Joe Henderson
Whether you support Marco Rubio or Val Demings in their race for the U.S. Senate, your opinion probably didn’t change after Tuesday night’s debate.
In my opinion, neither candidate won nor lost, but that probably means Rubio won. After all, he has a strong lead in the polls, and I doubt that will change much. If you went into the debate with a bias for one or the other, you probably heard what you wanted to hear and disagreed with what you heard from the other side.
That’s not a game-changer.
I mean, what was the headline?
Social Security?
Demings attacked U.S. Sen. Rick Scott’s plan to sunset — read: possibly cancel — Social Security and Medicare in five years.
Rubio’s rebuttal: “No, that’s not my plan. That’s Sen. Scott’s plan.”
Abortion rights? That was the most contentious exchange of the debate, to no surprise for anyone who supported either candidate’s position.
Rubio stated, “I’m 100% pro-life,” but added that he favors exemptions. He didn’t say what those were.
Demings fought back.
“Senator, how gullible do you think Florida voters are? Number one, you have been clear that you support no exceptions, even including rape and incest. As a police detective who investigated cases of rape and incest, no, Senator, I don’t think it’s OK for a 10-year-old girl to be raped and have to carry the thing of her rapist.
“No, I don’t think it’s OK for you to make decisions for women and girls. As a Senator, I think those decisions are between the woman, her family, her doctor, and her faith. And to stand over there and say I don’t support abortion up to the time of birth is just a lie. But to help protect the life of the mother, it’s just you who looks at that like, well, that’s kind of a side issue. Senator, you know that you have said you don’t support any exceptions.”
Rubio countered that Demings attacked a bill Rubio supported that has exceptions.
“She’s talking about extremes; here’s extremes,” Rubio said. “A child that’s born alive after a failed abortion happened eleven times in Florida in 2017. It happened eight times in 2020 — a child of a failed abortion born alive. We have doctors in America that refuse to treat or provide medical care to a child that’s born alive.”
Demings fought back.
“What we know is that the Senator supports no exceptions,” she said. “He can make his mouth say anything today — he’s good at that, by the way. What day is it, and what is Marco Rubio saying? I’ve said time and time again, and he knows it, that I support a woman’s right to choose up to the time of viability.”
“We are not going back to a time when women are treated like second-class citizens or like property.”
Well, that encapsulated the abortion rights debate, but — as was famously said by Democratic operative James Carville in 1992, “It’s the economy, stupid.”
That will decide this election, which doesn’t bode well for Demings. As a Democrat, she’ll be tied to the economic problems in President Joe Biden’s term.
So, here we are.
Both candidates made their cases, and neither made the Big Gaffe that could turn an election. Only two weeks remain to change hearts and minds.
Did that happen Tuesday night?
It depends on which side you’re on, I guess.
29 comments
Tom
October 18, 2022 at 9:28 pm
Marco Rubio lost the debate. I was going to vote for Rubio before the debate but now I will vote for Val Demings.♥️
Ron DeSantis Sucks
October 18, 2022 at 9:44 pm
Wow Tom, you’ve matured so much from your old ways. Not even a single accusation of being a Manchurian puppet!
Tom
October 18, 2022 at 9:46 pm
Hey, what can I say. One can only take so much toxicity from the neo nazi right wing. Gotta take a break every now and then.
Impeach Biden
October 18, 2022 at 9:52 pm
That is the comedy show of Corsin, Offen, Crist and others. They have stolen Tom’s sign in as they can’t debate the issues knowing full well the end is near for Crist, Demings, Pelosi, Schumer and others as the Red Tsunami approaches come 8 November.
Joe Corsin
October 18, 2022 at 10:59 pm
Republicans haven’t won the popular vote in a presidential election in a while. This is all that matters…and we see what the Republicans do when they can’t win fair. They lie, they cheat, they steal, the encourage violence and terrorism. All this in front of the youth. I tell you this far right party of crooks is swirling the toilet. Gonna be a slow death but that death is inevitable on a national government level. Relegated to county government level only..
James
October 18, 2022 at 10:44 pm
You’re right, Joe whats with this ambiguous title of your opinion? Pick a side, you sound like in your Marco who couldnt answer a question without smoke and mirrors.
Ronald
October 22, 2022 at 9:21 pm
He’s the Best Governor Florida has ever had. He’s not persuaded by the Federal Government trying to run States, he doesn’t indoctrinate teaching Sex to middle schools, he certainly doesn’t think CRT is necessary in schools. He doesn’t support wasteful spending. He abides by the Constitution as every sworn Officer is compelled to obey regardless of department views.
Hope
October 18, 2022 at 11:08 pm
Identity theft!
Joe Corsin
October 18, 2022 at 11:17 pm
Election theft! Authoritarian mad man power play failed!!!
