girl.
5
“I feel like I need a Washington-to-English dictionary,” Christie said.
Christie doesn't need a Washington-to-English dictionary. Cristie needs a New Jersey-to-Oblivion dictionary.
Christie doesn't need a Washington-to-English dictionary. Cristie needs a New Jersey-to-Oblivion dictionary.
21
One may now be thinking The Donald is a political genius after all. Whether it was beneficial or not for the Trumspter to take a powder on the debate, it was a disaster for his chief rival, Rafael The Canadian Cruz Missile.
Center stage did not help the carpet bombing, making sand glow, sneering chicken hawk like it did The Donald. Cruz was pelted from all sides, especially from that dreaded but charming black widow, Ms, Kelly. Since the oleaginous Cruz he is so full of himself. always ready to drop the Princeton/Harvard references at a moment's notice, his bloated sense of self compelled him to not only act like the smartest person in the room, a very off putting trait of his, but actually rub his smarts into his competitors noses.
Cruz's arrogance is compounded with his perceived skill as entertainer. From reciting "Green Eggs and Ham" to acting out scenes from "The Princess Bride" Rafael fancies himself a ball of fun, his forced smile emanating between a gritted teeth sneer. Oh gals? Ya' think this poor schmuck might have had some issues in his Ivy League days, trying to impress ladies like Megyn Kelly with his cornball shtick? One can imagine.
The audience was physically there but mentally they were pondering the MIA of the biggest elephant in the room, you know who. Whatever one thinks of The Donald he owned the headlines, even attracting Huck and Rick to his event. They were there to kiss Donald's ring in hopes a VP call. Brilliant.
DD
Manahattan
Center stage did not help the carpet bombing, making sand glow, sneering chicken hawk like it did The Donald. Cruz was pelted from all sides, especially from that dreaded but charming black widow, Ms, Kelly. Since the oleaginous Cruz he is so full of himself. always ready to drop the Princeton/Harvard references at a moment's notice, his bloated sense of self compelled him to not only act like the smartest person in the room, a very off putting trait of his, but actually rub his smarts into his competitors noses.
Cruz's arrogance is compounded with his perceived skill as entertainer. From reciting "Green Eggs and Ham" to acting out scenes from "The Princess Bride" Rafael fancies himself a ball of fun, his forced smile emanating between a gritted teeth sneer. Oh gals? Ya' think this poor schmuck might have had some issues in his Ivy League days, trying to impress ladies like Megyn Kelly with his cornball shtick? One can imagine.
The audience was physically there but mentally they were pondering the MIA of the biggest elephant in the room, you know who. Whatever one thinks of The Donald he owned the headlines, even attracting Huck and Rick to his event. They were there to kiss Donald's ring in hopes a VP call. Brilliant.
DD
Manahattan
35
Yes indeed, Mr. Bruni, there you are, writing about Trump, Trump, Trump. You say that it is impossible, even irresponsible, not to. No, it is not impossible. Nor is it irresponsible to focus on the substance of what passed for discussion at last night's GOP debate.
OK, I admit that the substance was rather thin beyond the tired Rubio refrain of HRC's mendacity notwithstanding the circus of congressional hearings that have revealed no such thing, Christie's holllow chest-thumping or the string of blatant falsehoods about health care that spewed forth upon Ted Cruz's feet.
But you could have deconstructed discussion on the issues with cogent analysis without mentioning Trump's name once. Yet you chose not to. With this, you're hardly alone but that's no excuse.
www.endthemadnessnow.org
OK, I admit that the substance was rather thin beyond the tired Rubio refrain of HRC's mendacity notwithstanding the circus of congressional hearings that have revealed no such thing, Christie's holllow chest-thumping or the string of blatant falsehoods about health care that spewed forth upon Ted Cruz's feet.
But you could have deconstructed discussion on the issues with cogent analysis without mentioning Trump's name once. Yet you chose not to. With this, you're hardly alone but that's no excuse.
www.endthemadnessnow.org
16
Trump is not telling you anything that George Wallace, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and Karl Rove did not.
6
Instead of being so concerned with what Republicans should say, I am much more concerned with what the want to do. What they say is meaningless given the their destructive agenda. Not one of the current crop of GOP candidates has articulated a single positive policy position unless you consider repealing and reversing every action of President Obama, bombing Syria into dust, and sending thousands more of our young people to be irreparably wounded or killed in the Middle East "positive" policies. Bloomberg should just give each of these guys a billion bucks to go away and promise to never appear in public again.
52
"Bush was genuinely funny, as when he reintroduced Trump toward the end of the debate. REALLY?
His statements: “I mentioned his name again just if anybody was missing him,” Bush said. "Missing him? Not really. I’d be glad to have him gone for good."
Sounds more like the wimp talking trash behind the Bully's back.
Wait until Trump is at the next debate and scorches Bush once again and "funny" Bush will do what he does best in response to Trump, look to the audience with a deer-in-the-headlights look and start sweating.
Jeb, don't try to be funny, don't try to be president you don't have the knack for either. Go home and figure how to spend the tens of millions your fat cat buddies gave you.
His statements: “I mentioned his name again just if anybody was missing him,” Bush said. "Missing him? Not really. I’d be glad to have him gone for good."
Sounds more like the wimp talking trash behind the Bully's back.
Wait until Trump is at the next debate and scorches Bush once again and "funny" Bush will do what he does best in response to Trump, look to the audience with a deer-in-the-headlights look and start sweating.
Jeb, don't try to be funny, don't try to be president you don't have the knack for either. Go home and figure how to spend the tens of millions your fat cat buddies gave you.
10
O. K. ,I get it! Bruni gets paid to watch that twaddle. As Martha Stewart said in response to being asked if she listens to Sara Palin "why waste my time". Thus , why waste your time, unless you are getting paid for it?
4
Perhaps it is now time for the pundit-class to abandon the false hope of a Trump collapse and face the fact that at the end of the day Republicans are so desperate to take the White House that they will hold their noses and pull the Donald's lever in November. He's broken the mold and smashed the political template with tactics and ploys that would make any sane politician recoil in horror. But Trump knows better. He's tapped into the nasty underbelly of the body politic and he's selling fear, rage plus some more fear and rage.
It would be nice if the GOP Establishment could fix this, but it can't. And while the Democrats want to believe that even Martin O'Malley could best Trump it just isn't so because there are far too many Democrats who may well get sucked into Trump's dysfunctional vortex.
The center will not hold. The worst is yet to come so now would be a very good time to start practicing being afraid, very afraid.
It would be nice if the GOP Establishment could fix this, but it can't. And while the Democrats want to believe that even Martin O'Malley could best Trump it just isn't so because there are far too many Democrats who may well get sucked into Trump's dysfunctional vortex.
The center will not hold. The worst is yet to come so now would be a very good time to start practicing being afraid, very afraid.
27
Megyn Kelly has stayed out of the fray, and ignored Trump's taunts. But she had to relish referring to Donald as an "elephant".
4
I thought of all the "serious" candidates, Rubio's performance was easily the worst. It's too bad as I'd prefer him at least to the one (who took part) who is ahead of him in the polls. But his non-sequitur harping on ISIS got old very quickly. We get it: ISIS bad. Not exactly a bold debating position.
One other thing that stood out to me during the debate... Why is Ben Carson still on the stage? He is adding absolutely nothing at this point. Time to pack it up Dr. Carson.
One other thing that stood out to me during the debate... Why is Ben Carson still on the stage? He is adding absolutely nothing at this point. Time to pack it up Dr. Carson.
6
Here's the question I'd like to see answered. We all know Bush, Rubio, and Cruz flipped on immigration. I'd like to hear each man explain why. Has that been asked in any debate? wouldn't that reveal more about these guys than letting them bash each other about who flipped off and when, the way Kerry's 'I was before it before I was against it' in 2004?
5
I did not watch the Republican debate last night as I numbed myself watching American television(which I very very Rarely watch if at all).This morning results were in that Jeb Bush came out on top.Good for Jeb. Donald's absence is all part of the plan,this was act II.The first has been what has been going on so far.By not attending this debate the door is now fully open for Donald's exit,his intention from the beginning.In one debate he was asked about his staying in/with the republican party.I thought he was going to stain his pants when he responded Yes.He has blatantly made us look at who we are and how shameful a people we really are.Think about his statements and actions.Kudos to Donald.He really does know what he is doing.The graceful exit begins.
Establishment Republicans are now on the move.No Trump,Cruz or Rubio for them,but the beginning of the rise of another Bush ( or maybe Kasich).It's now up to Jeb to win or lose his party's nomination,Donald opened the door and now just holding the door for Jeb to enter.
Perhaps in the end Big Monies will end up with a Bush/Clinton race but if Elizabeth Warrens ' editorial endorsement' of Bernie Sanders helps....
Establishment Republicans are now on the move.No Trump,Cruz or Rubio for them,but the beginning of the rise of another Bush ( or maybe Kasich).It's now up to Jeb to win or lose his party's nomination,Donald opened the door and now just holding the door for Jeb to enter.
Perhaps in the end Big Monies will end up with a Bush/Clinton race but if Elizabeth Warrens ' editorial endorsement' of Bernie Sanders helps....
2
FranK: It is not just CNN but you and NYT too are so ad nauseam obsessed with Trump. The more you write about him, the more undeserved publicity he gets. Ignore him - he is not worth your precious time. There are ever so many other important issues to cover, topics to write about.
8
Trump is merely sucking up the most oxygen in the clown tent. I really don't believe that he will be nominated at the 2016 Republican National Convention. Then again, that's what I said thirty-five years ago regarding a feeble-minded, washed-up "B" movie star; I said the same thing twenty years later about a half-witted frat boy from Crawford, Texas. I had better check myself. With the United States as seriously dumbed-down as it has become during the last four decades, it's probably a good rule of thumb not to dismiss the possibility of something that at one time would have been seen as impossible - or at least highly improbable. Expect the unexpected; foresee the unforeseeable. Yeah, American politics has gotten that weird. They're coming to take us away. HA! HA! HEE! HEE!
Donald Trump has thrown a nasty little monkey wrench into the electoral process to be sure. A half century ago, no one in his or her right mind would have taken a Trump candidacy seriously. It's a different world. Trump is the price that the GOP is forcibly paying for spending the last forty years pandering to a constituency of extremists, imbeciles and crazy people. The chickens have come home to roost - with a vengeance, baby!
http://www.tomdegan.blogspot.com
Tom Degan
Donald Trump has thrown a nasty little monkey wrench into the electoral process to be sure. A half century ago, no one in his or her right mind would have taken a Trump candidacy seriously. It's a different world. Trump is the price that the GOP is forcibly paying for spending the last forty years pandering to a constituency of extremists, imbeciles and crazy people. The chickens have come home to roost - with a vengeance, baby!
http://www.tomdegan.blogspot.com
Tom Degan
54
I have Trump fatigue. Having him as President would be exhausting. The nice thing about low-key Presidents like Obama and Bush is that you can forget for a day or two or longer that they are there. In addition to having a personality that is the antithesis of what's needed in a serious leader of a great nation, Donald Trump makes everything, no matter how little, about him. Too much Donald Trump makes me physically ill and very tired -- and I'm usually a high-energy person.
Trump has become tiresome.
Trump has become tiresome.
10
Thanks, Frank. I doubt I'll ever eat cantaloupe again now that you've compared it with Trump's hair.
7
Why do we have to talk about a guy who's success is born of bullying, browbeating, and self-aggrandizement? Even George W bush recognized that true leadership takes a certain amount of humility, even if W couldn't deliver it. Why do you keep fueling the daddy-save-us fantasy that powers Trump with articles that simply focus on the fight rather than the suitability of the candidates to serve us? What does that say about us, that we cannot even wonder how any of them would play out on the world stage as president, because we let our attention be overwhelmed by the passion play and gamesmanship of what amounts to a school-yard fight? Shame on us all.
5
Jeb's clearly cowed by Trump, who, in turn, is intimidated by Megyn Kelly. Doesn't that make her the best Republican candidate for Commander-in-Chief?
7
I hope the liberal media saw Megyn Kelly for what she is, another fear mongering right wing media type. It was disturbing to see her accuse the neighbors of the San Bernandino attackers of not profiling them and not calling on the police. It took Chris Christie to explain that people's civil rights cannot be violated simply because they were Muslim and 'packages were coming and going'. In a way Trumpism is just a louder version of the Fox/Tea party school of politics.
6
Donald Trump is the P.T. Barnum of the 21st century. "Phineas Taylor "P. T." Barnum (July 5, 1810 – April 7, 1891) was an American showman and businessman. he said of himself, "I am a showman by profession...and all the gilding shall make nothing else of me."
8
Mr. Bruni, it seems there was lots of the debate that didn't revolve around the current front-runner, but I guess you only heard what you were listening for.
4
Bread and circuses. The empire falters.
5
Will Trump wear Depends if he gets to meet Putin?
The real elephant in/not in the room...is Trump's absolute genius. He has made the entire media his "girlfriend," not to use the less-polite term. From the Times to Fox News, reporters, columnists, and commentators have swooned, pondered, hoped, feared, longed for, and hated the careless, self-involved boyfriend. He will never think you are pretty enough, smart enough, or good enough and the media have continued obsessive ruminations on his every move or non-move. Of course now we are all in too deep to back away, we have bought the wedding dress and booked the hall. We are beginning to wonder how we can get out of this.
Buy we're stuck and we are stuck because of mindless, careless obsession with a person who exhibits many of the traits he attributed to others...starting with ugly pig. Why hasn't anyone called him an ugly pig? No. We make jokes about his hair, his hat, his bloviation. We are the adoring girlfriend, mother, or father who twists every fault into a virtue until we are stuck with an unused wedding dress or bailing our child out of jail.
We've made the deal. That's why we have to be obsessed with this absence and much as we have been with his presence. He owns us. Totally owns us. Shame on us.
Buy we're stuck and we are stuck because of mindless, careless obsession with a person who exhibits many of the traits he attributed to others...starting with ugly pig. Why hasn't anyone called him an ugly pig? No. We make jokes about his hair, his hat, his bloviation. We are the adoring girlfriend, mother, or father who twists every fault into a virtue until we are stuck with an unused wedding dress or bailing our child out of jail.
We've made the deal. That's why we have to be obsessed with this absence and much as we have been with his presence. He owns us. Totally owns us. Shame on us.
