GOP Florida debate: Show us the conservatism; Update: Icky public displays of affection; Grade: Zzzzzzz
Update 11:25pm Eastern. In response to my Huckabee-McCain PDA Alerts, commenter BlameAmericaLast renames the Huckster: Suckupabee.
It fits.
Update 10:37pm Eastern. This debate is over. It never began. I give it a D for dull. Dud. Dumb. Droning. Devoid.
No, wait. A D is too generous.
I give it a Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Romney scored in his answers on Iraq and defense of his campaign spending. And his quip on Billary: “I frankly can’t wait because the idea of Bill Clinton back in the White House with nothing to do is something I can’t imagine.”
Rudy lost because he failed to demonstrate the magnetic, head-turning charisma of a front-runner. He had the hang-dog, laid-back presence of a guy on his way out.
McCain managed not to snarl or curse at anyone. He won because he got away without having to answer a single question about immigration.
Huck left a puddle of drool at McCain’s feet.
Paul squeezed in his Down With Empire talking points.
Conservative voters in Florida are the big losers. This debate gave them nothing.
Video highlights, what little there were, are up at Hot Air.
Michael Graham wants his 90 minutes back. Seriously. I could have been crocheting.
Update 10:36pm Eastern. Ron Paul: “The Republican Party has a problem because we don’t act like Republicans.” I agree with what he’s saying…until he starts foaming at the mouth about empire.
Update 10:29pm Eastern. Williams quotes NYTimes attacks on Giuliani. Rudy attacks NYT credibility.
Rudy, 1. Williams, 0.
Audience applause.
I still don’t think he’s got enough mojo.
Williams brings up the NYT (again!) and its hit piece on Romney. Romney smiles: “I’m not going to Washington to make friends with politicians. I’m going to Wasington to change things.”
Romney defends himself against flip-flopping.
Williams cites LATimes saying McCain’s temper is an issue. “Do you see that as a problem?”
“I don’t.”
Laughter.
McCain stops answering the question to say nice things about Rudy.
It’s like a Swan Song for Rudy.
ALERT: MCCAIN/RUDY PUBLIC DISPLAY OF AFFECTION.
Huck gets question on religion: “It doesn’t give me a queasy feeling, it gives me a solid core.”
Update 10:27pm Eastern. Question for Huck about Chuck Norris attacking McCain’s age. I didn’t disagree with him because I was standing next to him (laughter).
RED ALERT: SECOND HUCK/MCCAIN PUBLIC DISPLAY OF AFFECTION.
Ick. Needs a PG-13 rating.
McCain: Now that Sylvester Stallone and Norman Schwarzkopf have endorsed me, I’ll send them to Chuck Norris.
Ho-ho-ho. Ha-ha-ha.
Blech.
Update 10:23pm Eastern. FINALLY. A St. Pete reader asks why Rudy is airing Spanish language ads when he says he supports English as an official language? Laughter. Yeah. Ditto that.
He says it’s “outreach” and changes subject to his immigration plan.
Grade for that answer: F.
Russert follows up with wet-foot/dry-foot Cuba policy. Why a special policy for Cuba? Rudy reviews history. Weird. He just made a grimace-y, weird face.
Update 10:19pm Eastern. We’re an hour and nineteen minutes into this debate and not a single immigration question.
Russert asks an entitlement question. Huck squeezes in an inheritance tax reform pitch directed at Romney’s sons. Whatever.
Update 10:11pm Eastern. Romney asked about how he would run against Billary. “I can’t wait. I think the idea of Bill Clinton in the White House with nothing to do” is something people won’t want. (Audience laughter.) “She is exactly what’s wrong with Washington. She’s been there too long. The last thing people need is sending the Clintons back to Washington.”
Easy question. Red meat.
Russert asks Romney how much of his own money he’s spent. We’ll report on Jan. 31 and not a minute earlier. Why not tell people how much own wealth? It’s competitive information. I’ve raised more than any other Republican in this race…not as much as Corzine, Forbes, Bloomberg. But I’ve made a substantial contribution. Couldn’t ask friends to contribute without contributing myself. Not beholden to special interests. Doesn’t owe anyone.
Effectively bats down accusation of “buying Florida.” He cares about the country, wants strong and vibrant nation.
Getting a lot of time to defend himself. “I’m giving it my all.”
Williams gets in a Mormon question. “I don’t think for a minute that people will say they won’t vote for a secular position based on candidate’s church.”
Romney’s being treated like the front-runner and he’s acting like it. Regained his confidence after that shaky Second Amendment answer. Extols individual freedom in America.
Update 10:09pm Eastern. Williams goes to McCain. Refers to statements his mom made on C-SPAN that the base will have to “hold its nose” and vote for McCain. I got the transcript on this earlier today and alerted Hot Air. Allah blogs the exchange with Roberta McCain here. Her exact quote: “Yes, I think holding their nose they’re going to have to take him.”
McCain refers to supporting conservative judges, says he’s proud to be conservative.
No mention of border security.
Update 10:07pm Eastern. Back from another commercial break. Brian Williams goes to Rudy on his abysmal campaign crack-up. Ouch. “This has always been a competitive race. I have the faith the Giants had last week. We’re going to come from behind, win from Florida, lull people into a false sense of security…” Notes Romney asking him a nice question.
