Kasich’s, Fiorina’s Debate Performances Impressed Philly GOP Social Media

by Tony West

 To hear Philadelphia-area Republicans speak their minds, Ohio Gov. John Kasich won the first official Republican presidential primary debate.

In bars and living-rooms around the region, they gathered to watch the top 10 hopefuls, measured by polling, handle questions and go at each other – or rather, after the Democrats for the most part. Then, like all right-thinking citizens these days, they jumped onto social media and began sharing their thoughts with the world.

A sampling of Facebook conversations showed Kasich had rung more bells within the local GOP than anyone else.

Former City Council candidate Joseph M. McColgan liked Kasich’s line from the debate: “We need to give everybody a chance, treat everybody with respect, and let them share in this great American dream that we have.”

“Favorite line of the night!” chimed in John Partain.

Added Kevin Cauley, “This is the guy.”

“That was pretty cool,” opined Chris Anderson. “We happened to be at Ohio State a few weeks ago when he announced his candidacy. I’m interested to see how/if he lasts.”

David Zampierin judged, “After first debate – Kasich President and Rubio VP. Kasich looked a little nervous but we want a doer, not a talker. We already have a talker.”

Former Bail Commissioner Tim O’Brien wrote, “Big move by Kasich, could be the GOP dark horse. Watch him and he comes from a very important swing state in Ohio! Was on his game big time!”

But some doubted Kasich had what it takes to lead the ticket. “Lots of Democratic Party voters in my newsfeed feeling Ohio Gov. John Kasich tonight. Uh oh, Hillary,” reported Carl Dash. “But I don’t think his play is getting the nomination, I think his play is to be somebody’s choice for VP. Ohio is always the most-important state, and so any Republican that wants to have a chance at beating the Democrat would love to have a popular statewide Ohioan elected official. He and Bush would be especially formidable.”

“Trump still scoring points with the anti-political-correctness stance, which I think is a huge issue. Rest of the pack just average!,” O’Brien summed up.

While the flamboyant real-estate magnate still dominates in Republican polling nationwide, local political observers were less impressed.

Thomas Limber, Jr. wrote, “I liked Trump before but he’s too much of a hothead and flipflops. He admits he asked for favors.”

Edward Staley commented, “Not sure who won or lost in the debate but the more Trump speaks, the more of a classless jackass he shows himself to be. I know he is anti-PC and he is punching the bully in the mouth with regards to going after the political class and the media. But I’m thinking the act is getting old.”

Surgeon Dr. Ben Carson had his supporters as well. Limber wrote, “If America really wants a new face, new leader, I was impressed with Dr. Carson. He’s smart, has character and I suspect no baggage. A good Vice President like Marco Rubio or Jeb Bush could help Carson.”

Senatorial staffer Phil Innamorato noted, “I think Sen. Rubio won this debate.”

But Carl Dash took a longer view. “I think Bush is going to be our next President,” he wrote. “Do you think the Republican electorate will worry about “legacy” when the alternative is to select, say, a Latino (like Rubio)? A non-college-degree guy (Scott Walker)? An overweight, widely-seen-as-corrupt guy who embraced Obama and is seen as a hothead (Chris Christie)? Which Republican do you see beating Bush? Santorum? Lindsey Graham? Trump? And once he (Bush) wins that, he mops H. Clinton up.”

A surprise winner among local Republicans was a candidate who wasn’t even on stage last Thursday – but had made a showing in the earlier “pre-debate”: former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina.

“People have been asking me who won the 10-man GOP debate,” wrote Philly.com columnist and former mayoral candidate John Featherman. “The winner, hands down, was Carly Fiorina – and she’s not a man and she didn’t even participate in that debate. She was in the Junior Varsity debate, and she demonstrated strong leadership qualities. For a host of reasons, she may be the very best candidate to take on Hillary Clinton or whoever the Democratic nominee will be.

“That doesn’t mean I like her, will vote for her or think she’s got the best ideas,” he elaborated. “I simply think she was the strongest debater among the 17 candidates and would make a formidable opponent.

“Watch for Carly Fiorina to start to move from tier one to two!” agreed O’Brien. “The size and excitement of the crowd and the amount of interest from viewers this early on is an indication that the Republicans have a real shot! Seems to me there’s a feeling out there that people are hoping for an alternative to Hillary!

Of Fiorina, Joel A Farber offered, “I think she would be a great VP candidate – preferably with Walker or Kasich.”

“There is universal agreement that Fiorina won her debate hands down,” stated publisher Robert Christian. “Let’s hope she is automatically promoted to the big league at the next GOP debate. Throw the male duds overboard!”

Still with the Delaware Valley GOP in spirit, although now teaching in Mississippi, was former Temple political scientist Nathan Shrader. He gave ten “takeaways” from the two GOP presidential debates.

Shrader posted, “1) This field of candidates reminds me of the Democrats in 2004. They come across as amateurs and not very presidential. 2) The Fox News team seems to be in the bag for Carly Fiorina. 3) Christie, Kasich and Bush are the best and most-electable GOP candidates at the moment. 4) Trump would be making a huge mistake by not running as a third-party candidate. 5) Rand Paul isn’t ready for prime time.

“Here are five more: 1) Most candidates appear to believe ISIS and Iran are the same entity. 2) The moderators were hung up on “gotcha questions” instead of seeking out policy specifics. 3) Walker and Rubio badly damaged themselves politically by saying they would prohibit abortion in the tragic cases of saving the life of the mother. 4) I can absolutely see Cruz emerging as the eventual anti-establishment candidate. He’s nuts, but he’s got Moxie. 5) None of them really established how they would position themselves to win a general election, specifically the battleground states that will decide it.”

Notwithstanding some local commentators’ low opinions of Trump, polls show he isn’t going to drop out or suddenly leave the race.

In the July 30 Quinnipiac Poll, he registered a 50-33 favorable rating among Republicans and a 27-59 among all voters. This rating was a big improvement over the 20-69 rating he had with all voters in their previous poll.

The establishment is waiting for Trump to make a mistake. But even as he tiptoes over the line of political correctness, his detractors need to understand that he is a media pro, while they are not. Where they may occasionally appear on camera, Trump does it every week.

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