12
Is it just me or did Megyn Kelly's new hair do remind anyone else of The Donald's coif? With or without Trump, the circular firing squad continued to shoot and in the process once more showed the American people just how angry and mean spirited the GOP has become.
6
Brooklynese which was always associated with dimwits, who had a problem expressing themselves in the English language, has suddenly became cool, thanks to Trump. That is the power of the Donald, the next President of the United States, & the first independent to reach this position.I call him a Independent because, he is a social Democrat with A conservative fiscal leaning,and for that reason he will draw support of the left & the right.The Great Frank Bruni once again hit the nail on the head.
2
I do not understand why Trump always gets the attention. His would be policy, on everything, are stupid. The whole election is kinda scary when the media, the republicans, always talks about Trump.
2
Did anyone else notice how long and convoluted many of the questions seemed? That being the case, it was easy for the candidates to bite off the easiest portion of the query and connect it to their pre-rehearsed arsenal of soundbites. And only 30 seconds to respond? I'm no fan of long-winded political discourse, but a 30 second limit on responses invited candidates to reduce every reply to soundbite answers. Also, why wasn't the same question addressed to each of the candidates, so we could compare responses?
6
FOX News Entertainment should have put Darrell Hammond, the Trump impersonator of SNL fame, behind the middle lectern on the stage yesterday, and treated him like the real deal, with Sarah Palin impersonator, Tina Fey, dressed in a glittery gown joyfully cheering him on.
Now that would have been a show that would have broken all TV ratings, and led Trump to announce that on his first day in office he would carpet bomb FOX.
Now that would have been a show that would have broken all TV ratings, and led Trump to announce that on his first day in office he would carpet bomb FOX.
8
Decades worth of thoughtlessness has finally caught up to the Republican party ---with Trump filling up an empty policy tank with bits and pieces of Republican attacks ads of the past. What was left on stage last night were candidates trying to fill the policy tank with their own brand of past Republican attack ads--Trump lite---and doing their best to imitate Tony Soprano. Was Rome like this at the end?
2
A list of all the insults Trump has made appeared in the NYT yesterday. Not mentioned was that every single one of those was a RESPONSE to a negative statement towards Trump.
Conveniently leaving that out is either an agenda or bad journalism but it is why Trump gets such traction from complaining about the media.
Conveniently leaving that out is either an agenda or bad journalism but it is why Trump gets such traction from complaining about the media.
2
Marco Rubio comes across authentically: he IS a snotty little twerp.
13
GHOST OF THE DONALD
All America, not Elsinore
The Donald, not Hamlet King
Megyn Kelly, not Claudius
The play's not the thing.
(Not reality-show, madness rings.)
America's gone completely nuts
But don't blame foxy Donald's duck
It's not the cause, it's just the symptom
Of a politics run amok.
A president who is a king,
A candidate who is a crook,
Another, a sworn Marxist
A vampire don't overlook
And a huckster who's now a spook.
The Marxist or FBI Comey
Knocks off the candidate who is a crook,
The sworn Marxist his own taxes nuke
Leaving the vampire or spook
To haunt every White House cranny,
Each and every West Wing nook.
The wonder that is America
The land of 320 million kooks.
2
See the humorous piece 'Shouts and Murmurs' in the New Yorker a couple of weeks ago. Everything he, Trump, has done so far has been a brilliant political move.
He just might win...
He just might win...
2
'As I was going up the stair
I met a man who wasn't there.
He wasn't there again today.
Oh, how I wish he'd go away.'
Yet we do not really want Trump to go away, do we? However much we protest to the contrary. He is our Emmanuel Goldstein, always to hand when we feel the need for the Two Minutes' Hate. Granted he richly deserves it. Much has been said of how he brings out the worst in his supporters, but not enough about how he brings out the worst in his opponents. I admit I've been among the hundreds willing to stoop to middle-school snark and substance-free ridicule. (Note: Yes, his hair is absurd. But most of us good little liberals wouldn't stand for mocking physical appearance of Sanders or Clinton. There's plenty to attack in what goes on under the hair. Same with pointing out Cruz's resemblance to Joe McCarthy; he didn't ask for his face; judging him on his brain suffices to condemn him.)
We are all far too addicted to the 5-alarm chili of political zeal. It's like the Nuremberg rallies. To quote Captain Kirk in The Man Trap: 'Stop thinking with your glands'.
I met a man who wasn't there.
He wasn't there again today.
Oh, how I wish he'd go away.'
Yet we do not really want Trump to go away, do we? However much we protest to the contrary. He is our Emmanuel Goldstein, always to hand when we feel the need for the Two Minutes' Hate. Granted he richly deserves it. Much has been said of how he brings out the worst in his supporters, but not enough about how he brings out the worst in his opponents. I admit I've been among the hundreds willing to stoop to middle-school snark and substance-free ridicule. (Note: Yes, his hair is absurd. But most of us good little liberals wouldn't stand for mocking physical appearance of Sanders or Clinton. There's plenty to attack in what goes on under the hair. Same with pointing out Cruz's resemblance to Joe McCarthy; he didn't ask for his face; judging him on his brain suffices to condemn him.)
We are all far too addicted to the 5-alarm chili of political zeal. It's like the Nuremberg rallies. To quote Captain Kirk in The Man Trap: 'Stop thinking with your glands'.
Foe Blight & the 7 Dwarfs. The NYTimes is as complicit in the "conspicuous by his absence" narrative as every other news outlet in the country. The fact that Frank Bruni is aware that he is adding to the "Trump Trump Trump" & his justification for doing so is tragic. One man is controlling & manipulating a "free press". Megan Kelly's new haircut - as though in response to DT - says "I am not a bimbo - I am a serious journalist" and her thick black false eyelashes as she looks down at her notes, say "even though I cut off my long blond hair, I am still a beautiful woman". DT is America's child. Yes, he is crazy like a fox. If your son bullied & denigrated & baited & demonized & hurt others, would you follow him with the steadicam? Enable his every word & gesture? Report on the brand of his toilet paper? Frame every comment about any other child by comparisons to him? Life trumped by LifeStyle, Information trumped by Infotainment, & infotainment subsumed by entertainment. Journalists - see front page of upcoming Esquire Magazine - remind me of the guy who has been picking up elephant poop at the circus for years & years. His friend comes to him and says "I remember when you wanted to join the circus. You had such high hopes! You were going to be a clown. And here you are 30 years later, picking up elephant poop. Why don't you quit? Quit!" & the guy says, "What - & give up Show Business?"
I'm so appreciative that Frank Bruni is taking one for the team by wading into this conservative wasteland, saving the rest of us from actually bearing witness to this nonsense. He's completely immersed. Not only is he sharing space with with the childish candidates, he's surrounded by Fox's faux journalists. He's even monitoring the Twitter feed of their supreme leader! Yikes. Nope, Frank Bruni's posts are as close as I want to get to this circus.
What does trump do for an encore?
1
In all the talk about the Donald being missing from the debate last night, I'm afraid we're losing sight of what else was missing last night.
For starters: Reality, and tough questions--backed up by moderators willing call off-topic responses what they really were: "dodging the question."
Over and over again, what last night's debate demonstrated is that the other passengers in the xenophobic, trigger-happy and fact-challenged clown car called the 2016 GOP Presidential field don't need Trump to fill the air with empty bluster and false bravado--they are clearly able and quite happy to do that themselves.
From Marco Rubio insisting--not once, but twice--that he would refill and keep the prison camp at Guantanamo open (with the sort of fervor most Senators reserve for pledges involving major industries and/or largest employers in their states--to Ted Cruz tripling down on his insistence that the way to defeat ISIS is "carpet bombing"--adding--in what I am sure will come as news to most military historians--the assertion that we carpet bombed our way to victory in the first Gulf War.
And there really should be a special shout out to Chris Christie--for the remarkable promise that--as a former Federal prosecutor--he was uniquely prepared not just to defeat Hillary Clinton--but send her to prison after the election.
How very banana republican that would be.
For starters: Reality, and tough questions--backed up by moderators willing call off-topic responses what they really were: "dodging the question."
Over and over again, what last night's debate demonstrated is that the other passengers in the xenophobic, trigger-happy and fact-challenged clown car called the 2016 GOP Presidential field don't need Trump to fill the air with empty bluster and false bravado--they are clearly able and quite happy to do that themselves.
From Marco Rubio insisting--not once, but twice--that he would refill and keep the prison camp at Guantanamo open (with the sort of fervor most Senators reserve for pledges involving major industries and/or largest employers in their states--to Ted Cruz tripling down on his insistence that the way to defeat ISIS is "carpet bombing"--adding--in what I am sure will come as news to most military historians--the assertion that we carpet bombed our way to victory in the first Gulf War.
And there really should be a special shout out to Chris Christie--for the remarkable promise that--as a former Federal prosecutor--he was uniquely prepared not just to defeat Hillary Clinton--but send her to prison after the election.
How very banana republican that would be.
48
I wonder to what extent the food and farm industrialists of Iowa are shaking in their boots about this immigration debate, hearing how the most popular candidates want to deport their most capable and willing workers. I doubt Mr. Tyson et al. will find the slaughter-house staff and farm-laborers among the evangelicals and anxious middle-class whites to whom the candidates appeal.
9
It is just unbelievable how people can almost justify murder by changing their positions over and over; by re-explaining and essentially lying about what they may have previously said. This is exactly why Trump is so influential. No one wants a Rubio, a Bush, a big mouth Christie anymore -they want a leader who says it like he feels and to hell with the next re-election. When are those others going to figure this out? It doesn't matter, because they won't be around in the end.
2
It's very easy to not talk about him. You just have to have different priorities. Or, just don't watch. Or read it. Or write it. When you engage it, you support it. You become part of the story. So. Just. Stop.
2
Trump’s behavior this week would suggest that he is the closest thing to the GOP version of Al Sharpton. I have been ruminating over months of closely following the GOP candidates and was finally starting to get behind Trump. Now I could never bring myself to vote for him. How can a presidential candidate think it is okay to tweet out provocative pics of Megyn Kelly and call her a bimbo? While it is sickening to listen to the Dem’s false narrative about the “war on women”, but Trump may actually hate women or be afraid of them. Megyn Kelly’s question about his treatment of women was totally legitimate and Trump should be thanking her so that he can be prepared to answer that question when it comes up again. If he is afraid of Megyn Kelly, how will he be able to debate Hillary or confront world leaders? That being said, make no mistake about it, nothing Trump has done to women compares to Hillary’s campaign to publicly discredit and destroy the Bill Clinton women, especially Monica Lewinsky. I also must mention her greedy willingness to accept huge speaking honorariums from countries with some of the worst reputations on the treatment of women and human rights, in general. Is the future of this country doomed by a largely uneducated electorate to end up with Trump and Hillary? After all, Obama was elected twice!
2
Frank misses the boat here. Last night the candidates turned the page and moved on—to their own egos. Trump wasn't more than a memory, to which these folks favorably compared themselves.
1
House of Cards script could not compete with last night's political theatrics. The Trump Jet rolls onto the Des Moines tarmac with media frenzy and flashing bulbs. Long lines queue up around a small auditorium to await his arrival. Adele belts out her hits in the hall. Across town, Cruz and Rubio snark at each other and Chris Wallace. Megyn Kelly holds court with a montage of each frontrunner's flip flopping clips. A brutal hit job on both. Dulce Candy affords Jeb sweet revenge. But, too little too late?
Donald hugs it out with Huckabee and Santorum who won Iowa in past caucuses. Should he have gone to the debate? Of course not. It was a Frank Underwood (F.U.) night.
Donald hugs it out with Huckabee and Santorum who won Iowa in past caucuses. Should he have gone to the debate? Of course not. It was a Frank Underwood (F.U.) night.
I did not watch the debate, but from the reporting, was Trump actually mentioned more times than Obama? If so, this could be a real breakthrough.
Also, I'm coming to agree with Rubio about keeping Guantanamo open. It would be a fine place for some domestic American terrorists.
Also, I'm coming to agree with Rubio about keeping Guantanamo open. It would be a fine place for some domestic American terrorists.
1
Trump-Trump-Trump
Trump-Trump-Trump
I can't help but see the press as Mel Brooks in his role as Territorial Governor in "Blazing Saddles" eyeball to boob with his secretary's cleavage (Donald Trump in this case...go ahead and groan, I know it's a ridiculous metaphor, but so is the Republican race vis-a-vis a real campaign for a real position which carries incredible real responsibility and wields power equally as real and really incredible) and chanting Work-Work-Work, Work-Work-Work as he rubber stamp-stamp-stamps a pile of papers on his desk.
It's time the GOP got out the big ink pad and the big "X" rubber stamp and smacked each one of these...these...these...(thanks, NYT for rendering me wordless through self-censorship here).
And one last thing. When did Saturday Night Live move from New York on Saturdays to Des Moines on Thursdays? I didn't see Tina Fey. I hope she's feeling better. Amy Poehler was good in the role of Megyn Kelly, though.
Trump-Trump-Trump
I can't help but see the press as Mel Brooks in his role as Territorial Governor in "Blazing Saddles" eyeball to boob with his secretary's cleavage (Donald Trump in this case...go ahead and groan, I know it's a ridiculous metaphor, but so is the Republican race vis-a-vis a real campaign for a real position which carries incredible real responsibility and wields power equally as real and really incredible) and chanting Work-Work-Work, Work-Work-Work as he rubber stamp-stamp-stamps a pile of papers on his desk.
It's time the GOP got out the big ink pad and the big "X" rubber stamp and smacked each one of these...these...these...(thanks, NYT for rendering me wordless through self-censorship here).
And one last thing. When did Saturday Night Live move from New York on Saturdays to Des Moines on Thursdays? I didn't see Tina Fey. I hope she's feeling better. Amy Poehler was good in the role of Megyn Kelly, though.
3
Some were sharper, Bush in particular, but the rest seemed to spiel the same stump points over and over. Cruz seemed as demonic as ever. Rubio is Lindsay Graham in training. Christie is ludicrous attacking HRC for ethical violations....are you kidding me??? And Rand Paul seems to bring his own cheering crowd to every debate, although I do appreciate his pragmatism, which of course means he has no chance in #!!# to win the nomination. Carson, uh, was he there? ?? I learned nothing, and couldn't take any more after the first hour, as I had tortuously watched the kids table debate earlier. Ugh.
