Wednesday, November 28, 2007
|
|
A Debate Worth Saving
|
|
Posted by:
Patrick Ruffini at
10:17 PM
|
Just got back from the hall. Watching these things in person is A LOT different than watching them at home.
The format won. There were no snowmen. The questions were substantive, and teed off some sharp exchanges.
Huckabee actually won. I wasn't a fan of his previous debate performances, but he dialed down the schtick. This was a debate performance he needed at a critical time.
Romney was steady and polished, but no standout answers. As usual.
"Sanctuary mansion" was the line of the debate. Help or hurt, it was gutsy.
John McCain did well, but only by teeing off on Ron Paul. It was like there was a Giuliani-Romney-Huckabee debate and a McCain-Ron Paul debate. Fred seemed Senatorial and Washington (everything was "in eight years in the United States Senate..." Yawn.)
Fred's attack spot was off place. Giuliani won the battle of the YouTube ads.
Off to the spin room.
|
|
Day by day, increasingly, Mike Huckabee is what Leadership looks like ( http://snipr.com/leaderlook ). He's an adroit public speaker; he's all about calling his listeners to "do something," to awaken them to their own empowerment, and summon them to action in order that "Main Street," and not "Wall Street," will prevail in guarding the values and beliefs upon which the Republic was founded.
Huckabee puts his listeners at ease, and reassures them, articulating clear concepts in a natural, easy style (no doubt something well-cultivated as a pastor). He’s not as “mechanically-scripted” as Romney, nor angry or demanding, like a Ron Paul, and his large brown eyes, peering through a humble demeanor, draw a striking contrast to a unconvincing, tired-looking Thompson. One can easily imagine sitting comfortably with Mike over a cup of coffee at the Main Street Cafe.
Most importantly, Huckabee is ONE with the FairTax grassroots movement ( http://snipr.com/fthuckabeeonirs ). Romney's recent WEAK response to FairTax questioning on “This Week with Geo. Stephanopoulos ( http://snipurl.com/stephanopoulosdebate )” drew a sharp contrast between Huckabee and all other presidential front-runners who will not embrace it. Huckabee understands that what''s wrong with the income tax can''t be fixed with "a tap of the hammer, nor a twist of the screwdriver." That his opponents cling to the destructive Tax Code, the IRS, preserving political power of granting tax favors at continued cost to - and misery of - American families, invigorates his campaign''s raison d''etre. “Main Street” will have to demand ( http://snipr.com/scrapthecode ) that their legislators deliver the bill to Huckabee, if elected.
|
|
I think the expense account issue is mostly BS. I think the issue with Father Placa is a very big problem. I understand Placa is presumed innocent as a matter of law and has not be convicted of anything, but for the Church to remove him from active priest duties for five years (given the shortage of priests)--you can treat that as an administrative finding. I do not expect Rudy to throw a friend under a bus (and Rudy does believe him to be truly innocent), but I do expect Rudy and Father Placa to show some common sense and distance from each other.
It is a legitmate issue. I hope Rudy does the right thing and defuses it before it blows up.
If Rudy does not do the right thing on this, it is enough to push me to support Romney to avoid Hillary using this against Rudy in the general. Which is why you have not heard the Dems raise it. And I say that as a Rudy supporter (although I would prefer McCain, followed by Thompson). |
|
Patrick-please. You think this debate should be saved??!!!
Once again republicans and conservative ideas get framed by liberals who ask slanted/biased questions like Gays in the Military and the Confederate flag issue. Why ;do we let liberals and the MSM define conservative values and our presidential candidates |
|
I can see why many TH readers would think John McCain tore Ron Paul's head off. You support all wars because you keep believing the lies of the neocons empire builders. You obviously support leaving 50,000 trooops permanently in Iraq and having 14 permanent bases to boot. I don't support the perpetual war of neocons and I don't want to be the protectorate of Iraq's government in perpetuity.
A good definition of a loss in this Iraq war:
If you can't leave, you've lost the war. |
|
Patrick-please. You think this debate should be saved??!!!
Once again republicans and conservative ideas get framed by liberals who ask slanted/biased questions like Gays in the Military and the Confederate flag issue. Why ;do we let liberals and the MSM define conservative values and our presidential candidates |
|
BUT...
The format included questions of vivid youthful liberal partisans, displaying endless bitter bigotry, offering nothing but tired stereotypes.
"What would Jesus do?"
PLEAAAAAAASE...
and the Hillary Campaign Member taking the MIC on the floor as embarrassing.
so much slant, so tired.
Romney wasn't his best, but no one else really took it.
Huckabee was very good for a change, but is he running for Commander and Chief or is it a religious endeavor?
If only he had cut taxation, and had an ethical record.
McCain looked almost demented at points, allowing his anger to get the best of him.
I like Fred in the debates, good company, but not showing the essential stuff.