Boy, what a dud. He doesn’t believe his own spin. How will anyone else?
Update 10:01pm Eastern. New topic – environment. Rudy is talking biofuels. McCain is talking cap and trade. See my prior comments about the enviro-nitwit-ization of the GOP.
You know what I said a few minutes ago about grabbing the popcorn? Never mind. That segment was a d-u-d. How could Romney not question McCain about immigration?
Update 9:53pm Eastern. Huck asks Romney about the Second Amendment and ban on assault weapons/Brady. The first frontal attack question. Was wondering if there would be one. Huck: “That’s not consistent…Do you support Brady? Do you support the assault weapons ban and restrictions you support?”
Romney: Says he would have signed it like the president said he would. Says he supports individual right to bear arms. Says he doesn’t support any new legislation.
Romney seemed tentative and nervous.
Rudy directs his question to Romney, too. But it’s really an attack on McCain. Romney mentions that McCain doesn’t support national catastrophic insurance fund as a backstop. Big parochial issue in Florida. McCain cracks: “Who’s answering this question?” Romney supports it. Looks like a Rudy-Romney pander tag team. States in high-risk areas should organize on national basis actuarially. So, I guess he does and he doesn’t support national catastrophic government fund. He’s talking about a “free-market solution.” Rudy wants to know if he supports a mandate. I’m not sure what he’s saying.
McCain gets to answer. “We have to address the issue. Regionally. Increase the risk pool. Reform insurance. The bill in the House was $200 billion, no way to pay for it.”
Update 9:40pm Eastern. Commercial break. Next portion will feature candidates asking each other questions. Get out the popcorn.
Here we go. Romney goes first. He raises the specter of China. “How will we have trade with China that protects America, on a level playing field?” Question goes to Rudy, though it’s really more of a question and answer session with himself. Sorry, I didn’t really pay attention to Rudy’s answer.
I was thinking about how Romney’s question/statement may have been a way to defend himself from a Huck attack on his ties to Bain Capital.(which Duncan Hunter alluded to and is the primary reason he opposes Romney)
Anyway…
McCain asks Huck about Fair Tax. How do you answer criticism that flat tax would cause more pain to low-income Americans…how do you account for resonance? Softball for sweethearts. “And when you’re done, Governor, could you also comment on how many Republicans would like to see you as my vice president…”
Kissy-kissy.
Huck: “We’re penalized for productivity in this country. Republicans ought to embrace the fair tax…”
Russert follows up: 93 percent sales tax. How does this help those paying 15 percent?
Update 9:34pm Eastern. Excellent Romney answer on Iraq. Strong, tough, focused on the surrendercrats. He takes on Dems for their withdrawalmania…cites debate in SC when Hillary refused to say she wanted to win and recycled Code Pink line.
Romney excoriates Dems and says “how dare they” take credit for surge.
Applause.
Romney just out-McCained McCain on the war.
Russert: Was the war a good idea and worth the blood and treasure?
McCain: It was worth it. Our men will return and return with honor, having fought al Qaeda over there.
Rudy: I’m for it when 6 out of 10 were for it and when 6 out of 10 were against it. Also very strong objecting to conducting war by polls.
Paul: It was a very bad idea and it wasn’t worth it. Falsely claims that al Qaeda wasn’t there and is now. Blames America for starting the war.
Huck: I supported the president when he went into this. He deserves our thanks, not scorn.
Update 9:27pm Eastern. We’re not breaking any new ground here. Romney’s repeating his “Washington is broken” line for the thousandth time. “Change has to begin with us. We are the party of change.”
Really? The Republicans are the Party of Change? When did that happen?
St Pete Times editor reads some question. First for McCain: How can we sustain Iraq with bad economy? McCain: If we do what Hillary wants, the expenses of surrender will be paid in blood and treasure. McCain repeats his pride for advocating surge first. Proud of our troops for not waving the White Flag of Surrender.
Update 9:20pm Eastern. Hey, did ya know that Rudy rejected Saudi prince’s money? If you missed it the last 1,000 times he mentioned in past debates and TV appearance, he just told the whole story again.
Russert talks deficits. “Why should Republicans be re-elected?” McCain says Democrats would spend more, make entitlement crisis worse, increase taxes. McCain lambastes Bush-aspproved earmarks/pork/Bridge to Nowhere projects. “I’ll veto them…we will clean up our act, fix this problem of having to borrow money from China, balance our budget.”
Huck gets a question. I forgot he was there. “I wasn’t in Washington messing things up. That’s why I should get a chance.” Refuses to blame Bush. Huck pats himself on the back for saying the economy was bad before any of his GOP challengers recognized it.
Update 9:14pm Eastern. Romney defends his Mass. tax record. Criticizes McCain for not supporting Bush tax cuts the first time around.
Russert invites McCain to attack Romney’s fee hikes. He defends his opposition to Bush tax cuts and asserts his fiscal conservative bona fides.
Ron Paul objects to appropriating more money for stimulus…immediately segues to war spending on Empire. Natch.
Update 9:04pm Eastern. Ok, here we go. Stimulus-palooza is the first topic. Romney supports the Bush plan, but wish it went further…more tax cuts, “grow jobs.”
