Republican Presidential Candidate Debate #1~ Reagan Library 05/03/07 - Official Discussion Thread

[CounterCounterCulture]

Republican Presidential Candidate Debate #1 – Reagan Library 05/03/07 - Official Discussion Thread

• Sam Brownback
• Jim Gilmore
• Rudy Giuliani
• Mike Huckabee
• Duncan Hunter
• John McCain
• Mitt Romney
• Ron Paul
• Tom Tancredo
• Tommy Thompson

  The debate will take place at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, and will air live on MSNBC from 8:00 to 9:30 pm (ET) and stream live on MSNBC.com and politico.com and will include audience questions gathered on politico.com.

[CounterCounterCulture]

Romney did quite well for himself last night.

Take care,

~ Alan

[George W. Bush]

However, Rooty`s support for abortion was exposed in all its glory.

Exactly which position was it that he had last night? He was so confused by his own contradictions and at least five different flipflops he's had on taxpayer-funded abortion and the Hyde Amendment that he no longer seems to remember his last statement on the subject. One of the PMSNBC factcheckers (an obnoxious twit) did manage to unearth all his contradictions on the subject over the years and in recent months. It was an amazing record.

What's Rudy's abortion position? May as well ask what phase of the moon it is. But phases of the moon are at least consistent and predictable, an attribute Rudy seems incapable of. I'm starting to enjoy how his beady little eyes almost start tearing up and how he stammers and starts lisping when the subject is raised about the extent of his decades-long enthusiastic support for the murder of the unborn. NARAL's Champion Of Choice™ turns out to be a weak sister indeed. And that undermines every claim he has made to bold leadership on other issues.

We're going to rip him to shreds publicly if he isn't smart enough to quit. Hey, Rudi, we'll all fake some sympathy if you choose to fake another bout of prostate cancer!

So, RM, will Rudi lose more or less than 5% of his national support in polling later this week? I'm thinking his support has to soften. I'm leaning toward predicting he loses at least 7% of his supposed support with Romney gobbling up 3-4% and McStain getting maybe 2%. Hunter, FThompson and uncommitteds get the rest.

---

Ah, the prospect of Giuliani roadkill on the road to the White House. What a sweet sweet thing it is to ponder.

[conservative blonde]

Mitt Romney did very well last night. I think he was the hands down winner. He was articulate and witty as well as expressing the conservative viewpoint on issue after issue. Besides all that, he looked presidential. He certainly left JulieAnnie in the dust, while McCain looked like the proverbial deer in the headlights.

[conservative blonde]

I was very impressed with Mitt Romney last night during the “debate.” I think he looked great and sounded conservative on issue after issue. Yes, he is a decent family man just like GW Bush. He is more articulate than GW and witty too like the Gipper. He was the best in the GOP group last night. Now if Fred decides to run, it might be an interesting development.

[Reagan Man]

Its tough predicting. An astute observer of US politics might say, Rooty`s overall support should drop off based on his poor perfromance last night. OTOH. A look at Drudges poll shows Rudy second to Romney! Go figure.

One thing is bound to happen. Support among pro-life conservatives will definitely drop off. No doubt about that. If anyone picks up support it would be Romney.

[calcowgirl]

During the debate, I was so amazed that Rudy ducked the Christianity question that I missed the content of his response. He went back to the question about Schwarzenegger and the future of the Republican Party... "downplaying partisanship and taking centrist positions."

-------------------------------------

MR. MATTHEWS: Mayor Giuliani, I have to ask you the next question. Has the increased influence of Christian conservatives in your party been good for it?

MR. GIULIANI: Sure, the increased influence of large numbers of people are always good for us.

I'd like to go back to the earlier question that you asked, because I think it really is important that we, you know, define the Republican party to fit today. And neither party has a monopoly on virtue or vice. That's just a fallacy that we sometimes fall into.

And if we're going to win and we're going to govern after we win, we have to reach out, bring in Democrats, bring in independents. I ran a city that was five-to-one Democratic, and I was able to -- according to George Will, I ran the most conservative government in the last 50 years in New York City, reduced crime, reduced welfare, balanced the budget and lowered taxes 23 times.

MR. MATTHEWS: Time, Mr. Mayor, it's time.

MR. GIULIANI: And I had 45 Democrats and I think six Republicans. MR. MATTHEWS: Okay.

[Reagan Man]

You know well. Schwarzy and his moderate-centrist-liberal politics has further undermined the state GOP and left the few conservatives in the California, like Tom McClintock, out in the cold. Like Arnie, Rooty can’t be trusted. No liberal should be trusted. I got a fit for Rooty. Its called the Democratic Party.

[juliej]

His name is OVERBITE - you have to get it straight!

[Liz]

Rudy Giuliani: “For New York city, I support gun control and government funded abortions. Everywhere else, I oppose it, except for a few big liberal cities that also want it. But no in rural areas opposed to it.”

MEMO TO ROOTY: You seem to forget---you live in the USA---not in some Third World banana republic. You don't get to decide which laws apply to which Americans. The US Constitution applies to ALL Americans.

