I don't see as big a fervour or ground support for Rubio as I do for Cruz, I think he might just be a bit too young and inexperienced right now, and he seems much more honest even if I don't agree with his views. I prefer him to Cruz though, who is slimey like a car salesman. I'm sure Rubio will be a very strong contender in another election cycle or two, just not yet.

The problem with the debates right now as that there are so many people that we don't get to see much of the realistic candidates.

That's been a GOP tactic for a while now, they shove every minority they can to the front of the queue when it comes to party support to try to gain more followers from that minority. Doesn't seem to be working though.

I don't know why the Republican party doesn't give up it's claim to credibility because if that field of candidates is the best a country of 300 million can come up with to represent the right-hand side of the economic and social political spectrum, then it has no credibility.

Just shove the lot in the Big Brother house and have at it.

I couldn't agree more.

It may come as a shock to many Democrats, but many Republicans are more interested in the intrinsic qualities of their candidates than what ethnic or gender slot they might fill, which is the first thing that Democrats look for these days, i.e. "the first Black President," "the first Female President," "the first native-American President" (Warren?).

Cruz is probably the most intelligent candidate provided by either party and could best explain the conservative view to the general populace. Unfortunately, he frequently comes across as overbearing, arrogant and petulant, and might make missteps in debating Hillary - assuming she doesn't get indicted (see today's Politico story).

Rubio is also an excellent spokesman for a somewhat more centrist view and can think on his feet rings around the rest of the field, but he has flaws that will be highlighted by Trump, the Bushs and the media.*

Carson is not seen as a black candidate by his supporters but is revered by them as an inspirational figure, which explains why he hasn't fallen in the polls, despite attacks coming from the media and Trump.

*Cruz was asked about the NYT's latest story claiming his father "embroidered" his history in Cuba. Cruz noted that it was interesting the NYT would send a team of reporters to Cuba to interview Communist officials about his father's arrest many years ago, but couldn't find any of Obama's college transcripts in 2008. Sure they're not public records, but they never tried.

Of course you couldn't. Wouldn't it be so much better if this country were a one-party state, like China?

It's strange that you would view Cruz as the most intelligent candidate considering he's advocating college administrators breaking the law by releasing Obama's college records without his permission.

BTW has Cruz released his college transcripts?

A classic Flavius strawman.

One day, you may realize that strawman arguments like that just make you look like a fool. Then again, you probably won't.

I'm not sure you really want to go down that road. Intrinsic qualities? One's a liar, one's a bully,...

And if the GOP didn't care about ethnic or gender slots why do they keep trying to stack their team with "tokens"?

Are they the right kind of Hispanic though? How does Cuban go down across the board with other Hispanics?

"One's a liar, one's a bully..." You must be talking about Clinton and Obama, right? See how easy that is to do when you start your argument by assuming that the target is what you say they are?

If three of the four leading prospects on the Republican side are a black dude and two hispanics, one of whom might well become President, not sure where the token stuff comes from. Were any of the three pushed on us by the Republican "establishment," or did all three of them push forward and against the establishment, on their own and as outsiders - although Rubio may get Bush donor support after he sliced off Bush's cohones, to use a Spanish term.

You seem confused and even angrier than usual, to the point of grasping at straws, since almost no one is buying any of your second hand, right wing, echo chamber rants. A hallucinating, self proclaimed, retired American lawyer.......who would have thought that such an individual would waste his time on line when he could be using it more productively for pro bono purposes, for example?

Does it matter? Neither of them will get much more than 15% - 20% Hispanic support, about the same as any other Republican.

Are you seriously suggesting Herman Cain, Bobby Jindal, Ben Carson, Carly Fiorina, are actual genuinely leading prospects that are actually electable? No, they are token, hey we know black people and women fodder for the right wing to feel good about themselves before fixing it for the Bushes.

I'm not confused at all, but I'm also tired of being the only Republican on this thread. So...I'll leave it as it truly is and always has been, a one-party left-wing echo chamber of a thread where you can all pat each other on the back and show how clever you all are at finding little zingers about the Republican candidates. There really are better things to do than waste my time here.