“We have a housing crisis…that has spilled out into the economy…helping to reverse the crisis…is crucial.”
No words at all about fiscal responsibility, thrift, prudence, or the need for borrowers who made bad decisions to suck it up, let the market correct, and let housing prices fall.
No beef.
McCain worries about pork barrel projects. Likes expense write-offs. “The rate cuts by Bernanke are a good beginning, but we need to continue to cut tax rates.” We need to encourage saving (YES!) and cut spending.
Giuliani: The package is ok, but doesn’t go far enough. Make the Bush tax cuts permanent. (Good.) We need a permanent package. Regulatory reform. Comprehensive tax reform. (All good.)
Russert to McCain: You said you weren’t well-versed on economy. Is it a problem for your campaign? Maverick says he doesn’t know where the quote came from. Drops names of economic advisers – Martin Feldstein, Jack Kemp, etc., etc. “I have been a consistent fighter to restrain spending and cut taxes.” (See: “I’ve always been for tax cuts, except for the ones I vote against.”)
Huckabee attacks stimulus for putting money into people’s pockets so consumers can buy Chinese products. Ok. Wants infrastructure spending for highways from Bangor to Florida. Sounds like he’s on board with the Schumer plan.
6:42 PM. The GOP presidential candidates meet again for a Florida debate on MSNBC. The show begins at 9pm Eastern. I’ll be here. No bull–red or otherwise–tonight. Just me, you, and a batch of White House contenders who will be appealing for the first time to Republican primary voters first and foremost. Not independents. Not Democrats.
So: Show us the beef.
Sanctuary Rudy’s slipping. Big Nanny Huck’s fading. McCain’s still channeling Geraldo. And Romney’s running Spanish language ads.
Yes, this is the Republican field.
***
AP:
The Florida primary offers 57 Republican National Convention delegates to the winner. It is the first big state to vote in the nominating campaign, the first winner-take-all contest in terms of delegates, and the final election before a virtual national primary on Feb. 5.
The five contenders shared a stage as polls suggested Romney and McCain were co-frontrunners in the state. Both the former Massachusetts governor and the Arizona senator are campaigning aggressively and have sparred periodically over the economy and tax cuts.
Giuliani and Huckabee were well behind in the same surveys, and struggling.
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How about a little constitutional backbone too? Thus far, at least based on the so-called conservative labeling, spending Federal spending has continued to rise exponentially since 1965 and doubling since 1980.
Michelle – does this have the correct link??
Will anyone hold McCain to task and pin him down on his record of siding with the Dem’s on many issues?
Fixed. Thanks.
You know what friends… lots of MSM and others criticized Fred while he was in the race and now that he’s out, folks everywhere seem almost mournful. Fred Thompson would have brought the beef tonight as he did at the last several debates. However, people were more hung up on his speech patterns than the words he was saying! And maybe his campaign wasn’t being ran that well, but aren’t we all smart enough to look beyond that and listen to the man’s message? The criticisms of him were always petty. He was what we conservatives were looking for and now he’s gone. Why couldn’t we have rallied around him more? Why couldn’t we all have screamed out loud “Shut up about the lazy, no fire in the belly BS?!” But no. Now he’s gone and we’re having to choose by process of elimination. VERY sad. I’m truly sad.
You’re welcome. Always here to help.
I’d like to see some candidates answer your call from your TownHall.com article, Michelle and tell everyone that they need to “Suck. It. UP.”
However, I am not holding my breath that one of them will.
P.S.
I did happen to catch the first part of Neal Boortz’s show today and think he is quite smitten with you. He kept going on about your article on TownHall.com and you.
This should be a red meat debate. Tax Cuts, conservative judges, tax cuts, beating up on McCain and Paul, tax cuts, killing jihadist, tax cuts. Did i mention tax cuts.
Radar Magazine is reporting the NYT will endorse Hillary this weekend. Radar
I have a novel idea. How about having Republicans question Republicans about Republican issues in a Republican primary election?
I’ll make this a little more difficult.
My mind isn’t totally set on Romney – I’ll say that up front.
I’m still seriously considering a WRITE IN – Like Michelle Malkin and Ann Coulter, and Oliver North.
Norman Schwartzkaufp was ONCE on that list – BUT NO MORE! EVER AGAIN!
I MISTAKENLY AND STUPIDLY THOUGHT that Duncan Hunter was My Man until he threw his support to HUCKLEBERRY, which puts DH on my PERMANENT “OFF” List, forever – that is what I think of Huckleberry, And not NEARLY as kindly as that statement may give you to infer.
I am from Texas, close to the Mexico border, where NEWS PHOTOS YESTERDAY showed the newest WEAPON of COYOTE TACTICS is grabbing SMALL CHILDREN to use as HUMAN SHIELDS when they get in SHOOTOUTS with American border patrol, while the coyotes are using MILITARY ORDINANCE to open fire on the Border Patrol.
Besides our own local news stories which are horrendous on the issues of our OPEN BORDERS and ILLEGAL ALIENS,
Mexico has reigned HISTORICALLY as the best place for MURDERERS to flee from Justice.
