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| Playground atmosphere at Republican debate puts antics ahead of substance | Playground atmosphere at Republican debate puts antics ahead of substance |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| On one question, at least, the bickering candidates in Wednesday’s Republican debate did agree: it was a juvenile way to pick a president. | |
| Precisely how juvenile was, of course, open to yet more squabbling. This was “childish back and forth”, charged New Jersey governor Chris Christie. “My goodness, that happened in junior high. Are we not way above that?” wondered Kentucky senator Rand Paul, before refining his age estimate up a couple of years and concluding the debate had a “sophomoric quality”. | Precisely how juvenile was, of course, open to yet more squabbling. This was “childish back and forth”, charged New Jersey governor Chris Christie. “My goodness, that happened in junior high. Are we not way above that?” wondered Kentucky senator Rand Paul, before refining his age estimate up a couple of years and concluding the debate had a “sophomoric quality”. |
| Related: Carly Fiorina dominates turbulent Republican debate as Trump fends off attacks | |
| “I thought everybody here passed ninth-grade civics,” quipped Mike Huckabee, in a question that cast doubt on Paul’s suggestion they were ready for the second year of high school. | “I thought everybody here passed ninth-grade civics,” quipped Mike Huckabee, in a question that cast doubt on Paul’s suggestion they were ready for the second year of high school. |
| Much of their ire was aimed at current frontrunner Donald Trump, who yet again revelled in his depiction both as schoolyard bully and picked-upon tall poppy with the same hurt expression. | Much of their ire was aimed at current frontrunner Donald Trump, who yet again revelled in his depiction both as schoolyard bully and picked-upon tall poppy with the same hurt expression. |
| But the few adults in the room struggled to rise above the fray either. CNN host and teacher-figure Jake Tapper was accused of encouraging the Lord of the Flies mood by needling the candidates on points of disagreement between them. Carly Fiorina, who was given an A+ by most media pundits for her mature performance, also turned out to have been the one who interrupted most. When Jeb Bush volunteered that he had smoked marijuana in his 20s it almost sounded like a frat house boast. | But the few adults in the room struggled to rise above the fray either. CNN host and teacher-figure Jake Tapper was accused of encouraging the Lord of the Flies mood by needling the candidates on points of disagreement between them. Carly Fiorina, who was given an A+ by most media pundits for her mature performance, also turned out to have been the one who interrupted most. When Jeb Bush volunteered that he had smoked marijuana in his 20s it almost sounded like a frat house boast. |
| It was not meant to be this way. A review of the 2012 election campaign by the Republican National Committee concluded that the debates four years ago were “an embarrassment and ridiculous” for the party and “a dog-and-pony show” staged for the benefit of the media. | It was not meant to be this way. A review of the 2012 election campaign by the Republican National Committee concluded that the debates four years ago were “an embarrassment and ridiculous” for the party and “a dog-and-pony show” staged for the benefit of the media. |
| Related: Donald Trump owns this election. All we can do is lean into the weirdness | Jeb Lund | |
| But despite RNC efforts to reform process, the allure of reality TV star Trump taking on a larger-than-usual field of candidates in a presidential version of Survivor has proved an irresistible one for the broadcasters. | But despite RNC efforts to reform process, the allure of reality TV star Trump taking on a larger-than-usual field of candidates in a presidential version of Survivor has proved an irresistible one for the broadcasters. |
| The first debate hosted by Fox News in Cleveland last month broke audience records as the “highest-rated non-sports cable telecast” in primetime history, but judging by CNN’s gladiatorial rematch, the producers of sports television should perhaps ask for clarification of the category definitions. | The first debate hosted by Fox News in Cleveland last month broke audience records as the “highest-rated non-sports cable telecast” in primetime history, but judging by CNN’s gladiatorial rematch, the producers of sports television should perhaps ask for clarification of the category definitions. |
| As several candidates pointed out, the biggest casualty was not the pride of the Republican party, but the opportunity to discuss matters of serious national importance. | As several candidates pointed out, the biggest casualty was not the pride of the Republican party, but the opportunity to discuss matters of serious national importance. |
| “Listen, I if I were sitting at home and watching this back and forth, I would be inclined to turn it off,” said Ohio governor John Kasich before being interrupted by Tapper. “People at home want to know across this country, they want to know what we’re going to do to fix this place, how we’ll balance a budget, how we’re going to create more economic growth, how we’ll pay down the debt. What we’re going to do to strengthen the military.” | “Listen, I if I were sitting at home and watching this back and forth, I would be inclined to turn it off,” said Ohio governor John Kasich before being interrupted by Tapper. “People at home want to know across this country, they want to know what we’re going to do to fix this place, how we’ll balance a budget, how we’re going to create more economic growth, how we’ll pay down the debt. What we’re going to do to strengthen the military.” |