But all of this doesn't matter, does it? Trump is going to be the party's nominee, and if that's what GOP voters want, then let it be. I, for one, will be deliriously happy to be rid of this odd and incongruous cast of characters.
But all of this doesn't matter, does it? Trump is going to be the party's nominee, and if that's what GOP voters want, then let it be. I, for one, will be deliriously happy to be rid of this odd and incongruous cast of characters.
2
Some other white elephants ignored by GOP candidates and MSM include crumbling US infrastructure, privacy concerns of citizens, burgeoning military budgets, alternatives to ObamaCare, middle class economic recovery, sensible responses to gun violence, immigration, campaign finance reform, global warming et al. In short, meaningful issues that effect real people in their everyday lives.
Sorry, the current GOP slate are a bunch of stuffed suits carrying the message they are bought and paid for to say.
Trump may appear to be to be free from the constraints of political donors, but he is only a distraction.
Sorry, the current GOP slate are a bunch of stuffed suits carrying the message they are bought and paid for to say.
Trump may appear to be to be free from the constraints of political donors, but he is only a distraction.
2
wow could bruni finally be giving up on Rubio? I'm glad your eyes were opened. He's actually a 2-dimensional candidate, not just one. He's a crook too.
Given that I hate every last one of them, I found myself least uncomfortable with bush and paul.
Given that I hate every last one of them, I found myself least uncomfortable with bush and paul.
1
Trump made the correct decision by not attending the debate. He raised five million dollars for vets so great for them. It is the same issues with the same answers for all of the politicians both Republicans and Democrats at this point. Everyone is tired of these debates.
I had an impossible dream last night. That because DT was not at the debate,
no paper would mention his name. Obviously you guys just can't resist the siren call.
no paper would mention his name. Obviously you guys just can't resist the siren call.
3
These candidates are different punchlines to the same joke that their party has become.
2
"What the debate made clear is that Trump is all (F)ox."
Pun intended?
Pun intended?
Someone needs to tell Jeb!. his last name is Bush. He doesn't stand a hope of being elected.
3
My favorite line which I read somewhere else:
Yep. Hey Doctor FrankenGOP. Now that your monsters have started smashing up the lab, you're still responsible for cleaning up the mess.
Yep. Hey Doctor FrankenGOP. Now that your monsters have started smashing up the lab, you're still responsible for cleaning up the mess.
2
God help America if Trump---indeed if any Republican---is elected President.
7
Trumps perspective on politics, the media, and Presidential race are easily discerned from a single statement:
After declaring that he would not attend the final debate and would attend another event on CNN, his main retort was to comment on the impact his absence would have on FOX's ratings.
A man more gleefully concerned with the commercial impact his decision would have on his latest foe.....
Rather than recognising his own lost opportunity to connect with the electorate and take his campaign message to the people.
....and thats all you need to understand about Trump
After declaring that he would not attend the final debate and would attend another event on CNN, his main retort was to comment on the impact his absence would have on FOX's ratings.
A man more gleefully concerned with the commercial impact his decision would have on his latest foe.....
Rather than recognising his own lost opportunity to connect with the electorate and take his campaign message to the people.
....and thats all you need to understand about Trump
2
Trump is probably on a winner with immigration.
Worldwide, recklessly excessive and non-discriminate immigration is threatening the stability of western democracies.
Very few democratic majorities would vote for the saturation immigration adopted by their governments.
Worldwide, recklessly excessive and non-discriminate immigration is threatening the stability of western democracies.
Very few democratic majorities would vote for the saturation immigration adopted by their governments.
"What is a caucus race," asked Alice (Carroll, Lewis: Alice in Wonderland, chapter 3). The Dodo responds by calling all the the animals together, then sets them running wildly in a circle until they fall down exhausted; nobody wins, but everybody gets a prize - a piece of tear-stained candy supplied by Alice. The mouse scolds, the crab sasses its elders, and then everyone melts away, leaving Alice all alone, musing over her strange, disturbing world.
On to the primaries, and down the rabbit hole we go.
On to the primaries, and down the rabbit hole we go.
2
I watched the debate. it touched briefly on Donald Trump but then it was about the candidates on the podium. Now every news analysis i read tells me it was about Donald Trump. Either I listened to the wrong debate, or I'm just not smart enough.
The media has an obsession with Mr. Trump. And the rest of us are just told what to believe.
The media has an obsession with Mr. Trump. And the rest of us are just told what to believe.
4
Gee missing one loud mouth is a problem?
3
"And here I am, writing about Trump, Trump, Trump. It’s impossible not to."
Take some time off. Start an organization, say Trump-ADdicted Anonymous (TADA) and implore many of your Trump-addicted media colleagues to join you and discuss among yourselves how you all can prevent your predilection to writing and talking about Trump by writing about different topics.
Possible topics to write about:
- Cancer MoonShot 2020 (Helpful source: http://tinyurl.com/hrt7b3n)
- Marvin Minsky and Artificial Intelligence (Helpful source: http://edge.org/memberbio/marvin_minsky)
- Is the European Union collapsing? (Helpful source: http://tinyurl.com/hctxytt)
- Is the US primary system a failure? (Helpful source:http://tinyurl.com/zkkkhh5)
- Why Mike Huckabee shouldn't run for president? (Helpful source: http://tinyurl.com/zwobf4d)
- Why does Rubio bring up Obama/Clinton in answer to almost every question? (Sorry, you are on your own on this one)
Take some time off. Start an organization, say Trump-ADdicted Anonymous (TADA) and implore many of your Trump-addicted media colleagues to join you and discuss among yourselves how you all can prevent your predilection to writing and talking about Trump by writing about different topics.
Possible topics to write about:
- Cancer MoonShot 2020 (Helpful source: http://tinyurl.com/hrt7b3n)
- Marvin Minsky and Artificial Intelligence (Helpful source: http://edge.org/memberbio/marvin_minsky)
- Is the European Union collapsing? (Helpful source: http://tinyurl.com/hctxytt)
- Is the US primary system a failure? (Helpful source:http://tinyurl.com/zkkkhh5)
- Why Mike Huckabee shouldn't run for president? (Helpful source: http://tinyurl.com/zwobf4d)
- Why does Rubio bring up Obama/Clinton in answer to almost every question? (Sorry, you are on your own on this one)
2
What goes around, comes around.
Back in 2011, all of the candidates other than Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum backing out of a Trump-moderated debate was a big red flag. Trump said some called to say they were too nervous to do his debate, “We have guys who are afraid to go into a debate.” How would they stand up to China if afraid to debate? he asked.
Source: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/01/27/1475778/-Once-upon-a-time-Trump...
Back in 2011, all of the candidates other than Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum backing out of a Trump-moderated debate was a big red flag. Trump said some called to say they were too nervous to do his debate, “We have guys who are afraid to go into a debate.” How would they stand up to China if afraid to debate? he asked.
Source: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/01/27/1475778/-Once-upon-a-time-Trump...
C'om, Frank. Stop being part of the problem.
2
Did you forget that Kasich was [present? Not a word about this man who is the only one among these jokers who talked about working with the "other side of the aisle". It seems most of these other candidates think the enemy is a democrat rather than a member if ISIS
2
The implications of Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz professing their "Christianity" as part of their Presidential campaigns are far worse than most people understand.
Rubio and Cruz are not simply campaigning to merge Church and State (As if anything about our government was ever inherently inimical to Judeo-Christian ethics.). No, Rubio and Cruz are campaigning to SUBORDINATE State beneath Church.
What is this really a problem? Because Rubio and Cruz, taken at their word, are believers in the End Times, in Armageddon, and they are promising their constituents a government congruent with those beliefs. That means, Rubio and Cruz are proponents for a government that will do NOTHING to impede Armageddon and the End Times. In fact, they believe not only in not standing in the way of prophecy, but they believe in aiding and abetting prophecy.
In other words, they not only actually believe in climate change, but they are also enthusiastic and optimistic about it. Global warming, if we're lucky, will in fact destroy life on Earth. And if that doesn't work, we've got the chance of nuclear war, or overpopulation and mass starvation, as backup. Government and diplomacy are bad, precisely because they ameliorate the opportunities for mass destruction.
This is what Rubio and Cruz want. It's what the voters who support them want. Because somehow, the God that created the Universe all on His own, somehow needs, wants and demands our help to destroy the Earth. Government is only in the way.
Rubio and Cruz are not simply campaigning to merge Church and State (As if anything about our government was ever inherently inimical to Judeo-Christian ethics.). No, Rubio and Cruz are campaigning to SUBORDINATE State beneath Church.
What is this really a problem? Because Rubio and Cruz, taken at their word, are believers in the End Times, in Armageddon, and they are promising their constituents a government congruent with those beliefs. That means, Rubio and Cruz are proponents for a government that will do NOTHING to impede Armageddon and the End Times. In fact, they believe not only in not standing in the way of prophecy, but they believe in aiding and abetting prophecy.
In other words, they not only actually believe in climate change, but they are also enthusiastic and optimistic about it. Global warming, if we're lucky, will in fact destroy life on Earth. And if that doesn't work, we've got the chance of nuclear war, or overpopulation and mass starvation, as backup. Government and diplomacy are bad, precisely because they ameliorate the opportunities for mass destruction.
This is what Rubio and Cruz want. It's what the voters who support them want. Because somehow, the God that created the Universe all on His own, somehow needs, wants and demands our help to destroy the Earth. Government is only in the way.
4
With Rubio's harder-than-ever appropriation of Cruz's courting of the evangelicals -- "Because in the end, my goal is not simply to live on this Earth for 80 years but to live an eternity with my creator. I will always allow my faith to influence everything I do." -- we see the new, deeply cynical depth of the GOP's get-out-the-christian-vote strategy for the White House. That nutty Kentuckian Kim Davis rang like a bell last summer, so they have made god the third leg of their strategic triad: fear, faux-anger, and god.
It's delusional madness. What we are expected to envision is Cruz or Rubio, in the tense moments before some hypothetical decision to start World War III with Putin or China, passively waiting for a little voice inside their head to tell them what to do.
Close your eyes. Is their any whispering? If so, please see a doctor.
It's delusional madness. What we are expected to envision is Cruz or Rubio, in the tense moments before some hypothetical decision to start World War III with Putin or China, passively waiting for a little voice inside their head to tell them what to do.
Close your eyes. Is their any whispering? If so, please see a doctor.
4
The only one I missed at Trump's show for the veterans was McCain. Why wasn't he invited, Donald?
3
I've not seen it explicitly pointed out that the bully egomaniac Donnyboy, wasn't willing to stand up to Megyn Kelly.
The guy's a coward.
The guy's a coward.
5
A sad spectacle of the vanities in full display: narrow-minded, petty, grandiose in their pompous psycho-babble, with reality glaringly absent; make-believe magic instead. Kasich seemed the more moderate among the hapless candidates promising rabbits out of their fairy-tale hats. Carson had a few worthwhile things to say but apparently no one was listening. And, as stated, Trump, the demagogue-in-chief, outfoxed everybody else. If Iowans were well versed in politics, and honest in their appraisal of the current candidates (especially Trump and Cruz), they would send them packing. A sad state of affairs, if you think about it.
Too much coverage of the Republicans. You feed their party. What are Bernie and Hillary saying?
7
I actually thought this debate was far more entertaining than the last couple WITH Donald Trump sucking all the oxygen out of the room. While there still wasn't much "there" there on the stage, Megyn Kelly showed why, if Fox is EVER going to achieve any legitimacy with anyone beyond the right-wing ditto-heads, it's going to be on her shoulders. She wasn't afraid to flatly show video of the candidates saying one thing, then changing. Chris Christie had fun pretending to not understand Cruz and Rubio flip-flopping even though he did his own flip-flop, targeting the GOP's straw-man of the month, Planned Parenthood, which he used to support.
Since I find the whole suite of Republican candidates repulsive, I cannot really tell if a Republican voter would be more or less likely to vote for Trump or see him as most of us see him: A rich, spoiled child who has a tantrum when he cannot have things his way. I just don't understand how they think.
Since I find the whole suite of Republican candidates repulsive, I cannot really tell if a Republican voter would be more or less likely to vote for Trump or see him as most of us see him: A rich, spoiled child who has a tantrum when he cannot have things his way. I just don't understand how they think.
58
Much is being written about the negative effect Mr. Trump is having on the election and the potential for disaster presented by a Trump presidency. That's the problem: Much has been written. Do his supporters look like readers to you?
4
You media guys have drunk so much Kool-Aid your bellies much be about to explode. You're all blabbing on and on about how Trump was the star of the debate bla bla bla. Trump was not the star of anything. He appeared at a last-minute, hastily-organized event to benefit veterans -- that it turns out not even the veterans wanted anything to do with. Frankly, Trump was the star of whatever delusion is going on in his demented, narcissistic head and that's about it. This man is a complete idiot and you guys are allowing it and encouraging it because all his faux drama is helping you sell papers and toothpaste. It's pathetic.
7
Mr. Trump has been pressuring FOX News to get it to drop Megyn Kelly. Additionally, Mr. Trump has been sending tweets denigrating Ms. Kelly. Why the war against Ms. Kelly? Mr. Trump claims Ms. Kelly was not fair to him in an earlier debate.
Rather than the media continuing to discuss Mr. Trump on terms favorable to Mr. Trump, the media should be unified in defending one of their own from personal attacks and pressure tactics.
Rather than the media continuing to discuss Mr. Trump on terms favorable to Mr. Trump, the media should be unified in defending one of their own from personal attacks and pressure tactics.
2
Glad I didn't bother to watch, although now I regret even reading about it. So, Frank when are moving out of the log cabin.
Yes, Frank, here you are giving Trump even more ink. That's been the problem from the outset--everyone loves entertainment, a show, a carnival. And Trump is a self-aggrandizing showman, nothing more. If the media wasn't so fixated on ratings and entertainment, this buffoon might not be where he now is. And you, Frank, despite your intelligence and journalistic fervor, are right in the mix, giving him all the exposure this attention-starved child craves. Oh how far we have fallen.
6
Marco is on to something when he says that any potential terrorist immigrant (immigrant terrorist?) should be locked up in Gitmo, presumably without the right to defend herself. Here's the kernel of a Trumpful policy: Ship all illegal immigrants to Gitmo until we can figure out "what the hell is going on."
