Why Tonight's Debate is Crucial: "Saturday night will be epic."

By Roger Stone

The media’s new focus on Donald Trump’s “ground game” in New Hampshire is a classic case of general’s fighting the last war.

Given the inadequacies of the Trump’s voter targeting and turn-out operation, his strong second place finish in Iowa shows his spontaneous natural strength and appeal. The Iowa Caucus, however, is a narrow and relatively small contest dominated by evangelical Christians. There is a premium on targeting voter contact and turn out.

New Hampshire is a far different animal. There is a greater tradition of voting in the Republican primary with a more diverse electorate, including more Catholics and mainstream Protestant yankees. The New Hampshire primary is more media-driven. They always reject the advice of their Iowa brethren. While organization is not unimportant, it is less important. How the candidates conduct themselves post-Iowa is key. The process is media driven; Bush beat Dole here only after getting owners of WMUR-TV to put on a last minute spot labeling Dole as a taxer to run thru the final three days.

Ronald Reagan, who lost the Iowa caucus to George Bush after skipping the last Iowa debate (sound familiar?) did not rebound against a surging Bush due to having a superior “ground game.” He rebounded because he destroyed a pedantic Bush in a pre-primary debate. That is why the debate Saturday night is crucial.

This debate and each candidate’s performance in it will decide which candidate will be the nominee. The winner of New Hampshire will win South Carolina and the Republican nomination, although a Trump-Rubio clash in the Palmetto state seems in the offing.

There is no question that a last minute maneuver by the Cruz team, planting a false story that Ben Carson was getting out of the race and urging Carson voters to switch to Cruz, has tainted the Corn State results enough that Cruz got little bounce. It adds to the image of Cruz as slippery, slick, and well… tricky. At the same time, it would be a mistake for Trump to spend too much time excoriating Cruz or crying crocodile tears for Carson, who only weeks ago he compared to a child molester.

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