# 10th Republican presidential debate tonight 02/25/16 **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 25, 2016, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-25-16/747147 "2016-02-25T23:17:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-25-16/747147/61 "2016-02-26T10:31:46Z")
Right. I commented to my wife “hey, looks like his handlers have uploaded some new attack subroutines”. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-25-16/747147/62 "2016-02-26T11:31:46Z")
[The debate summarized in a couple seconds.](https://gfycat.com/ImportantAmbitiousKoi) Not sure what you guys are talking about. The media and the party have been going after Trump since August or so. They can’t stump the Trump. Not even the Pope can. That’s God’s representative on Earth, y’all. Cruz is a holier than thou Christian who is pro-people dying in the streets, just like Jesus would have wanted. Not an unusual stance, but rarely is it put out there for everyone to see. I hope they renew this Republican debate show for a second season. It’s way better than Game of Thrones! The writers are doing a great job with the Carson character. I can’t handle all these dank memes. Rubio + Cruz’s body language is hilarious. They’re so nervous, and whenever they think they get a dig on Trump they act like freshmen trying to impress the senior. Meanwhile, Trump acts like they don’t exist, not even looking at them half the time. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-25-16/747147/63 "2016-02-26T13:53:02Z")
No one has seriously been going after Trump aside from places like the conservative blogs where they’re getting increasingly nervous. They’ve been talking about nonsense like Trump’s spat with Megyn Kelly but no real digs into Trump’s past. Rubio & Cruz had been so focused on each other that neither was trying to stop Trump (campaign sources indicate that neither started opposition research into Trump until recently) and the big donors are afraid that Trump will hit them back personally. Agreed that Rubio came across as scripted as ever, obviously running through all his rehearsed attack lines and then mugging for the cameras like “See? See the funny I just made? Did you see it?” When he wasn’t doing that, he was racing through his points like a nervous high school student giving a speech. The guy really looks young on stage but in an “out of his depth” way more than a “energetic and fresh-minded” way. That said, he still had the best night just for taking the offense for once and for pushing Cruz into the wings. Maybe it’s because I’m eight years older than when Obama was making his case but seeing Rubio now (we’re close to the same age) makes me think “This kid ain’t ready for this”. I’m sorry, Rubio, but I don’t think that the bunch of people outraged about murderous rapist druglord Mexicans pouring over the border are going to abandon Trump because he illegally hired some white dudes to work on his billion-dollar skyscraper. Cruz just felt like second fiddle to Rubio. If Cruz stayed home sick, would it have changed the dynamic of the debate at all? I think he came out worst since no one is voting for Kasich or Carson anyway but Cruz got completely overshadowed by his chief competition in the “make it a two man race” fight. The opposition points Cruz made, he was late on. The other stuff was a bunch of insisting that he loved the Constitution the most. Oh, and the brave stance that he’d let people die in the streets. I don’t see this debate closing any gaps between Trump and the competition but it might peel Anti-Trump support for Cruz off and pass it Rubio. Trump didn’t have a _great_ night (aside from mostly holding his own against a two-man attack) but he’ll throw a bag of kittens into a broken glass factory later today and change the narrative anyway. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-25-16/747147/64 "2016-02-26T14:37:45Z")
> [@Einstein\_was\_a\_Hippie](#): > > What an embarrassment. Rubio and especially Cruz made fools of themselves pretty much continuously, Trump was the normal asshole. The way those three went at it constantly made me cringe to be an American. > > Still, any one of the three of them would be a far better president than Hillary or Bernie. > > Go Trump. (awaits name calling) You’ll be waiting a while. Wrong forum for that sort of thing. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-25-16/747147/65 "2016-02-26T14:38:29Z")
Over at RedState, they are all high-fiving each other about how Rubio and Cruz destroyed Trump last night. Meanwhile, liberal bloggers are very skeptical. We shall soon see who is right. > [@marshmallow](#): > > [The debate summarized in a couple seconds.](https://gfycat.com/ImportantAmbitiousKoi) LMAO! ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-25-16/747147/66 "2016-02-26T14:48:57Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > I hope they renew this Republican debate show for a second season. Ha, I was just thinking about how these debates have, for me, taken the place of watching reality competition shows like The Amazing Race, American Idol, etc. It would be so cool if there was a ceremony every couple of weeks as candidates drop from the race, with Jeff Probst snuffing a torch and saying, “The tribe has spoken.” Or when a candidate withdraws, their image is projected in the sky and a bell tolls. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-25-16/747147/67 "2016-02-26T14:52:15Z")
