# 9th Republican presidential debate tonight 02/13/16 **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 13, 2016, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-13-16/746063 "2016-02-13T23:26:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-13-16/746063/121 "2016-02-18T01:02:40Z")
> [@Lakai](#): > > A poll just came out showing Ted Cruz in [first place](http://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/surprise-trump-falls-behind-cruz-national-nbc-wsj-poll-n520296) at 28%. Trump at 26%. It was conducted after the debate. Obvious garbage poll is obvious. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-13-16/746063/122 "2016-02-18T01:30:14Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Obvious garbage poll is obvious. It’s NBC News/WSJ, not Rasmussen or something. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-13-16/746063/123 "2016-02-18T01:40:13Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > It’s NBC News/WSJ, not Rasmussen or something. Considering it’s an extreme outlier compared to every other poll and TRUMP’s still leading in South Carolina by Yuge margins in the post-debate polls, that is more likely then not the case. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-13-16/746063/124 "2016-02-18T01:42:57Z")
How ironic that after all the racist, sexist filth that has spilled from Trump’s mouth, what does him in is speaking the truth about Bush and Iraq. He touched the third rail, daring to question the wisdom of a Republican president. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-13-16/746063/125 "2016-02-18T02:09:18Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > How ironic that after all the racist, sexist filth that has spilled from Trump’s mouth, what does him in is speaking the truth about Bush and Iraq. He touched the third rail, daring to question the wisdom of a Republican president. Trump confuses me and I don’t like it. On one hand he says a lot of horrid, horrid things. OTOH, he’ll mention how we need universal healthcare and he’ll call Bush out on the Iraq War. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-13-16/746063/126 "2016-02-18T02:17:45Z")
@ **BobLibDem** Everybody has an idea of Us & Them. There’s decent sociological research support for the idea that the fundamental difference between left- & right-leaning folks is how big or small is Us & how small or big is Them. The smaller Us is, the more any hint of less than total loyalty amounts to absolute treason. It’s black and white thinking with a great big Universe of black & a little tiny blob of white surrounded and quivering fearfully in the darkness. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-13-16/746063/127 "2016-02-18T02:25:14Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > @ **BobLibDem** > Everybody has an idea of Us & Them. There’s decent sociological research support for the idea that the fundamental difference between left- & right-leaning folks is how big or small is Us & how small or big is Them. > > The smaller Us is, the more any hint of less than total loyalty amounts to absolute treason. It’s black and white thinking with a great big Universe of black & a little tiny blob of white surrounded and quivering fearfully in the darkness. Let’s . . . poke it. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-13-16/746063/128 "2016-02-18T06:29:25Z")
I’m pretty skeptical of the NBC/WSJ poll. I believe there are several post-debate South Carolina polls showing Cruz to be basically stagnant, and I’d think a national bump for Cruz would be an even bigger bump in a state like South Carolina with a more conservative primary electorate. ---
**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 18, 2016, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-13-16/746063/129 "2016-02-18T07:29:51Z")
I thought the same, but maybe Cruz’s schtick is finally growing unwelcome up close. I am very interested to see the next few polls. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-13-16/746063/130 "2016-02-18T12:22:23Z")
For the moment, I’ll look on the NBC poll as an outlier. Still, it does seem that Trump has a ceiling and as the field winnows, the other candidates will pick up their former supporters and Trump will not. Or the NBC poll could be a bit of data noise and Trump continues to sail toward nomination. ---
**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 18, 2016, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-13-16/746063/131 "2016-02-18T13:13:57Z")
Appears to be an outlier: [http://elections.huffingtonpost.com/pollster/2016-national-gop-primary](http://elections.huffingtonpost.com/pollster/2016-national-gop-primary) ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-13-16/746063/132 "2016-02-18T14:16:46Z")
