The first of many televised presidential forums occurred last night without The Donald but featured most of the other candidates for the Republican nomination. Most of them held their own and a few of them answered their questions intelligently. According to the Bloomberg Politics National Poll, Trump still trumps the field by 11 points. The stakes at Thursday’s debate for the bottom tier of the field can not be higher. The chances of staying viable in the race for President will be determined on which candidates manage to on message and appears presidential in the midst of the circus sure to envelope the debate stage in Cleveland in two days.
With 10 or maybe even 11 candidates sharing the stage for only 90 minutes, opportunity for knockout blows will be in very limited. There will be no winners on Thursday; only perceived ones promoted by talking heads on cable news channels. The key is to avoid a Rick Perry moment so you do not become the loser of the evening. For everyone other than Bush and Trump, the key is to be or stay relevant on Friday. To use the nationally televised event to introduce themselves to the American people and broaden their exposure.
As a political junkie, I can’t wait for the show to really begin!
Faculty, Department of Political Science, Towson University. Graduate from Liberty University Seminary.