Issues or Results
The last three days brought us five mailings and a second debate that was a mess.
MAILINGS
Let's start with the mail. All five mailings were postcards, with all but the DeSantis postcard being the typical 6x11 inch size. The Pro-DeSantis postcard was the full sized 8.5x11 inches.
The DeSantis ad we received on Monday highlights his military service and his approach to immigration and the border.
We then received our next mailing supporting Trump on Tuesday. Curiously, this is the second pro-Trump mailing in 8 days. It makes me start to wonder if they are seeing some softening in the polls for Trump in Iowa or are they just trying to keep his name in our minds since he was not attending the debate.
Wednesday we received three more mailings. The first was another anti-Trump ad from the AFP Action Super PAC. It was probably the cleanest and most pleasing designed mailing of the week, but it had nothing new content-wise. The other two were both from the pro-Haley Super PAC. And, yes, they were both about China. I am wondering if SFA Fund, Inc. and Stand for America are two separate Super PACs. I am not sure I care. They are both sending basically the same China-focused mailings.
DEBATE
Then came the debate. I am not sure there is much good to say about the debate. Some candidates did less harm to themselves that others.
The style of the debates we have had this year are horrible. I am not sure if this is to blame on Fox or the GOP or the candidates or all of them. But one thing is for sure. It needs to change.
I understand that having seven candidates makes this hard, but it has to happen. Either give all the candidates the exact same question and let them all answer with the same amount of time (and yes, this makes the debate last a really long time even with strict time limits) or perhaps let each of the candidates take turns asking a different candidate a question. Perhaps a mix of the two. I am fine watching a three hour debate if they take this approach. But even a one hour debate of the mess last night was hard to get through.
My few quick thoughts otherwise:
1. Ramaswamy did better than his first debate, but showed he is still to immature at this point. He even admitted it outright in the debate.
2. What is up with the whole Haley/Scott fight? Why? Such a big mistake by both of them.
3. Burgum refuses to take a strong stance against abortion. He still skirts the issue by talking about states rights instead.
4. Pence improved over his first debate performance as far as interjecting too often, but I am not sure anything else stood out and that can be tough on a candidate in such a large field.
5. Christie was less annoying than he typically is. He had his relevant but tired attacks on Trump and put Ramaswamy in his place a couple times.
6. DeSantis I think did the best. He seemed to stay out of most of the petty fights and tried to keep the issues tied into his record of showing how he already accomplished a lot of these things in Florida.
For those interested, Greg Belfrage (morning talk show host at KELO AM 1320) was very gracious this morning and allow me several minutes to give my thoughts on the debate. You can listen to the segment here (about the 14:25 mark): KELO AM 1320 Debate Conversation.
At this point, I am not so interested in their stances on the issues. I think we have most of that figured out. Many of them are the same other than perhaps on Ukraine and Abortion. What I am more interested in is whether I think they will actually make a serious attempt at accomplishing what they need to do once they are elected. Will they follow through on their promises? Answering that question, has put me even more on the path toward supporting DeSantis.
The next debate is just over a month away and the requirements to be in the debate go up again. Perhaps we can eliminate a couple of them at that point?
Meanwhile, with the latest round of mailings, Haley has moved into second place behind DeSantis.
Snail Mail Totals So Far
17 - Never Back Down, Inc. (Pro-DeSantis)
10 - SFA Fund, Inc. (Pro-Haley)
9 - Best of America PAC (Pro-Burgum)
8 - AFP Action (Anti-Trump)
6 - Opportunity Matters Fund, Inc. (Pro-Scott)
5 - Perry Johnson for President Inc.
4 - Make America Great Again, Inc. (Pro-Trump / Anti-DeSantis)
2 - Make America Great Again Action, Inc. (Pro-Trump)
1 - Doug Burgum for America
1 - Vivek 2024
MAILINGS
Let's start with the mail. All five mailings were postcards, with all but the DeSantis postcard being the typical 6x11 inch size. The Pro-DeSantis postcard was the full sized 8.5x11 inches.
The DeSantis ad we received on Monday highlights his military service and his approach to immigration and the border.
We then received our next mailing supporting Trump on Tuesday. Curiously, this is the second pro-Trump mailing in 8 days. It makes me start to wonder if they are seeing some softening in the polls for Trump in Iowa or are they just trying to keep his name in our minds since he was not attending the debate.
Wednesday we received three more mailings. The first was another anti-Trump ad from the AFP Action Super PAC. It was probably the cleanest and most pleasing designed mailing of the week, but it had nothing new content-wise. The other two were both from the pro-Haley Super PAC. And, yes, they were both about China. I am wondering if SFA Fund, Inc. and Stand for America are two separate Super PACs. I am not sure I care. They are both sending basically the same China-focused mailings.
DEBATE
Then came the debate. I am not sure there is much good to say about the debate. Some candidates did less harm to themselves that others.
The style of the debates we have had this year are horrible. I am not sure if this is to blame on Fox or the GOP or the candidates or all of them. But one thing is for sure. It needs to change.
I understand that having seven candidates makes this hard, but it has to happen. Either give all the candidates the exact same question and let them all answer with the same amount of time (and yes, this makes the debate last a really long time even with strict time limits) or perhaps let each of the candidates take turns asking a different candidate a question. Perhaps a mix of the two. I am fine watching a three hour debate if they take this approach. But even a one hour debate of the mess last night was hard to get through.
My few quick thoughts otherwise:
1. Ramaswamy did better than his first debate, but showed he is still to immature at this point. He even admitted it outright in the debate.
2. What is up with the whole Haley/Scott fight? Why? Such a big mistake by both of them.
3. Burgum refuses to take a strong stance against abortion. He still skirts the issue by talking about states rights instead.
4. Pence improved over his first debate performance as far as interjecting too often, but I am not sure anything else stood out and that can be tough on a candidate in such a large field.
5. Christie was less annoying than he typically is. He had his relevant but tired attacks on Trump and put Ramaswamy in his place a couple times.
6. DeSantis I think did the best. He seemed to stay out of most of the petty fights and tried to keep the issues tied into his record of showing how he already accomplished a lot of these things in Florida.
For those interested, Greg Belfrage (morning talk show host at KELO AM 1320) was very gracious this morning and allow me several minutes to give my thoughts on the debate. You can listen to the segment here (about the 14:25 mark): KELO AM 1320 Debate Conversation.
At this point, I am not so interested in their stances on the issues. I think we have most of that figured out. Many of them are the same other than perhaps on Ukraine and Abortion. What I am more interested in is whether I think they will actually make a serious attempt at accomplishing what they need to do once they are elected. Will they follow through on their promises? Answering that question, has put me even more on the path toward supporting DeSantis.
The next debate is just over a month away and the requirements to be in the debate go up again. Perhaps we can eliminate a couple of them at that point?
Meanwhile, with the latest round of mailings, Haley has moved into second place behind DeSantis.
Snail Mail Totals So Far
17 - Never Back Down, Inc. (Pro-DeSantis)
10 - SFA Fund, Inc. (Pro-Haley)
9 - Best of America PAC (Pro-Burgum)
8 - AFP Action (Anti-Trump)
6 - Opportunity Matters Fund, Inc. (Pro-Scott)
5 - Perry Johnson for President Inc.
4 - Make America Great Again, Inc. (Pro-Trump / Anti-DeSantis)
2 - Make America Great Again Action, Inc. (Pro-Trump)
1 - Doug Burgum for America
1 - Vivek 2024