CBS Republican Debate: Live Coverage

I’m stuck comparing two very different men: Herman Cain, the former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza who led the GOP pack in October 2011, and Ben Carson, who also once led the Republican race, but whose poll numbers fell quickly after he fumbled a response to a debate question about the terrorist attacks in Paris. Carson’s poll numbers are now languishing in the single digits; he’s had a series of staff shake-ups; he was rumored to be dropping out but has not yet. So in two election cycles, black Republican candidates have peaked early and then fallen far. The question is why? Is there a desire in the GOP electorate for a more diverse field? I don’t have the answer, but you can’t avoid the question.

I’ve noticed that the conservative Republicans in my Twitter feed seem to think that Rubio has been doing reasonably well, while the liberals are still making Rubio robot jokes. The truth is I don’t think he’s stood out that much in the first 45 minutes — Trump vs. Bush has been the lead story instead. So the question becomes whether Rubio needs a big moment tonight or whether passing through with an average debate would be helpful enough to him.

I would agree with Harry that it’s a lot easier to fall flat on your face in a debate — which is pretty much what Rubio did the other night. We were all so shocked by it because we seem to expect that they’ll all be so rehearsed and polished by the time they take the debate stage. When the practiced moments are punctured, like they were last week by Chis Christie, we are all reminded that this is on some level very much theater, and we find it a bit unsettling.