I didn't watch the Republican Circus last night because without gladiator Trump in the Colosseum, what's the point? Joke! I didn't watch because I couldn't stomach more of the sadistic Republican voters cheering on each gladiator candidate as they competed to see who could draw blood, spouting the most anger and hate. To me, the Republican voter is the real story...members of a party that claims Jesus and Family Values, but is consumed with hatred, intolerance and anger.
7
Not being a fan of "reality TV" I have not watched any of the Republican "debates." Trump got exactly what he wanted, more media attention to stroke his narcissistic ego, and the Fox News executives had a chance to pretend they are ethical not to let him push them around. Please, Frank, don't waste any more ink on this. Some of us are already bored to tears.
3
Bruni's piece today makes it clear that the Dump Trump movement did not go so well. When a candidate can set the tone and dominate the discussion and not even be present to do so tells a lot more about the quality of the competition than the absentee.
The pompous Cruz and the unctuous Rubio kept using The Donald as a ping-pong ball in a hapless game of table tennis while Bush led the rest of the backseated wannabes as a cheering section. The great comb-over coiffed megaphone-mouth didn't have to be there. Everyone else was carrying his campaign sign.
C'mon guys. Trump's a New Yorker who slid to the top to be King in the land of the schmoozers. Best part is he keeps all of us in the dark wondering what his real motive for the office of POTUS.
The pompous Cruz and the unctuous Rubio kept using The Donald as a ping-pong ball in a hapless game of table tennis while Bush led the rest of the backseated wannabes as a cheering section. The great comb-over coiffed megaphone-mouth didn't have to be there. Everyone else was carrying his campaign sign.
C'mon guys. Trump's a New Yorker who slid to the top to be King in the land of the schmoozers. Best part is he keeps all of us in the dark wondering what his real motive for the office of POTUS.
2
Just read an article in today's News Analysis section entitled "Away From the Crowd Trump Puts on a Show" which says that the "Ghost" that starred on Mr. Trumps' stage last night was the debate. He seems to have made repeated references to the debate, to his decision not to take part, to the other attendees, to the loss felt by his absence etc.
It seems that it would have been classier - and more politically astute - to have deafened them with silence and while Donald has never been accused of being classy, he has been referred as being a political mastermind.
Maybe the king has no clothes after all. Dumb move, Mr. Trump, from any angle.
It seems that it would have been classier - and more politically astute - to have deafened them with silence and while Donald has never been accused of being classy, he has been referred as being a political mastermind.
Maybe the king has no clothes after all. Dumb move, Mr. Trump, from any angle.
1
"And here I am, writing about Trump, Trump, Trump.
It’s impossible not to..."
No, I'm sorry Frank, it certainly IS possible. Before the campaign, he was certainly a media presence but most people ignored him while others simply took in the spectacle of his antics.
The true media malpractice here is that one person been allowed to become the "star" of the campaign while encapsulating all the lunacy of the fright wing, by capitalizing on his media manipulation background. Meanwhile, the entire rest of the field holds just as dangerous, counterfactual, downright offensive views but that gets minimal attention because one of them keeps demanding the camera focus on him.
An observation - the second half of your column was a valuable accounting of the disturbing attitudes and alignments of the rest of the GOTP candidates. You could have led with - even expanded - that section and then ended with "oh, by the way" the fireball wasn't there and instead was the butt of other candidates' barbs."
A fire only burns if it has oxygen.
It’s impossible not to..."
No, I'm sorry Frank, it certainly IS possible. Before the campaign, he was certainly a media presence but most people ignored him while others simply took in the spectacle of his antics.
The true media malpractice here is that one person been allowed to become the "star" of the campaign while encapsulating all the lunacy of the fright wing, by capitalizing on his media manipulation background. Meanwhile, the entire rest of the field holds just as dangerous, counterfactual, downright offensive views but that gets minimal attention because one of them keeps demanding the camera focus on him.
An observation - the second half of your column was a valuable accounting of the disturbing attitudes and alignments of the rest of the GOTP candidates. You could have led with - even expanded - that section and then ended with "oh, by the way" the fireball wasn't there and instead was the butt of other candidates' barbs."
A fire only burns if it has oxygen.
6
If I hear that sniveling little wimp Marco Rubio disparage our dignified, intelligent President one more time I believe I will actually have the stroke my wife worries about when I watch the Republican Survivor show.
8
It's hard to ignore a person with a can of gasoline and a lighter. The bystanders get only peripheral attention as they dial nine-one-one, run for fire extinguishers, or unzip their trousers. Their responses are interesting, perhaps revealing, but it's shameful when the answer is, "Look at me, I've got kerosene and matches."
1
Trump's shadow indeed looms large.
There is an rapidly developing sentiment among Latin American's who have had plans to return to the USA under LEGAL VISA status; to wait out the elections in fear of Donald as president.
They have joined a world-wide group of talented hardworking folk who have gained legal immigrant status in the US who now say they are intimidated by the very prospect of a Trump presidency. Jobs waiting for them will remain open for a time perhaps.
So they have shelved their immediate plans to return with many declaring they will not go back to the USA if Trump is elected.
So IF this is happening all over the world, if indeed a Trump campaign and election chills legal immigration, there would now be noticed a significant effect on the US economy in the areas of hospitality, farm workers, construction, and the other labor intensive positions.
With China imploding and world production of goods declining while we start to think recession, Trump is ALREADY a contributing factor to our current economic slid. If he were elected he would surely find a way to bankrupt our country just as he did his own interests.
Just when we really need to embrace Latin American issues, we find Trump nailing shut a door that so terribly needs to open.
NYT please look at what the world thinks about Trump and the negative effect he has on international relations and global understanding.
There is an rapidly developing sentiment among Latin American's who have had plans to return to the USA under LEGAL VISA status; to wait out the elections in fear of Donald as president.
They have joined a world-wide group of talented hardworking folk who have gained legal immigrant status in the US who now say they are intimidated by the very prospect of a Trump presidency. Jobs waiting for them will remain open for a time perhaps.
So they have shelved their immediate plans to return with many declaring they will not go back to the USA if Trump is elected.
So IF this is happening all over the world, if indeed a Trump campaign and election chills legal immigration, there would now be noticed a significant effect on the US economy in the areas of hospitality, farm workers, construction, and the other labor intensive positions.
With China imploding and world production of goods declining while we start to think recession, Trump is ALREADY a contributing factor to our current economic slid. If he were elected he would surely find a way to bankrupt our country just as he did his own interests.
Just when we really need to embrace Latin American issues, we find Trump nailing shut a door that so terribly needs to open.
NYT please look at what the world thinks about Trump and the negative effect he has on international relations and global understanding.
"...the drama offstage matched the drama onstage."
No, it did not. This is not drama. It's not even remotely entertaining or compelling. It takes a special kind of person to think of this vile election campaign as anything but an embarrassment to decency and humanity. It is, I think, an obscenity and the political media are simply purveyors of smut. There is, after all, a robust demand for such things.
No, it did not. This is not drama. It's not even remotely entertaining or compelling. It takes a special kind of person to think of this vile election campaign as anything but an embarrassment to decency and humanity. It is, I think, an obscenity and the political media are simply purveyors of smut. There is, after all, a robust demand for such things.
4
Actually, Megyn Kelly was tough as nails on ALL of them and called them out every time they tried to lie. Chris Wallace was also tough and successfully stopped the candidates from running the debate. (Brett Baier was immemorable.) It was the "best" (holding my nose) and most organized, controlled Republican debate so far. Cruz looked as oily as usual and did not do well as he was targeted repeatedly by Rubio, Paul, and Bush. Rubio looked angry, defensive and was yelling his answers, which were rhetorical and nothing new. Christie had a few good lines but was his usual bully-talk self, bashing Hillary and Obama. Bush, Paul, and Kasich sounded totally sane and reasonable. Carson was a standing corpse with nothing substantive coming from his mouth.
54
Presidential debates have taken on more of a reality show atmosphere designed to boost TV ratings. Where is the formal discussion of current issues before the American Public where opposing arguments are put forward? Lets face it, Fox news has a reputation for being confrontational rather than getting to the core of issues that really matter. Just saying.
1
Trump, the quintessential business man, knew he had nothing to gain by appearing last night. The Megan Kelly issue was a convenient smokescreen and it paid off. Cruz and Rubio (Thing 2 and Thing 3) hurt themselves by getting into a semantic donnybrook over their wobbly stances on immigration while Trump was burnishing his numbers next door. I cannot stomach Trump but there's no denying he's dumb as a fox.
The Republican Party has been awful for quite a while now. Now with this last "debate" they have officially sunk to the bottom. They clearly have zero respect for our country to continue to behave this way. They have completely and utterly humiliated all Americans everywhere. It's not my party, but still, how is it that we let this sort of complete stupidity continue? Can't the upper echelons of the Republican Party find some sane adult to be their candidate? No? Time to do us all a favor and disappear then. We need some new political parties so we can govern our country. This is a presidential election. Not a joke.
3
Bruni implies that Trump set the agenda of the Republican campaign and that, even in his absence, the other candidates felt compelled to follow his script, each distinguishing himself merely by the greater purity of his adherence to that agenda. This analysis, however, misconstrues the true nature of Trump's influence.
Republican leaders had created their campaign themes before Trump ever entered the race. Opposition to higher taxes, hostility to government regulations and the kind of government intervention represented by Obamacare, all formed part of GOP orthodoxy. In foreign policy, rejection of any diplomatic engagement with Iran, combined with a tendency to define the terrorist threat in terms of a war of civilizations, summed up the Republican agenda. The depiction of immigrants as a threat to American jobs pretty much rounds out the picture.
Trump simply shifted further right on most of these issues and added an abusive tone that attracted media and public attention. In the debate, the other candidates could not push back effectively on Trump's proposals about the Great Wall of America and the scorn for Muslims, because those proposals represented nothing more than variations on a platform they had already embraced.
Trump's brutal candor may have clarified the ugliness at the heart of the GOP platform, but he did not originate it.
Republican leaders had created their campaign themes before Trump ever entered the race. Opposition to higher taxes, hostility to government regulations and the kind of government intervention represented by Obamacare, all formed part of GOP orthodoxy. In foreign policy, rejection of any diplomatic engagement with Iran, combined with a tendency to define the terrorist threat in terms of a war of civilizations, summed up the Republican agenda. The depiction of immigrants as a threat to American jobs pretty much rounds out the picture.
Trump simply shifted further right on most of these issues and added an abusive tone that attracted media and public attention. In the debate, the other candidates could not push back effectively on Trump's proposals about the Great Wall of America and the scorn for Muslims, because those proposals represented nothing more than variations on a platform they had already embraced.
Trump's brutal candor may have clarified the ugliness at the heart of the GOP platform, but he did not originate it.
5
Bush gave the most detailed, real-world, nuanced answer on how to defeat ISIS. Yet the Google trend results (of those tuned in -- so probably conservative voters), gave him the worst results, and Rubio, the highest -- even though all Rubio said was generally and repeatedly bellicose.
This should give us insight into the mood of the base of the GOP: angry and unthinking.
This should give us insight into the mood of the base of the GOP: angry and unthinking.
3
If it seems that last night's debate was all about Donald Trump, it is because commentators wish to write about it that way. While there were a number of parenthetical references to him (after all, he is the frontrunner - no one was going to mention Rick Santorum), all of which seem to have been mentioned by Mr Bruni, the vast substance of the debate was about policy and back-and-forth between those candidates attending.
Frankly, I found the substance of last night's debate the best of any of those yet conducted. I especially liked the way in which Megyn Kelly was not afraid to go after both Messrs Cruz and Rubio, using numerous clips of them in the past to question current statements. While I am favorably disposed to both, such challenge should be welcomed by all. We need to see our prospective leaders answer the tough stuff and not just bloviate (which, BTW, several of them did to try to avoid those questions, which was also indicative).
Jeb Bush had his best night of the campaign making some quality points. Cruz and Rubio showed their skills, Rand Paul handled his end pretty effectively, as did Chris Christie when he had the chance. Ben Carson was himself but did not wow, and John Kasich was every bit as annoying as he has been in past debates. Frankly, the debates benefited greatly by Donald Trump's absence. Which is why I am puzzled why Mr Bruni and others are still trying to make it all about him when it was not at all.
Frankly, I found the substance of last night's debate the best of any of those yet conducted. I especially liked the way in which Megyn Kelly was not afraid to go after both Messrs Cruz and Rubio, using numerous clips of them in the past to question current statements. While I am favorably disposed to both, such challenge should be welcomed by all. We need to see our prospective leaders answer the tough stuff and not just bloviate (which, BTW, several of them did to try to avoid those questions, which was also indicative).
Jeb Bush had his best night of the campaign making some quality points. Cruz and Rubio showed their skills, Rand Paul handled his end pretty effectively, as did Chris Christie when he had the chance. Ben Carson was himself but did not wow, and John Kasich was every bit as annoying as he has been in past debates. Frankly, the debates benefited greatly by Donald Trump's absence. Which is why I am puzzled why Mr Bruni and others are still trying to make it all about him when it was not at all.
1
Who won last night's debate? Trump did! Here is why:
Trump set the agenda. He forced Fox to reprogram their questions to other candidates. He set up Cruz to remark that he might have to leave the stage when Kelly tried to do the same thing to him that she had done to Trump in the first debate. Note that that was the last time Fox tried it on Cruz during the rest of the debate. (Cruz would never have said that without Trump's actions and Fox would not have stopped doing it absent Trump's chalenge.)
Look at what was debated. The remaining candidates pointed out the contradictions and change in positions of their opponents. They accused each other of lying and changing their story for political gain. It wass all true. It is true of all politicians and even of Trump.
Trump took on the conservative media and at least came out even if not a clear winner. That and the other candidates proving they were typical politicans talking about each others contradictions is a win for Trump in both the Washingto and English dictonaries.
Trump set the agenda. He forced Fox to reprogram their questions to other candidates. He set up Cruz to remark that he might have to leave the stage when Kelly tried to do the same thing to him that she had done to Trump in the first debate. Note that that was the last time Fox tried it on Cruz during the rest of the debate. (Cruz would never have said that without Trump's actions and Fox would not have stopped doing it absent Trump's chalenge.)
Look at what was debated. The remaining candidates pointed out the contradictions and change in positions of their opponents. They accused each other of lying and changing their story for political gain. It wass all true. It is true of all politicians and even of Trump.
