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The Best GOP Debate Memes

by Chris Tognotti

On Tuesday night, the nine highest-polling Republicans running for president squared off in a debate in Las Vegas, Nevada, and it was quite a scene. With a still-overstuffed field, a prickly audience, and evident tensions brewing between the different candidates, the night was nothing if not eventful. And that's spoken to by the slew of clever, funny, biting jokes that circulated on social media throughout. Don't believe me? Check out these hilarious Republican debate memes, because they might be the best way to salvage another night of GOP grandstanding.

There's no reason to fight it, right? You and I both know that if you can't track down some reasonably funny cracks about the more than two hours you just spent watching the Republicans talk shop, the whole thing will end up being a loss. How many times can you look at Chris Christie glowering from behind his lectern before you think, "Man, I could be watching that new House of Cards promo?"

But luckily, the jokesmiths of the Internet are always at work, especially when a gang of free-wheeling, occasionally terrifying political rivals are facing off. Here are some top-notch memes inspired by the latest debate.

1. Donald Trump

Wherever you go, the Trumpface will still be understood. It's basically a universal language. If only he'd had a camera on him the entire time.

2. Carly Fiorina

This one also counts as one of Marco Rubio's meme moments of the night, and that's partially his punishment for inducing such a cringeworthy moment. Needless to say, Fiorina was doing just fine without Rubio's pat on the back, thank you very much.

3. Jeb Bush

You know what Jeb Bush really didn't need tonight? Getting publicly bullied and dressed down by Trump again, mocked for his perceived lack of energy. He stood up for himself better this time than he has in the past, but still, Trump's unrelenting insults seem to get to him in a way that he just can't cope with.

4. Chris Christie

And you know what Chris Christie really didn't need? Another bitter clash with Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul. This time, Paul brought up the Bridgegate scandal. Christie had to think he wouldn't face such a barb — the story was primarily the fascination of left-leaning news outlets, and the GOP primary field is usually loathe to tear into too many of its own's soft spots. But Paul went there.

5. Marco Rubio

Don't forget about this scattered, sightly frantic moment, when Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio's increasingly tense confrontation culminated in Fiorina jumping into the fray. Rubio's ineffectual lip-smacking says it all — things kind of fell apart here.

6. Rand Paul

Perhaps the most forceful, decidedly personal barb of the night came from Rand Paul, when he suggested that Chris Christie was the candidate of World War III. The two have notably clashed several times throughout the last five debates.

7. Wolf Blitzer

The politicians are all well and good, but let's not lie to ourselves. The moment that really lit up social media was when CNN's Blitzer suggested that the debate was "only just beginning," despite having been going for nearly an hour and a half. Luckily, he was being a bit misleading — a three-hour debate would have been unthinkably grueling, even for all the political junkies out there.