TWO most recent cases in the news NOW, American Marine killed, burned and buried a pregnant fellow Marine – and MEXICO COYOTE ran over and killed a Border Patrolman and family man who was laying nail strips for the coyote’s HUMMER, as he was fleeing back into Mexico from arrest in the USA. You can see the border patrolman was SUCH a vicious threat to the COYOTE…
I hold Death Penalty OPPONENTS who vote according to that belief AS DIRECTLY RESPONSIBILE for the MURDERS and other vicious crimes of the PHYSICAL murderers – since they don’t put ANYTHING AT ALL into preventing MURDER of innocent peoples. That is just WHICH PLATE on the scales of Justice they fall into – period. You either oppose murder, or promote it. If you are promoting it, then you are WITH THE MURDERERS and fully accountable to you8r own co mmu nity for preferring the murderers to the innocent and law-abiding citizens of the community UPON WHOM YOU DEPEND FOR LIFE-GIVING SUSTENANCE for the basics of life!
Real Simple.
NEITHER MAN WILL BE HANDED OVER TO AMERICAN JUSTICE BY MEXICO, IF THE DEATH PENALTY IS ON THE TABLE.
American politicians ALWAYS CAVE on these issues, even though REASON would suggest that AMERICA HAS THE UPPER HAND in “foreign policy” decisions.
Therefore, McCain, Huckleberry, and Ruby Julie Annie are NOT ON THE TABLE for consideration, in my book, and neither would Newt Gingrich, whom I saw in Fall ‘06 LAUGHING in Sean Hannity’s FACE over Sean’s LACK OF PRAGMATISM on Border security issues, AS NEWT WAS UPROARIOUSLY IN AGREEMENT WITH AN ABSOLUTELY STUNNED ALAN COLMES who showed signs or genuine DELIRIUM at his position of being the NEWT ALLIE on that issue!
NEWT hasn’t changed his MIND – JUST AS FRED HAS NOT – BOTH of them simply KEPT THEIR MOUTH shut during SHAMNESTY hearings and the fierce debating in the Spring of ‘07 – and are now trying to be as PRO-OPEN BORDERS as they can “PRAGMATICALLY” get away with!
But I live too close to that border, and they don’t fool me. There are victims here in my community I had known for many many years – dead by the direct hand of ILLEGAL ALIENS and/or their COYOTES – and they are what I see every time McCain, Huckleberry, Fred, Newt, Julie Annie, and ANY OTHER candidate or politician starts talking “PRAGMATICALLY” about CITIZENSHIP or “REMAINING LEGALLY IN THE USA WITHOUT CITIZENSHIP” for ILLEGAL ALIENS and the RIGHTS of ANCHOR BABIES to NOT BE SEPARATED FROM THEIR FAMILIES.
Considering such SNAKES as a recipient of MY vote is SIMPLY NOT AN OPTION – no such thing is ON THE TABLE under ANY circumstances, as far as I am concerned.
If you have to reach your hand into a barrel full of rattlesnakes to see which will be President of the USA, it makes no nevermind to me WHICH SNAKE is picked. None of them will HELP America. And MY SANCTION won’t be put to their benefit, either.
As for why Thompson didn’t do better, I think too many people voted for their idea of “most electable vs. the Dems” instead of “person with views most like my own as a conservative”.
Then there is this.
et… you’re talkin’ crazy!!
People I have asked at work, and family, are voting for Romney in the Florida Primary.
Charles Krauthammer on Fox just said, in a discussion on Brit Hume, that the reason the other delegates don’t like him is simple: Romney is intelligent, handsome and rich.
I hope Romney debates the others under the table tonight (thanks for the heads up, Michelle). Here is an article about why McCain and Huck probably gang up on him (McCain has experience with gangs: Gang of 14,Keating 5). I think Romney is the biggest threat to them all as he can win.
MSNBC? Geez will they ever learn? My prediction, dem format, they’ll mess it up they don’t care anymore if it is as plain as the nose on your face what they are doing. They’re unhinged, cant you tell? Anyway, I’ll follow it here, I just got a new TV and I don’t want to screw it up.
Yeah, precisely. Shame on them. Fred would have beat Hillary on principles. Once it’s R vs. D, the skeletons are coming out of the closets my friends and we know she’s got plenty.
Why will I not be surprised when McLame gets a pass by the moderators, with awesome questions about how much does he really love America, and Mitt is asked why he hates puppies?
Well to be fair, shame on Fred for getting out of the race right before he wins Louisiana.
Like all truly evil conservatives, I’ll be drinking a fine cognac, mixed with the tears of a thousand enivornmentalists.
Ombre Rose~
So, do you plan on sitting out the general election? The only Republican I couldn’t vote for in the general would be Ron Paul – he’s just too crazy, even if he is a strict Constitutionalist when it comes to the federal government. Any of the other Republicans would be better than any of the Democrats as President.
And as for being close to the border: I’m looking for a teaching job here in Texas. I’m pretty sure I could get a job pretty easy in any district along/close to the Rio Grande, but they aren’t even up for consideration. I won’t put myself in that kind of personal danger, especially being a single female.
And during commercial breaks, I just might take my SUV out to ANWAR and shoot a polar bear.
