OPINION:
I don’t have a horse in the GOP presidential race, so I was able to watch last Thursday night’s debate free of any candidate envy. I made two observations. First, the good news: Front-runner Donald Trump wasn’t the focus of everyone’s attention (although he was asked the first question). Second, the bad news: While the questions about immigration and health care were meaningful, I would have liked more discussion about the two major issues facing the next president of the United States. Based on their limited answers, I still don’t have a sense of who has the best plan to keep America safe and how he plans to do it, or who has the best economic plan for revitalizing the middle class and why it is the best plan.
Say what you want about Thursday’s debate from Cleveland, but it clearly signaled the beginning of the 2016 campaign to win the White House. Republican primary voters will find next year’s presidential ticket somewhere in the mix of all those 17 candidates standing on stage.
I’m looking forward to watching more Republican debates. Besides being on the campaign stump, these debates are one critical way of showcasing which candidate can truly run with the big dogs.
DENNY FREIDENRICH
Laguna Beach, Calif.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.