Here's a pretty sunset while you're waiting:
That happened tonight. I'm not palming off some other night's sunset. That's tonight's sunset.
ADDED: Come into the comments and talk about the debate.
UPDATE, NEXT MORNING: Lots of comments! Did you like this approach to live-blogging? Let me sum up what I thought:
1. Anderson Cooper is a very weak moderator. He's a nice-looking man, but he had no authority, and, as a result, the candidates did whatever they wanted, which was actually revealing and interesting. It was really bad, however, when he allowed the retired general in the audience to hold the mike and lecture us on gays in the military. Once the point was made, that man had no right to consume air time like that, and Cooper was incompetent at stopping him. It seemed that at one point someone cut the mike, but then Coooper didn't take advantage of that to move on, he made efforts to get the mike back and to give the man more time. If that was supposed to be an expression of Anderson's own commitment to gay rights, it was: 1. inappropriate, and 2. inept.
2. Giuliani was good — nice and scrappy at the beginning, which set the tone the others had to deal with. Giuliani made Romney seem stiff and nervous, and he did a nice job turning the charge of "sanctuary city" back on Romney with "sanctuary mansion" — a memorable phrase.
3. CNN seemed to choose the YouTube videos that would show individuals who would repel a sizable segment of Americans: the guy with the gun, the kid with the Confederate flag, the Christian with the Bible. Or are you going to tell me CNN just loves props?
4. Thanks to everyone who participated in the comments. I think people did a great job!
Posts
310 comments:
1 – 200 of 310 Newer› Newest»Live-blog the YouTube debate with me.
Only if you play my drinking game while blogging it: drink everytime CNN asks a "how long have you been beating your wife" question. ;)
I'm not palming off some other night's sunset.
You'll never get that job with Reuters with that kind of attitude.
I don't have television reception, so let me know how many shots I need to down when it's all over.
The Florida governor is getting the spotlight, and we're doing this thing again where they introduce them one by one. Soooo tedious.
Ah, but then we do get to see how theyy walk.
And how tiny McCain looks standing next to Thompson.
Dead air.
Taking the photos.
This really benefits Thompson. He's huge.
Unfortunately, I doubt there'll be any mention of today's major news regarding Giuliani's misuse of public funds to go on trysts with his mistress.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,313627,00.html
Oh, great, they're eliminating all the little kids mouthing adult words.
Anderson Cooper: "No electric shocks." And hundreds of home viewers wisecrack: "Don't tase me, bro."
love how the guy singing for 2 minutes mentions that "time is short" at the end of his song
why doesn't Romney just say "at least I didn't use public funds to have sex with my mistress!"
First question: Sanctuary in New York.
Giuliani does a nice job of making what looks like leniency be part of his toughness on crime.
Romney's comeback gets a big cheer: illegal immigrants are illegal, and that's the concern.
Giuliani: Romney did it too and worse. Sanctuary cities in his state and his own home was a sanctuary: "sanctuary mansion."
Romney denies he had illegal immigrants at his mansion.
Great showdown with the two side by side.
cooper needs to lay down the law
Yeah, Cooper is letting them trample him.
cooper says time 3 times!...4 times... 5 times! and McCain keeps talking.
How do you run a debate like that?
Huh. Who dressed that guy?
Tancredo doesn't have much sympathy for that guy's crab business. ...wow, in favor of wage increases. How very liberal of him!
Cooper needs a buzzer, or some way to actually get the candidates to stop talking. He's far too passive to moderate a debate.
Huckabee says questioner is "misinformed".. is that good decorum?
Huckabee attacks lettuce pickers
wow, talk about a gotcha... oh, wait, Paul does believe in this stuff...
Come on. Don't be shy.
Live-blog it with me.
I'm watching the Flyers game, so I can't really comment on the debate.
I'm just trying to get the Cliff's Notes from all y'all.
Ron Paul would cut the Department of Education, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Homeland Security.
Huckabee would kill the IRS.
