Last night was the third GOP primary “debate,” hosted by NBC News and moderated by two liberals and Hugh Hewitt (Breaking News: The next one will be moderated by Megyn Kelly.) The participants this time around were whittled down to Ron DeSantis, Nicky Haley, Chris Christie, Tim Scott and Vivek Ramaswamy. The general consensus was that there were no breakthroughs. DeSantis did the best, with Haley second. Vivek started strong with a flamethrower opening about NBC News and the repeat loser RNC, but went downhill from there.

You can read more about it here: 

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/republican-candidates-clash-third-presidential-primary-debate-while-trump-tries-steal-spotlight

https://www.westernjournal.com/watch-vivek-ramaswamy-rips-debate-moderator-fiery-opening-statement/

https://www.westernjournal.com/video-vivek-exposes-dick-cheney-3-inch-heels-rise-millionaire-status-leaving-govt/

This is a good analysis by Guy Benson…

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/guybenson/2023/11/09/analysis-sparks-fly-but-no-breakthrough-at-third-gop-debate-n2631005

And just for fun, scroll back through the comments on Redstate.com’s live blog…

https://redstate.com/liveblog/2023/11/08/redstate-live-blog-of-the-3rd-2024-gop-presidential-debate-n250

I’m not going to do a blow-by-blow recap, or recount who got called “scum,” or who called whom “Dick Cheney in three-inch heels,” or other petty in-fighting. That just plays into what the media wants: turning these events into divisive sideshows that make Republicans look bad. Why else did the moderators wait until an hour into it, when many viewers had no doubt tuned out, before even addressing the major domestic issues most important to voters, like the economy or the #1 issue for many, our wide-open border? That’s taken on even more urgency, now that people are finally waking up to the dangers of letting terrorists pour across it.

https://www.foxnews.com/media/issue-dominates-voters-minds-year-presidential-election

I’ve stood on the presidential debate stage many times, and in 2016, the moderators tried to get me to attack Trump. I refused, and for the same reason I’m not going to critique this (not really) debate. I follow Reagan’s 11th Commandment: Thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican. Just as I said then when we were running against Hillary Clinton, we might have our differences, but there’s not a single person on that stage who wouldn’t be an exponentially better President than Joe Biden.

Besides, I’ve already said I back Trump, he’s ahead in the polls by up to 30 points, and as one commentator said, it’s likely most of the candidates by now have resigned themselves to the idea of Trump being the nominee, and they’re just auditioning for Cabinet posts.