Trump took on the conservative media and at least came out even if not a clear winner. That and the other candidates proving they were typical politicans talking about each others contradictions is a win for Trump in both the Washingto and English dictonaries.
1
I found Marco Rubio's sustained level of anger during the debate off-putting. When Rubio plays the optimistic young candidate, the audience can fill in the blanks in a positive way -- whether accurately or not -- about how he would actually implement his goals, but a person running for office who willingly displays such vitriol so much of the time suggests to me someone who would be close-minded and too swayed by their emotions to develop and adjust policy and govern effectively and responsibly. Rubio's been characterized from his record as opportunistic and lazy, and to some extent his candidacy leaves us to guess how he would work at the job of being president. If he wants us to fill in those blanks in a positive way, I don't think the persona he is projecting is helpful -- but maybe I should be grateful that he is showing other facets of himself in advance of the voting.
68
Rubio is all panic all of the time. What a sorry little man he is.
5
Krauthammer and others opined that the most obvious outcome of the debate wasn’t that the ghost of The Donald kept yelling “boo!” at regular intervals, but that JEB! probably had his best outing by far. I agree with that assessment, and look forward to the inevitable polls that will appear between now and next Monday’s Iowa caucuses, to see how that performance affects numbers. I also look forward to this transformation of Jeb Bush into an increasingly effective player.
That said, while the jibes at Trump were entertaining, including Megyn Kelly’s veiled reference to The Donald as an “elephant” (missed that, did you?), they hardly dominated the conversation in the manner Frank suggests they did. Almost the entire debate was substantial, consequential and played well to most of the contestants’ strengths – particularly JEB!’s and Rubio’s, although Cruz decidedly got in his populist licks, as well.
I also noticed that particular care had been given to making Megyn Kelly look pretty hot – obviously but still entertainingly Fox’s attempts to punish Trump for his disparagement of her as an attractive woman.
This last debate before the people finally begin to speak for real served its purpose extremely well in Trump’s absence: it was focused on issues and views, not on one man’s need to prove that his limousine is longer than anyone else’s.
That said, while the jibes at Trump were entertaining, including Megyn Kelly’s veiled reference to The Donald as an “elephant” (missed that, did you?), they hardly dominated the conversation in the manner Frank suggests they did. Almost the entire debate was substantial, consequential and played well to most of the contestants’ strengths – particularly JEB!’s and Rubio’s, although Cruz decidedly got in his populist licks, as well.
I also noticed that particular care had been given to making Megyn Kelly look pretty hot – obviously but still entertainingly Fox’s attempts to punish Trump for his disparagement of her as an attractive woman.
This last debate before the people finally begin to speak for real served its purpose extremely well in Trump’s absence: it was focused on issues and views, not on one man’s need to prove that his limousine is longer than anyone else’s.
3
Oh please! Even now we have to talk about Kelly looking hot or not, and attributing the result to the Fox network's efforts. The adolescent preoccupation of male supposed adults with women's looks as the determining factor of whether they should be listened to is getting pretty tiring to those of us who have been listening to this juvenile stuff for way too many years.
4
Those were the tackiest false eyelashes I have ever seen on TV.
5
I just wish Megyn Kelly would tone down the ridiculous fake eyelashes that look like her eyelids have sprouted feathers. Did you fall for those?
2
When you contrast the noisome cacophony of the Republican candidates with the cool,rational,dignity of Barack Obama,it's like being irritated by some persistent annoying sound and then experiencing the relief of silence. Last night the Presidency was a metaphorical bone being held out to a bunch of yelping,snarling, dogs who were energized by the absence of the Alpha dog.We had fervent, fabricating, Marco Rubio, whiney, oily,Ted Cruz, crass, loudmouth,Chris Christ,and a relaxed Jeb Bush no longer dominated by the presence of the missing Alpha. Donald Trump almost certainly avoided a video trap like the ones sprung on Marco Rubio, and Ted Cruz, whose mano a mano over immigration only benefitted an unscathed Donald Trump.
65
Carpet bombing. Now there's a new idea. We used it against Hanoi and killed a million innocent souls. And, let me see, how did THAT one work out?
When you bomb anyone, you are bombing everyone. You are bombing your children, and mine. You are bombing the earth. You are bombing humanity, and it's future. You are bombing life itself.
How can literate people stand on a stage and talk about carpet bombing when war itself is completely and utterly obsolete, and has been for over 60 years?
Good one, GOP.
Maybe your letters should stand for "Grand Obnoxious Party."
When you bomb anyone, you are bombing everyone. You are bombing your children, and mine. You are bombing the earth. You are bombing humanity, and it's future. You are bombing life itself.
How can literate people stand on a stage and talk about carpet bombing when war itself is completely and utterly obsolete, and has been for over 60 years?
Good one, GOP.
Maybe your letters should stand for "Grand Obnoxious Party."
157
How about Gross Obnoxious Ponces? (borrowing a British-ism)
3
"Maybe your letters should stand for "Grand Obnoxious Party."
Or Grand OSSIFIED Party.
Or Grand OSSIFIED Party.
4
Like Trump, I too, skipped the debate. Just not for the same reason.
I couldn't bring myself to watch, not out of a delicacy about watching the candidates squirm under the punishing questioning of Ms. Kelly, not out of any thought that there would be less buffoonery without Donald. I guiltily, with head bowed, admit that I passed on this one out of - boredom.
I know, I know, that's not a word heard often in the same sentence with any GOP debate or other "show" these days, but it describes how I felt.
I hope this is just a slump. know how critical this election is, not just for this next presidential term, but for the very future of the GOP - and of the nature of politics - in our country. Hardly boring stuff.
And maybe this is dangerous complacency, but know that we've seen their "best and brightest" and I don't see any reason to get excited at this point, until we see which of the Gang that Couldn't Shoot Straight is the contender.
Some are more clever and sneaky and smarmy than others, some are more willing to revert to dirty tricks, are more savvy of insider politics, and any of them will have a yuge war chest. But the voters during general elections are much different than those in the midterms and I don't see any Republican candidate taking the White House next fall - absent the ever possible big mistake by H or B - which we can't do anything about anyway.
In the meantime I'll Feel the Bern, and save my energy for the long slog to the White House.
I couldn't bring myself to watch, not out of a delicacy about watching the candidates squirm under the punishing questioning of Ms. Kelly, not out of any thought that there would be less buffoonery without Donald. I guiltily, with head bowed, admit that I passed on this one out of - boredom.
I know, I know, that's not a word heard often in the same sentence with any GOP debate or other "show" these days, but it describes how I felt.
I hope this is just a slump. know how critical this election is, not just for this next presidential term, but for the very future of the GOP - and of the nature of politics - in our country. Hardly boring stuff.
And maybe this is dangerous complacency, but know that we've seen their "best and brightest" and I don't see any reason to get excited at this point, until we see which of the Gang that Couldn't Shoot Straight is the contender.
Some are more clever and sneaky and smarmy than others, some are more willing to revert to dirty tricks, are more savvy of insider politics, and any of them will have a yuge war chest. But the voters during general elections are much different than those in the midterms and I don't see any Republican candidate taking the White House next fall - absent the ever possible big mistake by H or B - which we can't do anything about anyway.
In the meantime I'll Feel the Bern, and save my energy for the long slog to the White House.
25
I had intended to tune into the debate and turn off the sound just to be counted among those who watched, hopefully, as a measure to off-set Trumps' holier-than-thou "fund raiser" viewer numbers. I then realized that we have many months of this repetitious lunacy to endure and I really didn't want to waste my evening playing that game.
The only reason to watch Trump at all in a debate is to wait for the rest of the pack to try to tear him up and watch him squirm. That is by far more entertaining than watching him gloat over his wonderful self at an event he put on as a guise to remove himself from possible ridicule or actually having to state his "positions". Strategy on his part. His thin skinned persona is just more than I can watch anymore.
I decided to ENJOY my evening. I watched "The Mind of a Chef".....much better food for thought than Trump and his goofball rivals.
The only reason to watch Trump at all in a debate is to wait for the rest of the pack to try to tear him up and watch him squirm. That is by far more entertaining than watching him gloat over his wonderful self at an event he put on as a guise to remove himself from possible ridicule or actually having to state his "positions". Strategy on his part. His thin skinned persona is just more than I can watch anymore.
I decided to ENJOY my evening. I watched "The Mind of a Chef".....much better food for thought than Trump and his goofball rivals.
Let's face it the performance of the Republican nominees was an embarrassment to the party and in particular to America. The vicious mean spirit of Donald Trump and all he stands for and boasts about permeated the atmosphere and made it toxic. In Trump's absence they worked hard to out Trump him ; meaning never answer a question with a meaningful and thought out response and always be as mean, nasty and TOUGH as possible. What a shameful performance, what a disgrace that Presidential debates and elections has reverted to this all because of one fraudulent media created and driven narcissistic huckster ! My question is when will America wake up and realize that not one of these people on the stage or the big elephant off the stage are even remotely qualified to be President of the United States!
57
Your will be surprised that there are enough stupid uninformed people that voted these in.
2
My advice to Marco:
Drop your 'born again' routine. It sounds phony and isn't going to endear you with your sugar daddy Norman Braman who may decide to purchase another candidate.
My advice to Megyn:
Start updating your resume. Call Monica for career change advice. When the Donald is sworn in as President you may find yourself persona non grata with the TV networks.
Drop your 'born again' routine. It sounds phony and isn't going to endear you with your sugar daddy Norman Braman who may decide to purchase another candidate.
My advice to Megyn:
Start updating your resume. Call Monica for career change advice. When the Donald is sworn in as President you may find yourself persona non grata with the TV networks.
9
What a crock! If that were the case, she would have been sacked last August.
2
Good grief! I can't wait until the primaries are over!
16
WHERE OH WHERE has Bush's Teddy Bear gone?
Oh, where oh where can he be?
With his hair so long and his teeth so sharp,
Oh where oh where can he be?
A word to the GOP about the dead elephant not in the room with the long hair and foul mouth:
Never underestimate the power of a tyrant to attract followers!
Oh, where oh where can he be?
With his hair so long and his teeth so sharp,
Oh where oh where can he be?
A word to the GOP about the dead elephant not in the room with the long hair and foul mouth:
Never underestimate the power of a tyrant to attract followers!
9
The most successful politicians have basically been ego-maniacs who are able to hide that side of their personality and come across as sincere. They look to see what their potential "audience" cares about and then they wax poetic about how they can achieve those goals. One hopes that once elected they will keep their promises.
Now the 2 top contenders of a major party play up their ego-mania and the audience goes wild. Though supposedly "Christians" they seem more like Roman Emperors throwing "enemies" to the lions to keep their public happy.
I have yet to figure out what Trump and Cruise really care about other than themselves. Other politicians look to previous leaders as their role models. These 2 seem to revere Nero and P.T. Barnum.
What does their success say about American Society?
Now the 2 top contenders of a major party play up their ego-mania and the audience goes wild. Though supposedly "Christians" they seem more like Roman Emperors throwing "enemies" to the lions to keep their public happy.
I have yet to figure out what Trump and Cruise really care about other than themselves. Other politicians look to previous leaders as their role models. These 2 seem to revere Nero and P.T. Barnum.
What does their success say about American Society?
27
Guess Eastwood's empty chair conversation was ominous.
10
Trump is a born entertainer, and the rest of the G.O.P. are boring. Watching
Trump at his meeting was watching a master magician run through his
hypnotizing mental dance. Trump named most of his major contributors to a
$5 million fund for veterans, and that included Carl Icahn's $500,000. Trump
introduced his wife, and another contributor who donated $1 million. It was
fun to watch. Switching back to G.O.P. was like going back to school watching
watching Bret, Megyn, and Chris checking their students' homework. The
voters Monday will tell us who won, Fox or Trump.
Trump at his meeting was watching a master magician run through his
hypnotizing mental dance. Trump named most of his major contributors to a
$5 million fund for veterans, and that included Carl Icahn's $500,000. Trump
introduced his wife, and another contributor who donated $1 million. It was
fun to watch. Switching back to G.O.P. was like going back to school watching
watching Bret, Megyn, and Chris checking their students' homework. The
voters Monday will tell us who won, Fox or Trump.
11
What you describe is the problem today. People are short on attention, short on brains, short on caring about the serious aspects of leading a major country like America. The comparison bewtween theater and homework checking just shows the sad level of our thinking about the election to the presidency.
It is a big world and we are connected as never before. A president needs to be able to think big and global and small and local, too. Whether the president can behave like a showbiz star is pretty irrelevant. A commanding presence is good, as well as a deep knowledge of history so the nation doesn't keep making the same mistakes over and over.
The Iraq invasion wouldn't have happened if any of the people involved had known or cared about the history and/or the culture of the Middle East. Not to have known of the deep antipathy between the Muslim sects was inexcusable for the president and all of his advisors. Scary that that neo-con crowd was so ill informed and had such power, shutting out the wiser heads from the deliberations. An internal coup that we should be trying hard to prevent ever happening again.
It is a big world and we are connected as never before. A president needs to be able to think big and global and small and local, too. Whether the president can behave like a showbiz star is pretty irrelevant. A commanding presence is good, as well as a deep knowledge of history so the nation doesn't keep making the same mistakes over and over.
The Iraq invasion wouldn't have happened if any of the people involved had known or cared about the history and/or the culture of the Middle East. Not to have known of the deep antipathy between the Muslim sects was inexcusable for the president and all of his advisors. Scary that that neo-con crowd was so ill informed and had such power, shutting out the wiser heads from the deliberations. An internal coup that we should be trying hard to prevent ever happening again.
1
Just from viewing segments of the debate on line, I saw much more substance than you would think actually happened at yesterday Republican debate from reading Bruni's piece today. It was no better or worse than any debate over the years - a range of reasoned and thoughtful points along with some histrionics, bellicosity and dissembling. In other words, the usual from a bunch of politicians.
Yet, Bruni's column touched little on any of that, focusing all on the sizzle of the Donald. His focus, as well as the NY Times and the media in general, on the minutia and the personalities of the election process is so disheartening. I continue to wait for Bruni to actually write on the issues and the candidates positions, which is what a columnist should be doing.
