SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:56 P.M. ET: 

THE DEBATE – Sean Hannity said it best.  It's hard to know who won last night's Republican debate, but it's easy to know who lost – the media.  The disgraceful behavior of CNBC "journalists" is the talk of the internet.  Rude, "gotcha" questions seemed to dominate.  It was a journalistic assault on conservatives.  Several of the candidates, Ted Cruz most eloquently, protested the questioners' gross behavior.  Republican National Chairman Reince Priebus said, “While I was proud of our candidates and the way they handled tonight’s debate, the performance by the CNBC moderators was extremely disappointing and did a disservice to their network, our candidates, and voters."  I fully agree.  The rules must be changed to insure a fair, intelligent debate.  There may have to be a panel of respected journalists who can screen the questions beforehand to make sure the children don't mess things up.

THE RESULT – Very hard to say because voters this year seem to be reacting differently in some cases than they normally do.  Much praise is being given to Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz and Carly Fiorina.  Donald Trump was Donald Trump.  He neither helped nor hurt himself, but certainly didn't break out.  Ben Carson is never spectacular in debate, but his quiet, dignified manner is his calling card.  You can't dislike him.  He oozes decency.  We'll have to wait for the serious polling to see if anything has changed.  But again, as we have pointed out, the sheer number of candidates onstage is too much for the audience to absorb.  The Republicans aren't being helped by the mob scene.  Some candidates should be encouraged to take vacations.

BACK TO REALITY – There was a policeman's funeral in New York yesterday.  From the New York Post:   An emotional Police Commissioner Bill Bratton bestowed a gold detective’s shield on NYPD Officer Randolph Holder at his funeral in Queens on Wednesday — with the same badge number as the dead cop’s former-policeman father, No. 9657.  “He is a hero,’’ said Bratton, his voice breaking before handing a box with the shield to Holder’s dad from the altar of the Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral of New York in Jamaica...A sea of grief washed over the city as an estimated 10,000 of the city’s Finest and family and friends of Holder flocked to the service.  The officer was shot dead as he pursued a perpetrator.  The officer was black, and was the son of an officer.  It would have been a gracious gesture had the president of the United States, who has done his share of police bashing, attended the funeral to demonstrate that this black life mattered also.  He didn't even send a wreath.

October 28, 2015