# Third Republican Debate **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 1, 2015, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/third-republican-debate/733155 "2015-10-01T16:41:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/third-republican-debate/733155/81 "2015-10-29T12:12:22Z")
No clear winner (though, again, I thought Rubio was the strongest). For me, the big question is, of the many candidates circling the drain, did any make a decent enough showing to give himself a little more life? In my opinion, only Christie did. He can stay alive little longer. But a bunch of the flatliners really ought to pack it in now. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/third-republican-debate/733155/82 "2015-10-29T12:16:09Z")
Oddly, Politifact didn’t look into that one. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/third-republican-debate/733155/83 "2015-10-29T12:17:39Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > No clear winner (though, again, I thought Rubio was the strongest). For me, the big question is, of the many candidates circling the drain, did any make a decent enough showing to give himself a little more life? > > In my opinion, only Christie did. He can stay alive little longer. But a bunch of the flatliners really ought to pack it in now. Christie popped up in one of the first episodes of \*TDS with Trevor Noah \*and came across as very relaxed and personable. If he can avoid any blow-ups - and any scandals - he could well hang in there through the first primaries. I’m not sure he has enough support overall to win but I suppose it depends who else drops out first and whether he picks up any of their supporters. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/third-republican-debate/733155/84 "2015-10-29T12:18:07Z")
I am pretty annoyed that Carson denied involvement with Mannatech and managed to endorse their product in the same answer. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/third-republican-debate/733155/85 "2015-10-29T12:18:32Z")
Fiorina plans to reduce the tax code from 73,000 pages to 3. Yes, three. Got a draft to show us? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/third-republican-debate/733155/86 "2015-10-29T12:20:28Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Carson denied involvement with Mannatech That’s [too brazen a lie](http://gawker.com/ben-carson-denies-involvement-with-nutritional-suppleme-1739310975) not to bite him badly. So, **adaher** , did \*any \*of these jamokes raise your confidence? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/third-republican-debate/733155/87 "2015-10-29T12:26:35Z")
Yes, Kasich, Christie, and Rubio all did well. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/third-republican-debate/733155/88 "2015-10-29T12:27:16Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I didn’t think the moderation was bad at all… > > Trump gets caught in a lie about Rubio being Zuckerman’s Senator, a statement on his own website, and guess what? It isn’t going to cost him anything! Facts don’t matter! You can put something on your website, get called out on it, deny it, accuse the questioner of making it up, and your halfwit base swallows it! Remarkable! But that right there _was_ the moderator’s fault; she wasn’t prepared with the cite. Moreover, while the “personal Senator” line is a slightly weird hyperbole, it is true that Zuckerberg’s lobby has worked with Rubio on the H1B issue–which is [a legitimate one in which Trump, or rather his campaign, is not obviously wrong](http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2015/08/18/why-donald-trump-attacking-mark-zuckerberg-immigration/qA5w9OIGpYGo7lN9jBUiKL/story.html). A serious debate question would have focused on the substance of the issue, not the shot at Rubio. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/third-republican-debate/733155/89 "2015-10-29T12:31:34Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > A serious debate question would have focused on the substance of the issue, not the shot at Rubio. What? _Substance?_ In a _Republican_ debate?! Man, get hold of yourself! Enough of this crazy talk! ---
**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:** [October 29, 2015, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/third-republican-debate/733155/90 "2015-10-29T12:32:04Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > But that right there _was_ the moderator’s fault; she wasn’t prepared with the cite. Yes, it would have been sweet if she had held up a piece of paper and said “Here’s a printout of your website where that very phrase is used. Do you not even read your own website?” It’s entirely plausible to me that Trump never saw his own website. I just think it’s sad that all a Republican has to do is falsely accuse the media of being unfair to him and the Republican base has a mass orgasm. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/third-republican-debate/733155/91 "2015-10-29T12:33:52Z")
Trump actually showed a reasonable command of the issues and his policy proposals this time, even if he’s stuck with having Mexico pay for his wall. I no longer think this is solely an ego trip for him - I think he actually sees himself as the best candidate for the job now. > [@adaher](#): > > Yes, Kasich, Christie, and Rubio all did well. Well, we’ll have to wait a few days for the polls to confirm it, but that there’s a strong hint they’re doomed. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/third-republican-debate/733155/92 "2015-10-29T12:38:20Z")