Huckabee is told his time is up, and then continues to speak... these guys really don't have much respect for Cooper
I swear, I will donate the legal maximum to the first candidate that tells Cooper to stuff it and walks off stage.
NO HE DIDN'T!!- just kidding, of course he did- McCain uses the appeaser line against Paul.
McCain is harshly booed for criticizing Paul about Iraq (saying that's the attitude that allowed Hitler to come to power). But he ends with "Let us win" which gets a big cheer.
Cooper needs a buzzer -- come on, this is close enough to being an exhibition of dancing bears. CNN is working to make comic figures of these men who are running for President. Now you want buzzers? How about flashing lights? McCain is now toasting Ron Paul on foreign policy. Now Paul says he's not an isolationist, just a cultural relativist. Boos and cheers on both sides.
Grover Norquist asks them all to pledge not to raise taxes. Thompson and McCain won't pledge.
Thompson and McCain tell Norquist that they only give pledges to the American People. Isn't Norquist an American? If an any other American came up to them and asked for some type of pledge, would they also say no?
OOOH- COOPER ASKING ABOUT GIULIANI STORY
Romney doesn't want to place our food supply in the same position of our energy supply.
Apparently he's never heard of Ethanol....or how it's raising our food prices in order to provide less-efficient gasoline.
There you go laser. They just asked your question.
Giuliani says not true
followed by police all the time
had nothing to do with records
as far as he knows all record keeping appropriate
Giuliani's explanation did not sound very persuasive, he'll need to do better.
Anderson Cooper asks his own question! It's about a report that Giuliani misused public records.
Giuliani says it was all legit, and the fact is he was assigned bodyguards because of threats that he doesn't want to talk about.
(of course I'm a Democrat, and wouldn't vote for him anyway, so he doesn't have to convince me)
Farm subsidies are too tough. Nobody will be against them.
I have hated every debate I can ever remember watching, except this one.
This is a brawl, Anderson Cooper is no longer in charge, if he ever was. Guiliani and Romney are throwing bombs, Thompson calls them both wankers, and they let the YouTube questioners smack back. Woo Hoo.
I love seeing all the polished, practiced pols thrown completely off guard. More, more more.
Ron Paul admits he loves the nuttahs.
Johnny McCain takes an unscheduled shot at Ron Paul's Iraq stance, let 'em win.
Thompson campaign apparently put together a funny video, though I wasn't watching.
the degeneration of american politics into extreme cage wrestling. What a country.
Why can't a candidate (from either party) have the cojones--or ovarios--to say: this is all bull shit and I am not going to participate.
I yawned when it was said each campaign had a chance to post their own video. Another commercial in a debate of commercials.
Thompson's video shakes things up. They were going to go to commercial after it but changed their minds.
Romney and Huckabee were given a chance to respond.
Not sure I like the negative, but I like not playing the expected game and shaking things up. I just wish Thompson wouldn't 'um' as much.
Thompson's video swift-boats Romney on abortion and Huckabee on taxes, using their own clips. Romney says he has learned, thought, matured, and changed his mind on the issue: well, you don't want someone who can't change his mind, do you?
NRA Question- man threatens candidates with machine gun
Sure, when you have thousands of hits a day, and dozens of regular commenters you can do things this way, but some of us still have to resort to old fashioned live(ish) blogging.
What's up with that?
I doubt there'll be any mention of today's major news regarding Giuliani's misuse of public funds to go on trysts with his mistress.
But... but... that link is from Fox! Everyone knows Fox is run by Rudy's friend! That's why they destroyed Judy Regan! :)
A shotgun, not a machine gun.
And it was unloaded and the breach was open. Completely safe and good theater.
Cha-ching.
Cordially,
Uncle J
Gun rights will be an individual right next year.
Giuliani being asked past quote endorsing written exam requirement to get a gun license- says in favor of "reasonable regulations" -loud boos.... still hasn't defended written exam quote....mentions upcoming supreme court case... doesn't respond to original question about written exams (for the record, I think a written exam isn't a bad idea.)