Just in case anyone didn’t know already:
This debate is your chance Mitt. I have yet to see you move me to vote for you.
Running on the theme “Im Mitt Romney vote for me because Im not John McCain” isnt enough.
What do you stand for Mitt ? What is important to you ? People questioned if Fred had Fire in his Belly I have to ask the same of you ?
Fed moved me with his conservative values and his willingness to fight for them. What do you value ? what do you stand for ?
I’ve read your Issues and I find them lacking. I know your history and I find it equally lacking.
I dont want to vote for the lesser of two evils. I want to vote for you. Will you fight to keep america strong in this time of war ? Is your stance on Immigration real or fake ?
Mitt shouldnt get the nomination handed to him. He needs to prove he deserves ot be president. Until then he does not have my vote.
Fixed.
I looked past Fred’s Speech Patterns, his Work Ethics, his Message, AND EVEN HIS LAW AND ORDER CHARACTER – and went back to his ACTUAL RECORD.
McCain Deux…
Bill and Hillary would BOTH be in PRISON if he had done his Senatorial job correctly, just regarding the Senate investigative committee a ppointed to investigate the CHINES DONATIONS to the Clinton’s Campaign funds, which he was selected to chair BECAUSE HE IS A FORMER WATERGATE PROSECUTOR – but he diverted it from the assignment to a job of making the DIMS very comfortable BY DREDGING UP EVERY SMACK OF GOP WRONGDOING HE ALLEDGEDLY COULD FIND to make a BALANCED TALLY SHEET of wrongs on “BOTH SIDES” of the aisle.
NO CONCLUSIONS FOUND ON THE CLINTON/CHINESE FELONIES, BY THE SENATE INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE CHAIRED BY “THE EMINENTLY QUALIFIED” FORMER WATERGATE PROSECUTOR, FRED THOMPSON.
Not to mention his vote for the Impeachment process THAT RE BILL CLINTON’S WORLD TELEVIZED DEPOSITION, PERJURY was a “TRIVIAL MATTER” – and Bill was “NOT GUILTY”. when the perjury was committed in front of INTERNATIONAL LEADERS who tuned in to observe American JUSTICE in ACTION from the World’s “POLICEMAN – in the judgement of a FORMER WATERGATE PROSECUTOR????????
It was NOT a “not guilty” vote for “TRIVIAL SEXUAL MATTERS” It was a NOT GUILTY of SELF-SERVING PERJURY on a PERSONAL INJURY LAWSUIT regarding hte CLINTON PROCLIVITY for PERSONALLY INJURING PRIVATE CITIZENS, to wit, abuse of women and the crushing of ANY forces necessary who would h ave brought those facts to light of day THAT BILL CLINTON was usinghte power of his office to ABUSE THE AUTHORITY of his office FOPR PERSONAL SELF-AGGRANDIZEMENT to the HARM of of those who were UNABLE TO DEFEND THEMSELVES – IN AMERICA – FROM HIS POLITICAL POWER to insulate himself from the NATURAL CONSEQUENCES of his SOCIAL MISCONDUCT – in the form of ASSUMING FOR HIMSELF the PRIVILEGES of “THE ROYAL WE” OWNERSHIP of “HIS SUBJECTS”!
ONE OF FOUR GOP SENATORS VOTING WITH ALL BUT TWO OF THE DIM SENATORS FOR BILL CLINTON:
TWICE as much material on his collusion with McCain on such as McCain Feingold THOMSPON, and other Liberal Dim Socialist works, etc etc etc etc etc.
Fred is a HOLLYWOOD creation of a
“Conservative” — wake up and smell the fertilizer.
Yup…too bad Tancredo, Hunter and Thompson got killed off early by the lack of enthusiam of those who wanted Dem-style glitz and glamor.
Now McCain — whom I don’t like) is in the cross-hairs of the MainStreamBloggers and purists who won’t realize that they are ensuring Hillary’s election by throwing dung-balls at him.
In a couple of years, you’ll be wondering why things are so bad, and perhaps a mea culpa or two will be in order.
I hope if there is any ganging up they mess with McCain for his amnesty bill. I like to see McCain get kerfluffled and red in the face when the topic is brought up. Any bets on McCain spinning that it was not amnesty abd quickly changing the subject to how he is responsible for the surge in Iraq. I hope he figures out that Putin is not the president of Germany…
it’s going to be interesting to see the difference in the two on MSNBsCum.
the Dem debate was pandermonium, maybe wolfy bought a clue between now and then.
Wolfy’s on CNN. We get loudmouth Chris Matthews.
It seems every article or media piece by the MSM is constantly pushing McCain at us.They really must love this guy.Senator Jeff Sessions has a nice 15 point plan on illegal immigration he’d like to see the candidates sign or address.He spoke the most favorably about Romney in dealing with the issue.Who knows.I do know about Mccain and this issue though.I look for the Huck and McCain to gang up on Romney in the debate.If Rudy is serious he better go after McCain since those are the voters he has the best chance at.It’s time someone staightened out THE STRAIGHT TALK EXPRESS!!
It’s in the teens up here tonight, good idea!
