The Second Republican Debate Was a Bad Sequel

Viewers tuning in for the sequel to the first Republican Presidential debate may have been hoping for The Godfather Part II but instead got a big helping of Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2. Everything was second-rate from weak zingers to predictable responses.

The reality is Republicans are trying to figure out the best understudy for Trump. While it is possible Trump could lose in Iowa and that could trigger a move toward one of the other hopefuls, it is far more likely that DeSantis, Haley, Scott and Ramaswamy are maneuvering to pick up the pieces if Trump starts collecting guilty verdicts.

But there are some important takeaways. Read the rest of the story in The Messenger.