The setting: Boulder, Colorado. The main characters: 11 Republican candidates. For two-plus hours, the GOP presidential wannabes argued with each other and with journalists. The CNBC-hosted show was a crucial test and a make-or-break moment for many of the campaigns that are beginning to or continuing to struggle. Some rose to the challenge further supporting their “happily ever after” of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., while others may be closing this chapter of their presidential dreams story.
The Heroes of the Night:
Marco Rubio:
After maintaining the role of a supporting character in the first two debates, Rubio finally became the star. As Bush followed his script and made the long-awaited play at him, Rubio brushed off the attack as though it was a pesky fly on the wall, which had everyone yelling, "You got schooled!" He continued to take on the tough questions throughout the debate and turn them into advantages, proving why he is one of, if not the, most naturally talented candidate in both parties' fields. He found ways to incorporate his personal story into his answers and wasn’t afraid to take on the media or the establishment, prompting lots of cheers and applause from GOP voters.
Ted Cruz:
Cruz had one of the most important and memorable moments of the debate when he took on the CNBC moderators for their alleged “biased” questions, prompting a large response from the debate hall. It was crucial in telling the rest of the night’s story as the GOP candidates, who normally fight each other, teamed up to fight the moderators and the media. He proved to the audience that he has a backbone and is unafraid to stand up to others (hint: Democrats and leaders in the GOP).
The Not-So Heroes:
Jeb Bush:
The man that needed to step up and slay the dragon did not rise to the challenge. He attempted to slam Rubio to gain greater traction; however, it badly backfired. It was similar to watching a character try to take the crown from the prince, but fall flat on his face instead. After the flub, Bush seemed to retreat from much of the conversation for the next hour. As Jeb has been struggling lately, this poor performance surely won’t help things.
Ben Carson:
While Trump is usually our debate jester, Carson seemed as though he was more clownish at this debate. His first three answers did not make much sense, and he seemed surprised every time he was called on. Struggling to articulate his points, he seemed lost in a field of much more qualified candidates. While it is this non-political manner that Carson carries that has given him such success thus far on his campaign, this debate further showed his limited knowledge when it comes to running and leading our country.
The Villain
CNBC:
Instead of attacking one another, the candidates teamed up as the debate went on to gang up on the one causing a lot of problems with the night: CNBC. While, yes, part of this was the Republicans playing to the crowd since many Republican voters believe the media is biased, nonetheless, a few of the questions drifted into the town of “Gotcha,” upsetting the candidates and the viewers. The moderators continuously talked over and bickered with the candidates, causing a greater scene and taking away from what the audience wanted to see, which was the candidates interacting with each other on stage. As with every story, the villains rest unsuccessful in their feat, and in this case, the candidates triumphed over the night’s villain.
We will still have to wait and see what our happy or not-so-happy ever after is as the final election is still a year away. It is always fun to be a part of the tale, however, and just as entertaining to sit back and watch history continue to unfold in our country. The next debate will be Tuesday, Nov. 10, so stay tuned as we will enter the next chapter of our book: GOP Primary 2016— Lots of Candidates, Endless Possibilities.