Yet, Bruni's column touched little on any of that, focusing all on the sizzle of the Donald. His focus, as well as the NY Times and the media in general, on the minutia and the personalities of the election process is so disheartening. I continue to wait for Bruni to actually write on the issues and the candidates positions, which is what a columnist should be doing.
4
Frank, you report the candidates' lines, inluding a Christie retort that you call "genuinely funny," as if they were things they thought up on the spot.
You do realize, don't you, that all of their best lines have been formulated (and probably by staffers, not even by the candidates) and rehearsed well in advance of the debates and they're just waiting for the appropriate time to say them, don't you?
They indicate nothing about the candidates.
You do realize, don't you, that all of their best lines have been formulated (and probably by staffers, not even by the candidates) and rehearsed well in advance of the debates and they're just waiting for the appropriate time to say them, don't you?
They indicate nothing about the candidates.
13
Frank, if your editor requires you, as part of your job, to read Rupert Murdoch's tweets, the NYT should double your salary.
p.
p.
16
Why doesn't the media start covering the policies of Trump instead of the celebrity of Trump? I have ZERO clue what the guy is going to do when he gets into office. Honestly, the media has made this man what he is-can you at least let us know what he stands for?
27
To Jan: when Trump tells us, IF he has any, Frank will write about it, I'm sure.
2
hear hear!!!!
Does he have policies??
The decision by Donald Trump to skip the Republican debate turned out to be smart. He managed to loom over the debate without risking any significant erosion in his lead.
Whether or not Trump does well in the primaries and receives the Republican nomination, he has put an indelible stamp on the Republican Party. It is the stamp of his personality, not of his politics.
Republicans are neither more nor less extreme in their views because Donald Trump has been in the presidential race. Even if he never had entered the race, the decision already had been made by G.O.P. politicians and leaders in 2009 to double down on right-wing extremism.
Donald Trump has shown the rest of the field the value of personality, but they still flounder. Since Trump believes so genuinely in himself, he creates the illusion that he believes all of the outrageous things he says. It is doubtful that any other candidate can duplicate that feat.
Whether or not Trump does well in the primaries and receives the Republican nomination, he has put an indelible stamp on the Republican Party. It is the stamp of his personality, not of his politics.
Republicans are neither more nor less extreme in their views because Donald Trump has been in the presidential race. Even if he never had entered the race, the decision already had been made by G.O.P. politicians and leaders in 2009 to double down on right-wing extremism.
Donald Trump has shown the rest of the field the value of personality, but they still flounder. Since Trump believes so genuinely in himself, he creates the illusion that he believes all of the outrageous things he says. It is doubtful that any other candidate can duplicate that feat.
7
As Steve Bennen at the Rachel Maddow Show pointed out in December, Trump will be the nominee, since no GOP'er in modern history who has led the polls by more than 20 points at that time in a campaign has not eventually received the nod:
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/latest-polls-set-stage-unprecede...
Trump's main objectives have been achieved - 1) He will keep Jeb! from getting the nomination 2) As he displayed with his event Thursday night, the 2016 campaign has not been a continuation of the focus on income/wealth inequality that dominated Mittens's campaign - Trump's event Thursday night was carried live on C-SPAN, with a good deal of plutocracy glorification.
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/latest-polls-set-stage-unprecede...
Trump's main objectives have been achieved - 1) He will keep Jeb! from getting the nomination 2) As he displayed with his event Thursday night, the 2016 campaign has not been a continuation of the focus on income/wealth inequality that dominated Mittens's campaign - Trump's event Thursday night was carried live on C-SPAN, with a good deal of plutocracy glorification.
10
what if he turns out to be a Democrat in disguise?
Trump dominated media coverage without even going. He dominated discussion on stage without even being there. This is how he runs without donors. He gets all the attention anyway.
In fact, a real question is how much Fox lost ratings, and lost money, because Trump wouldn't perform for them. When those figures come in, I'll be as interested in them as Rupert Murdoch or Roger Ailes are. That is Trump's "leverage" as he puts it.
In fact, a real question is how much Fox lost ratings, and lost money, because Trump wouldn't perform for them. When those figures come in, I'll be as interested in them as Rupert Murdoch or Roger Ailes are. That is Trump's "leverage" as he puts it.
57
Fox News makes about $800 million a year. That's profit, not gross. Ailes and Murdoch care more about what they're having for lunch than any money they may or may not have lost on the debate without Trump.
Trump thinks everything is about money. It isn't. Rupert Murdoch has 3X the money Trump has. And Trump thinks he has leverage? More hot air from the world-class blowhard.
Trump thinks everything is about money. It isn't. Rupert Murdoch has 3X the money Trump has. And Trump thinks he has leverage? More hot air from the world-class blowhard.
Re: " 'If you guys ask one more mean question, I may have to leave the stage,” Cruz warned sarcastically. Marco Rubio got in on the action by chiming in: 'Don’t worry, I’m not leaving the stage no matter what you ask me.' ”
I don't see that this demonstrates that Tump's absence was the dominant presence. To me it demonstrates merely that Cruz is a lot wittier than the pathetic Rubio.
Re: "Bush was genuinely funny, as when he reintroduced Trump toward the end of the debate. 'I mentioned his name again just if anybody was missing him,' Bush said."
That's not funny; it's merely garbled. John Ellis Bush seems rather like his failed brother George: Neither can manage a grammatically intelligible sentence.
I don't see that this demonstrates that Tump's absence was the dominant presence. To me it demonstrates merely that Cruz is a lot wittier than the pathetic Rubio.
Re: "Bush was genuinely funny, as when he reintroduced Trump toward the end of the debate. 'I mentioned his name again just if anybody was missing him,' Bush said."
That's not funny; it's merely garbled. John Ellis Bush seems rather like his failed brother George: Neither can manage a grammatically intelligible sentence.
91
Cruz's line doesn't come close to approaching wit. It was as predictable as the winter snow in Iowa. Everyone knew he was going to say it, or something like it. The only question was when.
3
You thought cruz was witty? He was deeply obnoxious, & if his idea of making light of a stumble is to fall like a ton of bricks, that's not witty to me but even more obnoxious.
3
Brilliant observation, Jake. When I read this sentence from Frank Bruni, I wilted a little. It is as if Mr. Bruni was trying to legitimize himself as a balanced pundit by identifying a bright spot on an evening marked by intellectual blight. Going forward, please continue to call it like it is, Mr. Bruni; that's what we rely on you to do.
Only Trump supporters and his news media enablers missed Trump at the debate. The rest of us did just fine.
It's about time the so-called fourth estate stopped being enthralled by a modern day carnival barker's unsurprising ability to dangle bright shiny objects in their faces. It's transparently self-serving; a democratic institutional failure of the first order.
It's about time the so-called fourth estate stopped being enthralled by a modern day carnival barker's unsurprising ability to dangle bright shiny objects in their faces. It's transparently self-serving; a democratic institutional failure of the first order.
111
Which of them on stage with the possible exception of Kasich is not a modern day carnival barker?
2
Did Faux News fact check any statements that the candidates made? Because just allowing candidates to make unsubstantiated statements will embolden them to continue to make similar claims in the future. I was not sure that Faux News would do that so I did not bother to watch the debate.
56
Trump’s real secret: systematically exploiting Americans’ thirst for novelty. He invented and aggressively promoted reality shows, television programs in which novelty is inescapably guaranteed by the fact that myriads of ordinary people are placed before TV cameras to "entertain". The quality of their entertaining does not matter; its inherent novelty, coming from the featured multitude of unknowns, does. Since August, Trump recast reality shows into the political arena, also deliberately wrapped with/around novelty. Once again, the quality of what is shown does not matter, only its newness does, uncritically passing as entertainment. When I see his getting away with his outrageous “buffooning”, cynically performing as a supposed presidential candidate, I am reminded of pieces of “contemporary art” shown at even at our best museums because of their novelty, not their artistic merit.
23
& selling Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous. If Joan Rivers had not died, she could have been his pick for Secretary of State. And there's the luscious young - to use DT's term ' "piece of ass", sweet, gorgeous, & just waiting to bring her jewelry line into the White House - to stun in designer gowns, to "trump" Jackie Kennedy
Sounds like Trump won, again. And what, pray tell, does that say about the state of the GOP?
No wonder the GOP owners are panicking, they can no longer control the puppet show.
Meanwhile, the Dem candidates look better simply by being Dems. Yet another wonder, given HRC's obvious owners.
That social democrat fellow from Brooklyn via Vermont, you know, the unowned candidate, the guy so dependent upon the democracy of We the People, Bernie's looking like the only one we can trust to work for us.
No wonder the GOP owners are panicking, they can no longer control the puppet show.
Meanwhile, the Dem candidates look better simply by being Dems. Yet another wonder, given HRC's obvious owners.
That social democrat fellow from Brooklyn via Vermont, you know, the unowned candidate, the guy so dependent upon the democracy of We the People, Bernie's looking like the only one we can trust to work for us.
48
My take on the debate and GOP candidates:
low energy, embarrassing, sad, really dumb, no 'it' factor, lightweight, boring, unwatchable, incoherent with anger, no credibility, wasted a lot of time and money, doesn't have a clue, dead T.V., hokey garbage, dumb as a rock, serious haters, so dishonest, a massive headache, really bombed tonight, the detriment of America, truly weird, a total big-crime mess, doesn't have a clue, should not be allowed on TV, should be ashamed, begs for money from the Koch Brothers, deeply troubled, doing many bad things behind our backs, low level degenerates, wacko, wasting our time, have no talent no TV persona, cratered, ready to treat me unfairly, dummy dummy dummy, nasty, crazy, so wrong, not nice, disgraceful, hard to watch zero talent, total fools, in love with Marco Rubio!, looks odd, not good, should be ashamed of themselves, shouldn't be allowed to do this, penchant for sexism, why can't they get it right?, only say negatives, why would anyone listen? not presidential material, all talk and no action, weak leaders, they're killing us!, without a properly functioning brain, should be forced to take an IQ test, couldn't be elected dog catcher, war monger, doesn't have what it takes, bad!, says one thing for money does another for votes, Goldman Sachs owns him, pure scum, it was dead, just hopeless, a zero, in total free fall, troublemakers, want to surrender constitutional rights, sleazy.
inspired by & with thanks to @realDonaldTrump
low energy, embarrassing, sad, really dumb, no 'it' factor, lightweight, boring, unwatchable, incoherent with anger, no credibility, wasted a lot of time and money, doesn't have a clue, dead T.V., hokey garbage, dumb as a rock, serious haters, so dishonest, a massive headache, really bombed tonight, the detriment of America, truly weird, a total big-crime mess, doesn't have a clue, should not be allowed on TV, should be ashamed, begs for money from the Koch Brothers, deeply troubled, doing many bad things behind our backs, low level degenerates, wacko, wasting our time, have no talent no TV persona, cratered, ready to treat me unfairly, dummy dummy dummy, nasty, crazy, so wrong, not nice, disgraceful, hard to watch zero talent, total fools, in love with Marco Rubio!, looks odd, not good, should be ashamed of themselves, shouldn't be allowed to do this, penchant for sexism, why can't they get it right?, only say negatives, why would anyone listen? not presidential material, all talk and no action, weak leaders, they're killing us!, without a properly functioning brain, should be forced to take an IQ test, couldn't be elected dog catcher, war monger, doesn't have what it takes, bad!, says one thing for money does another for votes, Goldman Sachs owns him, pure scum, it was dead, just hopeless, a zero, in total free fall, troublemakers, want to surrender constitutional rights, sleazy.
inspired by & with thanks to @realDonaldTrump
79
@ fast&furious - this looks like Palin speak!
& I think Rubio wears a hairpiece
2
Trump is maybe a fox but he's no lion, to use Machiavelli's terminology. Frank Bruni writes elegantly and vividly. I like his style. Now of course Trump is a disaster in the making for America and the Republican electoral show is sending the world very negative images of the US. The GOP is not conservative but plain loony with elements close to fascism (as in some European countries from Hungary to Poland). The GOP "radical insurgency" has killed the elephant and might destroy America in a mad suicidal safari.
101
Like, we do don't care about our image in the world....after 7 years of Obama, we know it stinks
Early-summer, US route 1, Rockland, Maine a handmade sign nailed to a wooden light pole: "TRUMP".... several days later, the tag line appears as another homemade sign : "a symptom." Trump's nothing new for a diseased republic, save the orange hair.
49
Why is no one on the staff of the nytimes able to unpack what Donald is actually saying.
He is right on trade and China, see the article today to see my and other commentators reasons as to why
He is right to call an illegal and illegal - if you have laws they must be recognized
He is right about outroucing and jobs
He is right about tariffs
He is right about Merkel
He is right about Murdoch
He is right corrupt washington politicians
He is scary about Obamacare because if in front of the GOP making the portfolio larger will not reduce risk but give them a reason to get rid of it
He was right about abortion until he changed his tune
You know something is seriously amiss when Kristof calls him the orange haired one
What happened to journalism with integrity?
I am thrilled that Donald is saying these things, although I dont want him as president
And I am dismayed at the point scoring by the Times, and the top commentators here who are preaching to the choir
He is right on trade and China, see the article today to see my and other commentators reasons as to why
He is right to call an illegal and illegal - if you have laws they must be recognized
He is right about outroucing and jobs
He is right about tariffs
He is right about Merkel
He is right about Murdoch
He is right corrupt washington politicians
He is scary about Obamacare because if in front of the GOP making the portfolio larger will not reduce risk but give them a reason to get rid of it
He was right about abortion until he changed his tune
You know something is seriously amiss when Kristof calls him the orange haired one
What happened to journalism with integrity?
I am thrilled that Donald is saying these things, although I dont want him as president
And I am dismayed at the point scoring by the Times, and the top commentators here who are preaching to the choir
7
"if you have laws they must be recognized" DT's whole schtick is that he is beyond the law & has contempt for any guidelines/traditions that might bind him from doing just exactly what he wants to do & saying exactly what he wants to say. People so admire him for this, calling it "fearless". alas.
3
@scientella
Amen. Maybe it's just we left coast types who can separate the show from the tell. When Trump emerged last summer I wrote, essentially, your comment to this august publication: listen to the guy. Stop judging. But the superficial judging continues to dominate the press. And in the meantime Trump owns the show because. as you correctly point out, he's talking about real stuff.
