someone said that Rudy tries to be a conservative...I haven't seen that at all...he is a typical NY Rockefeller type Republican...he is more of a moderate but he knows how to get things done, he knows how to run a tough, large government bureaucracy...the rest of the country is coming to NY for the weekend and thoroughly enjoying their visits because Rudy Guiliani had the courage and the guts to clean up the city and make it livable..that is his legacy...he transformed NYC from the mess to the best......after david dinkins, a democrat, had literally run the city and its citizens into the ground and Rudy took the job when no one really wanted it. Rudy handles whatever comes his way, and he answers questions about it head on...no ducking for cover, no spin, no flim flam...he is a new yorker born bred and educated and he is truly the best candidate to take on the queen and her cronies. When he was a prosecutor he took on things no one else would touch and he was successful.
With Mitt Romney you have 8 years of another business man in the white house, another George Bush only taller and better looking but a George clone, nonetheless. Can't you see the resemblance to the queen? Notice how mitt says what you want to hear when he is talking to you and what your neighbor wants to hear when he is talking to your neighbor.
Rudy will say what he believes and tell you the truth even if he thinks he is in for some argument...he is who he is...he put all his negatives out the first day..Mitt, on the other hand is letting his negatives unfold throughout the campaign.
Too bad the presidency is a one man job...as all the candidates together would make a hell of a president!
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"Huckabee scores major points for not backing down from his position on the "wives submit themselves" question. Huckabee also rightly cleared up the "doctrinal quirk," which I like because it serves to educate the public."
My reply
I will not decide to vote for Huck based on his Christianity, any more than I would vote against Romney because he is Mormon. If I vote for Huck It is because the "fair tax" would tax imports and stop having income tax built into our wages on the products we try to export. It would correct the current very unfair disadvantage of the US competing in world markets.
I am someone who has studied the bible and Christianity in depth all my life. I have to comment because Huck is wrong about what the bible says about marriage. While it will not effect how I vote for the president I have to defend scripture and the historical church. The only reason I have to comment about it is to let off a little steam and express my deepening pessimism about the breakdown of traditional family which will not be stopped until every hippie rests in peace and luv. Huck is simply wrong because his Cultural Marxism which is not about gaining an equality of wealth but an equality power. Huck is reading the scriptures with hippie sunglasses. The scriptures taught love and obey. Love was before the fall when everybody agreed. Love and obey is after the fall "the man will rule over his wife," because unity of the marriage is the most important thing. Never in the old or new testament is the man told to obey his wife. Submit one to another was never taught as mutual submission except by hippies. It was always wives submit to husbands and children submit to parents. It has only been taught by hippies, and is part of why families break down. It's a nice sentiment but has disastrous consequences.
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I'm for Mitt, and I think he did well, but EVERY analyst I watched or read (even Hugh) said Thompson won this debate by a mile. McCain looked old and tired, and if he isn't talking about national security he seems confused or uninterested (or both). In some ways, he reminds me of Bush 41...very experienced, great on foreign affairs, but uninterested in domestic politics and not the "whole package" as a conservative. |
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So let's see about McCain's resume on leadership and running things. He led a flight squadron and a committee. Whoopedee damn doo. What a joke. Being a POW does not qualify him to be POTUS. And getting yourself shot down doesn't make you a hero either. He is brave. No one can take that away from him and I admire him greatly for that. But 'hero'? I don't see it.
Oh, I forgot, he also led the biggest failure of attempted legislation called McCain -Kennedy. And then blamed the american people again for not wanting it. He said we don't trust the government to enforce the laws? Well, who has been in the damn government not enforcing them? McCain! He continues to show contempt for the American people. If he really believed what he says now about enforcement first, why didn't he say anything about the recent legislation that gutted monies for the border fence? Straight talk? Try Liar.
His leadership is nothing compared to a running a state, a company or a project as big as an Olympics. McCain also came off as petty when he argued with Rudy over who supported the surge.
And Huck is just plain in over his head. He has no depth. One liners are cute but engage him is a serious talk about issues like government spending and he shows how clueless he is.
FoxNews is now justified keeping Ron paul off the stage in NH.
Some combination of Romney and Thompson would be by far the best ticket ever! |
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but he lacks substance. He is form over substance. If Huckabee gets the nomination, he will end up being the Republican Jimmy Carter.
Huckabee is an average intellect or education at best and it shows most when he has to give longer answers.
When Huckabee says America wants someone like the guy they work with rather than the guy they work for, he clearly knows his natural place in the group. Personally, I don't want one of the guys down at the mill to run the country or the economy. Go fishing with, yes. But run the country -- no way.
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Matt Lewis wrote;
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"He does make the point that he defended Israel when they took out Iran's nuclear reactor in the 80s."
