During Tuesday night’s CNN GOP Debate, two candidates went head to head from the very beginning. (Things started off tame but heated up fast, so hang on, and we’ll get to the better stuff.) Wolf Blitzer asked Jeb Bush why he called Donald Trump “unhinged” for his anti-Muslim rhetoric. Bush stressed how the Syrian refugee crisis will not be solved by banning Muslims from crossing United States borders. Instead, Bush says the dilemma can be solved by destroying ISIS. Bush stressed how Trump is “great at the one liners,” but “he is a chaos candidate, and he’d be a chaos president.”
In response, Trump denied that Bush really believes he’s “unhinged” and is merely trying to excuse his own failed campaign. As Bush grinned in his special way, Trump cut down the policies of “other” presidents. Bush then argued that joining allies with Muslims is the true way to defeat ISIS. Bush also insisted that he’s the “serious leader” that America needs. Not bad.
Next up? The showdown commenced. Bush assessed Trump’s immigration and refugee stances as “crazy” and then dismantled Trump’s ideas (“he gets them from the shows!”) as Trump shook his head and made faces. Then Trump called Bush “a very nice person” but not “tough” before Bush came back from the dead: “I’m talking right now!” Trump landed a few more words before Bush asserted, “Donald, you’re not going to be able to insult your way to the presidency. That’s not going to happen. And I DO have the strength.” Boom.
It ain’t over yet! Enter round three with plenty of shouting by both parties. Trump lost his cool, and Jeb wins this debate so far.
Who will win this war of egos? Jeb Bush already works the handicap of his family legacy, but the boy still has some fight in him. And here’s a parting shot for you here to set the mood of the evening.