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GOP Dark Horses Fail To Gallop In Debate
The Politico/CBS News ^ | May 4, 2007 | Mike Murphy

Posted on 05/04/2007 9:01:44 AM PDT by presidio9

Despite the 100 laptops urgently typing away here in the press room, it’s hard to say much really happened tonight at the first Republican presidential primary debate.

The early campaign's Big Three — McCain, Romney and Rudy — all performed well and avoided any deadly mistakes.

None of the dark horse candidates broke through, although several performed credibly and probably increased interest in their campaigns.

Each of the Big Three had their strong moments.

John McCain made the biggest strategic move of the night, reaching back out to the center with a blunt appraisal of the Bush administration’s many mistakes in the Iraq war and expressing strong support for stem cell research.

While these issues are not GOP primary orthodoxy, McCain is never going to be the perfect Republican base candidate. By reaching back to his reformist, centrist roots, a feisty McCain clearly is making a move to reconnect with independent voters.

I think this is a shrewd move, because the authentic McCain is the most impressive McCain to voters, even conservative primary voters.

After a troubling several weeks, McCain is showing his campaign can adjust and improve.

Rudy Giuliani integrated his record of New York City successes into current national problems. But his performance was not as strong as his polling position.

Mitt Romney was smooth and probably won some new admirers for his presidential style.

That said, each had a stumble or two.

McCain had a Yosemite Sam moment early in the debate as he vowed to deposit Osama bin Laden into the gates of hell.

Rudy got tied up in the sharp end of abortion politics with a cloudy answer about his position on Roe v. Wade. He’ll need to get a lot crisper to survive the campaign.

Mitt Romney fumbled a bit on a very predictable question about his evolution on the abortion issue, essentially repeating his answer twice in an awkward loop.

Among the other candidates, Sam Brownback had a particularly strong night. He talked with passion and elegance about the social issues that are the backbone of his candidacy.

Surprisingly, Congressman Tom Tancredo didn’t hammer the powerful immigration issue.

The bottom line: 90 minutes, 10 candidates, no knockouts, no big changes.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: debate; giuliani; presidentialdebate; romney
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To: ClearCase_guy

>GOP Dark Horses Fail to Gallop in Debate<

Because the “gates” were never opened.


41 posted on 05/04/2007 12:57:40 PM PDT by Paperdoll ( Duncan Hunter '08)
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To: NapkinUser
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.

42 posted on 05/04/2007 1:00:16 PM PDT by Liz (Hunter: For some candidates, a conservative constituency is an inconvenience. For me, it is my hope.)
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To: HoustonTech
Ask Ron Paul a question about an issue. You knew that is what was being talked about.
He will give you the same answer time after time.

As for Scooter Libby going to jail, you might ask the court that jailed him why they found him guilty.
Ron Paul has the right to his opinion just like everyone else, you and I included.

Personally, I find Ron Paul's steadfastness on issues to be comforting in todays flip flop world.
That doesn't mean I agree 100% with 100% of Ron Paul's views.

43 posted on 05/04/2007 1:20:40 PM PDT by Just another Joe (Warning: FReeping can be addictive and helpful to your mental health)
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To: presidio9
McCain, Romney and Rudy — all performed well wishfull thinking for McCain and Giuliani. Romney moped the floor with them based on performance. Hunter kills them all on substance.
44 posted on 05/04/2007 1:50:18 PM PDT by showme_the_Glory (No more rhymes, and I mean it! ..Anybody want a peanut.....)
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To: NapkinUser

It's called a joke son.

(it was a referrence to the fact that I once had a traumatic experience with an Arkansas Governor who became president)

45 posted on 05/04/2007 2:01:06 PM PDT by presidio9 (Islam is as Islam does.)
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To: NapkinUser

Sounds like a campaign slogan: “Rudy, the new John Effing Kerry!”


46 posted on 05/04/2007 3:27:19 PM PDT by dynachrome ("Where am I? Where am I going? Why am I in a handbasket?")
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To: presidio9

Isn’t Mike Murphy the guy who could barely keep MCain medicated in 2000 and screwed Lazio?


47 posted on 05/04/2007 6:34:58 PM PDT by rmlew (It's WW4 and the Left wants to negotiate with Islamists who want to kill us , for their mutual ends)
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To: NapkinUser

bttt


48 posted on 05/04/2007 6:43:58 PM PDT by Just mythoughts
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To: presidio9

“Find me an article covering last night’s debate that even mentions Hunter having been there last night. “

Hunter is not mentioned because he is not useful to them. He didnt bash other Republicans and was strong on key issues. He was more assured and articulate imho than McCain. But reliable conservatives that are not celebrities, like him and Gilmore will get zero media air. Media has no interest in advancing conservatives.

I thought Romney won and Hunter and Huckabee were runners up.


49 posted on 05/04/2007 10:43:53 PM PDT by WOSG (The 4-fold path to save America - Think right, act right, speak right, vote right!)
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To: LetsRok

“The most credible of the bunch was former Governor of Virgninia Jim Gilmore. He kicked butt and sounded the most level headed. Why is he not getting more press?”

See my previous post: Media has no interest in boosting reliable conservatives, so no air time for them. Plus, polls become self-fulfilling prophecy.


50 posted on 05/04/2007 10:46:24 PM PDT by WOSG (The 4-fold path to save America - Think right, act right, speak right, vote right!)
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To: HoustonTech

“Besides this giving consistently wrong answers isn’t a virtue. Do you think he might rethink his answer regarding Scooter Libby last night? He actually said that Libby deserves to go to jail for his part in our going to war against Iraq! True libertarians don’t jail people for political differences. Libertarian Party members might, and that explains the difference.”

I too thought that was a dreadful answer. It’s almost as if Ron Paul’s got so many moonbat supporters now that he’s decided to spout their wacked conspiracy theories.


51 posted on 05/04/2007 10:49:37 PM PDT by WOSG (The 4-fold path to save America - Think right, act right, speak right, vote right!)
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