Chris Christie did it again. Three weeks ago, he single-handedly derailed Rubio’s surging momentum by skewering the Florida senator in the New Hampshire debate. After a disappointing finish in the Granite State primary, Rubio vowed he would never let himself be toyed with again. And, true to his word, he didn’t. On Thursday, he went on the offensive, attacking Trump for a multitude of past disgressions, deeming the businessman a con artist. For the first time, Trump appeared rattled. To the delight of the GOP, Rubio aggressively repeated the charge the next day, hoping ‘con artist’ would stick as much as ‘liar’ did to Cruz. Perhaps, the media elite pondered, the rumors of the establishment’s demise was exaggerated, after all.

Then, a strange thing happened: Christie endorsed Trump, pushing Rubio’s accusations  off center stage. The timing couldn’t have been more propitious for the billionaire. Not only was the announcement delivered the day after the debate- blunting the efficacy of Rubio’s arguments- it occurred on a Friday afternoon, effectively hijacking the news cycle for the weekend. The endorsement also jabbed Marco in a more substantive manner; the establishment can and will support Donald Trump, damaging Rubio’s claim that only he can unite the party. In fact, shortly after gaining Christie’s backing, the businessman was endorsed by the governor of Maine. The GOP power brokers excoriated Christie for his about-face on the prospects of a Trump presidency. But there’s no denying his impact upon the 2016 campaign. Time will tell, of course (as it always does), but Christie may very well have knocked Rubio- and the once indomitable establishment- off the presidential perch, altering the course of the Republican party for years, if not decades.

A funny thing happened on the way to watching (yet another) GOP debate last Saturday night… I felt bad for Trump. Pity, even. I know, I know, it’s crazy. I mean, how could anyone- particularly one opposed to his benighted brand of politics- feel anything resembling empathy for a wealthy, bigoted, sexist, well, asshole. For two hours in South Carolina, the bully became the bullied. Ted and Jeb lobbed their usual pot shots at the billionaire, which he previously parried with arrogant diffidence. But on this night, Trump did the unthinkable in a state known for secession, Strom Thurmond, and confederate flags: he blamed W. for 9-11. Thunderous boos soaked the arena. Rubio defended Jeb’s brother, blaming (naturally) Clinton for the tragedy. Cruz accused Trump of being a liberal. Like a possum trapped in a cage, a red- er, orange- faced Trump attacked, repeating the refrain that W. did not keep us safe. Another hailstorm of jeers. You could almost hear his poll numbers plunge. And, as they undoubtedly did,  my sympathy skyrocketed. As Trump insisted, the crowd was packed with Rubio and Bush supporters. I’ve always had an affinity for underdogs and, at least for those two hours, I, much like the man Rubio credited for the Twin Towers collapsing, felt Trump’s pain.

Perhaps my sympathy stems from the fact that I agree with Trump on this point. While I don’t directly blame W. for 9-11, it did happen on his watch. And there were definitive CIA warnings beforehand. Maybe it’s because I find the other candidates detestable, a lesser evil kind of thing. After all, the Donald does have one or two laudable viewpoints, namely his excoriation of Super Pac’s and their beneficiaries. Possibly it’s due to the entertainment factor. Let’s face it, the race is infinitely more interesting with Trump center stage. Or perhaps it’s because I believe he’ll be the most beatable nominee in the general election (yes, even if it’s Bernie). Whatever the reason, I felt something that night I never would have believed possible: pity for a wealthy, bigoted, sexist asshole.