I’ll fully admit that I’m watching from the blue side of the fence but each previous report of Trump’s demise hasn’t quite shaken out that way. The last debate was supposed to have been the one that exposed Trump as a closet liberal who hates Bush and Iraq and loves socialized medicine. Right before Trump crushed South Carolina and Nevada. Trump is leading by 20 points in many of the Super Tuesday states. I didn’t see anything that’s going to eliminate that gap and just tightening it a bit isn’t going to win the nomination for Rubio. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-25-16/747147/68 "2016-02-26T15:03:49Z")
> [@Einstein\_was\_a\_Hippie](#): > > What an embarrassment. Rubio and especially Cruz made fools of themselves pretty much continuously, Trump was the normal asshole. The way those three went at it constantly made me cringe to be an American. > > Still, any one of the three of them would be a far better president than Hillary or Bernie. > > Go Trump. (awaits name calling) Einstein was a Hippie- This post makes it appear that you might be posting anticipating reaction and hoping for it. That’s specifically against the rules of the SDMB except in the BBQ Pit. I won’t warn you now but we do have high standards for debate and discussion in Great Debates and Elections. Any more of such may earn you warnings and can lead to the suspension or revocation of your posting privileges. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-25-16/747147/69 "2016-02-26T17:05:52Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > Over at RedState, they are all high-fiving each other about how Rubio and Cruz destroyed Trump last night. Meanwhile, liberal bloggers are very skeptical. We shall soon see who is right. Well, there’s no doubt they made Trump look worse than he usually does in debates. I’m almost certain the Rubio and Cruz teams coordinated their attacks. Both were effective. But will it matter? That’s the question. The fact that the RedStaters are fired up is a bad sign for Trump. They never liked him, but they hadn’t been all that energized until today. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-25-16/747147/70 "2016-02-26T17:08:27Z")
I’m still cracking up at “Can somebody attack me, please?” ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-25-16/747147/71 "2016-02-26T17:15:01Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > I’m almost certain the Rubio and Cruz teams coordinated their attacks. If they did, Cruz is an idiot to have taken that deal. He kept coming in late and trying to get a zinger on something Rubio already said five minutes earlier. The post-debate polls all show Trump as the winner by large margins (65-70% to 15-20% Rubio) for whatever that’s worth. Not much, probably, but it’s a far different narrative than from the media. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-25-16/747147/72 "2016-02-26T17:19:08Z")
I know they ganged up on Trump but I can’t be sure it was particularly effective. I know I lean left of their target audience, but I have a hard time believing hammering him on not letting people die on the street as a winner. The 30 yr old Polish illegals story seemed kind of weak tea. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-25-16/747147/73 "2016-02-26T17:46:50Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > I know they ganged up on Trump but I can’t be sure it was particularly effective. I know I lean left of their target audience, but I have a hard time believing hammering him on not letting people die on the street as a winner. The 30 yr old Polish illegals story seemed kind of weak tea. Donald’s “dying in the streets” argument is the ultimate straw man and that’s what they were calling out. Nobody advocates that. That’s what Rubio was getting at in attacking the “dying in the streets” argument. And Cruz asking “who’s gonna pay for it” was a continuation of trying to get Donald to explain his plan other than “lines around the states.” ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-25-16/747147/74 "2016-02-26T18:10:30Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Trump didn’t have a _great_ night (aside from mostly holding his own against a two-man attack) but he’ll throw a bag of kittens into a broken glass factory later today and change the narrative anyway. _OOORRRRR…_. He’ll have Chris Christie endorse him today and make the media cycle all about that, the debate forgotten but the time Christie humiliated Rubio now once again fresh in our minds. Crazy like a fox, that Trump. