Why Trump Won the Debate

Regardless of the morning headlines, Donald Trump won the debate. Why? Hillary Clinton supporters, including most of the media, were betting on Trump self-destructing in the face of personal barbs thrown at him from Lester Holt and Clinton. Trump, however, didn’t take any of the hooks — at least, none of the important ones. Even when Holt pressed the issues, “Let me interrupt just a moment,” Trump just talked over the “moderator” until he shut up. As a seasoned TV performer, Trump knows that those debating have leverage over the moderator, especially one who hardly conceals his political preferences. Trump also

Trump Spokeswoman Embroiled in Controversy Over Anti-Catholic Tweet

The president of the Catholic League, Bill Donohue, issued a press release today, “Trump’s Spokeswoman Must Apologize.” At issue is a December 8, 2011, tweet by Katrina Pierson: Just saw a commercial from Catholic Church stating that Catholic Church was started by Jesus. I bet they believe that too. #sad — Katrina Pierson (@KatrinaPierson) December 18, 2011 Donohue comments: No one makes a comment like this without harboring an animus against Catholicism. It would be instructive to learn more about Pierson’s thoughts on the subject. Perhaps she can share them with us. I agree and so do the countless Catholics

The Trump Bump Explained

It’s been six weeks since Donald Trump made his incendiary remarks about Mexican immigrants in a speech announcing his intention to run for president.  Today, a Quinnipiac poll shows Trump far ahead of the GOP field, the choice of 20 percent of those surveyed as compared to 13 percent for Scott Walker and 10 percent for Jeb Bush. That Trump survived the negative media onslaught is remarkable, but to pull away from the GOP field at the same time signifies a mood among the GOP grassroots that requires notice. I don’t think, however, the explanation is very complicated.  Conservative talk

Clueless Dem Gameplan on Attacking Jeb Bush

Bob Burnett’s HuffPo column on Jeb Bush contains an outline of how Democrats will be attacking the former Florida governor if becomes the GOP nominee. Burnett’s assumption is that just as brother George attempted to hide behind the “compassionate conservative” banner, Jeb will try and fail. Why? Because like his brother, Jeb Bush “is a staunch conservative. He’s not any more compassionate than Dubya was.” Burnett faults Bush for supporting Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act, trying to protect Terry Schiavo, opposing Obamacare, passing tax cuts as governor, advocating charter schools, and, in short, being the friend of big business and the enemy

Jeb Bush’s Catholic Conversion

Most voters aren’t really aware: Jeb Bush is a Roman Catholic convert. Raised Protestant, Bush converted 20 years after he married his Catholic wife, Columba, who he met in 1971 while teaching English in Leon, Mexico — they were married in February, 1974. Some might have the attitude that Jeb Bush just went along with becoming Catholic to marry the woman he loved, but that is not the case. He’s become a serious and informed Catholic, as Michael Paulson describes in a New York Times article published yesterday, whose faith has guided his political career and led him to his involvement

Libertarians Applaud Rand Paul’s Punt on Marriage

The Daily Beast reports on how libertarians are responding to what they see as Rand Paul’s attempt to re-brand the GOP as more purely libertarian and the practical problems that ensue: The more Paul is forced to speak out on positions, the more opportunities he has to turn off supporters. For example, David Boaz, executive vice president of the Cato Institute, and author of The Libertarian Mind, likes Paul’s view of marriage as a contract, but suspects Paul’s newfound rhetoric about gay marriage comes with a cost. “Unfortunately,” Boaz said, “it’s tone-deaf language that cuts against his goal of improving the image

Rand Paul: Replace Marriage With Contracts (VIDEO)

During a March 8 interview with Bret Baier, Senator Rand Paul was asked about same-sex marriage.  His reply is a study in self-contradiction: “I think marriage is between a man and a woman,” Paul said, adding, “ultimately, we would have fixed this a long time ago if we just allowed contracts between adults. We didn’t have to call it marriage, which offends myself and a lot of people.” Need anyone point out that Senator Paul used the word he finds so offensive when answering Baier?  Evidently it was a slip of the tongue.  He quickly corrected himself, however, arguing “contracts”