Tag Archive for 'presidential debates'

CNN GOP Presidential Debate

Okay, so I caved and watched the debate last night. I wasn't going to because I am so thoroughly disgusted that voters in the early states have seemingly forgotten what a Republican is supposed to look and act like.

I'm glad I did though because it really cemented the reasons why I cannot and will not vote for John McCain. In the coming weeks and months when all sorts of pressure builds up to defeat whoever the Democrats choose, it will be quite easy to stand firm and not cast a vote in support of someone so repugnant.

McCain started out the evening claiming to be a federalist. Since when? Clearly Mr. McCain needs to be handed a copy of the 10th Amendment and have a reread. In fact, based on his record, I am not sure he even knows that there is a 10th Amendment in the United States Constitution.

He continued on to claim that there are those on Wall Street that should be punished for their greed. Why is it that liberals never realize where America's true strength comes from? Capitalism and our free markets are the backbone of our society. It allows us to be one of the richest, most prosperous nations on earth. Yet liberals, like McCain, are constantly inciting class warfare for their own personal and political gain.

And on that note, McCain's military service does not exclude him from being judged on his behavior. Mitt is no less patriotic because he led in business than John is because he led in the military. It is completely disgraceful that he would insinuate otherwise through his insulting line about leading for patriotism and not for profit.

Anderson Cooper, who surprisingly did a bang up job in the moderation chair, held McCain's feet to the fire and all but called him a liar to his face regarding his outright distortions of Mitt Romney's statements regarding support of the surge in Iraq. In all the smugness he could muster, the straight talker (yeah, right!) continued to cling to his lie.


Hat Tip: Hot Air for clip

The really striking thing for me throughout the debate was the CNN live tracker of the focus group. They clearly disliked McCain and he remained at the 50 percent range all night with only downward spikes into the 30 percent range to change it up a bit. However, Mitt Romney had a great response from this group. He would often spike to the 80-90 percent range and rarely ever dipped below 70 percent.

Mitt Romney won the debate. He was solid the entire night. However, I don't know if it was a good enough performance to derail McRINO. He had several chances last night to land some crushing blows, but did not make the effort. In life, that is the decent thing to do. In politics, against an opponent that plays dirty like McCain does that is an entirely different matter. But we shall see on Tuesday if his message got through. I hope it does because I am now entirely convinced that John McCain is not fit to be President of the United States.

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South Carolina And The Dems Death Match

I missed tonight's debate in South Carolina between Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and Silky Pony.

But I am catching up on the YouTube clips as fast I can. The gloves really came off and fists were flying!

In this clip Obama clotheslines Hillary for sitting on the board of WalMart and then Hillary body slams Obama for shilling for a slum lord.

Go to Hot Air to see more of this insanely good debate in a no holds barred Death Match.

This was a steel cage match starring The Destined One and Obamessiah. The Breck Girl was one of the Divas standing outside the ring. Obama even commiserates at one point with him about his not even being invited to the match.

And it looks like Nader is considering jumping in too.

The 2008 Presidential Race is now officially the Royal Rumble.

UPDATE: CNN is re-running the debate right now. I will TiVo and update this post tomorrow with more thoughts and some clips of my own.

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FOX GOP Presidential Debate

If I could have one impact on all future debates, other than them letting Fred Thompson actually have some time to speak, would be that the name of Ronald Reagan could not be mentioned by anyone. I want to throw up a little every time they do it. The only one even remotely qualified to use his name (Fred!), being the actual conservative, uses it the least.

Mike Huckabee, for the second night in a row, was a disaster. He refused to answer some very direct questions on policy that have a very direct bearing on whether he should be President of the United States. I am pro-life, pro-marriage, pro-prayer in schools. But this guy will NEVER get my vote. He is a pro-life Jimmy Carter.

John McCain
cannot tell the truth on amnesty (by whatever name you want to call it - illegals allowed to stay in this country and profit from their illegal behavior IS amnesty) or border security.

Rudy Guliani didn't want to be there. It was just free television for his campaign. He isn't even in the race until Florida.

Mitt Romney
sure does look presidential. I have to give him that. I like his plan for illegal immigration. I like that he isn't part of the class warfare agenda that the *cough* populist *cough* candidate is running on. Corporations in this country are part of our strength in the world. Capitalism and a free market economy are what allows America to remain the best nation in the world. I have no doubt about that.

Fred Thompson, when actually asked a question, gives very good answers based on sound conservative principles. I would have no problem turning over the keys to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to him. He even touted a plan for saving social security. That took serious gravitas. I hope and pray that South Carolina is the state that turns this thing around for him. He needs a big win and he needs it soon.

I am 100% for Fred! He is far and away THE conservative choice in this race. But I think tonight's debate may have made me move in the direction of accepting Mitt Romney as a secondary candidate. I don't like that he is so driven by polling and that he has seemingly changed his positions in his run for the presidency. But if he would govern as he has campaigned thus far I might have to reconsider my write in option if Fred! fails to catch some momentum.

Hot Air has some of the best clips from tonight's debate and really illustrate Huckabee's lack of fundamental understanding of the economy and then there is the Fred! stance on immigration that should become United States policy.

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ABC/Facebook GOP Presidential Debate

Fred Thompson. I have to hand the win for the GOP debate to Fred! He was clearly the only seasoned adult on the stage. He had clear, concise answers to all questions. He largely sat back and let the others get down into the mud. I especially loved him continuing to hammer the point home that illegal immigrants allowed to stay in this country are being rewarded for their illegal behavior. I completely support his position of attrition - take away their jobs by cracking down on employers that willfully hire them, deny them welfare benefits and they have no reason to stay. They can return to their home nations and apply for entry into this country legally just like every other immigrant does.

Mitt Romney. I never expected to like Mitt Romney as much as I did last night (even as he was being pummeled by everyone else). He is the most viral candidate in the history of this nation - plug in some polling data and you can change his position on virtually anything. I am an idealist. I want to believe in the candidate that I vote for. Romney is far too focus group led for me to give him a vote.

John McCain. I trust John McCain on issues of national security. But the trust ends there because I think John McCain is a liar on pretty much everything else. He lied during the debate itself when he suddenly found himself supporting border security. He lied during the debate when he said he never supported amnesty. I remember 2000 and his attack on evangelicals. I remember the Gang of 14. I will never vote for this man to be President of the United States.

Rudy Guliani. Rudy Guliani will forever have my respect for his leadership in the wake of 9/11. He was the right man to lead that city in those times. But I cannot forget that he is a liberal. And I really didn't like him invoking Ronald Reagan's name last night as if he were being paid for the amount of times he could fit it in. He isn't conservative enough to invoke Reagan's name for his own benefit.

Mike Huckabee. If anyone had told me even 2 years ago that a pro-life former Baptist minister would be one of the least attractive candidates for President to me, I would have been quite indignant. Yet, here I am. Mike Huckabee would be disastrous for this country. He may be a conservative on social issues (pro-life, marriage) but he is not a conservative on any other issue. He is a rube. And my take on his performance in last night's debate was that he was out of his league. He behaved like a petulant child willing to sling zingers but was very light on anything that even appeared presidential.

Ron Paul. Clown.

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