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-25-16/747147/75 "2016-02-26T18:11:45Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > Donald’s “dying in the streets” argument is the ultimate straw man and that’s what they were calling out. Nobody advocates that. That’s what Rubio was getting at in attacking the “dying in the streets” argument. And Cruz asking “who’s gonna pay for it” was a continuation of trying to get Donald to explain his plan other than “lines around the states.” That’s an interesting way to spin it, but here is the relevant section of the transcript: > [@](#): > > CRUZ: Did you say if you want people to die on the streets, if you don’t support socialized health care, you have no heart. > > TRUMP: Correct. I will not let people die on the streets if I’m president. > > CRUZ: Have you said you’re a liberal on health care? > > TRUMP: Excuse me. Let me talk. If people… > > CRUZ: Talk away. Explain your plan, please. > > TRUMP: If people – my plan is very simple. I will not – we’re going to have private – we are going to have health care, but I will not allow people to die on the sidewalks and the streets of our country if I’m president. You may let it and you may be fine with it… > > CRUZ: So does the government pay for everyone’s health care? > > TRUMP: … I’m not fine with it. We are going to take those people… > > CRUZ: Yes or no. Just answer the question. > > TRUMP: Excuse me. We are going to take those people and those people are going to be serviced by doctors and hospitals. We’re going to make great deals on it, but we’re not going to let them die in the streets. > > CRUZ: Who pays for it? That is clearly not, IMO, Cruz saying “Yes, it’s true that the government should take care of people who have no other option and are facing life-threatening health challenges; I just want to know the details of how your funding mechanism would work.” It’s more like “The government paying for anyone’s health care, even lifesaving care for the desperately poor, is socialized medicine and that’s just unacceptable.” ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-25-16/747147/76 "2016-02-26T18:13:52Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > Donald’s “dying in the streets” argument is the ultimate straw man and that’s what they were calling out. Nobody advocates that. That’s what Rubio was getting at in attacking the “dying in the streets” argument. And Cruz asking “who’s gonna pay for it” was a continuation of trying to get Donald to explain his plan other than “lines around the states.” Maybe that’s what they meant but that’s not how it seemed to play. Neither clearly said “hey, nobody is for letting people die in the streets”. In fact “who’s gonna pay for it?” sounds like he’s totally ok with it. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-25-16/747147/77 "2016-02-26T18:19:07Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > That is clearly not, IMO, Cruz saying “Yes, it’s true that the government should take care of people who have no other option and are facing life-threatening health challenges; I just want to know the details of how your funding mechanism would work.” It’s more like “The government paying for anyone’s health care, even lifesaving care for the desperately poor, is socialized medicine and that’s just unacceptable.” The facial expressions and body language just seal the deal on that interpretation. It’s rather reminiscent of the climax of “Errand of Mercy” when the Organians decide to quit putting up with their visitors’ rude violence: **Kirk:** Well, no one wants war. _Kor shoots him a “Speak for yourself, Kirk!” glare_ ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-25-16/747147/78 "2016-02-26T18:21:27Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > Ha, I was just thinking about how these debates have, for me, taken the place of watching reality competition shows like The Amazing Race, American Idol, etc. > > It would be so cool if there was a ceremony every couple of weeks as candidates drop from the race, with Jeff Probst snuffing a torch and saying, “The tribe has spoken.” > > Or when a candidate withdraws, their image is projected in the sky and a bell tolls. I take it you haven’t been watching Steven Colbert’s show. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-25-16/747147/79 "2016-02-26T18:34:59Z")
Did you guys see Rubio’s [depiction](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/02/26/that-time-marco-rubio-went-full-trump-on-donald-trump/?postshare=6441456506719323) of what Trump was like backstage at the debate’s “halftime”? Pretty funny if true. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-25-16/747147/80 "2016-02-26T18:45:23Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > Did you guys see Rubio’s [depiction](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/02/26/that-time-marco-rubio-went-full-trump-on-donald-trump/?postshare=6441456506719323) of what Trump was like backstage at the debate’s “halftime”? Pretty funny if true. I don’t know, sounds like he’s trying hard to convince everyone he’s got Trump scared, which might work, but getting your stage makeup touched up and looking in a mirror seem pretty normal half time things to do. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-25-16/747147.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-25-16/747147.md?page=5)