Republican Debate !

[Murffieus]

Watching the Republican debate among 10 candidates at the Reagan Library.

From the standpoint poise and presentation the clear winner is Mitt Romney with Rudy coming in second.

In an extemperaneous setting he's very impressive-----I can see how as a Republican he got elected Governor in heavily Democratic  Massachucetts.

Most Presidential appearing candidate since Reagan!

[The Lens]

I like Romney but his GRANDFATHER had 5 wives (though ironically he has been married less than Rudy & McCain).  It will be tough to overcome the Mormon angle (god I hope Wardle & Mortenson don't see this) given the poligamy just 2 generations removed.

[muarmy81]

Wardle is mormon?

[Murffieus]

I don't think people are going to judge Romney on what his grandfather did----nor on the fact that he is a Morman.

I have to hear him more before I commit to him----but he was very impressive last night-----very, very articulate. In a debate against Hillary it will be no contest as far as stage presence is concerned----against Obama a closer call!

[tower912]

So, Murf, you like a patrician looking politician from Massachusetts who has changed his position on everything?   You must love John Kerry then.    With all of the u-tube stuff and his clear record of flip-flopping his positions, he is going to get shredded.    And, some of my more conservative Christian co-workers and acquaintances have, to a man, said they won't vote for him because of the Mormon angle.     He did have a nice debate, though.

[Murffieus]

Tower----times change, if you are like the rest of us (human) you have changed your mind on an important issue as well----so let's be consistent here.
And let's be a little more selective here-----Rommney hasn't changed his mind on "everything" (as you put it)!

So your conservative friends would rather run the risk of Hillary being President? I don't think so!

[tower912]

Actually, to a man, they are holding out for Thompson. (Not Tommy) I have changed my mind over the years.  I have become more liberal.  And personally, there is no way I will vote for Hillary in the primary.   Not sure who, yet.   Why is it when some politicians, after deep contemplation, change their mind it is called a flip flop, but others, when they do a philosophical 180, it is called a mere opinion change?   Odd.    Romney has changed his position on abortion, gay rights, gun control.   I am sure his R competitors will be showing clip after clip of his old positions in their inevitably negative commercials.    His candidacy won't survive it.     And just like there are people out there who won't vote for a woman or an African American, simply because of those traits, there is a large number of evangelicals who will not vote for a Mormon.   If a R candidate can't get the evangelicals during the primary, they won't win.   Pretty simple.

[Warrior1996]

Romney's favorite book is Battlefield Earth, for God's sake!

[ChicosBailBonds]

RUN FRED RUN!!!

Thompson / Hunter in 2008


By the way, the questions last night were utterly ridiculous.  And having 4 libs do the commentary on MSDNC (MSNBC) was a joke.  Chrissy Matthews, Andrea Mitchell, Keith Overbite, and Howard Fineman.  I mean, is it at all possible to have a conservative in the media for at least some balance...wait, don't answer that.

http://newsbusters.org/node/12513

[thekahoona]

RUN FRED RUN!!!

Thompson / Hunter in 2008

Right on!

if fred won't run -- then i think mitt is the man.

[Murffieus]

Tower----Ronald Reagan did a complete 180 on his whole political philosophy-----and historians are now calling him one of the greatest presidents EVER. Things change, perspectives change----either change with them or the parade passes you by!

Chico-----Fred Thompson should save himself the trouble-----the guy doesn't look well (very pale & huge bags under his eye)----has lost all his hair----when was the last time a bald president was elected-----has their ever been one? In this day and age of Internet and TV , he wouldn't have a chance, for that reason alone !

