Wednesday, November 28, 2007
|
|
Who Won?
|
|
Posted by:
Mary Katharine Ham at
10:20 PM
|
Well, that was damn enjoyable. Jonathan Martin wonders if this was the conservative caricature debate. Yeah, I think the God, guns, gays, and the Confederate flag combo could have been a little more subtle, though they did save the more "gotcha" questions for the second half.
I'm giving it to Huckabee. He's always good in debates, always well-spoken. He parried attacks on his fiscal record well, deflecting with a lot of talk about the Fair Tax. He also got the chance to point out that he had signed the no-tax pledge, which is better than several others have done. He's riding a high, he came across as sensitive and smart, and was able to obscure his non-conservative record.
Second, I'm gonna say Fred, oddly enough. He didn't speak often enough (he's gotta jump in there more often) but I thought his answers were more detailed than usual, and he had a laugh line almost every time he spoke. Those stick with people. His answer on the Confederate flag was a particularly good one that probably satisfied all constituencies. He's, of course, practiced in that kind of thing, but I'm sure the other candidates are glad they didn't get the same question. His answer about reforming entitlements was also good. And, of course, he got a really harsh attack ad in as his 30-second spot, casting himself as a true conservative against his rivals while taking almost no attacks on himself.
Romney was good-- probably better than Fred on the face-- but he took so many shots, I can't give him second place. He came across serious and conservative. I thought he made Giuliani look like the mean one on the immigration question and got the better of that battle. When he fought with McCain about torture, he didn't have the moral authority that McCain has, but he made a point that many, many conservatives agree with. McCain was powerful, but not many conservatives agree with him.
I'm putting McCain and Rudy at a tie for the last of the front-runners. Rudy hit his stride in several places, but was overall, not as good as he usually is. He was confronted more boldly by voters on some of his socially liberal positions than he usually is by the press, and his answers were a little less than stellar. He made great points in places, but he took a lot of flack in the process.
McCain was strong on spending and the war, and decent throughout, but came across as a little more dour than usual. I could have used just a bit more of his jokes, which are usually good, to lighten the tone. Many of his answers were moving, but won't necessarily play well with his audience-- immigration and torture, specifically. Conservatives will continue to respect him, but he wasn't working it for me tonight, except on the war and spending.
Update: Matt gives more momentum to McCain than I. Who knows? It may play in New Hampshire, where he's traditionally strong. He's undoubtedly competent on that stage.
|
|
He was such a non-event for me. He didn't stand out at all. Commentators usually say McCain will benefit the most from these debates, but it never seems to work out that way.
Rudy was small and petty against Romney - Romney definietely won the immigration battle tonight. But Rudy and Romney still seem to be the most credible during debates. Fred is right on the issues, but can't spit out what he wants to say and goes on and on without saying much of anything.
Huckabee was not challenged on his immigration or tax record which was a disappointment. |
|
"I could have used just a bit more of his jokes,"
Yes, please more humor because Bush isn't funny enough.
Americans don't want these guys in charge. Sorry. We've had enough.
But I give Romney props for the line with "Jesus wouldn't run for office." |
|
|
|
|
I dont think Romney came across as either honest or likeable. Huckabee has much better instincts and timing when he's on camera than Romney does. That pasted-on Ken Doll smile that Romney wore just didnt work for me. I agreed with almost everything Giuliani said. He didnt pander for votes and gave a reasonable response to each question. Thompson and McCain were horrible on camera, Thompson especially. He didnt connect at all. Ron Paul is the crazy aunt in the attic. That raspy, sanctimonious nasality as he talks his twaddle is truly annoying. Tancredo and Duncan Hunter increased my liking of them but they didnt come across as presidential. |
|
Huckabee is the one with the pasted smile to me. I got a little tired of the sermons from him tonight.
I thought Rudy hurt himself a little tonight. Romney got the best of him, but He and Romney are still the 2 most credible people on stage.
|
|
Who won depends on the criteria. As a stand up debate this was not Romney's best night. However, he got the one on one Romney on Rudy headline on immigration and he got a great exchange with Huck on immigration.
Romney got the key matchs up on the key issue that he wanted. He was awkward on guns, the Bible and torture. However, his "I will listen" line need to be turned into a commercial. It does not work in a debate setting but it will resonate in a commercial. A lot of voters are frustrated with the professional politicians who are telling the voters what is best for them. They want someone to listen.
Immigration help Romney against Rudy, McCain and Huck. Fred for better or worse is just dropping like a rock in the polls. He had a good night but no one watches these debates. Maybe 3 million if you are lucky and most people do not watch all of the debate. |
|
My immediate review of my drunkblogging notes (side note; do not get in a drinking contest with Stephen Green, especially when you're not only doing a live-blog of a debate, but trying to keep up with Hot Air Live!) reversed Thompson and Huckabee in the order.
Other than that, I'll have to go back through all the sober-blogging notes tomorrow. My head hurts too much. |
|
|
that was no debate, until all participants get equal time it's just an info-mercial for the so-called front runners. There aren't enough conservavangelists (read; the New Socialists) to elect Huckster thankfully, because he's a moronic, phony, pathetic fraud who accuses anyone of disagreeing with him politically of being a bad christian, which doesn't mean alot to those of us who aren't christians, and who detest what christians have done to this once great party. |
|
For the last twenty years, this country has awoken to Clinton or a Bush day. Next November, America needs to rise to a new day, a day that America can tackle its problems head on and do its best solve them. This country doesn’t need the best Teflon Coated Politician, we don’t need more of the last twenty years; this country needs to solve problems. After watching the CNN YouTube Republican debate, the candidate that presented ideas to solve problems was Fred Thompson.
Everything else was just entertainment
|
|
|
Governor Huckabee won Hands down.(The post debate polls that monitor real people's reactions clearly showed this) He is the most articulate, humble, real candidate out of all of them-after all the verbal stumbles of the Bush presidency we have finally discovered someone who can communicate republican principles with wit & wisdom. McCain came out ok. Romney just got a beating..wow..definitely NOT his night. I wonder what Hugh Hewitt and all those who were so ready to give Romney the mantle of conservatism are doing after this one. HUCKABEE is a force to be contended with, and tonight he showed WHY he is on the rise in Iowa. The Underdog is poised to take a bite out of Rudy McRomney on Jan 3rd. The others were all a distant..3rd...Duncan Hunter had some ok stuff and Fred is frankly coming across as kinda like..hey man ..someone please pick me for VP so I can sport my hot wife around DC. And what was with the INQUISTION Style question the crackpot youtuber asked about the Bible(As if he has ever read it)(and all the man on man gay questions...and the rebel flag...weird..there had to be some better questions that those...but wow did the gays in the military question make Romney look like a TOTAL flip flopper...what a bad night for him. |
|
I am glad to see Huckabee's rise. It seems we have five Republican candidates fighting over three-quarters of the Republican Pie. That leaves less than a quarter for each, while Paul runs away with the majority of delegates. Grassroots [crabgrass] operations are insidious like that.
I hope the other candidates split the warhawk vote, Huckabee steals Romney's supporters, and Giuliani tugs at the voters for Thompson and McCain. Then I want Giuliani and Romney to become entrenched in a death grip of negative campaigning. It seems like all my dreams are coming true. What's amazing is that everything that Romney and Giuliani sling at each other is true!
Vote Ron Paul. |
|
|
|