I'll take your word for it about the type of gun, I stand corrected... couldn't see it clearly, and it looked pretty big.
Guns!
Hunter: chides the questioner for having a gun thrown at him.
For Rudy: why should people have to take a written exam to own a gun? Answer: As mayor, he enforced all the laws vigorously... and it worked in NY.
man asks candidates to describe their guns to him.... ummm, wow.
CNN has decided that guns might scare voters and that may backfire.
RKBA questions: Rudy is coming out strongly in favor of the individual right interpretation, but he sounds like he's being backed into it.
Trick question quickly rebuffed by Thompson: he owns guns but he won't say what they are.
McCain: he had plenty of guns in Vietnam. Not now.
Hunter: enthusiastically describes his guns.
You know, for Fred to do any kind of breakout, he needed to rise above the Romney/Rudy mudslinging. He hasn't, unfortunately.
Too bad for him, 'cause I sort of like him.
Black on black crime.
This tends to bring out generic answers about crime. They're tough on it, don't you know?
Romney is going to make people get married when he becomes president.
And fix the schools.
Guiliani is much better on this one. Specifics help.
Good abortion question,
Paul punts.
oooh... great question asking candidates what women should be charged with if they obtain an abortion should Roe be overturned.
Regarding RonPaul's "conspiracy" answer, those interested in the truth should take a look at spp.gov and the articles that JeromeCorsi has written about it at WorldNetDaily.com
Black on black crime.
This tends to bring out generic answers about crime. They're tough on it, don't you know?
And double-posts, apparently.
I hate abortion questions. Ron Paul rightly smacks this back to the States.
Good Federalist answer by the Fredster.
Giuliani wouldn't sign federal abortion ban, and would leave it to the states. Gets healthy applause, surprisingly.
Abortion: what punishments would you give a woman and her doctor if abortion becomes a crime?
Paul: It's up to the states... and it's the doctor who should be punished.
Thompson: punish the doctor.
Second question: if Roe is overturned and Congress passed a ban on abortion, would you sign?
Giuliani: No. It should be left to the states.
"I would not sign it"
That's going to show up in Huckabee commercials.
Solid, direct question. Forces an answer.
I would have liked to hear Thompson answer that.
Ann - brilliant idea for liveblogging!
Romney looks like his hair was glued on.
good death penalty question "What would Jesus do?"
I have to say I really like the questions so far, except for the illegal immigration ones and the gun ones.
Anderson Cooper gives me the creeps. Is he woman? A man? What is he?
Death penalty: What would Jesus do?
Huckabee: I had to carry it out in my state. Some crimes are so horrible that the only response is to impose death. Prompted about Jesus: "Jesus was too smart to run for public office."
Tancredo: He'd pray to Jesus.
ok, maybe asking candidates "SPECIFICALLY, do you believe every word in THIS BOOK (holding a bible)?" isn't a great question.
ok, maybe asking candidates "SPECIFICALLY, do you believe every word in THIS BOOK (holding a bible)?" isn't a great question.
It certainly doesn't seem like a question that would get asked of Democrats, anyway.
sorry, that wasn't clear. The questioner was obviously trying to stick it to Romney, by saying "specifically, this book" (and not other books, e.g. Book of Mormon)
Why did Romney quibble about the Bible?
Nice answer Huck
and I'm a heathen
A question about believing every word of the bible? How come now questions about algebraic topology?
And we want to know if the prospective CEO of the US Government believes every word of the Bible because...what?
This is a circus.
Giuliani gives what basically is C.S. Lewis' answer on whether they believe every single word of the Bible.
Romney likely feels the same as the mayor but doesn't answer as clearly.
Huckabee gives a fine pastor's answer. We don't understand it all.
revenant- actually, I wouldn't be surprised to hear it at a democratic debate either. I think at one democratic debate they asked the candidates "what's your favorite passage from the bible"- I thought it was a bad question then too, obviously.
The questioner was obviously trying to stick it to Romney, by saying "specifically, this book" (and not other books, e.g. Book of Mormon)
It doesn't stick it to Romney any more than it does McCain, Giuliani, or any other non-fundamentalist candidate.