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Israel didn't take out Iran's nuclear reactor---they took out IRAQ's nuclear reactor, which was outside of Baghdad, in 1981.
And Matt, only a closeted McCain supporter such as yourself would characterize Mitt Romney as "pandering" for talking about Michigan in tonite's debate.
Romney was born and raised in Michigan---his father was Governor of the state.
Thus, it's unfair to dismiss his concern for the state, as you did.
Of course, no matter what Romney does or does not say, you're going to hammer him.
If Romney doesn't come in first place in Michigan, you'll be going on like a drama queen about how "Romney should have won Michigan---after all, he grew up there, and his father is the former Governor !"
I think you're resentful of Mitt that one of his sons stole your girlfriend a couple years ago !
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Hillary will run to the right of him on economic and national security issues. I like his position on abortion. However, that isn't enough.
It certainly isn't enough to say "I'm a economic conservative" and then run through a populist list of talking points.
Most importantly, Huck, like McCain, never explain what it will take to get their agenda done. |
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"My Take: John McCain was the clear winner tonight" After all that talking up of McCain by Lewis, how surprised is anyone. |
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Matt Lewis, please review the debate.
Fred had a great night. I am a whole hearted Mitt Romney supporter and I think he did awesome with what little time he was given. However tonight was Fred's night. He had a lot of great lines backed up by substance and he is honestly the only other person in this race besides Mitt Romney that I would feel any level of comfort voting for in a general election.
McCain on the other hand really missed the boat on imigration at the end. That just won't cut it in South Carolina. His response to whether he was part of the problem with Washington was okay, but it is the same as what he has said previously about his best change was pushing the surge. That won't cut it for all the problems D.C. has and people are starting to see that he is one of them. Also his comment about the Burkas and one way tickets was unneeded and did not advance the debate. He had a few good moments but this was not a good night for McCain especially given the amount of time he had. |
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Huckabee is clearly the most articulate, witty, intelligent of the Republican candidates. He would certainly win in 2008. |
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He and Romney have the most depth and are the most thoughtful. Rudy does very well on national security issues. |
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McCain, the winner? Yikes--what debate were you watching? I think Fred won and Mitt came in second. Both Huckabee and McCain did themselves no favors tonight. |
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10:17 - Mike Huckabee nails a tough question about Christian doctrine: "Everybody says religion is off limits, except we always can ask me the religion questions."....Huckabee also rightly cleared up the "doctrinal quirk," which I like because it serves to educate the public. I'm also betting this helps him a lot in South Carolina....
Huck cleared up many concerns over riding the evangelical "leader of the Christians" image tonight by a brilliant answer. He repeated John F. Kennedy's mantra of saying he would not govern through the eyes of his faith. Romney previously scored the same point in a much longer speech. This was critical for Huck; I see Dems drooling over the prospect of a Huckabee nomination because they view him as a loony right winger. Huck is a sensible guy who presents well.
Now, I favor Mitt in the battle for the nomination, but Huck did quite well on that one particular issue tonight.
Fred finally, finally came out of the dark and scored well in a debate. Too little, too late? |
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Same basic responses from all.
Not only is McCain the most credible on Iraq, he also has the most electable, moderate position on immigration.
Further, McCain has actually proposed a reasonable, do-able, honest solution, that any adult knows wasn't really amnesty. The other candidates haven't really done anything (besides lay out their plans).
McCain: "we want the borders secure." McCain says what he really thinks, I believe him when he says that.
Gotta love that straight talk.
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Fred seemed to answer the best tonight. It is about time he entered the fight.
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"10:36 - Luntz says Fred Thompson won the debate tonight. I didn't see it, but who knows?"
He was watching only to the clips of McCain... |
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I completely respect Senator McCain but he seems to be trying to please people. I think he'd do better if he just focused on being himself. |
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"I've never seen John McCain so eloquent and so on message"
Yeah RIGHT. He was stumbling like mad. Mitt didn't do so well either, but that doesn't mean McCain did good, Matt. He was stumbling over his words, he resorted to cliches and one-liners....he wasn't all that good, except for the times he was talking about military stuff. |
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I hope it takes Huckabee back a bit |
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DHOwen. . . totally agree, was Lewis watching the same debate? McCain eloquent? |
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instead of educating the world. |
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Mitt seems above the fray, at least while Thompson and Huck go out it...yes? No?
Just sayin'. Mitt hasn't even dropped the "amnesty" bomb...so far, and credits everyone on the stage for wanting to secure the borders.
A kinder, gentler Mitt? |
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This is McCain and Huckabee's achilles heel. Mitt's answer was adequate, but we can't look at every individual. Fred's answer was OK, but Ron Paul is the straigh dope here.
