Posted on 12/16/2011 8:15:18 AM PST by americanophile
There have been so many debates during the Republican preseason that it was hard to believe the one hosted by Fox News in Sioux City, Iowa, was the last one before the voting begins. Ratings have been strong, and commentary has been endless: You can imagine a network trying to squeeze in just one more--are you free on Christmas Eve, Governor?
It has been a thrilling debate run: Pawlenty crashed; Perry blanked; Romney confronted Perry; Gingrich shined; 9-9-9; Perry blanked. But the Sioux City debate was not an epic contest. It was like the primary race itself: no dominant figure but with something for Republicans to like in each of the candidates. In a recent New York Times/CBS poll, 66 percent of Iowans said they are still undecided about their final choice. This debate didn't make their job any easier for them.
But Iowans must choose, so in that spirit: The winner of the evening was Mitt Romney. His performance was solid and his defense of his flip-flops was better than his chief rival Newt Gingrich's explanation about his work for Freddie Mac. Most importantly, all the other candidates were effective, and Romney benefits more than Gingrich from a broad strong field that splits the vote.
Romney regained the form he showed in the early debates, commanding and at ease. Romney made fun of mistakes he made in the private sector (He thought Jet Blue wouldn't work), and he talked about how he learned from his errors. Maybe it's a good thing Gingrich has challenged him. He picked up his game.
Gingrich acquitted himself well, too: He was a pugilist, bashing judges, lawyers, Obama's decision on the Keystone pipeline. And he was even self-deprecating, saying at one point that he was "editing himself" in his...
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
“The last Republican debate before Iowa: Did Bachmann just save Romney?”
You wish.
But nice try trying to dig Mitt out of a hole.
Only a liberal would think Romney won last night, Gingrich BLEW ME AWAY again last night. It wasn’t even close.
Winner: Speaker Gingrich
Place: Perry
Show: Santorum
Loser: Romney and his Rollins-prepared servant, Ms. Bachmann.
"I did my job: to defend my Mr. President, Moot Romney."
Funny, I don’t think Wallace likes Romney at all.
Same here. I was starting to give Bachman and Perry a second look but Newt was amazing. Just stunning.
Perry did okay. He just acts like he’s on drugs to me. One debate he’s half asleep, the next one he’s jumpy and Mr. Commedien.
Bachmann jumped the shark. There are a lot of things to accuse Newt of but supporting late-term abortion-murder is NOT one of them.
i ask this question for entertainment purposes only but why would Bachmann a ultra-conseervative kiss Romney’s liberal butt ..supposedly for a VP? slot.
Even if that were true why would she stay with McRomney since he hasn’t gained any traction in 2,, no 7, years?
I actually agree with you. I thought Gingrich was excellent last night. Bachmann will have wounded him, at least in Iowa, but his performance was generally superb.
Agreed. Every media outlet I've read/seen has been trying to spin this as a Romney win, though. It's absolutely incredible how badly they want Romney as the nominee. The lengths they're going to protect him during the primary. His stuttering mess of an answer on abortion & the activist judges he appointed were shameful and obvious B.S., but somehow he "won".
Bachmann tends to get carried away and in the process plays fast an loose with the facts. Comparatively speaking, she’s been getting a pass on it so far. However, if she becomes the GOP nominee, the media will focus in on this like a laser.
I’m of the belief that an ABR nominee will emerge. At this point I don’t know who that would be. Gingrich has a leg up, but the long knives are out and being wielded not only by the establishment pubbies but the libs as well.
I used to really like Bachmann, but I’m convinced she and Flip have worked out a deal. If he is the nominee she will be the VP pick in hopes of shoring up that huge part of the base that is off-limits for him.
I also think Coulter is well aware of this arrangement between Romney and Bachmann. Her painting Romney and Bachmann as the only two real conservatives in the primary is just too transparent.
Agreed. Every media outlet I've read/seen has been trying to spin this as a Romney win, though. It's absolutely incredible how badly they want Romney as the nominee. The lengths they're going to protect him during the primary. His stuttering mess of an answer on abortion & the activist judges he appointed were shameful and obvious B.S., but somehow he "won".
LOL. Another leftwing datadump boosts for Romney. I’m shocked!
It was a great debate—one of the best so far. Fox did themselves well. My take.
Newt Gingrich did well—I believe he won the Ronald Reagan camugen prize and showed himself to be the front runner. His complement to Mitt was a stroke of genius. His attack of the 9th Court was brilliant.
Mitt Romney did well too. He kept slugging away and didn’t lose any points proving its really a two man race.
Perry did a fare job but didn’t seem to rise to the level of the other two. He was relaxed, folksy, and looked up to the night.
Who lost?
Ron Paul—he was sent into a tailspin by Michele B. He started to seem out of it by the half way point. He was the big loser—He’s in the wrong party—he should be a Libertarian and this proved he’s not ready to lead the GOP.
Michele Bachman immolated herself with a sort of deer in the headlights look—she seems out of her water. BUT she didn’t do bad and may well have knocked out Ron Paul.
Huntsman looked like a career politician —all platitudes and nice buzz words. No good ideas—he’s gone. He even tried to get traction bashing Trump. He lost.
Santorum also didn’t look ready—he’s out—Nice guy for VP maybe. The way I see it—we have: Newt/Romney or Romney/Newt
“Bachmann jumped the shark.”
During this campaign she has become the Evel Knievel of shark jumping.
Who you going to believe, them or your lying eyes?
Gingrich, Bachmann said, "is the same as Mitt Romney." She explained, "You'd think these guys had been the standard bearer for the conservative movement and the Republican Party, but they're great pretenders -- they're frugal socialists," Bachmann said. "People want something that's very bold and very different, they won't get it in either Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich."
The idea that Bachmann is supporting Romney is laughable and patently false.
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