Here's my take on the debate, typed in real time....
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
Question 1: Illegal immigration
Giuliani gave a reasonable response, and Romeny nailed him on it, prompting the audience to explode in applause. But Giuliani returned serious fire, claiming that Romney employed illegals in the governor's mansion. Romney claimed it was the fault of the contractors he hired, and that he as a "homeowner" shouldn't have to go out and check the papers of people with "funny accents." You'll need to watch the highlights on this - there were some serious fireworks here.
Question 2: Illegal Immigration + Sanctuary Cities
A dark shadowy figure asks on behalf of those in Mexico and Canada waiting to come to the US illegally: Will you pledge to veto any immigration reform that includes amnesty?
Thompson gave a lengthy but relatively uninteresting answer, until he took a subtle shot at Giuliani about Kerik. Then he took a subtle shot at Giuliani about frivolous lawsuits. The lines could have been good, but they weren't very well delivered, which is odd for an actor.
Giuliani responded with another "NYC wasn't a sanctuary city, even though I had the city of NYC to block the anti-sanctuary city law."
McCain's answer was an adult answer to the question, and one that reminds me of what happens when people take serious issues seriously. His answer isn't likely to win him many votes among the GOP base, but I have to give him credit for being honest.
Question 3: Illegal Immigration + Guest Worker Progrmas
It was addressed to Tancraedo, and he used his answer to show that he's nuts. No more immigration. Shut down the borders. Close them down entirely. But again he gets credit for honesty. The question was from a small business owner who said his small business needed guest workers, and he didn't care. He wasn't going to pander on this. Well done, nutter!
Question 4: Illegal Immigration + Schools
If you don't believe yet that Huckabee is for real, go watch his answer. I'm not even going to comment on it. Just go watch it. And watch though Romey's attempt at a response, and Huckabee's response to him.
SMALL GOVERNMENT CONSERVATISM????
Question 5: Ron Paul + North America Union myths
He admits to believing in the North America Union conspiracy like the EU. He just suggests it isn't a conspiracy but a battle of ideas. He is against international regimes and for nationalism, and "our national sovreigety is under threat." He is, in short, crazy.
Question 6: What about the Children? What about the Debt?
McCain just sounds so...sad. But he'd use Reagan's veto pen, so that got him some serious applause. And Giuliani wants to use technology to cut the size of government by 20%. He wants one person to do the job of three using technology
Question 7: Tax and Spend Republicans? Name 3 programs you'd cut.
Ron Paul wants to get rid of the dEpts. of Education, Energy, and Homeland Security. Huckabee wants to get rid of the IRS by shifting to a "fair" tax. He won numerous rounds of applause
Question 8: Eliminate the Income Tax and Replace it With a national Sales tax ("Fair Tax")?
McCain used the answer to attack Ron Paul by saying that his brand of isolationsim is what allowed Hitler to take over Europe. Oh boy. McCain used the H word.
Question 9: Grover Norquist asks candidates to make a "no new taxes" pledge
Everyone ran around proudly procliming that they had signed "Grover's pledge." Except for Thompson and McCain, who don't pledge anything to anyone over than the Amerircan people.
Question 10: Corn Subsidies. Will You Pledge to End Farm Subsidies?
Romney claims that farm subsidies are a naitonal security issue. And that our farmers are operating at a subsidy disadvantage to those in the EU and Brazil. You've got to be kidding me.
UNEXPECTED QUESTIONS
Question 11: Unexpectedly A.C. Asks Giuliani about Politico's Story
Giuliani says he knows nothing about the recordkeeping, and that if something went wrong, he didn't know about it. That was one hell of a non-denial denial. Wow. Mark my words - this issue is going to hanut his campaign.
Question 12: Lead Toys From China. What Will You Do To Make Sure Toys Are Safe and Made in America?
Hunter used this as a chnance to talk about how the Chinese are using our money to buy missiles, and to remind people that they should "buy American this christmas" so that our boys coming home from Iraq can find jobs. Erm...OK. Someone want to put together a list of toys made in America? I promise you it will fit on a few short pages.
Question 13: Unexpectedly.