Did Romney put the I approved this message in as a hit on McCain or did he just send them a 30 sec TV spot
what a tool.
My spelling is so bad that it looks like I've been playing the drinking game.
I think at one democratic debate they asked the candidates "what's your favorite passage from the bible"- I thought it was a bad question then too, obviously.
Yeah, but that's a softball question. Heck, I could answer it and I'm an atheist. There's a lot of material in that book to choose from.
"Do you believe every word of this book?" This is going to tell the questioner everything we need to know. The questioner is a little weird, but not unYouTubishly.
Giuliani: He believes it, but not everything literally (like Jonah in the belly of the whale).
Romney: believes the Bible is the word of God. Do you believe every word? Cooper prompts. Romney gasps for air but finally comes out with: "Yeah." So find the most offensive thing in the Bible and accuse Romney of endorsing it.
Huckabee: It's the word of God. But some of it is allegorical. No one believes "go pluck out your eye." He puts the emphasis on: what you've done to the least of these, you've done to me. He sounds elegant and inspiring. This is what he knows how to do.
I feel icky just watching these douche bags out-racist, out-hate, out-gun, out-kill, out-bible each other.
As much as I loathe the crooked mayor, he gave a good response about the bible being allegorical.
The Bible question is more interesting to me about how they answer than what they answer. Huckabee and Guiliani gave thoughtful answers that would fit their background. Romney stumbled.
"Yeah, but that's a softball question. Heck, I could answer it and I'm an atheist. There's a lot of material in that book to choose from."
point taken
I wrote: "It's about a report that Giuliani misused public records."
Shoulda said "public money." Sorry.
Rudy's video freakin rocks
We've had "guns" and now "god" questions, I'm guessing CNN will be hammering us with "gay" questions pretty soon.
(unless Mr. Cooper wouldn't be comfortable with that)
(and I'm not implying anything one way or the other with regards to Mr. Cooper by saying he would or wouldn't be comfortable with YouTube questions focusing on "gay" issues and the GOP)
(OK, maybe I am implying something, What's up with that?)
Huckabee is smooth on the "God" issue, but I still Don't ♥ Huckabee. He seems more Huckster, than anything.
Excellent Giuliani commercial. Loved the music.
He caught the vibe and was edgy, the first one.
A question from a Muslim and Rudy knocks it out of the park.
Repair the image of America? I don't know, man, winning seems like something that might be good for our image.
Rudy triangulates well,
But.....then he says Islamic terrorism, woo hoo.
nice to the girl, well done
Why does McCain look like his facial features have been erased?
Giuliani says, let's not hate all muslims, and then attacks Dems for not using the phrase "islamic terror" at their debate. Does that really make sense?
Mccain says no to cut and run
throws Rummy under the train
but he was right, I admitted it.
loves the troops wants a win
I am way pro-waterboarding
Yasmin: A woman in a Muslim headscarf asks how to repair the image of America in the world.
Giuliani: Stay on the offense, and keep using the term "Islamic terrorism" -- give people credit for understanding the distinction between terrorists and other Muslims.
Anderson Cooper is trying to look serious. (S)he is not a serious person.
Mitt Romney is a pandering, plastic dork. He's waffling on waterboarding.
Is waterboarding torture>
No,
And I have two times caving early and often both tims, just like KSM
Romney points that out.
No he went to Diego Garcia, where he remains.
McCain hits the obvious point against Romney. It's something that has been talked about for long time, a candidate should know where they stand.
McCain is kicking Mitt's plastic, pandering butt. Mitt doesn't have much of a response to a previous POW.
KSM gave up everyone he knew after less than a minute.
Rudy
He gets applause when mentioning killing Muslims.
Lovely.
Now he invokes 9/11, which he did nothing to prevent.
McCain:
He thinks we're "winning" the war in Iraq. Cute.
"Date for withdrawal is a date for surrender." TeeHee!
Now he's taking credit for the surge?
