Posted on 10/21/2007 8:35:38 PM PDT by jellybean
Everybody Was Good; Fred, Rudy, and Huck Were Best Wow. By far, the best debate of the cycle in either party. Just about everybody came out swinging, took some lumps, countered, made the crowd laugh, spurred applause, and jabbed at the moderators. The crowd was fired up, and the moderators took an aggressive tack that shook any lingering lethargy out of the candidates. Feel confident, Republicans. One way or another, the GOP is going to have a good debater representing it next year.
Winner or winners? Tough to call, because I think we saw just about every candidate at their best tonight, even the no-hopers like Duncan Hunter and Tom Tancredo. So I’ll classify the participants a bit differently this evening:
Helped Themselves a Lot Tonight:
Fred Thompson: Frankly, he needed it. He really should have gotten a bigger chunk of the vote at the Family Research Council summit straw poll, and let’s face it, we had been waiting for any speech, any debate appearance, any event with Thompson to be a “wow, that was fantastic.” Well, tonight was that moment we’ve been waiting for, maybe none better than his answer to Wendell Goler’s question/accusation of laziness. His answer on the lobbying for the abortion group was strong, too – ‘look at my votes, and the pro-choice folks I worked for are pulling this out now because they fear me.’ Finally – finally! – we’re seeing what we wanted to see in Thompson – homespun, able to make his case simply, directly, and clearly, and with a bit of humor here and there.
Rudy Giuliani: The first time I thought Rudy Giuliani could be president was at his 2004 convention speech, where he hit all kinds of emotional notes just right. Similar performance tonight – maybe heavy on laughs - but it worked. Pugnacious, quick thinker on his feet, engaging. And, as usual, if you lead the polls, and nobody walks out of a debate talking about your gaffes or bad answers (and other than a slightly weird joke about not being sure that he didn’t accidentally perform a gay marriage, Rudy didn’t have many bad moments) you won. Rudy won’t lose ground; this is a candidate and a campaign hitting all cylanders at just the right time. He took some shots, but the attacks were probably old news to those following the race day in, day out.
Mike Huckabee: After the FRC summit, he’s the social conservative choice, and if he gets the nomination, Hillary won’t know what hit her. This guy can sell ice to Eskimos. Kept his momentum, and played against his "the funny one" typecasting with his argument, "there's nothing funny about Hillary Clinton as Commander in Chief."
Probably Helped Themselves a Little Tonight:
John McCain: Some great lines, and once again, a candidate felt the need to salute McCain’s service in the miltiary as well as in the Senate. We’ll see if this performance does him good in the polls – he did a great speech at the FRC, and it got him nowhere. I think the aspect I liked most was that he could jab at his rivals, but it never seemed too nasty or cranky. He’s got stature. He’s a well-established brand name, and I wonder if he’s turning into everyone’s second or third choice.
Mitt Romney: One of his strongest performances, but it seemed like somebody put a “kick me” sign on his back right before he went on. On the other hand, it’s a sign of where he is in the race that Thompson, Giuliani, and McCain see value in attacking him at this moment. Kathryn said he could have used the PowerPoint slides on one answer. But great jabs at Hillary, and seemed to feed off the crowd's energy.
Oh, and I vote for the mussed-up hair.
Thanks For Playing: Duncan Hunter, Tom Tancredo, and Ron Paul. Come back when you’re at ten percent in one of the early primary states or a national poll.
UPDATE: In my e-mailbox, every campaign thinks their guy won. I know this will come as a great surprise to you. I pledge, any campaign that sends me an e-mail: "EXPERTS AGREE: OUR GUY LOST, BIG-TIME; PUNDITS CALL PERFORMANCE 'CATASTROPHIC' AND 'EMBARRASSING" I will print in this space in its entirety.
I was a big follower of Huckabee early on until I found out his views on illegal immigration. Look, I still appreciate many of the things he has to say, but if he doesn’t understand the illegal alien issue, it speaks volumes to me.
I think Fred won big tonight. He always has a good grasp of the issues and he’s not a robot like Romney.
I will bet the percentages are higher. Probably closer t0 70-75%.
wow!
if it’s
hillary vs juli
then,
we’re screwed,
huh?
LOL
I asked that same question in the live thread.
I presume if the World series goes to a game seven the GOP will schedule another debate then?
I had to shake my head on that one.
You know, that’s an excellent point. I appreciate you making it.
The problem is, there are a lot of people out there who know little more about Rudy than that they saw him on TV around 09/11. Tuned in conservatives will never vote for Rudy. A lot of one day every four year Republicans will.
