What do Americans want U.S. foreign policy to be? There were some starkly different answers in last night’s Republican presidential debate in Las Vegas. Poll data over time show that Americans want an assertive president. They fear someone who is too weak or too strong. It was Gerald Ford who said Governor [Ronald] Reagan couldn’t start a war but a president Reagan could, trying to raise doubts about Reagan’s suitability for the nation’s highest office.
We heard some echoes of that last night as Jeb Bush took on Donald Trump. Although Bush was stronger than in past debates, it isn’t clear that his performance last night gave him a substantial boost.
Trump was in character. His first hour was much stronger than his second. No doubt RNC officials breathed a sigh of relief when Trump (and Ben Carson) said he wouldn’t mount a third party bid, but we will have to see if he sticks to it.
Americans would be happy to see more democracies around the globe, but they aren’t confident we know enough about how to achieve that goal. Ted Cruz responded to the doubts of many about democracy promotion. While Marco Rubio is always eloquent, Cruz articulated a case last night that is appealing to many grassroots Republicans. The Cruz-Rubio exchanges were sharp and interesting.
Americans recognize this is a very dangerous world and Chris Christie seems to articulate the fear America now has better than the other candidates. Polls show that Americans expect another terrorist attack on US soil. It is not a matter of “if” it will happen but “when.” His disdain for Washington’s responses was clear. It is a sentiment many Republicans and many Americans share.
While I am not sure there was a clear GOP winner, the debate was a win for CNN whose moderators handled the large field well.
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