(I saw that Rubio -- who just vaulted back into first place for the nomination on Paddy Power -- already picked up an endorsement from Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina. Is the establishment coalescing around him?)
I was wrong in thinking Hillary and Trump would win Iowa outright, Cruz would come in second and Rubio would disappoint. Mea culpa.
I think I was right, though -- it's impossible to know -- that Trump made a mistake by not participating in that last debate. Not only did he give his rivals more air time, but it may have also been seen by some Iowans as a "stunt" unworthy of a serious candidate. (Some of the talking heads last night said Rubio picked up some late votes from Trump. I believe it: "dated" the Donald, "married" Marco.)
As for Rubio -- whose surprising finish I suspect will be the "story" today -- I just don't get the appeal. As I wrote the other day, everyone -- except me -- seems to think he's a great speaker with an "optimistic" message. All I ever hear is a bunch of dystopian talking points spewed out in rapid-fire succession.
Another thing I forgot to mention is that Rubio is often described as "whip-smart." Really? I guess the bar for Republicans is a little lower. I've heard Paul Ryan described as "a Republican’s idea of what a policy wonk sounds like." Is Rubio a Republican’s idea of what a "whip-smart" person looks like?
Sen. Rubio is about to feel the "full force and fury" from a certain New York real estate tycoon. Let's see how he handles it. Personally, I think the man is an empty suit.
On to New Hampshire!
2 comments:
Iowa is *way* more religious than America. The last 2 winners were Santorum & Huckabee. Cruz will fade fast, and I agree that Trump will cut Rubio apart. Trump is very Sun Tzu. Bernie has shown he can win white people. If he can win non-whites is the question.
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