He ate Thanksgiving with the troops and they said "Let us win."
There has still never been a clear definition of what "winning" means in Iraq. Killing all the terrorists? Stopping an ideology? How do you stop thought? Change perception? Do you just keep killing? Seems like the more we kill the more mad it makes them. No "win" situation.
Pull out and go home and stop the profiteers and corporations and contractors.
Now they're gushing over torture. McCain is, surprisingly, right on when it comes to torture.
I think McCain has given the best performance tonight...he seems sound, mostly sane, and resolved. Then again he is lik 87 years old so maybe he's just tired.
Haha....Romney is being nuanced about torture. He is the ultimate creepazoid.
Over and out right wingers.
Giuliani says, let's not hate all muslims, and then attacks Dems for not using the phrase "islamic terror" at their debate. Does that really make sense?
Sure -- unless you think that believing that there are many good Muslims in the world conflicts with the knowledge that our enemies are motivated by a specific subset of Muslim theology.
Romney says it was great that Khalid Sheik Muhammed was tortured. By most accounts, the only thing we got out of Khalid Sheikh Muhammed was false information.
McCain is strong saying that waterboarding is torture. How can anyone think that that would be inflicted by Americans?
Romney: I don't want our enemy to know where we draw the line, what we'll do and what we won't do.
McCain: "This is a defining issue... We will never allow torture."
"By most accounts, the only thing we got out of Khalid Sheikh Muhammed was false information."
Cite?
revenant- of course it's true that we were attacked by Islamic terrorists, but why use the phrase if it's offensive to muslims around the world? Why don't we just say terrorists?
Romney: I don't want our enemy to know where we draw the line, what we'll do and what we won't do.
Good answer.
I served in Germany in the late 80's and Japan in the 90's.
When did those wars end?
We stay where we win, to help our friends.
2 million Cambodians died when we left Vietnam.
Fred Thompson has got to be kidding with that face.
Is he for real? I've never really looked at him before! He almost makes Rudy look slightly less sleazy!
Ron Paul talks like a teenage girl. Such a whiner. Can you imagine what noises he makes during sex? Don't answer that. He's right about pulling out, Vietnam, etc. Gets big applause from his supporters.
McCain: We lost in Vietnam because of public opinion! Oh, right. Did the Vietnamese "follow us home"? Good performance John, but you're wrong.
Some clown booed Mccain about jihadis wanting to take America out.
Ron Paul thinks we're losing in Iraq and the surge has failed. He's a frantic idiot.
Ron Paul vs. John McCain on Vietnam is a total mismatch.
Will you make a permanent, longterm commitment to the people of Iraq?
Thompson says we'll stay as long as it takes, which is answering the question no.
Paul: Give them their country back. So: no.
McCain chides Paul.
Paul catches fire: "They come here because we're occupying their country!"
but why use the phrase if it's offensive to muslims around the world? Why don't we just say terrorists?
They've no right to be offended.
http://theweekdaily.com/news_opinion/briefing/28686/briefing_drowning_on_dry_land.html
"When Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the architect of the Sept. 11 attacks, was waterboarded, he revealed valuable details about the operations of al Qaida, the Bush administration says. But CIA agents say Mohammed also “confessed’’ that al Qaida was plotting to kill former presidents Clinton and Carter and Pope John Paul II, making them realize that he was inventing sensational information to satisfy his interrogators."
Great question for Rudy about exploiting 9/11!
Oh god...now he's talking about his time as the 12th ranking member of the Reagan dining staff or whatever. Blah blah blah.
The question was about 9/11! Your fave topic...talk about it! It's your big day!
Now he's downplaying. What a pussy.
Man Guiliani
knows a lot about how cool he is.
They come here because we're occupying their country!
Yeah, I'd noticed how the United States was being routinely attacked by Iraqi terrorists angry at our occupation of their country.
Oh wait. That's never happened, ever. Sheesh, Paul's such a moonbat -- and he's probably the most famous libertarian in America right now, more's the pity.