Duncan Hunter said he wants mirror trade with China. He’s the only one that understands China’s cheating, and the China threat.
And this shows Hunter’s good sense of humor while getting a very important point across.
“But Hunter said Romney’s health care proposals have too many mandates that drive up the costs of health care.
“It’s got to have, for example, fertility coverage. Well, what if you’re 90 years old? We may appreciate Governor Romney’s optimism but you may not need fertility coverage,” The California congressman said.”
snip http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,303827,00.html
Could be.
We had a strong team tonight, across the board. It was probably the first time I truly believed that we could beat the Beast.
I loved it when Paul got booed...hehehe...
If it’s Rudy on January 20th, 2009, we’re all screwed anyway.
He makes no bones about his leftist nature. He just tries to smile and glibly joke his way out of it.
With other good men in the race, it would be a very sad thing if Giuliani got the nod.
And frankly, the RNC needs a wake up call if that’s the way it goes.
Are you sure about Huckabee? I thought he was on more like ten plus times.
I was a big follower of Huckabee early on until I found out his views on illegal immigration. Look, I still appreciate many of the things he has to say, but if he doesn’t understand the illegal alien issue, it speaks volumes to me.
-My husband kept score pretty carefully. I, too, am troubled by his stance on illegal immigration. Do you think that he will listen to his base on this issue?
Maybe not in the primary, but if it is between Hillary and Rudy, I'm voting for Rudy. Some say it would be a lesser of two evils choice, but if those are the two choices, I hope a lot of people vote the same way. Rudy has views I disagree with, but Hillary is truly evil and must not have another 4 years in the White House.
Try about 80% who won't. And among "Republicans" in general: About 30% won't. And that's just one reason that no one who wants to keep Hillary from ever being Commander In Chief should ever vote for Giuliani.
” was a big follower of Huckabee early on until I found out his views on illegal immigration. Look, I still appreciate many of the things he has to say, but if he doesn’t understand the illegal alien issue, it speaks volumes to me.”
Huckabee made a lot of pro illegal immigration statements 2-3 years ago. He will never get my vote!
NO WAY did Giuliani win.
His “You have got to be kidding me” faux outrage at being told his views were IDENTICAL to Hillary clinton then his has the hutzpah to not even try and deny he DOES HAVE identical views to Hillary is just one of his many failures.
His sleaze factor with his Clinton Clone denial avoidance is a complete falure. Did he speak well? Yes, but then again Bill Clinton is a good speaker too.
Sun,
I’m with you. I want Duncan Hunter as the next president. I am frustrated with the debates because he is given so little time.
It was pretty good, overall. I like that Britt and Chris started out asking them about each other, almost (but not quite) a real debate. Oh, well.
I think FRed increased his base, by a large margin, and Huck did too.
Rudy kept his head above water, but not by much...notice he didn’t prove FRed wrong, he justified himself. I do have to say (as I hold my nose) he was the most commanding and even a bit Presidential. As was Huck.
I think next month we’ll see FRed dominate those roles, IMO. He was almost there tonight. He had the fire, you could see it in his eyes, and hear it in his voice. He had presence, confidence, and fire!
I gained respect for Huck, and a little back for McShamesty. He hit me right where I live with the patriotic and supportive answers he gave. But, lest we forget...”I think we’ll see rioting unless we pass this act!”
Damn, I wish Tanc could speak! I love the guy.
Romney still reminds me of very polished used car salesman. One that I wouldn’t buy a car from, ya’ know? (I was wondering if had on a pair of white leisure shoes)
Paul, needs a frontal lobotomy, or I need a bottle in front of me. What a freakin maroon!!! AND, his hearing is verkackt! Get a hearing aid!
Duncan...are you, like, really, really in this...or not? Too bad, you’re prolly the most qualified and experienced to represent Conservatives, but why are you still a single digit midget???
I’m not going to give you a hard time about that. If that’s what you think you should do, I support your decision. I can’t go that route any longer.
The problem is, that we are always moving toward the left. We get a Hillary and we move far left. We get a Rudy and we continue to move to the left. Over time that means we move left for decades without retreat. At some point it has to end and for me that time is now.
The Republican party needs to be put on notice that if it isn’t going to advance conservative agenda, it is dead as a party.
That’s how I see it. I appreciate your comments.
You take care.
Strange a woman on one of the local news channels gave her impression on who won and she said Guiliani as well as Huckabee. She said Mc Cain got a lift and Romney wasn’t bad, but her ommission of Fred Thompson made me search this thread to make sure he was at the debate. Another sign they are afraid of him to not even mention his name.
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