The second Republican debate on Sept. 16 at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, CA, will not disappoint. Desperation has set in as Donald Trump continues to dominate the field no matter what he says or does. Jeb! has basically been
shooting blanks in The Donald's direction while Scott Walker figures if he just
yells louder on the stump surely he can steal Trump's thunder. It's cute, isn't it?
GOP strategists expect a slugfest, reports Karen Tumulty:
“A panic has set in on a number of campaigns. I’m expecting this next debate could more resemble roller derby than a debate,” said John Weaver, an adviser to the campaign of Gov. John Kasich of Ohio, one of the few of the GOP hopefuls to experience a bit of a bump since the first debate.
Newt Gingrich, who distinguished himself as a scrappy debater during his 2012 bid for the presidency, said the imperative to stop Trump’s momentum has grown ever more urgent for the rest of the field.
“Somebody is going to make a run at Trump,” Gingrich said. “I assume it will be Jeb Bush,” whose status as a presumed favorite has been dented the most by Trump.
Nothing will be more fascinating than watching Jeb! and Trump go at each other in person. My money's on Trump, for obvious reasons—Jeb!'s "low energy."