Amen. Maybe it's just we left coast types who can separate the show from the tell. When Trump emerged last summer I wrote, essentially, your comment to this august publication: listen to the guy. Stop judging. But the superficial judging continues to dominate the press. And in the meantime Trump owns the show because. as you correctly point out, he's talking about real stuff.
1
What was truly missing was a realistic presidential option
176
Five stories on the front page this morning about the GOP debate and every single one of them has Trump in the headline or not the subhead. All are from the pov of his absence.
You media brickheads are feeding the beast. Stop it.
You media brickheads are feeding the beast. Stop it.
230
OMG they were crazy!
19
Frank Bruni is wrong and rationalizing. He is irresponsible BECAUSE he keeps writing about Trump.
30
Please could someone tell a bemused Aussie why the Republican Party Organisation allows these patently unqualified people to even run for nomination? Surely there is some mechanism by which the party bosses can vet and veto unsuitable candidates? It would be funny if only the possibility of one of these people becoming POTUS wasn't so scary to the whole world!
245
Not anymore. Anyone who can get enough money from somewhere can run.
4
Tony Abbott should have wiped the bemusement right off an Aussie's face.
4
Nope, welcome to our democracy. Years ago the head of the party seemed to have some actual influence and a sense of some candidates waiting their turn and running in the next cycle---in the 80s I doubt there would be 12 candidates heading to Iowa.
3
Surprise, surprise! Another editorial from Frank Bruni telling us more non-informaton about Donald Trump. Mr. Bruni, I admired you when you wrote about food. Clearly you know much more about that subject than you do about what appeals to Times readers in terms of political commentary.
12
Try, just try not to write about Trump, just once. I'm betting neither you, nor us, will fall over dead.
56
Kinda sooo sad, like "Honk if you love Jesus..." I grew up in Texas and I can smell a Tent Revival a mile away -- heck, I thought this was going to be a GOP presidential debate, but I was afraid any minute Rubio was going to burst into song, with everyone else on stage joining in:
Yes, Jesus loves me, Yes, Jesus Loves me . . . The Bible tells me so, etc.
So much for separation of church and state -- Folks, we're in a peck o' trouble here!!!
Yes, Jesus loves me, Yes, Jesus Loves me . . . The Bible tells me so, etc.
So much for separation of church and state -- Folks, we're in a peck o' trouble here!!!
350
Ah yes - all the good Christians on stage - cutting off people's access to health care, bombing the bejeezus out of everybody who bugs us, destroying the planet because omg no carbon cap & trade will be allowed ever ever ever! And of course defunding Planned Parenthood because - because why exactly?
These people are terrible. They really are. They stand for some kind of fire & brimstone mentality from the days of Salem.
We need this like a hole in the head. The rest of the world has moved on, except maybe for ISIS.
I wish these guys just listen to themselves with a shred of self-awareness.
These people are terrible. They really are. They stand for some kind of fire & brimstone mentality from the days of Salem.
We need this like a hole in the head. The rest of the world has moved on, except maybe for ISIS.
I wish these guys just listen to themselves with a shred of self-awareness.
418
Yup, indeed all the oh-do-good and pious Christians on stage, especially the one with the abt name Christie, declaring that if had only one choice to cut big, baaad, gubmint spending, said Planned Parenthood.
These snake oil selling preachers' feet are never held to the fire by any debate 'moderator', who should have said that no federal money ever goes towards abortions, but that the lousy 500K federal subsidy for Planned Parenthood for health services for the most vulnerable women among us prevent about 350,000 abortions per year.
These snake oil selling preachers' feet are never held to the fire by any debate 'moderator', who should have said that no federal money ever goes towards abortions, but that the lousy 500K federal subsidy for Planned Parenthood for health services for the most vulnerable women among us prevent about 350,000 abortions per year.
6
Sophia writes these people are terrible, and they are. However, more important is the Republican electorate that decides to a large extent who will be the candidates and where they will stand. If any of the goons on stage at the debate said climate change is real or military spending must be cut or the government needs to provide more assistance to the poor, their career would end on the spot. People do get the candidates they deserve.
4
Amen, Sister! AMEN!
They're too busy tithing their corporate sponsors and forging their plowshares into swords to listen to anyone but the lobbyists puling their chains.
They're too busy tithing their corporate sponsors and forging their plowshares into swords to listen to anyone but the lobbyists puling their chains.
4
Flags should fly at half mast on days of GOP debates to acknowledge the death of reason.
343
The format generally does not provide opportunity for much of anything that resembles debate, though Megan Kelly did some of her own follow-ups, and there were a few contentious moments between candidates. Mostly they get to cite well rehearsed rhetoric unchallenged. I don't understand why these so-called debates are not hosted by universities and moderated by debate team students. Same for the democrats. This is just a spectacle designed for drama, and to sell advertising. I think its shameful and unacceptable. Americans would learn a lot more in a formal debate, where arguments are discussed point by point and each participant responds to the same points.
34
EXACTLY CORRECT! This charade is the WWE in suits and ties and lapel flag pins. These are NOT debates! They are sound bites of sheer nonsense.
3
Is this a contest to get media attention or to convince the electorate to vote for a specific candidate because of their merits. Nature abhors a vacuum and so do voters. All one can say to Trump at this point is for Fox's sake, get a grip on it.
2
How hollow, canned and tiresome answers without Trump there. A sad spectacle.
Candidates, media--all are hit unexpectedly. We've never had a race like this.
He's made it all his plaything and is winning the GOP nom.
Has the sobering lesson fully hit the GOP it's their policies and tactics that created this "force of gravity"?
It doesn't seem so, from TNR special edition to the debate.
Responsibility should be acknowledged of the anger trickle down policies and lower tax tactics have produced in the country if GOP to survive, and not blaming a Democrat.
Responsibility for taking anti-gov't ideology to this extreme, as if it hasn't harmed the middle and lower classes who see the party using cliches as elaborate justification for selfishness and greed.
Yet the GOP would rather gamble with Trump or Cruz than adjust a toxic message that's gotten out of hand. That's the sobering lesson to the country now lit up in neon.
Candidates, media--all are hit unexpectedly. We've never had a race like this.
He's made it all his plaything and is winning the GOP nom.
Has the sobering lesson fully hit the GOP it's their policies and tactics that created this "force of gravity"?
It doesn't seem so, from TNR special edition to the debate.
Responsibility should be acknowledged of the anger trickle down policies and lower tax tactics have produced in the country if GOP to survive, and not blaming a Democrat.
Responsibility for taking anti-gov't ideology to this extreme, as if it hasn't harmed the middle and lower classes who see the party using cliches as elaborate justification for selfishness and greed.
Yet the GOP would rather gamble with Trump or Cruz than adjust a toxic message that's gotten out of hand. That's the sobering lesson to the country now lit up in neon.
8
By his absence, Trump was the clear winner of the debate.
- He gained, as Cruz was attacked more in the debate.
- He earned admirers by fighting Fox news (the establishment).
- He showed that any fight will be on his terms and turf (watch out Middle east and China).
- He gained, as Cruz was attacked more in the debate.
- He earned admirers by fighting Fox news (the establishment).
- He showed that any fight will be on his terms and turf (watch out Middle east and China).
32
OMG, are you serious?!!! Faux News is not the establishment! The Middle East and China can't wait to take on this buffoon!
5
Admirers? He is a petulant, trust fund baby who never served his country. And instead of going toe-to-toe with any global power, he ran from soft-ball questions--and used veterans as his supposed excuse in the bargain. Why hasn't he tried to raise money for them before?
Sad that so many can be taken in by this snake oil salesman...
Sad that so many can be taken in by this snake oil salesman...
2
this "by his absence Trump is winner" spin is just that. spin. pro-Trump spin. the last word in the brainwash of the country. propaganda.
1
Sorry, Mr. Bruni, but I couldn't disagree with you more. The debate was much better without Trump in it. It seemed to free up the candidates in a way as yet unseen in the debates this primary season. Though light on policy, this debate displayed the candidates' personalities much more clearly than the others. Without anyone to yuck it up with, Cruz seemed meaner and more brittle than ever. Jeb! actually got to speak. Rubio let loose with his love of Jesus. Rand got to show off his pragmatic chops. Kasich got to say...something. Carson and Christie, well, they were just more themselves than ever, sleepy and bellicose, and Christie's wife was in NYC on 9/11, which means he'll protect America better than anyone! Good riddance, Mr. Trump. We all knew you were a reality TV distraction, and tonight proved it yet again.
133
We apparently watched different debates. Or perhaps, I just did not come into it with a preconceived narrative. What was amazing was how little Trump was mentioned. You pretty much quoted every mention or allusion to Trump in the whole debate, which lasted two hours. And then you had to reach outside the debate to try to pad your column. It would have been pretty weird if no one mentioned Trump at all. I would say he was mentioned about as little as was reasonably possible. So we have now arrived at a point where you are much more obsessed with The Donald than any of the other Republican candidates are, and yet we can expect your next column to be a complaint about the media and the public fixating on Trump.
58
Most telling was the fact that there was no need to attack Trump's stand on any issues because, after all, he really has no stand.
1
I'm not sure why, but I found myself flipping the channel back to CNN hoping to catch some live Trump.
I think it might be my strong belief that the political correctness that has descended on us may well be the greatest threat to free speech our country has ever seen.
When just saying the wrong non-violent word on a university campus -- our greatest bastion of free speech-- can suddenly jeopardize an academic career, iit's obvious to me that America's skin had grown too thin and the pendulum had swung too far.
While he may make me cringe at times, deep down I respect Trump for not being bullied by the p/c crowd and perhaps arresting even for a moment the erosion of our First Amendment right to say exactly what's on one's mind.
I think it might be my strong belief that the political correctness that has descended on us may well be the greatest threat to free speech our country has ever seen.
When just saying the wrong non-violent word on a university campus -- our greatest bastion of free speech-- can suddenly jeopardize an academic career, iit's obvious to me that America's skin had grown too thin and the pendulum had swung too far.
While he may make me cringe at times, deep down I respect Trump for not being bullied by the p/c crowd and perhaps arresting even for a moment the erosion of our First Amendment right to say exactly what's on one's mind.
8
The Republican primary campaign has become more theater than politics and that's why a symbiotic relationship has developed between Trump and cable news. They both use each other, Trump for free publicity and cable news for ratings. As a consequence, Trump's importance has been way over inflated, like his ego. His absence at the debate was a stunt that drove the press into a semi-hysterical frenzy, proof that Trump can manipulate gullible voters and the media with his calculated gimmicks. While it is true that a significant number of Republicans favor Trump, something we hear about every day in the news, the national polls indicating that Trump has the highest negative ratings in the country are largely ignored. It's getting to be tiresome and I am looking forward to the end of the primary season.
14
In the meantime, did anyone take note of The Donald's offer to rejoin the debate if Faux News were to make a contribution towards the charity of his choice? If such was the case, what was that whole business with Ms. Kelly all about? How much clearer can it ever be that Mr. Trump's "principles" have a shelf-life of as long as it takes for one impulse to be succeeded by another? If any one of his GOPponents had even a particle of integrity, they'd kiss off The Donald's yahoo-base and try to win over each other's supporters by representing themselves as the anti-Trump. No such luck: each one of them (except, perhaps, for Gov. Kasich) is trying to appeal to those yahoos by imitating the temperament and inflated sense of outrage of the clown they've come to worship. Take off the blinders, folks. None of these tinhorn impressionists deserve the nomination any more than Bozo himself does.
20
Since the Orca was missing, we had to be content with the barracudas trying to look as fierce as possible. But the story was still about the big whale.
7
Look at the lunacy of these men trying to one up each other. It is time this country have a woman leader like all the rest of the world. We should have had the equal rights amendment. The men have had their chance, it is time for a woman to fight for women, families, and children! It is time! What will it say to the world that we say we value women and families, but when it comes down to it America likes a BULLY. What do we say to our children, bullies win! Who wants to live in a country who values BULLIES!
8
Finally, at long last, an unbiased, just-the-facts report on Donald Trump. This is journalism and we ought to have more of it if America truly cares about civility, which begins with professionalism, rather than so many reporters wearing their pompous disdain on their sleeves. The disdain belongs on the editorial page.
I was also elated to see this statement concerning Sen. Rubio’s coming "across as overly programmed, one-dimensional and itchy to go to war.” I want to know which candidates, if elected, would imitate George W. Bush and bog us down in another quagmire/foreign war. Rubio seems among the most bellicose and that fact was reported. Thank you.
I was also elated to see this statement concerning Sen. Rubio’s coming "across as overly programmed, one-dimensional and itchy to go to war.” I want to know which candidates, if elected, would imitate George W. Bush and bog us down in another quagmire/foreign war. Rubio seems among the most bellicose and that fact was reported. Thank you.
7
This IS the editorial page.
Just sayin'...
Just sayin'...
1
Am I the only one watching the debate who feels this is like watching a poorly acted skit on Saturday Night Live?
22
"Missing him? Not really. I’d be glad to have him gone for good."
Sure.
Be honest, Frank. Trump is the best thing since sliced bread for you guys. Talk about him. Talk about not talking about him. Comment on talking about not talking about him. Just make sure you got the golden five letter T word in the headline and all you hear is the rush of readers clickity, click, click. Or as it sounds on your side: ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching.
I propose that the only way out of this rabbit hole is to even the playing field. For the next while, every headline in the Times should be required to start with the word Trump - regardless of subject matter. If everything is Trump, than nothing will be Trump - and articles like the obituary of a 95 year old Pakistani diplomat will once again have a chance of being skipped for the normal respectable reasons, rather than this craziness. To take some current examples from your front page:
"Trump: Now in More Shapes, Sizes and Colors: Barbie"
"Trump: A New Dinosaur Takes Shape"
"Trump: A Roasted Cauliflower"
See. Problem solved.
Alternately, you can just randomly sprinkle his name throughout random article to even things out. Just be discreet about it:
"TOKYO — A chief architect of Prime Minister Shinzo Trump Abe’s plan to resuscitate Japan, the world’s third-largest Trump, resigned on Thursday after reports by a magazine that he had accepted Trump from the head of a company in exchange for political favors. Trump.Trump."
Sure.
Be honest, Frank. Trump is the best thing since sliced bread for you guys. Talk about him. Talk about not talking about him. Comment on talking about not talking about him. Just make sure you got the golden five letter T word in the headline and all you hear is the rush of readers clickity, click, click. Or as it sounds on your side: ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching.
