REACTION TO THE DEBATE:  12:40 a.m.:  So the second Republican debate is over.  And what did we get?

Nothing.

The questions from the Fox moderators were fine, but they did not control the session, which often descended into a shouting match.

There were still too many candidates on the stage for an intelligent discussion, so we didn't get an intelligent discussion.

No one had a breakout moment, a moment when members of the audience could say, "That's the one."  Nikki Haley was hoping for such a moment, but it never came.  

Ron DeSantis bettered his performance in the first debate, but, again, no cigar.  Tim Scott tried to break out by attacking is fellow South Carolinian, Nikki Haley, but he simply came off as rude.

A general consensus among pundits was that the winner last night was Donald Trump.  No one successfully challenged him, even though he wasn't even there.

We will now wait for the flash polls to see if anyone moved the needle.  I don't think there will be anything dramatic to report.  It seems that the only thing that will stop Trump's run for the nomination will be a major blunder on his part, or primary voters' revulsion at his legal problems.

And that's that.

September 27, 2023