"They've no right to be offended."
Would you call me unreasonable if I was offended by the phrase "Jewish moneylenders" (I am Jewish, btw)
50 k troops in Iraq permanently, that 's a given
Thompson says we'll stay as long as it takes, which is answering the question no.
No, it's not answering the question no, it's finessing the question. How long has it taken in Germany?
Ron Paul is a ticking time bomb, and sooner or later they have to call on him.
Makes it worth watching.
sorry the article about Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is here.
http://theweekdaily.com/news_opinion/briefing/28686/briefing_drowning_on_dry_land.html
And yes, I'll concede that there's a chance that he gave pieces of useful information, in addition to lots of false information. Despite this, torture is immoral, and it shouldn't be done by anyone to anyone.
Seriously, look at Fred's face. Do you want to look at that for the next 5 years?!
Good answer from McCain about Vice Prez duties and why Bush needed Cheney. McCain says he might rely on his VP for help using the internet and the phone. Aww.
Boring question. Who cares about how much power the VP has?
Lame.
darn, won't let me put the whole url in at once
http://theweekdaily.com/news_opinion/briefing
and then add in
28686/briefing_drowning_on_dry_land.html
Yay! A paranoid nutjob asks about Dick Cheney's hidden powers and implicitly, Halliburton and the control of the strings of Bushitler.
What a horrible debate.
Later, guys. I'm out. This is silly.
Great idea, Ann. Truly inspired.
Wow, Duncan Hunter put a giant cross in his ad. What pandering! How inappropriate.
Would you call me unreasonable if I was offended by the phrase "Jewish moneylenders" (I am Jewish, btw)
The terrorists are attacking us because they are Muslims.
Those Jews who work in finance are not, so far as I know, religiously motivated. Islamic terrorists are. That's why we call them "islamic terrorists".
Ann: "Thompson says we'll stay as long as it takes, which is answering the question no."
I disagree. That's a "yes" answer. Thompson said he would make an indefinite, open-ended commitment. That's the "yes" answer. Nobody actually wants a truly "permanent" commitment (300 years from now, we'd still be there, if there's still an America...)
How do you repair the Muslim imagine in the world?
Gad, again, what does this have to do with electing a Republican Nominee!
Who cares?! and the same with Water- boarding.
These are liberal concerns not conservative ones.
woo gays in the military
well, there's the gay question, if there wasn't one in the last few minutes.
I disagree. That's a "yes" answer.
It is not only a yes answer, but the only sensible yes answer. The alternatives would be either "leaving before we're done" or "staying longer than we've any reason to". The former would be a "no" answer and the latter would just be stupid.
I called it, I knew they'd hammer the "gay" question, and extra points to CNN for getting a retired Brig. Gen. to ask the question.
I am pro gays in the military and this should change soon.
Hunter says that recruits hate homos, what an ass.
May I never again hear the words "small, tight unit" during a discussion of Gays in the Military.
A big cross was a very public issue in San Diego.
Huck is smooth,
But no. Romney punts too.
Weak.
OMG!
Hunter thinks gays shouldn't serve because most troops are conservative homophobes! This is rich.
Romney wants to listen to the troops...the crowd boos. The general didn't get his answer, and he says it's ok for gays to serve. Snap!
now the candidates are getting lectured, as a democrat, I say, "you go general!"
A big cross was a very public issue in San Diego.
It still is.
Personally, I wasn't bothered much by the cross being on public land -- but the outright dishonesty and contempt for the law exhibited by its defenders has been absolutely infuriating.
Romney is really showing his skill in not answering questions.
CNN gives a commercial to the questioner.
Gays in the military. The question is from a retired general who is now openly gay.
But the candidates won't go there.
The general is in the audience and is asked if his question was answered. He proceeds to make a long speech, which is awkward, and Cooper has no skills at cutting that short gracefully.
McCain: DADT is working and should be continued.
CNN pushing the liberal agenda with the Gay General.
But thats too cynical, it was just a coincidence.
The retired gay brigadier general apparently smoked too many cigarettes while in the military.