[tower912]

What Reagan had, and what all of the current batch of presidential candidates wish they had, is charisma.   Even when his policies were opposed by the majority of Americans, it was impossible to not like the guy.   Hell, Iran-Contra was a large scandal, but he was able to pull off the "well......I don't recall" and make it believable.   And yes, he went from liberal to conservative, was divorced, had affairs while younger and was estranged from his children.   But he was just so damn likable and nice.   He had a positive, idealistic vision of America which was just what the country craved after Viet Nam and the rest of the 70's.
But what is a conservative these days?   Is it a Goldwater conservative; small government, no international entanglements, low taxes, hands off social policy?   Is it a Robertson conservative, evangelical, wanting an activist goverment social policy that regulates and prohibits anything out of the norm, activist foreign policy with all eyes on the coming Apocalypse?   Is it a Grover Norquiest Republican, shrinking the federal government until it is small enough to drown in a bathtub.   Is it a GWB conservative, low taxes, big government, deficit be damned, secretive, consolidating power in the executive branch, bull in a china shop foreign policy?   Or is the Murf school of conservatism;  Kill off the Muslims and foster the use of the wide post in the process?

[SoCalwarrior]

when was the last time a bald president was elected-----has their ever been one? In this day and age of Internet and TV , he wouldn't have a chance, for that reason alone !

Actually a good point.  Of all of the elected presidents, only five were bald or balding.  And they had problems keeping office. 

John Adams and his son, John Quincy Adams -- both one-termers.
Martin Van Buren -- also booted out after a single term.
James A. Garfield. They shot him.
After Garfield it took seventy-two years before baldie, Dwight D. Eisenhower was elected. The only other balding prez was, Gerald Ford, who stepped in for Nixon, but failed to be reelected.

[ChicosBailBonds]

RUN FRED RUN!!!

Thompson / Hunter in 2008

Right on!

if fred won't run -- then i think mitt is the man.

Fred's running...the fact that Bill Maher is already trashing him makes my day.  Because if that P.O.S. human being doesn't like him, then I know he's good.

[ChicosBailBonds]

when was the last time a bald president was elected-----has their ever been one? In this day and age of Internet and TV , he wouldn't have a chance, for that reason alone !

Actually a good point.  Of all of the elected presidents, only five were bald or balding.  And they had problems keeping office. 

John Adams and his son, John Quincy Adams -- both one-termers.
Martin Van Buren -- also booted out after a single term.
James A. Garfield. They shot him.
After Garfield it took seventy-two years before baldie, Dwight D. Eisenhower was elected. The only other balding prez was, Gerald Ford, who stepped in for Nixon, but failed to be reelected.

Yes, unfortunately we are incredibly enamoured with looks in this society or whether a guy can play a saxaphone on a stage.....all very unfortunate.  But then again, if it comes down to just looks....Hildebeast has no shot.   

Fred maybe bald, but he has charisma something that only one other candidate on either side (Obama) has.  Of course Fred has experience where Obama has almost none and that would come across very clearly on the campaign trail.

[tower912]

RUN FRED RUN!!!

Thompson / Hunter in 2008


By the way, the questions last night were utterly ridiculous.  And having 4 libs do the commentary on MSDNC (MSNBC) was a joke.  Chrissy Matthews, Andrea Mitchell, Keith Overbite, and Howard Fineman.  I mean, is it at all possible to have a conservative in the media for at least some balance...wait, don't answer that.

http://newsbusters.org/node/12513

And yet, I am sure you think the Dems are just plain silly for not allowing Brit Humorless, Sean Ins-Hannity, and Bill O'Lie-lly to moderate a debate of theirs on Faux Noise network.

[Murffieus]

Well let liberals moderate the Dems debate----and let a conservative group moderate the republican debate----what's wrong with that?

BTW----I'm not going to nitpick the questions like some other conservatives-----IMO every candidate should be ready to answer ANY question!

[BigSky]

RUN FRED RUN!!!

Thompson / Hunter in 2008


By the way, the questions last night were utterly ridiculous.  And having 4 libs do the commentary on MSDNC (MSNBC) was a joke.  Chrissy Matthews, Andrea Mitchell, Keith Overbite, and Howard Fineman.  I mean, is it at all possible to have a conservative in the media for at least some balance...wait, don't answer that.

http://newsbusters.org/node/12513

What is it with all the fun poking with people's physical appearances and gender and names...?  Debating issues is one thing....

Did you not get enough hugs as a child?  Petty and angry.   

[ChicosBailBonds]

RUN FRED RUN!!!