They showed Fred Thompson's "campaign style" clip, and it was nothing but an attack on Romney and Huckabee. Romney gave a "I was wrong" answer to his past stance on abortion. Huckabee gave a serious and sober answer, until the end, when he delivered a joke impliying that he's out in front. It wasn't very funny.
THE SECOND AMENDMENT
Question 14: The Right to Bear Arms + Gun Control
After the questioner threatened to shoot anyone whose answer he didn't like, Hunter scolded him for throwing his gun. Very odd question. Very odd answer
Question 15: Giuliani, why should citizens be required to pass an exam to own a gun?
Points to Giuliani for saying that government can impose "reaonsable regulations" on gun ownership. He got booed, He then said he'd live by the upcoming SCOTUS decision, and that the Second Amendment has nothing to do with the militias arms. I wonder...has he read the Second Amendment?
Question 16: Tell Us About Your Gun Collection
This is a pathetic and sad question
Question 17: What are you going to do about inner city, "black on black" crime
Romney wants kids to have "a mom and a dad." We need to go back to those values, particularly in the black community, and we need to fix education, and policing.
But Giuliani's answer really takes the cake. He said that what he did in NYC was precisely what the man who asked the question would want. Dialo anyone? Hello?
RELIGION AND ABORTION
Question 18: Abortion - If Abortion is Illegal, How Should We Punich Women and Their Doctors
Ron Paul says it should be up to the states, and not have a "federal abortion police." Thompson wants overturning Roe v. Wade to be "our #1 focus."
Question 19: Abortion - If Roe was overturned and Congress passed a federal ban, would you sign it?
Rudy says no, leave it to the states. So does Romney. [Could someone please tell me how federalism is defending life?]
Question 20: Christian Conservatives - "The Death Penalty. What Would Jesus Do?"
The crowd groaned. Then Hucklabee gave another answer that shows why he's going to win this nomination. You need to watch this answer, too. And watch for the shot that shows Romney watching his response. He knows Huckabee is nailing the answer. And then Cooper pressed him on Jesus, and Huckabee nailed the response.
Question 21: Do You Believe Every Word of the Bible?
The crowd laughed and then applauded. Giuliani then gave a reasonable answer that is bound to lose him tons of votes. He doesn't believe it in the literal sense, because some of it is allegorical. romney, however, believes it is "the Word of God," he doesn't disagree with it, but he then fumbled badly on the literal question. And then Huckabee delivered a sermon to the masses. And although it terrifies me that we have a presidential candidate who thinks it appropriate to deliver a sermon, its the thrid example of the night showing why Huckabee is going to win this whole thing. His answer is precisely what the GOP base wants. And Romney's fumble? Oh my.
FOREIGN POLICY
Question 22: A Woman in a Hijab asks about the damage the Iraq War has done to the image of America in the Muslim world
Giuliani says the most important thing is to "remain on offense" against the small group who have "defiled their religion." [Oh Goodie! A Religious War!] And remember what I said on 9/11 - don't engage in group blame. Way to not address the question about the War in Iraq.
McCain says that to fix it we must continue the surge and win the war. The Dems want to set a date for surrender. We can't do that! Rumsfeld was bad! I'm good! I was right! I fought in battle!
Hunter will never apologize for the USA. Because apparently we can never do anything wrong.
Question 23: Waterboarding. How can anyone disagree with McCain given his experience?
Romney says presidential candidates cannot discuss specific methods, so he can't talk about whether or not waterboarding is torture. Although he is opposed to torutre. But he does want more people to have to go through what Khalid Shaik Mohammad went through. We apparently need more CIA toruture
McCain gave a great answer, and he was clearly shaken to discuss it, and Romney laughed at him. And then claimed he can't discuss specific techniques, to which McCain then correctly responded: your position means we would have to withdraw from the Geneva Conventions. "This is What Amerirca is All About."
Question 24: Will You Pledge to make a Permanant Commitment to the People of Iraq?
Thompson is worried about millions of terrorists "brining America down." Iran is a threat. Could someone please explain to me when this country became so weak? America is going to fall to the jihadis.