In any event, the "unit cohesion" defense is just fine. Hunter's response made sense: if you severely risk overall recruitment numbers, then it's a problem. I also don't really understand the need to be openly gay in the military. You can't choose your haircut, either, or do a lot of independent things that reflect your lifestyle. It's the military.
Anderson Cooper surely has a thing for these gay questions.
Do they accept the support of the Log Cabin Republicans?
Huckabee: wants all the support he can get, but won't change his position on same-sex marriage.
"Outright dishonesty and contempt for the law exhibited by its defenders has been absolutely infuriating."
Doesn't surprise me that Hunter would pander to such people.
Did Fred just come out in favor of cutting entitlements? Romney weaseled on it.
Huck sounds totally coherent and then sends Hilly to Mars.
Wow, maybe Governors from Arkansas are a good idea.
Anderson Cooper surely has a thing for these gay questions.
That is because Anderson Cooper is gay.
"We can't afford everything, and going to Mars is one of those things."
Solid answer.
Can we get a man to Mars?
Huckabee: He doesn't care about Mars, but if other people want to do it, he'd like to put Hillary in that spaceship.
Tancredo: It's a big waste of $.
...maybe Hillary can be on the first rocket to Mars...
Are you kidding me? These are grown men, and they sound like my five-year-old.
Hurrah for Tancredo! Finally, some commonsense.
A young black man says blacks agree with a lot of the conservative principles, so why don't we vote for you?
Giuliani: School choice. Moving people off welfare.
Huckabee: A lot of black people voted for him in Arkansas. We'd better reach out to African-Americans.
laser72- "of course it's true that we were attacked by Islamic terrorists, but why use the phrase if it's offensive to muslims..."
See ZPS @ 8:31, re: what does it mean to win
If we don't talk clearly about who the enemy is, and what we're trying to accomplish, we inevitably end up in a moral fog.
We're fighting against an ideology. If we're too afraid to even name it, we might as well all grow beards or put on burqhas, because you can't win a war of ideologies without presenting competing ideas.
Silly confederate flag question.
That's the worst question so far.
I don't think Romney really understands John Edwards "2 America" metaphor.
Course a MA governor comes from a state where a very high percentage died fighting against that flag.
A Texas guy asks them what the confederate flag means to them.
Romney is openly hostile to it. "We can go beyond that kind of stuff.... We are not two Americas.... We do not need that kind of divisive talk."
Thompson: A lot of people who hang the flag are not racist, but it hurts a lot of people, and "as a nation" we shouldn't favor it.
Paul's commercial is good. It features the candidate haranguing people. He does that well.
Paul's video was about perfect for him.
Sweet, but hopeless.
"If we don't talk clearly about who the enemy is, and what we're trying to accomplish, we inevitably end up in a moral fog.:
Clint- would it be ok to talk about people who bomb abortion clinics as "Christian terrorists"?
I think the flag question was a good choice because it challenged the candidate to distance themselves from that young man without alienating peole like that.
When this started, I said "Who the flying f**k is Duncan Hunter?" Now I'm sorry that I've found out.
If anything makes us look like an embarrassment, it's DADT, but that's up to Congress to fix I think.
laser72, I wish you'd stick around. We need some coherent, intelligent democrats commenting here.
McCain does a nice job of shaking his Sharpie and vowing to veto every porkbarrel project.
I drive on a wonderful brand new freeway that takes me to LA, cutting about 20 minutes off the drive.
Great new bridges. Wonderful on and off ramps.
What's the infrastructure problem?
Giuliani- "I beat Bill Clinton" (in the Supreme Court)- umm... who hasn't beaten Bill Clinton in the Supreme Court?
"So, the fellow who just asked the Republican candidates about Don't Ask, Don't Tell, retired Brigader General Keith Kerr, is a member of Hillary Clinton's campaign for the Presidency."
Huh. I'm sure that CNN disclosed that.