Thompson / Hunter in 2008


By the way, the questions last night were utterly ridiculous.  And having 4 libs do the commentary on MSDNC (MSNBC) was a joke.  Chrissy Matthews, Andrea Mitchell, Keith Overbite, and Howard Fineman.  I mean, is it at all possible to have a conservative in the media for at least some balance...wait, don't answer that.

http://newsbusters.org/node/12513

And yet, I am sure you think the Dems are just plain silly for not allowing Brit Humorless, Sean Ins-Hannity, and Bill O'Lie-lly to moderate a debate of theirs on Faux Noise network.

I think it's incredible that the Dems were that cowardly they couldn't handle being on FOX.  At least these GOP guys went on.  If the Dems are so afraid of FOX news, how in the hell are they going to handle Iraq, Iran, Mexico, the EU, etc....my God.

Fox also would have had at least one liberal on the debate broadcast, they almost always have someone from both sides.  Fill me in when MSDNC puts one on because between Mitchell, Matthews, Olberdeusch, and Fineman there isn't even a moderate in that bunch.

[ChicosBailBonds]

RUN FRED RUN!!!

Thompson / Hunter in 2008


By the way, the questions last night were utterly ridiculous.  And having 4 libs do the commentary on MSDNC (MSNBC) was a joke.  Chrissy Matthews, Andrea Mitchell, Keith Overbite, and Howard Fineman.  I mean, is it at all possible to have a conservative in the media for at least some balance...wait, don't answer that.

http://newsbusters.org/node/12513

You're right BigSky, it's inappropriate...I should act more like the liberal way and how they treat conservatives.

Calling them Hitler, Nazis, calling the President Chimp...etc, etc.  I'll act more like that.

LOL   
What is it with all the fun poking with people's physical appearances and gender and names...?  Debating issues is one thing....

Did you not get enough hugs as a child?  Petty and angry.   

[tower912]

So, Chico, the questions for the R's were inappropriate and having liberal commentators around a R debate is wrong, but the D's should have trusted Faux noise channel.    Nice consistency there.

[Ahoya06]

I thought all in all, Romney had a good debate. He handled that stupid "What do you dislike most about America" question well.

Was it just me, or did it seem like Chris Matthews was trying SO hard to bait Rudy into a gaffe on the abortion questions? He just kept peppering him with follow-ups! I think more neutral and moderate people need to run these things.

[MU62]

Wardle is mormon?

I remember an article about Wardle's maternal grandfather passing away.  He was an Irish Catholic.  I think the name was Murphy.  Not sure what religion Brian is. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

So, Chico, the questions for the R's were inappropriate and having liberal commentators around a R debate is wrong, but the D's should have trusted Faux noise channel.    Nice consistency there.

Excuse me, but at least they went on.  The questions were ridiculous the other night...but at least they went on.

They didn't run with the their tail between their legs....a characteristic so totally common with Democratic leaders of late.  If they're running from Fox news, they're going to run from every other hard decision.

Oh how this country needs a strong Dem leader like Truman, Kennedy, Sam Nunn, etc....where did those Dems go?  Why were they run out of that party?  Sad...it really is.  Lieberman is the closest thing left of that old guard.  I disagree with him on 90% of his politics but at least he's a stand up guy that has a pair.

[ChicosBailBonds]

After running down some of the more obnoxious questions thrown at the candidates at last night's debate, Cavuto pointed out how "none of those Republicans was afraid to be at a venue where they knew they would probably get snide questions like this on a network or with a host who has a certain leaning. Yet none of their counterparts in the Democratic Party would dare appear here."

Noyes agreed: "Well, that's true. It's amazing that Democrats are trying to avoid having a debate on the Fox News Channel. Fox News had debates in the last cycle. A lot of the questioners brought in — they were not Fox employees — they were some liberal reporters like Gwen Ifill and Juan Williams, along with some of Fox's own people like Carl Cameron. Nobody had any complaints about that [debate]. Now, because they want to please the left-wing blogosphere, they're acting like if appearing on Fox is somehow a dangerous and terrible thing to do. Here you have Republicans going on MSNBC, which is a really, become a very far-left wing network in the last few months, few years, and they all seemed to have a pretty good time and got their message out."

http://newsbusters.org/node/12535