Not Rubio. Rubio is actually favored by the prediction markets. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/third-republican-debate/733155/93 "2015-10-29T12:40:24Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Not Rubio. Rubio is actually favored by the prediction markets. You no longer trust polls (except for the ones that show Clinton free-falling), so you’re instead going to place your trust in betting websites? ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/third-republican-debate/733155/94 "2015-10-29T13:02:32Z")
I think the moderation was bad. When questioning Trump about the Zuckerberg thing, she absolutely should have had the cite to hand. However, Trump probably would have just blamed an intern or something. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/third-republican-debate/733155/95 "2015-10-29T13:05:17Z")
They weren’t prepared to follow up Carson’s denial of his Mannatech work, either, and looked instead like they were simply attacking him. Maybe they expected weaseling instead of simply lying from him. ---
**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:** [October 29, 2015, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/third-republican-debate/733155/96 "2015-10-29T13:06:45Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Here’s the question that set of Cruz’s temper tantrum: > > I thought the question was fair and rather than answer this substantive question, he chose to go on a tirade about the moderation. Then after his time was up, he whined about not getting a chance to answer it. What an ass. I take it you turned on the debate at that moment because prior to that it was a complete clown show from the CNBC crew. The first question right out of the gate had no objective other than to ridicule Trump as a “comic book candidate.” Like Trump or not, that’s bad form. The moderators were constantly walking on candidates’ responses, walking on each other and generally just flubbed up the whole thing. ---
**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:** [October 29, 2015, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/third-republican-debate/733155/97 "2015-10-29T13:11:05Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > I take it you turned on the debate at that moment because prior to that it was a complete clown show from the CNBC crew. The first question right out of the gate had no objective other than to ridicule Trump as a “comic book candidate.” Like Trump or not, that’s bad form. The moderators were constantly walking on candidates’ responses, walking on each other and generally just flubbed up the whole thing. I came in and out, there was a ball game on, other stuff to do. Here’s Trump’s question: > [@](#): > > HARWOOD: Mr. Trump, you’ve done very well in this campaign so far by promising to build a wall and make another country pay for it. > > TRUMP: Right. > > HARWOOD: Send 11 million people out of the country. Cut taxes $10 trillion without increasing the deficit. > > TRUMP: Right. > > HARWOOD: And make Americans better off because your greatness would replace the stupidity and incompetence of others. > > TRUMP: That’s right. > > HARWOOD: Let’s be honest. > > (LAUGHTER) > > Is this a comic book version of a presidential campaign? Up until the question, Trump agreed with every one of the lead-ins. The lead-ins that Trump readily agreed to are patently absurd, which makes the question perfectly valid. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/third-republican-debate/733155/98 "2015-10-29T13:19:16Z")
I liked how Kasich started out by attacking Trump’s and Carson’s crazy ideas. I can’t be the only one who saw that and thought that finally, someone called out these two for the crazy ideas the have been promoting. It seemed obvious that Kasich is going for the sane Republican vote. But he is languishing in the low single digits. As a Democrat I don’t really understand why he is doing so poorly. Yes, I disagree with him on some of the issues, but he seemed to be the only one in the room that brought up the fact that the base is being rallied to support crazy ideas. Why isn’t this guy doing better? ---
**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:** [October 29, 2015, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/third-republican-debate/733155/99 "2015-10-29T13:45:13Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I came in and out, there was a ball game on, other stuff to do. Here’s Trump’s question: > > Up until the question, Trump agreed with every one of the lead-ins. The lead-ins that Trump readily agreed to are patently absurd, which makes the question perfectly valid. If you think a rhetorical question that serves no purpose other than to ridicule the candidate, whomever it may be, is appropriate for a debate, then we’re just not going to agree. Moderators are not supposed to play a game of “gotcha” with the candidates. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/third-republican-debate/733155/100 "2015-10-29T13:47:16Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > The winner last night, as it was in every other debate this year, was Hillary Clinton. She could take any of these yardbirds, chew them up, swallow them, and shit them out without so much as a burp. She did have the best response to the debate, [posting the gif from the recent hearings of her brushing her shoulder off.](http://theslot.jezebel.com/hillary-clinton-has-responded-to-gop-debate-with-perfec-1739328352) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/third-republican-debate/733155.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/third-republican-debate/733155.md?page=6)