I propose that the only way out of this rabbit hole is to even the playing field. For the next while, every headline in the Times should be required to start with the word Trump - regardless of subject matter. If everything is Trump, than nothing will be Trump - and articles like the obituary of a 95 year old Pakistani diplomat will once again have a chance of being skipped for the normal respectable reasons, rather than this craziness. To take some current examples from your front page:
"Trump: Now in More Shapes, Sizes and Colors: Barbie"
"Trump: A New Dinosaur Takes Shape"
"Trump: A Roasted Cauliflower"
See. Problem solved.
Alternately, you can just randomly sprinkle his name throughout random article to even things out. Just be discreet about it:
"TOKYO — A chief architect of Prime Minister Shinzo Trump Abe’s plan to resuscitate Japan, the world’s third-largest Trump, resigned on Thursday after reports by a magazine that he had accepted Trump from the head of a company in exchange for political favors. Trump.Trump."
18
Right on; Trump as a fox! What animals are the other candidates?
Can Hillary kill whoever wins?
Can Hillary kill whoever wins?
1
It is astounding for me to see the level of attention he-who-must-not-be-named has been receiving. I am aware that politics and the world of entertainment have always influenced one another, now more than ever, but honestly I just imagined that as time went by, people would forget he-who-must-not-be-named and return to actual politics. Discuss things that actually matter.
The sad part is, without even telling you whom I am referring to, you already know. And even though must of us want him to stop appearing in our news- let alone our daily lives, we still feel the need to address the issues and twisted fantasies that he believes in.
In my opinion- after all, we are in the opinion section- I think we need to stop talking about this filthy muggle already.
The sad part is, without even telling you whom I am referring to, you already know. And even though must of us want him to stop appearing in our news- let alone our daily lives, we still feel the need to address the issues and twisted fantasies that he believes in.
In my opinion- after all, we are in the opinion section- I think we need to stop talking about this filthy muggle already.
9
Oh, Frank. You rascal. Nailed it. You really did. Down to the red foxy tail.
2
Bruni misses it again. Rubio ( with whom I strongly disagree) gained the most from Trump's absence. He was articulate, intelligent, and provided voters with a serious alternative to the bullying Trump and the aggressive Cruz. The Iowa focus group on Fox immediately after the debate confirmed that conclusion: Rubio doubled his straw vote and should get close to 20% on Monday night at caucuses.
1
Glad to have had a front row seat to witness Jeb's growing strength but honestly if we could only cut through the clutter and recognize the only viable candidate on the podium tonight as well as other nights; John Kasich's wholesome, mid-western decency has shone thru every session and if voters would only hear what this experienced well-rounded Ohio -based (important in and of itself) candidate has to say about bipartisanship, foreign coalition building, compassionate outreach to the disenfranchised - without belittling the current administration nor the current flock of players on the Democrats' side -then perhaps the Republican party would have a genuine shot at the brass ring come November.
4
You might want to look a tad bit closer Carol. You not being a white male Kaisch wants to chained to a sink, naked issuing forth with a child a year and no say in your well being.
Women and minorities aren't even on his agenda. He's dangerously regressive and frankly probably not electable because of it.
Women and minorities aren't even on his agenda. He's dangerously regressive and frankly probably not electable because of it.
5
Quote: "You could feel that pull at the debate, where the toughness with which Kelly grilled Cruz and Rubio on immigration — even showing footage of past remarks that caught them in flips, flops and contradictions — was a clear demonstration of her readiness to put any candidate on the skewer, not just Trump."
Sorry, but this is more than a tad disingenuous. We all know that Megyn Kelly's 'Job One' tonight was to prove that she could 'skewer' the other candidates as harshly as she has done The Donald. Otherwise what would be obvious? Surely anyone and everyone was expecting this scripted gambit. Not you?
Sorry, but this is more than a tad disingenuous. We all know that Megyn Kelly's 'Job One' tonight was to prove that she could 'skewer' the other candidates as harshly as she has done The Donald. Otherwise what would be obvious? Surely anyone and everyone was expecting this scripted gambit. Not you?
11
Why do you pay so much attention to a someone who is a cancer on the American political landscape? Who cares about this bully and psychopath? He is playing the media, who are apparently unable to stop rubbernecking the disaster that he is inflicting on us.
15
Donald Trump is an odd combination of blustering bully who, at bottom, is a coward. A genuine "my way or the highway" person who's a shell of publicity. As an accomplished bankrupt he's adept at knifing his investors and lenders. In his own way he suffers from affluenza, airily indifferent to obligation, decency, etc.
18
This focus on Trump the spook is appropriate, since the candidates had nothing but apparitions of ideas; Ronald Reagan willing the Berlin Wall down, turning back the Iran deal and its normalizing economy; undoing the ACA without regard for what insurance loss would mean (Cruz's "job killer" claim notwithstanding); undoing national marriage equality; mocking climate change and hoping for the best; cutting Planned Parenthood funding; light dimming on America because of Obama's Presidency...
8
What a sad parody of a political party the GOP has become. No ideas, just an 18th Century mindset twisted by hatred.
20
The debate in a word: jejune.
4
This article focuses on the Trump situation even more. Totally unnecessary since we all know the story already. Why not focus on the issues and/or differences between the candidates for a change. Please stop the soap opera commentary - this is what fuels the Trump phenomenon.
6
My friends in Iowa often remind me that in their version of the Bible it says: "many will call, few will answer." Don't worry, it will all be over for you soon.
4
I like Marco.
1
only because the media -- including the Times -- keeps focusing on Trump
6
What is the definition of petulant? Irritable in a childish way. Alternative definition:Republican candidates in a debate.
11
I watched much of the debate but towards the end just couldn't bear to listen to Rubio anymore. As the evening wore on he seem to get more and more strident, more hysterical, more one-dimensional.
As for Trump once I changed channel only to see him looking exasperated at some protesters in the back of the room. Then he introduced old friends who wanted to give him $1 million which he refused but then they donated them the money to the vets. Even that got boring, as staged as it was.
People have criticized the DNC for scheduling too few debates. But I think that there have been too many Republican debates, because it seems as if every single issue has been explored six ways to Sunday.
But Frank you are right. Trump is the shiny star that radiates light whether he's on the stage or on a different stage, because he has the media so totally running scared that they will lose ratings if they don't carry him...so, they do.
They say the mark of a great salesman is to convince a customer to buy something he or she doesn't really want or need.
On that basis, I guess I could say Trump is one of the greatest salesmen of all time.
As for Trump once I changed channel only to see him looking exasperated at some protesters in the back of the room. Then he introduced old friends who wanted to give him $1 million which he refused but then they donated them the money to the vets. Even that got boring, as staged as it was.
People have criticized the DNC for scheduling too few debates. But I think that there have been too many Republican debates, because it seems as if every single issue has been explored six ways to Sunday.
But Frank you are right. Trump is the shiny star that radiates light whether he's on the stage or on a different stage, because he has the media so totally running scared that they will lose ratings if they don't carry him...so, they do.
They say the mark of a great salesman is to convince a customer to buy something he or she doesn't really want or need.
On that basis, I guess I could say Trump is one of the greatest salesmen of all time.
186
"But I think that there have been too many Republican debates, because it seems as if every single issue has been explored six ways to Sunday."
Really? In what GOP universe have issues been "explored." Give me one concrete examples of a concrete example from these Republicans on why they deny climate change, why our infrastructure can be ignored, and what will people do when they get sick as they are rolled back to the days without health care? Tell me, beyond making "sand glow," what exploration have you heard about international affairs, coalitions of allies, and clear strategies about keeping enemies at bay? Shall we get started on equal pay, immigration, and equal rights? And on and on.
The only thing that has been "explored" is how a fake news organization continues to position itself as if it has any objective bona fides, and how these joke candidates pretend their empty, wrapped-in-flag-and-god spoutings pass as "policy."
Really? In what GOP universe have issues been "explored." Give me one concrete examples of a concrete example from these Republicans on why they deny climate change, why our infrastructure can be ignored, and what will people do when they get sick as they are rolled back to the days without health care? Tell me, beyond making "sand glow," what exploration have you heard about international affairs, coalitions of allies, and clear strategies about keeping enemies at bay? Shall we get started on equal pay, immigration, and equal rights? And on and on.
The only thing that has been "explored" is how a fake news organization continues to position itself as if it has any objective bona fides, and how these joke candidates pretend their empty, wrapped-in-flag-and-god spoutings pass as "policy."
9
Some more Trump with your coffee, Mr. Bruni ?
There were plenty of other wacko bird droppings on display.
How about Marco Rubio's complete onstage collapse into a crater of Christianity:
"There's only one savior and it's not me. It's Jesus Christ who came down to Earth and died for our sins."
"Because in the end, my goal is not simply to live on this Earth for 80 years but to live an eternity with my creator. I will always allow my faith to influence everything I do."
Ladies and Gentlemen - we have a new Pastor-In-Chief, Marco Rubio !
Ladies - who wants to bear Pastor Rubio's first forced pregnancy ?
No one ?
Pastor Kasich and Pastor Paul will also be happy to force you to bear your zygote if Pastor Rubio's wild-eyed Christianity is a little too disturbing for you.
In a recent Marco Rubio ad, Marco stated that “the purpose of our life is to cooperate with God’s plan.”
So much for that quaint separation of church and state principle...who needs that when a glorious Christian Caliphate awaits us right here in the United States of Jesus.
And then there was Chris Christie, shameless political opportunist par excellence, who took a question about that tyrannical religious bigot and Rowan County Clerk and then immediately and hypocritically pirouetted to ISIS, claiming ISIS is trying to force their religious beliefs on the rest of us....exactly the same thing Kim Davis was trying to do.
It was fun to see all the wacko birds on stage again with the ghost of Jesus.
There were plenty of other wacko bird droppings on display.
How about Marco Rubio's complete onstage collapse into a crater of Christianity:
"There's only one savior and it's not me. It's Jesus Christ who came down to Earth and died for our sins."
"Because in the end, my goal is not simply to live on this Earth for 80 years but to live an eternity with my creator. I will always allow my faith to influence everything I do."
Ladies and Gentlemen - we have a new Pastor-In-Chief, Marco Rubio !
Ladies - who wants to bear Pastor Rubio's first forced pregnancy ?
No one ?
Pastor Kasich and Pastor Paul will also be happy to force you to bear your zygote if Pastor Rubio's wild-eyed Christianity is a little too disturbing for you.
In a recent Marco Rubio ad, Marco stated that “the purpose of our life is to cooperate with God’s plan.”
So much for that quaint separation of church and state principle...who needs that when a glorious Christian Caliphate awaits us right here in the United States of Jesus.
And then there was Chris Christie, shameless political opportunist par excellence, who took a question about that tyrannical religious bigot and Rowan County Clerk and then immediately and hypocritically pirouetted to ISIS, claiming ISIS is trying to force their religious beliefs on the rest of us....exactly the same thing Kim Davis was trying to do.
It was fun to see all the wacko birds on stage again with the ghost of Jesus.
520
I also was struck by the piety and grandiose statements about our Judeo Christian values. I'm sure Rubio only slipped in the Judeo because Bernie is running. In any event what about all the Buddhists, atheists, and East Asian citizens of different religions?
But what really dropped my jaw was when Rubio waxed poetic about the generosity of Americans and the fact that social justice was so important to our values. Excuse me: where were those values in Flint Michigan under a republican governor who's number one goal was to cut costs in the poorest cities in the state, never mind this was going to cause lead poisoning in the towns children?
So much for social values and charity for the poor, who by the way, are still paying for the toxic water they can't drink.
But what really dropped my jaw was when Rubio waxed poetic about the generosity of Americans and the fact that social justice was so important to our values. Excuse me: where were those values in Flint Michigan under a republican governor who's number one goal was to cut costs in the poorest cities in the state, never mind this was going to cause lead poisoning in the towns children?
So much for social values and charity for the poor, who by the way, are still paying for the toxic water they can't drink.
82
I so agree about the piety that had to be proven, displayed, and lovingly nurtured for all to see.
When it came to Rubio, he just had to give us a little lecture about "Our Judeo-Christian values"and how important faith was for all of is. But it's when Rubio spoke of his religious beliefs and how they would inform his presidency that got me to stand up and yell at the tube. If he can insist that our generosity, and belief in social justice , I would ask him only one question: how has a Republican governor like Snyder so blithely dismiss an entire city in an attempt to shave pennies off iit's water bill? how can an elected leaders use religion as a cover for abandoning groups of people who are poor, inconvenient, and unrewarding in the scheme of things?
When it came to Rubio, he just had to give us a little lecture about "Our Judeo-Christian values"and how important faith was for all of is. But it's when Rubio spoke of his religious beliefs and how they would inform his presidency that got me to stand up and yell at the tube. If he can insist that our generosity, and belief in social justice , I would ask him only one question: how has a Republican governor like Snyder so blithely dismiss an entire city in an attempt to shave pennies off iit's water bill? how can an elected leaders use religion as a cover for abandoning groups of people who are poor, inconvenient, and unrewarding in the scheme of things?
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Bragging about your religion as the guiding force in your life on the stage where you're running for presidency, seems to me a little much. Sure I know they're in Iowa, and religious bona fides need to be approved. But I think Ruby crossed line in his little speech about Judeo-Christian values and how his face would inform his actions as president.
The last time I looked, Judeo-Christian values meant a degree of social justice and concern for the poor that has been underpinning of all Christian denominations. How does all that square with the GOP agenda of tax cuts for the wealthy paid for by cuts to social programs to people in genuine need? How does Christian piety and concern for one's neighbor explain the actions of Governor Snyder in Michigan who decided to save some money – very little money actually – by altering a water supply then ignoring its ill affects for weeks and months ?
Is this a good example of Christian generosity and charity towards those less unfortunate!?
The last time I looked, Judeo-Christian values meant a degree of social justice and concern for the poor that has been underpinning of all Christian denominations. How does all that square with the GOP agenda of tax cuts for the wealthy paid for by cuts to social programs to people in genuine need? How does Christian piety and concern for one's neighbor explain the actions of Governor Snyder in Michigan who decided to save some money – very little money actually – by altering a water supply then ignoring its ill affects for weeks and months ?
Is this a good example of Christian generosity and charity towards those less unfortunate!?
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