Former Trump advisor David Urban weighed in on the Republican presidential debates Wednesday night, slamming the candidates’ efforts as a “shitshow” to a CNN panel.
“Well, you know, I think tonight proves that you don’t need Donald Trump to be in a debate to have a shitshow there. Right. So, I mean, it was a complete trainwreck,” Urban observed.
Urban further explained he didn’t feel the moderators were effective at controlling the crowd or the candidates, pointing out that many of the Republican nominees were figuratively stepping on one another – fighting – which, he argued, wasn’t what Americans want to hear.
“They don’t want to hear people argue. They want to hear policies. They want to hear ideas. It’s a chance to put things forward and I think a lot of the folks did a great disservice to their own candidacies by just, you know, talking too much about things that don’t matter or talk directly to people,” Urban continued.
Urban added that Vivek Ramaswamy emerged as a strong contender in Wednesday’s debate, taking up most of the time.
Fellow panelist Abby Phillip agreed stating that she believed many of the candidates on the stage in Milwaukee were trying to prove they were “fighters” and so picked a fight with up and coming Ramaswamy.
CNN’s John King also agreed that Ramaswamy filled the void that was left by Trump on the debate stage, observing that establishment politicians like Mike Pence were visibly frustrated by him. “Ramaswamy was his proxy tonight and the crowd loved it,” King stated later in the broadcast. (RELATED: ‘Excellent Night’: CNN Panel Pick Winners For First GOP Debate)
David Axelrod observed that some commentators were wondering, prior to the debate, if it was a gamble for Trump to not attend the debates. “I don’t think it was a gamble, but if it was a gamble [Trump] won big tonight” Axlerod stated, adding that Trump is controlling the Republican presidential race. “The only way he can lose this race is if someone consolidates all the rest of the party behind them.”