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Need some expert opinions on the second GOP debate last night? AEI political, foreign and defense, and economic policy scholars weigh in:
Karlyn Bowman on the 6:00pm pre-debate:
Governor Bobby Jindal seemed strident. Senator Graham seemed exasperated as he pressed his case for building up our defenses. Rick Santorum appeared sadly desperate in his deep convictions about social issues and the plight of the working class. And George Pataki just didn’t seem in tune with today’s GOP.
Danielle Pletka on the absence of Reaganesque convictions:
For all that this debate took place at the Reagan Library, the ghost of Reagan — and his convictions about freedom, compassion and the unique role of America in the world — was only a faint presence. While Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush, Carly Fiorina, Chris Christie and Scott Walker all channeled the Great Communicator at different times, there was little vision about how to settle Syria, cage Putin, restrain Xi or contain Iran.
Norm Ornstein on each candidates’ individual performance:
Fiorina offering crisp answers, Bush being anything but crisp, Carson not showing much knowledge of the world, Christie being the usual blustery Christie, Kasich showing again that he hits the sweet spot of compassionate conservatism, Trump being, well, Trump, Paul standing out for his libertarian views on foreign policy and drug policy.
Mackenzie Eaglen on the candidates’ discussion of military strength:
The last two Republican debates have exposed how much damage the Obama administration has done to the US military in just six years, but they’ve also highlighted a defense drawdown with no letup in intensity, the consequences of which will reverberate for decades to come.
James Pethokoukis on the lack of economic policy in last night’s debate: Whatever else the debates are for the GOP, they are an opportunity to present to millions of voters a modern vision about growth, opportunity and shared prosperity in a changing US economy. And in last night’s debate, Republicans blew that opportunity. Too much talk about walls and Planned Parenthood, not enough about the middle class and economic growth. Tim Carney on the winners and losers of the debate:
Carly Fiorina won another debate, and Marco Rubio came in second. Trump was as entertaining as always, but his primary impact may be taking Jeb Bush down a few pegs. Jeb and Trump went head to head for a few rounds, and Trump won on points.
Katherine Zimmerman on the candidates’ recommendations for fighting terrorism:
Candidates responded to the rise of ISIS by discussing military options and attributed the new attraction and force of the global jihadist movement to security vacuums. Security vacuums were certainly a key factor, but there is not just a military solution to the ISIS and al Qaeda threats. Popular grievances have driven instability in the Middle East, and ISIS and al Qaeda will continue to use them as a source of strength. Boots on the ground — Arab or American — will not address these. To read more AEI scholars’ thoughts on the debate, click here.
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