As mentioned some days ago, after Fred dropped out, I am back to “none of the above”. One thing for sure, if McCain or the Huckster become the nominee for the Republicans, I will not support either one or vote for either one. Period.
If its McCain or Huckabee, Im voting for the Constituion Party Candidate. I cannot condone someone that wil ldamage the nation as badly as a Demcorat would – and McCain and Huck both would do that.
Romney? I can be convinced to hold my nose and vote for him like I did Bush and Dole, as long as he cleans up his socialized medicine and big government tendencies.
Otherwise its ahell of a lot esier to fight against amensty, tax hikes, earmarks, etc – with a Dem as President than get the R cowards in congress to oppose a liberal or “Compassionte” President.
Like has been said, if the nation is going to hell in a handbasket (like Jimmy Carter’s America) I want to be very clear about there being a liberal DEMOCRAT holding the handle.
above should read
Oh, to be the moderator:
“Senator McCain, I know your plan is not technically amnesty, because you propose that illegal aliens must pay a modest bribe ..”
“A FINE, not a bribe!!” (face gets pink)
“Ok, a FINE of $3000. How is that different from someone illegally crossing our border after bribing a BP agent with the same amount?? Are before-the-fact bribes bad, and after-the-fact bribes OK?”
McCain: (face getting red)
And a follow up – how is paying a fine and getting a reward of residency any different that a judge awarding the stolen jewels to the convicted burglar, even with a fine?”
McCain: (crimson head explodes)
&
NO! NO!
This isn’t the first time I didn’t like the GOP candidates and I have NEVER sat out the PRIMARY or the ELECTION.
I also NEVER VOTED for Ross Perot.
I confess, when I was young and green and my older family was green to these kinds of shenanigans, we thought a Southern Democrat FROM THE “COUNTRY” who was a FARMER surely had to have more sense than a WASHINGTON DC POLITICIAN who had been APPOINTED PRESIDENT by a DIM CONGRESS in lieu of CONSTITUTIONAL PROCEDURES due to their dislike of a GREEK being positioned to follow Nixon as President – rumors of “ANTI-CHRIST quickly spread everywhere, and out of the fiery furnace popped Gerald Ford. (Bible reference to the Golden Bull, re Aaron and Moses in the Wilderness)
Agnew’s great CRIME – owing back taxes on a $13,000 piece of property that EVEN HIS ACCOUNTANT confessed that AGNEW has specified BUT THE ACCOUNTANT had “FORGOTTEN” to pay the taxes on!
IRS DID NOT EVEN EXACT PENALTIES SO SURE THAT NO WRONGDOING HAD BEEN DONE!
Anyone remember when Clinton forgot to pay $20,000 TAXES on his mother’s home he had inherited? Maybe you don’t, since it was brushed under the carpet so quickly INSTEAD OF HIS RESIGNATION BEING DEMANDED for his OWN PERSONAL OVERSIGHT.
So we stupidly voted for Carter, little suspecting what he was capable of.
Many castigate us, but we still say, we don’t think he was WORSE than FORD would have been – who pardoned Nixon WITHOUT A TRIAL, for the ~~~HEALING OF THE NATION~~~, he said.
I didn’t vote for Crazy H. Ross Perot, BUT I NEVER VOTED FOR BACKSTABBER ROBERT DOLE, EITHER.
I will vote.
It won’t be for Clinton or Obama or any DIM candidate, or any Communist or Socialist Party candidates, either. Nor will I vote for Pat Buchanan or Ron Paul or Bloomburg.
But I don’t have to vote for SCUMBAGS just be cause they wear the GOP LABEL, either.
Did you KNOW that ARIZONA GOP CAUCUS unanimously CENSURED McCain in ‘05 and refused to vote for HIS Senate re-election? THAT DIMS ARE WHO VOTED HIM BACK INTO THAT OFFICE the last Senate election???
WHY do I have an obligation to SANCTION any DIM CANDIDATE just because they sneak him in under the GOP FLAG?
No, the GOP, who has often allowed the Socialists to use them for cover, won’t win if people like me don’t vote for their RINOS, but I would have lost ANYWAY – as would AMERICA.
IT COST ME NOTHING TO WATCH THE GOP SINK ITSELF WITH RINOS.
If I thought for ONE MINUTE that AMERICA would be better off with the likes of McCain or Huckleberry, or even Ruby Julie Annie, I would vote for them IF I COULD SEE ANY BENEFIT to their Presidency.
But I’ve lived through LBJ, NIXON, FORD, CARTER, and CLINTON – and I can tell you, I am not afraid of NOT VOTING for candidates who are WORSE than all those guys PUT TOGETHER.
I voted for Nixon and Carter, and given the choices I had at that time KNOWING WHAT I DID AT THE TIME THAT I VOTED, I’d vote the same way.
On the other hand, IF I KNEW THEN about those men WHAT I KNOW TODAY and was facing the CIRCUMSTANCES I WAS AT THAT TIME, I do not know what I would do.
But the thing is, THAT TODAY, thanks to the STRIKING DOWN of the SO-CALLED “FAIRNESS DOCTRINE”, I know a lot more about these candidates THAN JUST WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT THEMSELVES, i.e. my above post regarding Fred Thompson.
