Sunday, January 06, 2008
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Men of Style...
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Posted by:
Mary Katharine Ham at
9:09 PM
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A few style notes...
McCain: Is it just me or is McCain softening his tone with Romney a bit, perhaps afraid that one too many cracks last night made him look too mean? During the discussion of foreign policy experience, he was noticeably kind to Romney, ending his answer with a diplomatic, "you know, we're going to have these kind of differences" instead of running the knife in with a deeper jab.
Fred: Fred is holding court tonight whenever he speaks. He was pretty great discussing Social Security, coming off strong, courageous, changey, and unbowed by either conventional wisdom or Chris Wallace. He dwarfed the others' follow-ups in comparison. Frankly, I'll have to wait for the fact-check to see if he was dead-on on his figures, because I wasn't taking notes, but it came off very well. He really is great sitting down! Trade in the truck for a beat-up, red armchair, Fred, and tour the country!
Mitt: He has a bit more fight in him tonight, and seems a little quicker with a comeback. His answers on economics sound sincere, and I'm appreciating his rebuttals to Huck's populism. I have no particular problem with Mitt, but he rarely comes alive for me. The notable exception is when he gets talking about his businesses and economic principles, as I saw him do at a Club for Growth event earlier this year. He's hitting some of the same strains tonight. I also thought the Governors vs. Senators answer was very good. Oooh, Mitt jumps in on Huckabee's answer about illegal immigrants' children and Huck says he'd rather let Chris be the moderator, at which point Chris says, "yeah, what Mitt said. What about that?" It was another tough-looking moment for Mitt and Huck was uncharacteristically off-kilter.
Update: Yep, this is what I'm talking about with him tonight.
Huck: I was surprised Mitt got him on his heels at the beginning of the debate, on taxes. I thought it might mean he was vulnerable tonight, but he's not, really. He's too good at this. Case in point: When Chris Wallace ticked off the list of embarrassing foreign policy facts Huckabee didn't know, he talked his way out of it totally unscathed. I was watching for the sandbags to fall from the ceiling on him and the next thing I knew I was caught up in some soaring rhetoric about leadership or something. Dang you, Huckabee! Seriously, though, I don't think any other person on that stage could have slipped out of a similar question as cleanly as he did.
Rudy: It's telling that I'm mentioning him last. I'm not sure why, but he seems to have lost his mojo on the debate stage of late. His answers are good, when he speaks, but some of the charm is gone, and it's never good to hear oneself compared to Adm. Stockdale by a debate moderator. Ha. I enjoyed hearing him talk about poverty, as I always do, but I need some more crackle from him. He could jump in here and there, make a joke. If, indeed, he's relying on the Big State strategy, he can afford to expand his media exposure for the next couple weeks by taking some fun shots at the others.
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But I will say this debate tonight is boring. Having an audience adds to the atmosphere. Here it's just Chris and 5 Neat Guys.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y-P5kKfbZM |
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McCain knew nobody would be watching last night, so he let loose. Snarky as he was, I think McCain was actually enjoying himself last night.
Since it was all aimed at Mitt, I enjoyed McCain enjoying himself last night. But tonight, McCain is the adult, the real statesman.
I was pleased to hear a teensy bit, at least, about what Romney might actually DO for the country. Still, since he is so negative, Romney ends up WASTING nearly all his airtime (as he had to do with Chris Wallace pre-debate) defending his own lousy flip-flops. This airtime, of course, could be better used to tell people what Mitt Romney would do for the country -- something we never hear -- but I'm sure his campaign will never learn.
Huck was a little weak on the tax thing, but he's right pointing out that fees are basically the same as taxes. But nice try Mitt, slippery as always.
Huck is still the only one who's suggested an actual plan -- The Fair Tax -- instead of rhetoric.
I'd vote for McCain if I were in NH. |
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McCain was Jeckle and Hyde over the two nights. I am not sure that is a winning combination.
Huckabee was evasive and obvious enough about being evasive that he hurt himself. He had good moments but they were not his evasive moments.
McCain has been a change advocate but much of the change he has actually implemented helped the Dems and hurt the Rep Party. We do not need that kind of change.
Reagan had little foreign policy experience but he understood the principles that made him great on foreign policy decisions. I like Romney's approach to decisions. They will be well thought out like a chess match. He will have contingency plans when plan A does not work well.
Foreign policy is a major weakness for Huck.
I do not think that Fred will be a major factor. McCain should run out of money soon. Huckabee has talent but also is in over his head.
There is no front runner and the momentum model is not likely to work until the field narrows a lot.
Romney will be one of the survivors who goes all of the way to the convention. |
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Amazing- all the others have to dodge and explain away their previous statements and positions and actions. Fred can stand on his record, demeanor, authority, and his issues- read them on his website. So he doesn't look as pretty as Mitt, but I'm not looking for the movie star. And wouldn't it be great to hear him repeat to Obama the Reagan line to Mondale- "I won't make an issue of my opponent's age."
For authority and experience, Obama wouldn't hold a candle to Fred. |
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