DEVLBAT

Ahoy there...
 
So, I'm technically not a "newbie"--I've just been completely engulfed in the wine business working for a major Italian winery for the past three years in addition to being newly married (I guess four years next month isn't really "newly married", but whatever). 
 
For those who remember me, I came from the old ESPN board years ago.  Apologies for being a bit out of touch, but I travel back and forth to Europe rather frequently and cover Southern Calfornia (which feels like five states).  Little bit of a busy life...
 
Anyway, hope to reconnect with most of y'all.  Talk with you guys soon. 

While it still shocks me I'm writing about Donald Trump in a political thread, I felt as if the majority of the audience were disenchanted with his banter this time.  There's only so much mileage you can get out of "the guy's a total loser" and "look at that face."  Those are funny to people with the IQ of a chickpea, but when they stop laughing--what do you have?
 
I thought Carly Fiorina, Marco Rubio, and Chris Christie were the winners last night.  My mom sent me a text during the debate saying, "That woman must have a teleprompter in her brain."  I think she was born to debate, because she's quite poised and confident at all of her speaking engagements.  It's refreshing.  I found it hilarious she said her secret service code name would be "Secretariat."  I'm probably the only person under the age of 95 who understood that reference.  
 
Rubio has definitely been playing it safe on his answers so far, but he will definitely be around for the next few cycles.
 
Chris Christie had good energy and definitely appealed to the supporters who brought him to that level. 
 
The problem with these first two debates is there are too many people on the stage and that leads to too many people not being able to speak at length.  People want to hear what these candidates have to say not just Donald Trump.
 
(Also, I laughed at whichever candidate said, "We should put Margaret Thatcher on the 10 dollar bill."  Really?  We should put a British woman on an American piece of currency?  Nah.)

Everyone post-George Washington has been a hack. 

John! Good to have you back and to have reconnected. 
 
Let's stay in touch. 

Truthfully, I don't know what to think of Trump as a Republican candidate.
 
I know what I think of him as a person--he's an obnoxious, ignorant blowhard--but as a "serious" candidate?  I just can't see it happening.  In fact, I'm almost positive he will not only fail to be the nominee, but that this next debate will showcase how incompetent he is about governing the literal world.  
 
I'll admit, his insults are funny at first (if you actually like that sort of humor), but at the end of the day he's a one-trick pony whose central comeback to anyone who disagrees with him is: "you're a doody head."  People get bored with that after awhile. 
 
I heard him on Hugh Hewitt's radio show on my way home from LA a few nights ago and it was so telling how in the dark he was about many foreign policy issues.  After failing to acknowledge he knew any of the major terrorist leaders in ISIS, etc. he said Hugh Hewitt was playing "gotcha" journalism with him.  Um, dude.  You're running for president during war time.  It's a legitimate question and you failed to answer it with any legitimate answer.  
 
Also, I laughed out loud--a literal "lol" as it were--about the idea that his candidacy has brought about the discussion on immiration reform.  Really?  I'm sorry, but both sides have acknowledged immigration has been out of control for years.  Donald Trump doesn't even have a solution to fix it.  It's just, "I'll build a wall so fast your head will spin."  He doesn't have any real rationale for executing those plans.  His candidacy is more of the same whether people or himself sees it or not.  He speaks in generalities and makes grandiose promises he'll never be able to deliver on.  It might sound like a "breath of fresh air", but at the end of the day it's just hot air all over again. 

Ahoy there...
 
So, I'm technically not a "newbie"--I've just been completely engulfed in the wine business working for a major Italian winery for the past three years in addition to being newly married (I guess four years next month isn't really "newly married", but whatever). 
 
For those who remember me, I came from the old ESPN board years ago.  Apologies for being a bit out of touch, but I travel back and forth to Europe rather frequently and cover Southern Calfornia (which feels like five states).  Little bit of a busy life...
 
Anyway, hope to reconnect with most of y'all.  Talk with you guys soon. 

Truthfully, I don't know what to think of Trump as a Republican candidate.
 
I know what I think of him as a person--he's an obnoxious, ignorant blowhard--but as a "serious" candidate?  I just can't see it happening.  In fact, I'm almost positive he will not only fail to be the nominee, but that this next debate will showcase how incompetent he is about governing the literal world.  
 
I'll admit, his insults are funny at first (if you actually like that sort of humor), but at the end of the day he's a one-trick pony whose central comeback to anyone who disagrees with him is: "you're a doody head."  People get bored with that after awhile. 
 
I heard him on Hugh Hewitt's radio show on my way home from LA a few nights ago and it was so telling how in the dark he was about many foreign policy issues.  After failing to acknowledge he knew any of the major terrorist leaders in ISIS, etc. he said Hugh Hewitt was playing "gotcha" journalism with him.  Um, dude.  You're running for president during war time.  It's a legitimate question and you failed to answer it with any legitimate answer.  
 
Also, I laughed out loud--a literal "lol" as it were--about the idea that his candidacy has brought about the discussion on immiration reform.  Really?  I'm sorry, but both sides have acknowledged immigration has been out of control for years.  Donald Trump doesn't even have a solution to fix it.  It's just, "I'll build a wall so fast your head will spin."  He doesn't have any real rationale for executing those plans.  His candidacy is more of the same whether people or himself sees it or not.  He speaks in generalities and makes grandiose promises he'll never be able to deliver on.  It might sound like a "breath of fresh air", but at the end of the day it's just hot air all over again. 

I don't know why anyone would view anger filled platitudes with no solution substance risky.