We shall see... |
|
|
You people need to get over the water boarding issue. How many of you have gone through SERE. It was loads of fun when I went through the Q course. |
|
|
I enjoyed the debate. I didn't think the questions were dumb for the most part, but the flag and Bible questions were a bit weird. I agree that Huckabee came in first and I think McCain came in second this time. He seemed more like a statesman this time. |
|
It was very very difficult to sit through this "debate". The format was awkward and unsuited to a televised debate.
I thought it was nice of CNN to acknowledge the Hillary plant after the fact. But they gave the microphone to the retired Brig. General to reiterate his point. I prefer that the time allotted to go to the candidates to debate each other not the moderators or random questioners.
The cutesy little productions are amusing on Youtube but when you are dealing with TV time, they were annoying. You were aware of the time slipping away. We need more of the candidates.
But, despite it all, Mike Huckabee clearly came out ahead. Whatever the format, whatever the conditions, he comes through. Go Huck! |
|
"John McCain did well, but only by teeing off on Ron Paul. It was like there was a Giuliani-Romney-Huckabee debate and a McCain-Ron Paul debate."
I guess McCain drew the short straw when it came down to who it would be to have his head taken off by Paul tonight. McCain's best moment was getting on Romney about waterboarding.
Romeny and Guiliani damaged each other.
Too bad Hunter and Tancredo didn't get more time. Tancredo did well with the "no" questions on illegals gettting instate tuition rates and refusing to waste money on Mars until something is done about spending. |
|
After the star questioner of the night, GEN Kerr, turns out to be on Hillary Clinton's LGBT Steering Committee and a former board member of Veterans for Kerry?
Ummm, Patrick, IIRC, Republican activists don't get to ask questions at Dem debates that CNN moderates. Why do they get to ask questions---and defacto star---at ours?
And, if CNN proclaims they made a mistake, how should we respond? Should we believe them? (If we do, I think they have every right to take us for suckers).
I'm sorry Pat, but CNN stabbed you in the back. We trusted you, we followed your lead with "Save The Debate"---and look what happened. |
|
I agree with John McCain that waterboarding is torture and is wrong.
I thought there were cheap shots all around. I also thought there were some substantive answers. I thought the questions were good and bad, but the GOP invites some of this stuff.
In the end, I am going to go watch the Grinch. |
|
I was for the youtube format at first, but it seemed as if the 2nd 1/2 of the debate was laced with questions from angry liberals. Shipping the Gay General into the auditorium, and then giving him a soapbox was EXACTLY what the anti-youtube debate were warning about. A typical CNN blindside. The candidates and the audience wanted to set this guy straight, but because of his outstanding service, he deserved respectful treatment. Unfortunately, he used that to his advantage, and CNN used him to their advantage.
I agree Huckabee won the debate, but the format lost. |
|
ACLU: 7% (indicates very conservative)
American Conservative Union: 92%
Americans for Better Immigration: A+
Americans for Tax Reform: 88.5%
Campaign for Working Families: 100%
Christian Coalition: 100%
Concerned Women for America: 100%
Eagle Forum: 100%
Family Research Council: 100%
Federation for American Immigration Reform: 100%
Gun Owners of America: A
NARAL: 0% (indicates a pro-life record)
National Federation of Independent Business: 100%
National Rifle Association: A+
National Right to Life Committee: 100%
National Tax Limitation Committee: A
National Taxpayers Union: B
http://www.gohunter08.com |
|
I thought this backfired. Common people understand its not the job of the person hiring a company to check green cards.I thought Romney parried it well, it was a line intended to stand out, and if it did, it was because of its ineffectiveness.
Huckabee did well, Romney did well, despite being the target. I thought Fred was kind of non existent and his attack ad was def out of place. |
|
|
Some of the questions would never have been asked to Democrat candidates. Would Jesus use capital punishment? Gun rights? Farm subsidies? The gay question would of course been asked and the general would have been asked to come on stage for the Dems!! He then would have denounced Iraq et al. The questions were pretty good on immigration, taxes, the war, gun rights. I thought the Huck won the debate, Rudy and Mitt did OK, John actually did OK too. Fred was a bit better than last time. Duncan Hunter was very good. Ron Paul is simply a contrarian . Time for Tom Tancredo to go. The three toughest guys were Rudy, John and Duncan. If tough is what we need and want. Dick Morris says the Huck is too a fiscal conservative while NRO disagrees. Mitt and Rudy made the toughest shots against the Dems. |
|
|
Though I am wondering what your opinion is of Romney's answers on waterboarding and gays serving in the military. Watching it on CNN, it sounded like the audience laughed and then booed at Romney's answers. |
|
After a half hour of illegal immigration questions I turned it off. Did they ever get to, I don't know, terrorism?
If any of them had had the guts to tell Cooper to shove it after the folk song intro and walked off the stage, I would have given them the legal maximum contribution.
It was yet another stumble down the road to Gomorrah. Bread and Circuses, here, Vote for Bread and Circuses! |
|
|
|