McCain and Paul then got into a battle about how lost Vietnam. And McCain claimed that they are goiing to follow us home if we leave Iraq, impling that Iraq is somehow keeping them from travelling on airplanes.
Question 25: Rudy, Are You Using 9/11 to get into the White House?
Rudy says look at my whole record, including what I did for Haiti. And Florida. And the thousands of mafia members I locked up. And to reduce abortions.
Question 26: A cartoon Cheney asks, "Will You Grant Your VP As Much Power As I've Had."
Thomspon got off a good joke, and then embraced Cheney's "dual role" nonsense. And then rambled on. "He should have that authority the president gives him." McCain says that 9/11 made Bush rely on Cheney, and that his VP should be a telecomm expert. OK.
HOMOSEXUALITY
Question 27: A Ret. Brig. Gen and Openly Gay Man asks why people think "American men and women in uniform are not professional enough to serve with gays and lesbians." And to top it off, the Brig Gen. was in the audience.
Hunter says no, because most members of the military are conservatives, and we can't force them to work in a "small, tight unti" with openly homosexual people. Ahem.
Huckabee focused on conduct.
Romney flip flopeed. He once said he looked forward to the day when people could be openly gay. Today he says "we're at war, and it isn't that time." One wonders what he previously thought our military was for if not for fighting wars. And there was terror in his eyes as AC pressed him on it.
And then the Brig Gen gave a speech on how bad our policy is for the military. And the crowd booed and hissed him down. If that doesn't show you everything you need to know about the GOP, nothing will. The man served for 40 years, and he was booed for expressing his opinion.
Question 28: Log Cabin Republicans
Huckabee says he disagrees with them, but he's happy to have their support because he doesn't have to agree with everyone about everything.
ECONOMY
Question 29: The Debt + The Social Security Trust Fund
I'm so tired of the Social Security disinformation campaign that I can't blog about this. These people don't know what they are talking about. The questioner doesn't know what he is talking about. There is no SocSec crisis. There is a health care spending crisis.
Question 30: JFK put a man on the moon in 7 minutes. Will We Go To Mars by 2020?
Huh? I'm not blogging this one either. There were 5000+ questions and they picked this one? Wait...Huckabee just said he wants to send Hillary to Mars. OK. that's brilliant.
Question 31: African Americas are conservaitve, yet we vote "democrat." Why don't we vote for you?
Giuliani says they haven't done a good enough job pointing out that the GOP philosophy is best for minorities. Huh? And moving people off welfare will do it? Does Giuliani not realize how much African Americans in NYC hate him? Is he really that dense?
Huckabee says that he won nearly 50% of the vote of African Americans in his state because from day one he reaced out to everyone.
Question 32: A kid with a texas and confederate flag in the background asks, what does the "stars and bars mean"
Romeny doesn't recognize the flag and won't get involved in it, but its not the flag this country should fly, and we should reach out to all Americans, and there aren't two Americas, and Democrats are divind us, and the flag is divisive and it shouldn't be shown.
Thompson recognizes that some people think its racist, some don't, and as a result it sholdn't be flown in public places. We don't need to go out of our way bringing up things that are bad for people.
Question 33: Dr. Campbell asks aout infrastructure. $2 trillion. Do you have a plan for how we will sacrifice?
Rudy says I did this in NYC, and it will need a succession of presidents and a separate accounting for long-term budgeting. Paul says no sacrifice is needed, just get government out of our wallets. McCain says he needs a line-item veto, and he'll make sure there's no pork.
Question 34: Ron Paul, Yuo Can't Win, So Will You Go Independet in the General? Don't Let America Down!
Paul gave what AC took as a no, but it really was a dodge
Question 35: Rudy, you are a Yankees fan. How could you root for the Red Sox?
I root for the American League, and I always have. Romeny hates the Yankess.
And that was that.
My immediate reaction? Huckabee won the night. Romney stumbled badly. Giuliani neither stumbled nor distinguished himself. McCain seems sad and forlorn. Paul rallied his base, but didn't win any new fans. And the rest....remind me who they were again?
I'll see if I still think that way in the AM.
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