I don’t consider them BETTER CANDIDATES that Obama and Hillary, or CARTER and NIXON, or Robert Dole and Gerald Ford.
I see no benefit to AMERICA for voting IN THEIR EGOMANIACAL FAVOR”.
I can give you GORY DETAILS about the BORDER ISSUES ALONE, since I live so close to Mexico – about images in MY HEAD every time these RINOS’ NAMES come to lips, much less their faces on the TV set or INTERNET sites.
Let’s just say, THESE CANDIDATES would NOT like MY brand of Justice for POLITICIANS who ENCOURAGE destructiveness on American communities with their FEEL-GOOD thoughtless SOCIALISTIC policies.
Really, how do you think he will govern differently than Hillary? I’m not being sarcastic. I’m serious. He’s pro-amnesty. So is Hillary. He’s anti-tax cuts. So is Hillary. He believes “man-made global warming” is the crisis of our times. So does Hillary. He believes government should regulate speech. So does Hillary. McCain won’t say what kind of judges he’d appoint, but I imagine they won’t be hard-core constructionists (you know, the kind who would reverse McCain-Feingold), and neither will Hillary’s. He admires Ted Kennedy, for God’s sake. So does Hillary. So he supports the war on terror. Does anyone believe Hillary’s going to pull the troops out of Iraq? Of course not. Hell, she’d probably throw more troops in there and drop a few bombs on Iran just to show she’s got a man-sized pair. Honestly, what am I going to wake up to a couple of years from now with Hillary in the White House that I wouldn’t also be waking up to with McCain there, except that with Hillary I won’t be so damn disappointed.
I would love to hear one of them say “What a stupid question”, or at least a straight “yes” or “no”.
Like Obama being asked if Clinton was the first black president. He waffled on and on and we never did find out what his answer was.
#37 Rational Thought — If McCain gets in, you won’t be waking up to Bubba Clinton in the White House acting as co-president.
My feeling about McCain is he’s not a totally self-centered, crooked schemer. Hillary is total.
Besides, the Dem Congress will fight him on everything, even if they agree with him. For Hillary, they’ll roll over and wag their little porker-tails.
50% bad is better than 110% bad, IMO.
Wonder if Chris will slobber and dribble his saliva.
I bet not ONE question will be about illegals.
Anyone wanna take a bet?
I wish there was a way for the electorate to tell both parties, “None of the above! Now go back and start over. And bring us some good ones this time!”
OT: I wonder what party can claim the mayor of Detroit.
I hope you great good fortune in your hunt, Ladybug.
A single lady just moved in next door to us, who is in her first year of a teaching contract in our high school. She seems to like it here pretty well – but you never know what our district will do concerning extending her contract. I hope it works out for her. At least the way she wants it to by the time school starts next fall.
I don’t know if you are a Texas native or not – I am a lifetime, born and raised member, myself. All I can tell you is that some of the border regions have instituted some really really tough new laws that overnight cut the crime rate and violence down to brand new all time lows.
Some have not!
One of my friends taught here a few years, then went the West Texas border region for two years, for her retirement pension and her husband ranches a fair distance from both locations. She hadn’t been in the new location very long til there was a battle on our side of the border with Mexico coyotes who set up THREE machine guns on our side to fire at Border Patrol agents trying to block DRUG SMUGGLERS from getting their products through – not terribly far from where she is now, with two of her youngest children.
I guess she is going to stay for the duration, though.
Fact in Texas, the further North and East you go, the more money you make, the more it costs to live. The further West you go, the less money and the less it costs, the more sparsely populated and less traffic, and the further you have to go for SOME basics, like intermural sports competions, and grocery shopping, and major medical communities.
The further SOUTH you go, the more you get into major DIM strongholds of Mexican RECONQUISTAS, the more densely populated it is, the most dangerous it CAN be.
Outside of those generalities, I don’t know much I can tell you.
Small communities can be great if you don’t miss the luxuries of mall shopping and theater complexes and fine dining restaurants, or even franchise quick food servies for that matter – if that particular community AND YOU do bond together.
If they like you, they will watch out for you and quickly form you a good support structure, and help make sure you are safe, as much as they are able to.
But I’d sure bring it up if I were Mitt Romney! That might be fun.
I’d like to hear someone ask Romney about Mass Resistance, one of, if not the most conservative group in MA, openly campaigning against him and how that gels with his belief that he ran Massachusetts as a conservative.
Yeah, taylork… I won’t argue with you there!
Oh, I DEARLY love it – JUST PERFECT!
ROTFLTHH!!! SO LOL!
THERE YOU ARE! THAT would be the Ticket!
Thompson didn’t do better because he ignored New Hampshire. It’s as simple as that. If he had competed in NH, showed his face, had events, spent as much money as ruDy, he would have won.
I think now with one of these processes under his belt, he’ll be able to come back and compete in 4 years and do well. I think both he and Jeri learned a lot about how this process works.
It is about ideas, but it is about getting your message out to the right people too. That definitely includes NH (Ask McCain).
I think you are absolutely DEAD WRONG about McCain, for instance, I remember the 2000 Presidential Primaries – why don’t you go read Ann Coulter’s CURRENT column?
Get some FACTS to back your “opinions” and “feelings”.
