At slugfest of debate, no winner emerged
Nicknamed the “Great Communicator,” Reagan was credited for coining the famous expression he referred to as the “11th commandment”: “Thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican.”
You might have thought the eight candidates onstage in Milwaukee would have followed the script of a truly popular and effective president who won two landslide victories in 1980 and 1984. Instead, the debate quickly unraveled into an undisciplined event. Candidates tried to outshout and insult their colleagues, while some acted as if they were auditioning to be the emcee at a roast rather than running for the most prestigious office in the world.
Donald Trump might have perfected the art of using ridicule to pound his opponents into submission, but when better-mannered rivals try to emulate him, they look like they just tried on a suit tailored for someone much bigger.
There is plenty of blame to go around, with candidates who lost their cool early on under the bright, hot stage lights or who projected swagger that exceeded their accomplishments.
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