http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2015/09/gop_debate_the_way_republicans_choose_their_candidate_for_america_s_highest.html

Did we learn anything about the Republican primary battle in Wednesday night’s debate? Basically, there are two contests going on at once. Donald Trump, Ben Carson, and Carly Fiorina are competing to be the most compelling anti-politician. Trump showed flashes of wit, but there are signs that his schtick is wearing thin. Carson came across as earnest, thoughtful, and intelligent, and he has just as a much of a claim to outsider status as Trump. Fiorina was legitimately awesome, in large part because she manages to be disciplined without coming across as robotic. She was so well-briefed that every other candidate on the stage, with the exception of Marco Rubio, who was also polished and prepared, ought to have felt embarrassed. The main flaw of the anti-politician type is that the anti-politician is generally not as knowledgeable as she or he ought to be about the issues of the day. Fiorina is an anti-politician who knows what she’s talking about, or at least who does an insanely good job of faking it. She will thrive.