Giuliani constantly says that the line-item veto is unconstitutional. That's true. But the President of the United States can push for a constitutional amendment. So, the question before RG is whether such an amendment is a good idea. More than 30 states confer this power on governors.
Too bad. Rudy's playing Constitutional lawyer - bad politics.
OK I'm voting for Ron Paul.
Ha
Giuliani beat off Clinton in the Supreme Court?! What?!
palladian- thanks for the compliment, but I'm not often interested in arguing with conservatives on the internet. When I am though, I'll be sure to stop over here.
Every time I listen to Romney, I want to hit my head until he makes sense. Only a concussion would make that possible.
Nice ending on the baseball theme.
Giulianii did a great job of explaining why he rooted for the Red Sox.
Hey, so did you like the comments live-blog?
McCain wants line item veto? Did he miss a memo? Lawyers here, is this possible? Does he regard the Constitution as plastic?
"I think the flag question was a good choice because it challenged the candidate to distance themselves from that young man without alienating people like that."
So more of the 'how they answer' than 'what they answer'. That makes sense.
"palladian- thanks for the compliment, but I'm not often interested in arguing with conservatives on the internet."
Neither am I, but I don't think that happens here as much as other places. Or at least I wish it wouldn't.
Maybe that's the problem, all the smart, reasonable liberals and conservatives have better things to do.
Cooper promises no "horserace" discussion in post-debate analysis. Umm... anyone think that'll happen?
"Hey, so did you like the comments live-blog?"
Yes! Much more interactive and quick...
Yes, it was a good idea. Use the technology. Work it. Work it.
yep- within 2 or 3 minutes, they talk about "first attack ad"
Huckabee won...and I don't agree with him on every issue.
"palladian- thanks for the compliment, but I'm not often interested in arguing with conservatives on the internet. When I am though, I'll be sure to stop over here."
I think he was talking about discussing rather than arguing. You're probably the one of the first liberals who actually provided links to support his statements rather than insults here in quite awhile.
Enjoyed the comments live-blog. Was about to turn off the debate and this kept me watching. Thanks for hosting, Ann!
My conclusion. Romney did poor. Huckabee did a great job of presenting who he is. Like him or not you know who you're getting.
Giuliani didn't stand out. Thompson had some good moments, and definitely stood out at the beginning. I think he's much better at longer more detailed formats, while Romney seems stretched to say even what this format needs.
Hunter and Tancredo need to drop out. They are filler.
Ron Paul is interesting because he's supposedly the candidate that will push the others, but they mostly just dismiss him. I really valued his seeming commitment not to run as an independent. He will have a larger voice in the GOP after this and will make more, and valuable, difference in other issues besides the Iraq war if he stays true to the party.
So more of the 'how they answer' than 'what they answer'.
Well, it's also about how they will campaign. The two leading Democratic candidates are Obama and Clinton, both who will likely surge black turnout. Bush won by siphoning off black votes in Ohio on the gay marriage issue. It matters that the Republican candidate will reject racism and expand the party by reaching out to blacks and hispanics. That cuts into the racial appeals that Democrats make to keep blacks and hispanics voting Democratic.
Hey, so did you like the comments live-blog?
Great idea -- just wish I could type (and think!) faster.
Thanks Jeff... you did ask for a cite, otherwise I would have let it go. I'm not fan of the insult tossing, either, for the most part.
You know, this was the best debate for Republicans.
The diversity of answers, the division, the strong positions by McCain on torture, Paul on war, Giuliani on immigration, Romney was on fire, but he did well countering the criticism.
I feel Republicans are losing favor with Rudy Giuliani, I could be wrong but I sense a shifting in the polls coming up.
And, Fred, you were definitely the tallest man on the stage.
Hey, that guy from Davenport--Mark Strauss--gets attention for yet another video.
Although interested in politics before, he got really into the whole thing, as the story goes, after getting into an argument with Mitt Romney last year and kicking him off his property.
"Clint- would it be ok to talk about people who bomb abortion clinics as "Christian terrorists"?"
Not Clint, but yes, it would be ok, if they did it for religious motives.
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