Tom
October 20, 2022 at 3:59 am
Real Tom the legend here.
Corsin, you are gutless.
Such a pathetic and small person.
Rubio towered over this nasty Pelosi bitch. America’s Senator was able to educate Dumings. Just another far left crazy.
Tom
October 20, 2022 at 4:08 am
Legend Tom here.
Corsin, u r a pathetic being.
Just a fraudster, Dumings has no chance. Sen Rubio schooled Dumings.
Dumings is clueless.
Rubio is America’s Senator.
PeterH
October 18, 2022 at 9:55 pm
I’ve already voted and made the right decision. Rubio is a vapid talking head with no policies to enhance the American experience for Floridians.
Impeach Biden
October 18, 2022 at 10:12 pm
Good for you Peter H. If the Dems
could stuff the ballot box or harvest votes then maybe Demings will have a chance. DeSantis won’t allow the Stacy Abrams train to come so therefore Val stands no chance. Bye Val and bye bye to Nancy Pelosi. Give up that gavel you wicked witch of the west
Joe Corsin
October 18, 2022 at 11:01 pm
It is Trump who tried to steal the election based on those lies. You people are full of poop. Only sht heads and the stupid people that they grift off of fall for it.
ChereR
October 18, 2022 at 10:18 pm
a constant attack and not answering does not educate a Florida voter. This was nothing but mud slinging by MD and avoidance of the question ask . a waste of time !
sj
October 18, 2022 at 10:38 pm
How do these puppets get these gigs under the guise of “journalist” ? You can put all the flowery words around the crap you’re slinging but every sensible , moral American can see through your leftist dedicated cultist trope. Go report on a real scandal, like why everyone in Tampa thinks Tommy Tantrum is a GOAT.
Joe Corsin
October 18, 2022 at 11:02 pm
Donald Trump? “Moral America” saw through that con job crook…
Hope
October 18, 2022 at 11:13 pm
Senator Marco Rubio was the decisive winner, it wasn’t even close. He had accomplishments to expand on and he did very well.
Congratulations Senator Rubio!!
Joe Corsin
October 18, 2022 at 11:19 pm
You got sht coming out of your ears as usual. Seek help for pathological lying and cheerleading for crooks.
Hope
October 19, 2022 at 9:51 am
Actually, your accusation is false. Unlike Fetterman I will show you my medical record from my ENT that shows my ears are in excellent condition and especially noted, very clean. No wonder you are losing, loser.
Joe Corsin
October 19, 2022 at 12:42 pm
GOP will continue to lose the popular vote in presidential elections. Of course it will take a while for the nation to get smart enough to bar saboteurs and obstructionists from running for Congress.
Florence Brown
October 19, 2022 at 12:12 am
Americans take your heads out of the sand, Democrat’s, Republicans, Independents, Green Party,, Christians, Atheist, Catholics , Jewish, God-fearing or not , we do not want an authoritarianism GOVERNMENT, SUCH AS Russia, Iran,Saudi Arabia.. The extremist far right Republicans are telling us out loud that is where they are taking us . Stripping us of our constitutional rights. The right to choose to live in a society that is not only free but also law abiding where no one is above the law. It was the economy, but now it’s DEMOCRACY STUPID.
Margarita Senorita
October 19, 2022 at 1:03 am
Viva la Rubio !
Impeach Biden
October 19, 2022 at 6:36 am
It’s funny reading the Corsin, Offen, Crist and others starting to come unglued. They know it is coming too, The Red Tsunami. November 8.
Charlie Crist
October 19, 2022 at 8:40 am
👆 Hardcore neo-nazi propagandist
Bruce and Nancy Wadleigh
October 19, 2022 at 9:24 am
With Covid costing over two million Americans lives which affected us all not one question on “Do you support a active investigation into how the virus was released and who caused it?” With follow up questions, “If found to be China the cause will you introduce bill to hold China Accountable and make China pay back what it cost us economically but compensation for lost lives?” Will you support not paying China what we owe in this situtation?” If found we were complicit in the release of this virus, will you hold those responsible for it?
Bruce and Nancy Wadleigh
October 19, 2022 at 9:24 am
With Covid costing over two million Americans lives which affected us all not one question on “Do you support a active investigation into how the virus was released and who caused it?” With follow up questions, “If found to be China the cause will you introduce bill to hold China Accountable and make China pay back what it cost us economically but compensation for lost lives?” Will you support not paying China what we owe in this situtation?” If found we were complicit in the release of this virus, will you hold those responsible for it?
Bruce
October 19, 2022 at 9:26 am
I wonder why the Democrats did not pursue this? I can tell you why because Hunter and his father are crooks.
Joe Corsin
October 19, 2022 at 10:13 am
You wish. Nice try scapegoating Biden for Trump crime spree. You’ve lost it. Seek therapy.
Comments are closed.