I thought Huck's 9 points include giving the Mexican Consulate free rent and the authority to issue their own ID cards . . . Why did they give Huck a pass on immigration? |
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race, it's about those who break the law. |
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the problem is he waffles and compromises all the time. wont sign the tax pledge then signs it. so if he has broad support from americans to raise taxes to fund something that is ok? whatever. he is a populist |
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the best answer tonight on immigration. It can't be done on a individual basis |
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Fred needs to smack McCain on immigration now... |
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kiss rear so enthusiastically as Lewis is right now.
"I've never seen John McCain so eloquent and so on message"
"John McCain looks and sounds better (so far) than he has in any debate. He is on tonight."
"John McCain is really hitting home tonight"
"McCain parries the "Reagan Coalition" question wisely"
"McCain handles the Iranian speed boat issue very well."
"McCain scores points by talking about the Surge"
"In response, McCain gently answers"
"McCain is rightly getting a lot of mileage out of his support for the Surge"
WOW!
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love to hear him explain how McCain-kennedy would have secured the border. |
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Fred needs to take McCain to task on this. |
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want to have your plan. what does he mean he can fix border, he lives on a broken boarder therefor he can fix it. this makes no logical sense. |
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evangelicals loved his answer judging by the applause. as a coservative evangelical who values my religious freedom and a smaller federal govermnment which is required to protect that no way would i vote for him over fred. |
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Huckabee is as good an obfuscater as Medved. He responds to tough questions by making jokes to take the attention off. Its clever, but weak. The gullible will eat it up though. |
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I really don't care about Huckabee doing what he did in Arkansas because:
There was overwhelming popular support for fixing Arkansas roads -- good for them getting it done, especially if they did it without a federal handout (though I can't say if they did or not)
"Popular Support" is something Republicans seem to lack these days -- good for a Republican Governor in a liberal state for getting it.
Something goog actually happened because of what Huckabee did locally. The roads got fixed. But with federal taxes, nothing gets done, the money just disappears.
Huckabee does not advocate a FEDERAL tax increase. In fact, he supports getting rid of the Income tax.
Huckabee cut taxes in Arkansas.
I don't know if i'll support Huckabee, but he's a winner nonetheless.
Give him a break. |
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that Huckabee thinks he has a deal to be McCain's VP. If Huckabee believes it, he really is naive. |
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because he is running on his religion. he did answer the well, he deserves the question however by the way he runs his campaign. |
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questions when he has used religion to springboard his campaign, particularly when he has used his religion as a weapon against Romney.
He wants to have it both ways.
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I think Fred doesn't go after Mitt because from a policy perspective they are too close to each other . . . I understand the southern connection here, but McCain is the leader . . . when is Fred going to go after McCain? Or has McCain made a deal with Fred too? That would be just like McCain . . . make a deal with Mr. Huckabee one day, do another deal with Fred the next . . .
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He does get many religion questions... |
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Matt,
Looking at your notes I would have to assume Mitt Romney left after the first 10 minutes. He is doing well, but you have journalisticly removed him from the debate. |
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have to hear about "I gave back that $10 million check to the Saudi prince." |
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gonna be on the ticket with McCain |
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afraid that if Huckabee gets the nomination, it won't matter who the dems have, there won't be a difference. |
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using highways! Tough night for Mr. Huckabee. He sure is a likeable guy, but he is out of his league tonight.
I thought Fred might gang up on McCain and Huckabee tonight, but it looks like Fred is focused on Mr. Huckabee. With Mitt laying low in SC, I thought McCain and Huckabee might fight with each other a little more than they are doing. |
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is this guy running as republican or a democrat? |
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just a simple: "nope"
He's right, people like the change. |
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hope. But still wants to claim he cut taxes. Math isn't his strong point.
Thompson just nailed Huckabee on the tax pledge. |
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He raised hope, isn't that Obama slogan.
Who reads truckers magazine?
He raised the quality of life for illegals. |
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he's a master of military issues, but his skill stops there. I'd love to see him as Secretary of Defense . . . but not president. |
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surge, they call me the sheriff. |
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Fred explained well why we support Pakistan's military because they fight the terrorists. Didn't make Huck look to good since he was condemning us supporting Pakistan's military. |
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By far the strongest intellects and most well thought out answers. |
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Way to bash Ron Paul, Mitt. I hope he gets more chance to speak tonight. usandeurope.com |
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Give credit to McCain for being right about Iraq all along, years before anyone else on the stage.
At the time, McCain was blown off for condemning Rumsfeld because of the "maverick" thing.
Turns out, he was giving an honest assessment, one that turned out to be right.
McCain is the most believable, most credible on foreign policy and national security.
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he really does look ignorant when it comes to foreign policy. even ron paul looks better than him |
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politics in other countries. His response that Musharaff can't say he hasn't control of part of his country and then not let us go into that part of the country is dangerous.