| Tapper later said he ran out of time when asked, for example, why no one had brought up the hot-button issue of policing and race discrimination at any point during the three-hour debate. | Tapper later said he ran out of time when asked, for example, why no one had brought up the hot-button issue of policing and race discrimination at any point during the three-hour debate. |
| Related: 'America is not a planet': Republicans resist climate change action at debate | |
| When the host did try to shift the conversation to awkward topics such as global warming, he was quickly shot down in flames by Marco Rubio and Chris Christie, who dismissed the issue as a liberal conspiracy. | When the host did try to shift the conversation to awkward topics such as global warming, he was quickly shot down in flames by Marco Rubio and Chris Christie, who dismissed the issue as a liberal conspiracy. |
| Even foreign policy, which took up a surprisingly significant portion of the debate, rarely moved beyond familiar platitudes about strengthening the military and wiping out terrorists. | Even foreign policy, which took up a surprisingly significant portion of the debate, rarely moved beyond familiar platitudes about strengthening the military and wiping out terrorists. |
| For many of those struggling to project their policies in a media environment dominated by angry shouting over Trump, this will have felt like a missed opportunity. | For many of those struggling to project their policies in a media environment dominated by angry shouting over Trump, this will have felt like a missed opportunity. |
| Bush, for example, has laid forth detailed tax and economic policies that he was given scant opportunity to discuss, and received none of the scrutiny that critics would like to see. | Bush, for example, has laid forth detailed tax and economic policies that he was given scant opportunity to discuss, and received none of the scrutiny that critics would like to see. |
| Paul has extensive policy proposals on criminal justice and civil liberties that barely got a mention. Trump and Fiorina were given ample opportunity to swap jibes over their career records but were not once pressed to explain how they would use their records in corporate life to bring fresh economic thinking to the White House – something they both claim their campaigns are all about. | Paul has extensive policy proposals on criminal justice and civil liberties that barely got a mention. Trump and Fiorina were given ample opportunity to swap jibes over their career records but were not once pressed to explain how they would use their records in corporate life to bring fresh economic thinking to the White House – something they both claim their campaigns are all about. |
| Scott Walker, who has become a bete noir on the left and a hero on the right for his anti-union policies in Wisconsin, all but disappeared from the limelight and is now facing serious questions about the relevancy of his campaign instead. | Scott Walker, who has become a bete noir on the left and a hero on the right for his anti-union policies in Wisconsin, all but disappeared from the limelight and is now facing serious questions about the relevancy of his campaign instead. |
| Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, who is currently positioned second in the polls behind Trump, was given respectful time to explain the medical consensus dismissing what many see as crackpot theories about vaccines and autism – but was only pressed briefly on his own arguably equally crackpot assertion that any form of progressive taxation amounts to socialism and the US should opt for a biblical tithe system instead. | Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, who is currently positioned second in the polls behind Trump, was given respectful time to explain the medical consensus dismissing what many see as crackpot theories about vaccines and autism – but was only pressed briefly on his own arguably equally crackpot assertion that any form of progressive taxation amounts to socialism and the US should opt for a biblical tithe system instead. |
| Regardless of whether these policies will connect with voters or not, there is little doubt the Republican field in 2016 is an unusually accomplished one: five state governors, three heavyweight senators, two successful business leaders and, in Carson, one of the of most highly regarded surgeons of his generation. | Regardless of whether these policies will connect with voters or not, there is little doubt the Republican field in 2016 is an unusually accomplished one: five state governors, three heavyweight senators, two successful business leaders and, in Carson, one of the of most highly regarded surgeons of his generation. |
| “We’re the A team,” said Mike Huckabee in a rare moment of trying to turn fire on Democrats instead. But after last night’s performance, more than one campaign official was heard wondering whether it is time for another review of the format that seems to suit broadcasters more than politicians or the American people. | “We’re the A team,” said Mike Huckabee in a rare moment of trying to turn fire on Democrats instead. But after last night’s performance, more than one campaign official was heard wondering whether it is time for another review of the format that seems to suit broadcasters more than politicians or the American people. |