CNN hosted the second GOP debate on Wednesday, making it the most watched broadcast in the network’s history at 23.1 million viewers. As with any debate, there are winners and losers. And while not every candidate proved to be fitting for either group, there were certainly two that stood out.

Winner:

Carly Fiorina truly proved her worthiness for the presidency in Wednesday’s debate by taking on some big topics and well-known candidates. Her two most impressive moments were her scathing criticism of Planned Parenthood, and her witty attacks against Donald Trump.

In response to the popularized Planned Parenthood bill, which would defund the organization, Fiorina challenged Democratic figures to watch the infamous Planned Parenthood tapes, and still veto the bill.

“I dare Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama to watch these tapes… watch a fully formed fetus on the table, its heart beating, its legs kicking, while someone says, ‘We have to keep it alive to harvest its brain,’” Fiorina said.

While this is a very difficult topic to take on due to its controversial nature, Fiorina’s responses earned her a thunderous applause from the crowd. This moment and the immediate approval of the crowd proved that she holds true to traditional Republican values in addition to highlighting her professionalism in discussing this issue.

Fiorina also called out Trump by hitting him where it hurts: his misogynistic treatment of women. She proved her own strength by using her well-developed public speaking skills to show people that maybe it is time for a woman to be in charge.

In response to comments Trump had made about her appearance, and then tried to take back, Fiorina said, “I think women all over this country heard very clearly what Mr. Trump said.”

Fiorina might just be exactly what the Republican Party needs at this moment. She is intelligent, not afraid to take on Trump and staunchly defends GOP ideals.

One of the most impressive aspects of her performance in the debate was how well she was able to provide succinct and informative answers to each question she was asked.

Fiorina proved that she genuinely has a plan for many imminent problems facing the United States, including Iran, which provides voters with a lot of confidence. If she can continue to provide American citizens with plans for the future and well-formed opinions, Fiorina may have a real shot at winning in 2016.

Loser:

While his non-political background caught people’s interest early on, Dr. Ben Carson found himself struggling to retain affection in Wednesday’s debate.

Carson had multiple opportunities to steal the spotlight, especially when it came to knocking Trump off his pedestal, but he decided to play it safe — too safe.

There was even a point where Trump gave some seemingly faulty scientific facts regarding vaccinations, which Carson could have easily rebutted, but chose not to. He kept a calm demeanor during the debate and interjected here and there, but overall, he failed to make a memorable impression.

Carson’s performance could be detrimental to his campaign. He was initially a front-runner, and this debate was an opportunity to secure his spot. The unique nature of Carson’s professional background is one of the reasons he captured the attention of voters, and playing to that could have helped him secure votes.

However, his future is quite uncertain at this juncture because of his underwhelming performance. It is definitely going to be interesting to see if he can bounce back from this blow, and get back in the running.

Moving forward:

After her performance in the second debate, Fiorina seems to be the candidate everyone is talking about. Other hopefuls should use the remaining time before the election to provide voters with a clear picture of who they are as a candidate, what they believe and how they hope to inspire change if elected to office.

Victoria Razzi is a sophomore advertising major. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at vcrazzi@syr.edu and followed on Twitter @vrazzi.

Published on September 20, 2015 at 6:34 pm