If our military invades Pakastan, Musharaff gets blamed and the radicals immediately take control of the country and the nukes. |
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in his statements I would rather here what he has to say than to hear McCain talk about being a good foot soldier. |
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Shakespeare wrote fools into his plays. Under such circumstances, every character in the play "knew" the fool was the fool. By the end of the play, it was obvious that whatever trouble occurred could have been avoided if they followed the advice of the fool. It never gets acknowledged by the characters that the fool was right and the fool is still treated as the fool. |
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He probably couldn't think of a jab to add on Romney's excellent answer . . . |
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yes he is stumbling over his words a lot. so far fred, mitt, & rudy are winning this debate |
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He seems to be naive about his assessment of Iran. He doesn't think they are a threat...that is scary. |
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Off his game...don't stop to smell the one-liners, Mitt...just put forth your message, deliver well. |
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The more I hear him the more I like him. He seems to just say it like it is instead of filling his answers with "politicalese."
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he understands economics, but his idealism ignores the reality that there are evil men (and women) in this world. |
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more than just a quick one liner, he understands the process it takes to get the results conservatives want.
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the military, looks very uncomfortable. His one-liners are a poor substitution for in depth analysis.
He looks like a child next to Fred. |
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or does Ron Paul sound like he doesn't have a clue... |
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He is very convincing in his assessment of economic realities, but like most libertarians, he then jumps off a cliff (his answers on the war, etc.) and demonstrates why libertarians never win elections (like advocating that we completely privatize social security etc.).I confess I'm a libertarian by party, but i've never voted for one (once in a state race, never voted for a democrat either that I can recall). Paul is the perfect example why. btw, i'm actually a pro-life libertarian . . . life, liberty, pursuit of happiness, all that stuff. |
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too bad huckabee doesn't have a good answer for all his horrible record of governor. as evangelicals we shouldn't give him a free pass just because he was a pastor. |
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conviction to defend his past or present policies. He is like my kids, deny, deny, deny and then confess but blame it on someone else. |
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that those Iranian Revolutionaries would have seen "the gates of hell" had our Navy fired on them.
Huckabee gets huge applause for that. |
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Its clear that Mitt and Fred are the only ones who believe in the Reagan coalition; I hope that Fred does well and stays in the race. |
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huckabees answer was pathetic. "reagan raised taxes." yeah but reagan fought for coservatism from 1968 till then. huckabee hasn't done squat. i know ronald reagan. huckabee is no ronald reagan |
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I guess President Bush doesn't show bunker mentality anymore. How do you attack a Huckabee's America. Say you've been converted, your a believer he'll forgive you, bring you in, give your kids free education. Who are we to say no to those who say they've changed. |
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Huckabee's problem is that he doesn't have much intellectual depth or education outside of his religious background. It makes it very hard for him to substantively answer or defend his policies beyond the soundbites he has been given.
Thompson and Romney are much better about being able to substantively defend their positions and policies. |
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"the gates of hell"....boo. Hasty pandering. |
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Oh good a Huckabee supporter, do you have a tough time deciding between Edwards and Huckabee? |
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Go Ron Paul!!
He punched out Medved's teeth just now. It's not his fault that whacked out nazi-like people support him. He "can't tell them what to think, so can I please participate in this discussion?". Exactly. I'm not a Paul supporter, but I like when a candidate stands up for himself like that. |
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He can't stop who donates to his campaign just like he can't stop his own news letter with his name on it that is racist. What can he control. |
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No matter what Fred says, The Fair Tax is not a "liberal fiscal policy" by any means.
Thompson had plenty of reason to go after Huckabee though, based on sinking poll numbers. |
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My new second favorite is Fred. I don't think he could win. McCain and Huck just fried themselves on that Reagan question. |
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Rudy is not a conservative no matter how much he says he is or how long he worked for reagan. |
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WOW! Fred just knocked Huckabee out of the park! |
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Mitt's on Target when he talks about business, Huckabee
sounds confused and the country is tired of his one liners. maybe letterman has another time slot available.
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Everyone is talking tax cuts. This is good, whoever gets the nomination.
There is no democrat running who wants to cut taxes. Every democrat wants to raise them.
Romney's smart to talk middle-class, and put needing a good economy in terms of protecting "the little guy".
Those most hurt by a bad economy: The Little Guy.
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He's from Michigan. He IS saying what he thinks. McCain is just using the same tired lines. He is the ultimate Washington insider and is part of the spending problem. He looks down tonight...tired. Maybe it's because he is 71. |
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Forget Star Spangled Banner, play Stars and Stripes!!
No Duncan Hunter? Well, it's tough because most of us like him...but I guess... |
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