Texas is home. My parents both graduated HS in SA in the mid-60s. Daddy was in the Army, but was stationed in San Antonio in the mid-70s, El Paso in the mid-80s and Killeen in the early 90s. I’m back in Texas for 3 years now, after 8.5 years in AR. Believe me, cost of living factors into the equation, too. Thanks for the well-wishes, though.
oh yeah, and John Edwards didn’t live in Iowa for the past 4 years for no reason either. It’s not a secret. Anyone who has gone through the process before understands how the game works.
Had he not essentially moved there, he would not be mentioned now.
Our family is so disgusted with the “Hobson’s Choice” the GOP is trying to pass off as the conservative candidate for POTUS we can’t trust any of these RINOs to do a damn thing about our wide open borders or live up to basic conservative principles. Romney is really blowing it with our household by running his Spanish language adds. This has been a week of disappointments topped off by Hunter throwing his lot in with the Huckster.
Our political process is broken and the MSM is guilty of aiding and abetting along with the politicians that have established themselves as a permanent ruling class holding public office for decades. They have run off the reservation taxing and spending like drunken sailors on leave (not to insult drunken sailors on leave). Both parties are tripping over themselves trying to bribe us with our own stolen tax dollars (at least for those that actually pay taxes and qualify). It appears both sides of the aisle are working hard to make this country a socialist nanny state paradise.
Not one lying crapweasel holding political office is worthy of anyone’s vote. It just might be time to write-in “none of the above” this year.
Quick! We need a pool on how many times McCain will say the phrase “my friends” and at what point during the debate he gives his list of prok projects he’s opposed. I say he says “my friends” ten times and brings up his list by the third question.
You can watch the debate on your computer at msnbc.com I couldn’t find msnbc on my tv.
Ugh, I caught the end of Olby. I might just wretch.
12 times
10….
Mitt is for tax cuts for the middle class. No captal gains for incomes under 200000
Is anyone, household that is, actually planning there 2010 budget?
“As the only member of the senate on the stage Senator McCain”…… you’re the only one on the stage with no executive experience. Oh well
taylork #29, thanks, my bad… easy to do when you dont watch either one.
McCain put me to sleep.
McCain i dont trust him on tax cuts he did not vote for the bush tax cuts
Rudy’s wedding ring in the picture is a farce.
Rudy should attack McCain right now
Liar McCain you said you were not versed on economics
Rudy needs to get out of technocrat mode and cut to the chase: his record in NYC on the budget is amazing. Keep it simple, damn it Sheesh!
The base is onto you Huck. Sorry
Huck sounds like a democrat
Dance recitals and soccer games, pulling at the heart strings is all Huckabee ever had.
Huckabee is against tax cuts rather have pork spending
ah, trying to get Romney into a fight with Rudy and Mccain, and Romney isn’t taking the bait. Smart. My number 2 guy.
It’s apparent that this debate is likely to be all Romney and mccain But someone needs to hit a home run As a yankees fan rudy of all those people should understand the need for that
Hmm, McCains theme for tonight appears to be giving lists. That’s two in three questions.
Why is Ron Paul on the stage time to go grab a beer
Can Ron Paul go for 2 minutes without talking about our “empire.” And if he know so much about our spending why wouldn’t he talk about SS or Mediciad?
Oh yeah, paul is still there.
he missed that last train to kooksville.
As a Yankee fan, Rudy has obviously learned that spending all of your money in one place guarantees absolutely nothing.
Good response by Rudy.
Rudy is dead right but he never learned how to take a message and turn it into a sound bite and that’s going continue to hurt him, dammit
Mookie,
Yep, but who knew that pulic interest would be so strong so early? there’s never been a primary like it. Not a bad strategy. Just bad luck.
Yeah Rudy brought up the Saudi Prince story, but I bet McCain repeats himself even more, as he’s doing now.
Huck can’t help but sound like a democrat. If sounds like a democrat, and and it acts like a democrat, and gives nothing but platitudes when asked a question like a democrat, then it’s probably a democrat.
Oh, I completely agree about Rudy’s Florida strategy. I’m just a Red Sox fan who couldn’t resist a dig at the Yankees payroll.
Mitt sounds likes he might just finally catch fire.
these guys are nervous as hell This is the big one and they know it ords are being tripped over and Huck just wound up concluding with an amazing non sequitor. that’s resulting so far in timid and tepid responses and that’s not good because someone needs to kock mccain out of the ring to open for Mitt or rudy
GOOD RUDY! GOOD!
I loved Mitt answer.
Ron Paul: “blah blah blah empire” “blah blah blah empire” *cough* I hate Jews *cough* “blah blah blah empire”
mcCain: “My friends!”
…and the softball to McCain…
That’s 1. But this time I really believed it. John McCain is my friend.
Huck and Paul should get the hook. Mitt and Rudy and even McCain would be a better debate without them. I like the specifics coming from Mitt and Rudy. Light years beyond the Democrat debates.
Yes, Taylork, the libs REALLY want McCain to lose to Hillary in the general.
the dem debate was an out of control romper room.
LOL Taylork. Yes, he loves us.
I like Mitt answer on army recuriting
Finally someone calls the dems out on their slanderous war comments. Good job Mitt!!