Motor City Reaction.   A new low for Fox News moderators; this “bait ‘em up to mix it up” schtick is really wearing thin.  Wallace loves the gotcha, Baier seems to be auditioning as a stand-up comic (open mic night), and Kelly’s mugging for the camera (even when another moderator is speaking) is just strange.  Some notes from the debate:

·      Rubio started out manic and ended up statesman.  I fear the clock is running out on Marco’s opportunity.   Perhaps he simply wants this too much.  This does not seem to be an election that will be decided on a vision for the future.  I am not really sure exactly what this election will be decided on. Rubio is almost like Jeb redux; he has that puzzled look on his face at times like he cannot believe he is actually debating this idiot (Trump) for the nomination.

·      Cruz can, at times, be the most self-righteous Senator (quite a lofty claim) that I have ever seen.   He will tick off several good policy points and then always….always….seems to circle back around to the “open hand on the chest”, the “who me” look on his face, and lay claim to the exclusive moral compass on the stage.  I somehow think he would be doing much better if he did not have the word "Senator" in front of his name.

·      Trump is Trump.  Bluster, distraction, loose custody of the truth, crude remarks about the world and other candidates, totally ignoring pointed questions and giving rapid fire contradictory statements; all to huge applause from the crowd.  This…man…scares…me.

·      Truth be told, Kasich may very well be the best qualified candidate for the office of our nation’s next president.  It would be so nice if he would simply allow us to reach that conclusion independently; instead of slamming it into our heads every time the camera turns his way.  I kept expecting him to say that he helped Noah put the decking on the ark; rode double behind Paul Revere when he made his famous trip; was firing over the walls of the Alamo at the attacking forces; and held the ladder for Neil Armstrong when he made his lunar descent.  And when his moment arrived to recognize the elephant in the room, his refusal to acknowledge any fault with Trump was pathetic.

·      Not sure where it goes from here, but I fear that a great opportunity was somehow lost tonight.  Rubio and Cruz, deft debaters they may be, are beginning to show some frustration with Trump’s continuing electoral successes.  As I have written before, it is a long way to Cleveland and the convention; there are many unexpected stories that have not yet been written.  But there is something strange going on in this election cycle, and it is not just the Republicans.  Once the parties decide on their candidates, it will be interesting to see if this presidential primary lunacy seeps into the down ticket races.