With so many debates, we need to start giving them names rather than numbers, since who can remember which one was sixth or seventh or eighth, aside from serious junkies? Last weekend’s could be the Food Fight Debate. The one before that (just before NH) could be the MarcoBot Debate, and the one before that (just before Iowa) could be the No Trump Debate, since it’s the one he skipped. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-13-16/746063/133 "2016-02-18T14:46:03Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Last weekend’s could be the Food Fight Debate. The one before that (just before NH) could be the MarcoBot Debate, and the one before that (just before Iowa) could be the No Trump Debate, since it’s the one he skipped. Food Fight? Seemed more like Brass Knuckles. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-13-16/746063/134 "2016-02-18T15:48:38Z")
As brutal as the GOP race is, I actually think the Democrats are more at risk of being torn apart. It won’t be as vocal, but it is more likely to be expressed in lower turnout from groups that feel aggrieved by the outcome of the Democratic race. ---
**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 18, 2016, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-13-16/746063/135 "2016-02-18T16:04:41Z")
You are apparently consistent in being optimistic for GOP chances, which didn’t work out very well in 2012. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-13-16/746063/136 "2016-02-18T16:33:21Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > As brutal as the GOP race is, I actually think the Democrats are more at risk of being torn apart. It won’t be as vocal, but it is more likely to be expressed in lower turnout from groups that feel aggrieved by the outcome of the Democratic race. I think you’re right that there’s an appreciable risk of the D’s being more splintered than current mainstream opinion holds. Obviously the worst case is a dead heat down to the convention. Lots of opportunity for that to create a lot of sore losers. I think it’ll manifest mostly as those fervent Bernie supporters who’re political noobs staying home if HRC wins the nomination. If Bernie wins I don’t see to many experienced D voters deciding to abstain or to vote R. Pretty much the entire D spectrum voted in 2008, despite about half of them having supported HRC back in Feb 2008. I’m not sure I agree the stay-home effect will be as pronounced on the R side if one of the calmer less charismatic characters wins. I’ve posted before that I think the Rs have a more effective get-out-the-vote echo chamber than the Ds do. So if either or both teams sees one of their factions sitting on their hands the Rs will be better positioned to whip up their horses before it’s too late. Either team could be surprised by polls which show good turnout into Nov that somehow just doesn’t materialize on election day. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-13-16/746063/137 "2016-02-18T16:57:45Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Considering it’s an extreme outlier compared to every other poll and TRUMP’s still leading in South Carolina by Yuge margins in the post-debate polls, that is more likely then not the case. And of course [I was right](http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2016/02/18/cbs-poll-shows-donald-trump-keeping-lead-nationally/), as this CBS/NYT show TRUMP with a far more plausible 17-point lead consistent with all other polls. I wouldn’t be surprised if the normie shills at WSJ and NBC deliberately concoted a false poll in a sad attempt to dent the Donald’s momentum. ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-13-16/746063/138 "2016-02-19T00:39:22Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > I wouldn’t be surprised if the normie shills at WSJ and NBC deliberately concoted a false poll in a sad attempt to dent the Donald’s momentum. I would. It’s the crazies who make up their own realities. Normie shills tend to play it pretty straight. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-13-16/746063/139 "2016-02-19T00:59:23Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > I think it’ll manifest mostly as those fervent Bernie supporters who’re political noobs staying home if HRC wins the nomination. If Hillary can’t figure out a way to reach those voters … then she’s probably already lost the nomination. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-13-16/746063/140 "2016-02-19T01:51:34Z")
It would certainly be interesting if HRC ran against two very different novelty candidates, Obama and Sanders, and managed to lose to both in turn. She made the electability pitch against Obama in 2008, but it came real late in the game. With the benefit of that hindsight we ought to see her shooting that arrow a lot sooner in the nomination race. I’m a thoughtful D who recognizes that a lot of Bernie’s heart is in the right place, but his head is way out in space. IMO he loses to any R in November about 49 states to 1. There is IMO a vast reservoir of similar-thinking Ds. Many of whom aren’t political junkies & don’t answer polls. Call it the D’s version of Nixon’s “silent majority.” We shall see; it takes all kinds of opinions to make a good conversation. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-13-16/746063.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9th-republican-presidential-debate-tonight-02-13-16/746063.md?page=8)