[juliej]

Rudy shot himself in the foot over abortion - the “I hate abrtion but I support Roe v. Wade and I don’t care if it stays the law of the land” will not fly. He really, really clobbered himself.

[juliej]

I like Mitt. A Fred Thompson/Mitt ticket might not be bad.

[Reagan Man]

>>>> ... according to George Will, I ran the most conservative government in the last 50 years in New York City, reduced crime, reduced welfare, balanced the budget and lowered taxes 23 times.

"George Will.....most conservative".... YADA YADA YADA YADA.... FULLA BULLA

[Reagan Man]

Being an authoritarian Rooty figures he can do what he wants, when he wants and to who he wants.

Rooty`s about to have a rude awakening.

[George W. Bush]

In the News/Activism forum, on a thread titled Republican Presidential Candidate Debate #1~ Reagan Library 05/03/07 - Official Discussion Thread, conservative blonde wrote:

I'm still supporting Ron Paul. But I think it may turn out to be a Thompson/Romney race. Given that they have common campaign experts who have been seen consulting, it may be that they'll end up on the same ticket. I suspect they have made a private deal to never attack one another, just in case.

I think either could defeat Hitlery easily. I think McStain will befuddle himself and prove he's too old. I think Rudy will, well, you saw that performance for yourself last night. Pathetic is too kind a word. And that was the most RINOish audience he could have hoped for. Complete flop along with his usual flipflops. Sad, sad, sad.

Too early to commit anyway. But Mitt made a great showing. He's an able man and an attractive candidate in many ways.

[George W. Bush]

MEMO TO ROOTY: You seem to forget---you live in the USA---not in some Third World banana republic. You don't get to decide which laws apply to which Americans. The US Constitution applies to ALL Americans.

Not so fast, Liz.

Using the reasoning of strict-constructionist Justice Giuliani, could we then eliminate freedom of speech for all RINOs from the state of New York? After all, if the Second can vary from state to state, then why can't the First? The language and application by the Founders and early Courts applies equally to both. And maybe Mitt could advocate for making Mormonism the only official religion of Utah (well, like it isn't already, heh-heh).

For a lawyer, Giuliani is remarkably dishonest. Or just a lot dumber than he's given credit for. Personally, I'd bet Mitt could mop the floor with him in a court of law. I think Harvard Law still beats city colleges.

[George W. Bush]

MR. GIULIANI: Sure, the increased influence of large numbers of people are always good for us.

Yeah, but he had that sick look on his face that told us he knew it wouldn't be good for him!!!

Bwahahahahahahaha!!!!

[George W. Bush]

"George Will.....most conservative"

Most cringe-worthy moment of the night. Well, after that deer-in-the-headlights abortion question where I thought they'd have to send in the Secret Service to protect the other candidates from Rudi whiplashing himself all over the stage, trying desperately to find the magic code phrase to make his genocidal policies acceptable to Christians and other moral individuals.

[Guenevere]

Thanks!...Just wondering!

I was so impressed with his choice of location for the library....and the library itself
...simply lovely & serene with a quiet beauty....

REAL....like Reagan.

[Eric Blair 2084]

I wasn't here last night on FR. Those darn work and family obligations again. Sorry about that. Since I speak fluent Campaign Jibberish, please allow me to translate. Starting but not ending with Rudy:

Bold type indicates what they really meant:

MR. MATTHEWS: In the NBC-Wall Street Journal poll, just 22 percent believe this country is on the right track.

Mayor Giuliani, how do we get back to Ronald Reagan’s "morning in America"?

What Softball questions for Dim candidate Chris meant was: Why these suckers agreed to appear on the left wing PMSNBC is beyond me. They would have been better off running to the hairdresser like John Edwards did when they asked him to appear on a FOX debate. As a Socialist, they had to figure that my first question out of the gate would be something negative to appeal to idiots that live in the greatest country that has ever existed on the Planet Earth, but are still not happy and call themselves Progressive and want to change everything.

MR. GIULIANI: You get back to it with an optimism. The same situation that I faced in New York City. When I became mayor of New York City, 65-70 percent thought New York City was going on the wrong track. And what I did was I set policies and programs of growth, of moving people toward prosperity, security, safety.

And what we can borrow from Ronald Reagan, since we are in his library, is that great sense of optimism that he had. He led by building on the strengths of America, not running America down. And we’re a country that people love to come to. They want to come to this country. We’re the shining city on the hill.

What Rudy meant was: Damn it. Why do they pick on me? Just because I am/was leading in the polls? I don't have any answer other than to talk in general terms and mention Ronald Reagan 34 times in one paragraph. If that fails I will have to bring up 9/11 more times than John Kerry brought up his service in Vietnam. Alright, optimism, glass half full, yada, yada, Reagan, Reagan, Reagan, Reagan, cliche, cliche, cliche yada, yada, yada.

[calcowgirl]

MR. GIULIANI: Sure, the increased influence of large numbers of people are always good for us.

And then he went on to avoid responding to the question of Christians, instead opening his arms to Democrats and Independents and how we need to "define the Republican party to fit today."

Hey, Rudy! How about this? The party is already defined--and it is YOU who don't fit!