Washington DC (Cable News Network: CNN) September 17, 2015. The day after a marathon three-hour meeting of 11 top tier candidates, here's our take on the winners and losers of CNN's Republican debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.
THE WINNERS
Carly Fiorina
Fiorina insisted in the lead-up to the GOP debate that she belonged on the debate stage with the top-tier White House hopefuls. For the second debate in a row, Fiorina was once again the breakout star of the night, taking on Republican front-runner Donald Trump with finesse and capturing the crowd with polished, zinging answers and an impassioned charge against abortion.
Fiorina earned perhaps the biggest applause of the night as she skewered Planned Parenthood. "This is about the character of our nation and if we will not stand up and force President Obama to veto this bill, shame on us," Fiorina said to raucous applause in what was her biggest moment of the night, one that will appeal to the socially conservative base of the party.
Fiorina dodged an early opportunity to hit Trump but didn't make that mistake again when she was asked to address the businessman's recent comments about her appearance to Rolling Stone, in which he suggested her face would make her unelectable. "I think women all over this country heard very clearly what Mr. Trump said," she said, once again to overwhelming applause.
Marco Rubio
Rubio proved Wednesday night why so many GOP elites have long considered him a top contender for the Republican nomination: He can weave his strong handle of policy with a compelling personal narrative. Rubio took on Trump differently than Fiorina or Bush, dispatching the front-runner without attacking him directly, instead steering the debate toward his strengths.
When Trump pointed out Rubio's voting absences in the Senate, Rubio refused to retort with an attack of his own. "You're right, I have missed some votes, and I'll tell you why, Mr. Trump. Because in my years in the Senate, I've figured out very quickly that the political establishment in Washington, D.C. in both political parties is completely out of touch with the lives of our people," Rubio said.
Jeb Bush
Bush stood out with several key moments during the debate that reassured his supporters after recently dipping in the polls and grappling with how to handle Trump's staying power in the race.
Bush appeared to come out of the shell of the tortoise he has so heartily embraced as his symbol to give voters a taste of the passion he has struggled to showcase.
"You know what? As it relates to my brother, there's one thing I know for sure. He kept us safe," Bush told Trump to one of his strongest applause moments of the night. "You remember the fire fighter with his arms around it? He sent a clear signal that the United States would be strong and fight Islamic terrorism, and he did keep us safe."
And he also successfully tackled Trump over the billionaire's suggestion that Bush's Mexican-American wife was the reason for his support for comprehensive immigration reform.
"To subject my wife into the middle of a raucous political conversation was completely inappropriate, and I hope you apologize for that, Donald," Bush said. "Why don't you apologize to her right now." Trump declined.
Chris Christie
While Bush and Fiorina milked their standout moments from their tiffs with Trump, the New Jersey governor snagged his by using a key moment to make his opponents look narcissistic and portrayed himself the adult in the room.
"While I'm as entertained as anyone by this personal back-and-forth about the history of Donald and Carly's career, for the 55-year-old construction worker out in that audience tonight who doesn't have a job, who can't fund his child's education, I've got to tell you the truth. They could care less about your careers, they care about theirs," Christie said. "Let's start talking about that on this stage and stop playing -- and stop playing the games."
UNCLEAR
Donald Trump
Trump faced a barrage of attacks from a field of contenders clearly more prepared, and eager, to take on the brash billionaire. Those who pulled punches in the last debate -- like Scott Walker and Jeb Bush -- didn't hesitate to tackle Trump, eager to regain their faltering standings in the polls.
The result was mixed as Trump had both memorable highlights and cringe-worthy lowlights. But as the front-runner trying to hold on to the lead as retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson's numbers grow, it's difficult to see how Trump wasn't at least partially wounded by Thursday's performance.
Trump stumbled in responding to Fiorina's deft answer to his comments about her face, awkwardly calling her "beautiful" after suggesting her looks would keep Americans from voting for her. Former Bush aide and CNN political commentator Ana Navarro spoke highly of the move. "I thought it was brilliant, because he surprised us all with his answer," she said on CNN. "He shut it down."
John Kasich
There wasn't much daylight between the Ohio governor's first and second debate performances.
But Kasich's second performance lacked the umpf that defined his first appearance on the debate stage when he barely squeaked into the top-tier and impressed political observers just weeks after launching his candidacy.
LOSERS
Rand Paul
Paul continued to throw things at the wall on Wednesday -- still nothing appeared to stick. The libertarian-leaning senator from Kentucky once again went for Trump's jugular. When he was asked whether he would trust Trump with the nuclear codes, Paul gave a firm answer: absolutely not.
But with each attack, Paul failed to do what candidates must do to break out in a debate: Pivot to his own strengths. Instead he simply pointed out Trump's weaknesses.
Paul's strongest moments came when he defended his libertarian point of view on foreign military interventions and drug and criminal justice reform. But while those audiences likely played well to his libertarian base of support, Paul appeared the odd one out as he discussed foreign policy amid a field of foreign policy hawks.
Scott Walker
Walker came out swinging at the start of the debate, clearly eager to take on the front-runner after dipping in the polls in recent weeks off a strategy that largely avoided confronting Trump.
"We don't need an apprentice in the White House. We have one there right now," Walker said of Trump in what was clearly a prepared zinger -- one that drew an approving nod from Bush.
Walker then took on Trump's attacks about his tenure as governor and then defended his opposition to the minimum wage, but soon faded from the stage. He delivered his responses with more zeal in a performance that topped his first debate night, but didn't come away from the night with any breakout moments that may prove necessary as Walker looks to regain his footing in the race.
Ben Carson
The second Republican debate was all Carson's for the taking: the retired neurosurgeon's appearance comes off a recent surge that has rocketed him to the No. 2 spot in the race.
But instead, Carson played it safe, clinging to his calm and measured demeanor, avoiding the food fights unfolding alongside him and injecting his trademark good humor into his responses.
Mike Huckabee & Ted Cruz
While both delivered solid responses to the questions they received, neither former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee nor Texas Sen. Ted Cruz seized opportunities to stand out on the crowded 11-candidate stage.
They didn't want to take on Trump and both revealed an unwillingness to engage their fellow candidates on key policy issues.
© 2015 ALL RIGTHS RESERVED
MSH WorldWide By Marcelo Santiago Hernández™.
