Posted on 05/15/2007 4:25:06 PM PDT by CounterCounterCulture
Republican Presidential Candidate Debate #2 – Columbia, South Carolina 05/15/07 - Official Discussion Thread
Watch live coverage of the First-in-the-South Republican Party Presidential Candidate debate on FOX News Channel and FOXNews.com on Tuesday, May 15, at 9 p.m. EDT (6 p.m. PDT).
Mike Huckabee - Governor Huckabee won this debate easily. His sense of humor worked well. He seemed to be comfortable and having a good time. He didn't seem to strain for any answer or talk awkwardly to make a point that really didn't fit the question. His answers were good, and no other candidate looked as composed or as comfortable.
Rudy Giuliani - After a very bad performance in the first debate, Giuliani did much better. He didn't look as awkward as he did in the first debate. He ducked some questions, and conservatives won't forget that he just doesn't represent us on some important issues. He made himself look good by going after Ron Paul on the terrorism issue and expressed a genuine anger that we all feel towards some stupid ideas. Granted, part of his success was simply that he overcame low expectations, but he did overcome those expectations.
Duncan Hunter - Duncan Hunter needs to appear a little more relaxed in the way he approaches things. He's a serious man who would be good in a crisis, but he has to show that he's not always at crisis intensity. He had a chance to speak to some of his issues, and he showed the excellent command of those issues that make many of us support him.
Tom Tancredo - Tom Tancredo showed some sense of humor and continues to show that he knows the issues. He did a very good job deflecting the question about a November benchmark by saying that he was supporting something that President Bush had said. He strained a little bit to make points that didn't really fit the questions, but he did well enough not to lose his supporters to Duncan Hunter, the closest candidate to him on the issues.
John McCain - McCain ducked some questions that would show that his record really isn't that good, but he didn't come across badly. His gestures appear awkward. Someone told me after the last debate that he has trouble with arm movements because of the torture he suffered as a POW. His movements may be a reminder of his heroism, but they still remind people that he seems in bad health. By gesturing less, he drew less attention to that problem. He didn't make any major points on policy, but he's not at a point where policy points are going to make him win or lose votes.
Mitt Romney - After doing very well in the first debate, Mitt Romney had real problems in this debate. He gave some good answers and said some good things, but he also seemed to be straining to make answers fit the questions. Saying that he favors an assault weapons ban was a stupid thing to say. His record on guns as governor wasn't that bad, but by emphasizing a dislike of assault weapons, he hurt himself with those who are trying to trust him. His answer to the question about the terrorism situation was too long. In a crisis, we need someone who does the right thing quickly and not someone who says too many things to sound good.
Jim Gilmore - Governor Gilmore may be the most qualified candidate in the race, but he was struggling to be aggressive and not succeeding. He has to make something happen to have a legitimate campaign, but he looked like a guy who had to make something happen and couldn't do it.
Sam Brownback - Sam Brownback just isn't a guy who is ready to be president. He also seemed to be struggling to give answers that didn't really fit the questions. He'd say a few good things, but he then he'd just seem to ramble.
Tommy Thompson - With every public appearance, he shows himself more and more to be a guy whose time has past. The only question is whether he's eight years, twelve years, or fifty years too late.
Ron Paul - Dr. Paul's overall demeanor isn't presidential anyway. Fidgeting doesn't help him. Maybe he could overcome these problems if he didn't endorse liberal moonbat ideas about terrorism. As it is, he has disqualified himself from the Republican nomination. Maybe we should let him continue in the debates to show that we're a "big tent" party. Maybe we should let him continue in the debates to show his supporters that we still welcome them in the party on other issues. Otherwise, he doesn't belong.
Y’OK
Ron Paul is only an undocumented Texan...
:)
Yes you do love the Globe don't you? You are trying to dig a pit for Romney to fall in by using Lying Liberal Sources. You have fallen into it yourself.
Rebut the Charges of MassResistance, et al
Rebuttals David French is a Harvard Law School graduate and a leading constitutional attorney with the non-profit Alliance Defense Fund (ADF). David is a First Lieutenant in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps of the United States Army Reserve. The Alliance Defense Fund is a legal defense and advocacy group for religious freedom founded in 1994 by the leaders of more than 35 ministries, including Dr. James Dobson. ADF directly litigates carefully chosen, strategic cases to protect the freedom of religion, guard the sanctity of human life, and preserve marriage and traditional family values. The ADF is a major force opposing liberal activist groups such as the ACLU. David French co-founded EvangelicalsForMitt.org, an independent website dedicated to spreading awareness about Governor Mitt Romney among Christian conservatives. David and his wife, Nancy, have two children and live in Columbia, Tenn. where they attend Zion Presbyterian Church, a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America.
Articles authored by David French are an excellent source of scholarly, factual, and well-sourced opinion and information about Mitt Romney and his record as Governor of Massachusetts. David has written several articles to rebut and expose anti-Romney critics, most notably the seriously flawed material produced by MassResistance headed by Brian Camenker and other individuals of his ilk.
I’m not sure what he meant.
Good for you - now this is not official but here is a head start.
Go shop...
http://www.officialthompsonstore.com/OfficialThompsonStore/
Sad but true. Thankfully Texas is quite large...and I can keep him on the complete opposite side of the state from me.
http://www.ronpaulforcongress.com/html/district.html
Actually- I think that would be a waste of Duncan’s talents. I would REALLY like to see him as Secretary of Defense in a Thompson administration.
You just had to figure there were going to be several Rudy fans show up here tonight.
Ignore them and they might go away.
Or at least they’ll just stroke each other over how swell Rudy was.
exACTly!
A question they should ask Ron Paul. “Dr. Paul, you ran for President in 1988 on the Libertarian ticket, why are you now running as a Republican?” “What are your reasons for leaving the Libertarian party?”
I admire the people on this site,been here for years,and they deal with facts and they are not narrow minded like the liberals.We must realize the fact that this war is unpopular with many Americans,they get their news and views from the main stream media.At this time if we want a victory we must support Rudy.Independents will never support a far right winger ,like it or not it’s the truth.So you have two choices stay home and let our country get farther aways from any values,and put our country in more danger or support Rudy.I will support Rudy.
I was just about to post that. You called it.
Regards Ron Paul’s idiotic statements and comparison between countries, there’s another factor, such as regarding the US “installation” of the Shah of Iran in the 1950’s. If your country’s government is so weak and non-democratic or non-representational that the CIA (think Valerie Plame and Joe Wilson types) can “overthrow” your government and “install” a different one, then you’re a pathetic excuse for a country and probably a lot better off with whatever government the US has “installed” than running it yourselves. Part of being a responsible polity is making sure your government represents you. It’s long since time these third-world pits learned that. And it’s stupid to apologize for things that were necessary to do 50 years ago.
That is an outstanding effort.
Straight talk express just took a LEFT turn...right over the cliff!
I didn’t say that he hadn’t done any good.
I said he’s an empty-minded shill. And he is!
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