Posted on 12/12/2007 2:30:09 PM PST by JRochelle
First, let me say that this was by far the worst debate yet. The questions were not only skewed to the left, not only almost entirely neglected foreign policy, but they were so broad as to allow the candidates to fall back on talking points. Also, there was no room for back and forth between the candidates. Absolutely awful.
With that said, Fred Thompson was the only candidate who stood out. He was funny, charming, and peppy. Here was a guy who wasn't afraid to speak hard truths, and who displayed knowledge of the policy issues--especially on entitlements. But the moment of the debate, the moment that will be talked about should he defy expectations and go on to win the nomination, was when he refused to raise his hand at the behest of the moderator. This demonstrated conviction, showed he was able to stand up for his principles, that he was a man who valued substance, a leader rather than a follower, and somebody who is running a different kind of campaign. In short, today Thompson was everything that conservatives had hoped they'd be getting when he announced his candidacy.
(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...
Thanks for your comments. I’m glad we agree on this.
To be honest, I don’t know what Tancredo’s administrative talents are. We need a dynamic no-nonsense individual to drive immigration reorganization through. I would have Tancredo near the top, and perhaps even the top, but I would take a no-nonsense approach and make sure all facets of immigration were addressed immediately across the board.
On the border issue, I’d have that wall built as fast as was humanly possible. I’d get some contractors in and offer incentives if the job was done by certain dates, and losses to increase if they missed the target dates.
Other goals might take a bit longer to design and implement, but within two years I would have every part of immigration modified and brought under strict control.
The emphasis would be on the foreign national, and not U.S. Citizens as far as border maters were realated, but business would be given tools and then clamped down on too.
Frankly, I’m a little ticked off that citizens have taken so much of the brunt of this nation’s security enhancements, while foreign nationals from problematic Middle-Eastern states are free to roam our nation at will.
That would stop within six months, if humanly possible.
Tancredo’s administrative talents were proven by his still-growing illegal immigration caucus in the House - starting at a time when he was horribly vilified by the MSM for daring to do so. The man has nads.
Getting that fence finished 35 years after we trod upon the moon? Hunter’s the man. To get San Diego secured under the noses of the fruits and flakes? That man ALSO has nads.
I would be ecstatic if Thompson could take it while utilizing the talents of these patriots and their like. This country needs an enema before the toxins end up killing it.
I just watched the debate on cspan tonite....to me, hands down, Romney was the most impressive. Hands down.
Not even close. I thought Romney was the best by far.
Except Thompson didn’t refuse to answer — he refused to participate in a no-discussion hand-raise, and asked for a minute so he could discuss it. The moderator could easily have said, “okay, go ahead.”
According to Intrade, the winner of today’s GOP debate was... Duncan Hunter.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1938773/posts
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Why the smart money is on Duncan Hunter
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1926032/posts
I have no use for disgruntled ex-Masons. There are dozens of them, all trying to profit off of our brotherhood.
There are those who think there is a grand conspiracy of Freemasonry, The New World Order, Illuminati, or whatever. I have no use for such people.
Those people are better left to watching the Divinci Code and X-Files, and I am guessing that is your group.
My “lodge” or any “lodge” does not promote to 33. This shows your ignorance. You have possibly read a few books, but more than likely you haven’t read past the book jacket covers.
I have met many many experts on Freemasonry in my life. All of the so called experts knew more than myself (according to their own testimony) but could not recite the 1st degree to me, in part or in whole.
You are more than welcome to fantasize about whatever you think Freemasonry is, it is of no consequence to me, but to spout off in a forum, to claim you are an expert, and to claim that “masonry and mormonism are almost exactly the same” will not go un challenged.
Save it for your backroom of tinfoil hat types who wring their hands over Masonry and Skull and Bones, but don’t pretend to be an expert when you are only a casual observer.
It is obvious from the links you provided that you think we are some Satanic cult. It is obvious that you think we are diametrically opposed to your own faith. So be it, thats your choice, but don’t pretend to be enlightened, merely because you have read some persons testimony that claims we worship Balzabub in a dimly lit room while sacrificing chickens.
It shows your ignorance.
Further, you cannot prove “anything” to me, because it cannot be proven that “masonry and mormonism are exactly the same”. Your a goofball at best, and I’ll spend no more time on you.
Impressively phony? Watch his actions during the Fred refusal to raise hands. Romney raised his hand and as soon as Fred refused to, Romneys hand went down and he said ...I’m with him and applauded ...He said “I’m with him” twice.
Looks to me like his pattern of I am for it ..oh wait ..I change my mind.
Then later his retort to Fred’s,”You are getting to be a good actor”, was “Takes one to know one” ? Takes one to know one?
Ooooooo what a great presidential comeback.
I want a man as president that is not afraid to come out ahead of the pack and let his feeling known, and not wait to see what his peers or the polls are saying.
You are correct.
Fred is absolutely right! I wouldn’t try to answer that mess with a damn “hand raise”! That moderator is just dumb as mud-—who sponsored this thing anyway? Were ALL the questions that terminally stupid? YUK!
Romney did well. Fred won though.
First, the disclaimer: I like Krauthammer. He possess a brilliant and incisive intellect. However, intelligence is not wisdom, nor is it morality, ethics or committment to principle. Krauthammer's opinions are well worth reading and considering, but neither he nor any other "pundit" should be followed blindly or uncritically:
"Ultimately, a civilized society must disarm its citizenry if it is to have a modicum of domestic tranquility of the kind enjoyed by sister democracies such as Canada and Britain. Given the frontier history and individualist ideology of the United States, however, this will not come easily. It certainly cannot be done radically. It will probably take one, maybe two generations. It might be 50 years before the United States gets to where Britain is today. Passing a law like the assault weapons ban is a symbolic - purely symbolic - move in that direction. Its only real justification is not to reduce crime but to desensitize the public to the regulation of weapons in preparation for their ultimate confiscation." - Charles Krauthammer, "Disarm the Citizenry," The Washington Post, Friday, April 5, 1996, page A19
Luntz said that somebody screamed out “#$%^ Yeah!” when Fred wouldn’t raise his hand. Did that really happen?
First of all, it's "Mormon", not "morman", and second of all, BS. It's only the Romney apologists who claim this to falsely portray their guy as a "victim" of "bigotry".
When I, and most other folks, talk about Romney, I lead with the fact that he's a northeast liberal flip-flopper who can't be trusted. If I ever stoop to discussing Romney's religion, it's because some Mittwit falsely accuses my of bigotry with no basis.
Fred pickin on the moderator. Been there, done that. Woopdidoo. Fred’s old and tired.
“Fred is absolutely right! I wouldn’t try to answer that mess with a damn “hand raise”! That moderator is just dumb as mud-—who sponsored this thing anyway? Were ALL the questions that terminally stupid? YUK!”
PBS. What can I say? Even though I feel the debate was another one of those liberal run debates, I am glad it happened! Fred pointed out just how stupid the debate format is, and did just great! GO FRED!
Fred refused to answer a loaded "yes/no" question. The rest of the so-called "top-tier" were caught lamely accepting the biased question premise, and then sheepishly following Thompson's lead.
I'm quite clear on the fact that you don't like Thompson, but it's your off-target criticism that's old and tired, not Fred.
Thompson's height, along with him being placed directly in the center, helped. The body language from Romney was interesting. His hand was raised, but came down with a "what he said!", followed by applause and a step to put distance between he and Thompson. I have no clue what it means, but it was interesting!
I do know that Romney was reluctantly raising his hand and appeared glad someone else spoke up.
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