Posted on 01/06/2008 4:03:39 PM PST by CounterCounterCulture
Republican Presidential Candidate Debate #14 – Milford, New Hampshire 01/06/08 - Official Discussion Thread
Fox News Channel; Roundtable format
Candidates the gatekeepers are allowing to participating:
I have considered that Fred looks like the usual candidate, older, white, male...that would be something working against him for Obama or Hillary, or even Edwards. Mitt comes across like he is slick and people don’t like that, however, I thought he came in a close second in the debate.
“McCain did not help with his reasoning for not voting for the tax cuts. The real reason? He was still pissed he lost to GWB.”
It’s not a good quality to be grudgeful. For any political party to survive, people have to learn to bury the hatchet, but not in each other’s backs. Maybe that’s the reason McCain went and supported amnesty and campaign refinance. Because, utlimately, when people hold grudges they hurt themselves more then they hurt others. This is the reason I do not believe McCain is the one that should be nominated. I could have supported McCain were it not for these mistakes that were made as a result of his own resentful feelings over losing to Bush. It’s just not a good presidential personality trait.
I agree with you that I think Mitt likes Fred, it would be nice if Fred would do better in the primaries so that he could have the opportunity to be Mitt’s running mate.
Freds just getting warmed up.
Its really early and these primaries are almost meaningless right now.
But you must remember, that although Ronald Reagan was old, he has a good attitude and had lots of energy. Old age isn’t an excuse when you are running to be President of the United States. Either a person is up to it and has the right attitude or they don’t. There is no sense in arguing “what if;”
I agreed with Mitt’s remarks about governors being preferrable to senators, though he didsn’t use those exact words. I liked his remark about not sending a Washington Insider to Washington to fix Washington’s problems. I agree. I think McCain is too much of an insider to effectively be a leader and help solve some of the problems. Mitt demonstrated that he has leadership qualities and that he has the ability to straighten out some of the mess. I love the way he handled Huckabee, because Huckabee is a squirly guy, and anyone who can handle that guy is good.
Me too, believe me...LOL
The stabbing them in the back comment was directed at those that would stay home and help a Dhimmiwit into office, who would in turn, cut and run.
At least all of our candidates...well except the GUBERnator Huckster cause I think he’s lying through his liberal teeth, would “stay the course” as Bush is fond of saying....
I’m sticking with Fred up until such time as he might endorse another...cause the longer we stick, he might pull it off, or at least demand consessions from the other RINOs in the field....
That said, I’m still confident he’s going to pull this off..:)
I’m just saying I’d rather put up with a RINO than a flatout communist in the WH....
His looks are outa-sight, baby...:)!!
Initially, you were responding to another post I made about all the FRed!heads whining. That’s what I thought you were upset about.
Who knows. The live threads for these debates move so fast I can’t keep up!
I hear that....I’m with yah...;)
Sorry, I don’t agree with your characterization.
Rush Limbaugh does not *allow* himself to choose sides in these things, publically anyway. That renders you citing it as a strawman. 0-2
The only way you could claim Fred had a “poor” performance is if YOU WERE NOT LISTENING.
Hell, basically Fred is McCain Lite! But he’s still the most conservative guy in the field...
I WILL NOT SETTLE FOR AN IBM LIBERAL UNLESS FORCED!!!!
AND IF I HAVE TO, I’M NOW LEANING TOWARD RUDY BECAUSE AT LEAST HE’S UP FRONT ABOUT WHAT HE IS.
“When we stray, we pay.” - Fred Thompson
(At least he’s what we used to call moderate which is better than you can say about any of these others in this pathetic field the GOP has given us)
Huckabee = squirrely
Funny you said that because I was thinking the past two nights how much he looks like a chipmunk or a woodchuck.
LOL.
I was listening and watching, watching and listening, posting on the live thread, etc.
Where did I say that Rush chooses sides? Egad, here we go with “creative reading” on your part.
I skipped the part where you are yelling in all caps.
Ron Winter at "Ron Winter's Site"
But after watching the ABC debates on Saturday night, and the Fox News forum on Sunday night, it is obvious that the only candidate who will really provide change is Fred Thompson! How so, you might find yourself asking yourself?
Simple, after being declared the hands down winner of the Saturday debate by ABC commentator George Stephanopoulos, an astute observation, I also watched the GOP candidates' performance closely on Sunday. After only 10 minutes or so a pattern emerged.
Fox moderator Chris Wallace spent inordinate amounts of time monitoring a verbal menage a trois starring Mitt Romney and John McCain, with Mike Huckabee jumping in from time to time. In terms of time on camera, Rudy Giuliani was allowed a distant fourth, followed by Thompson, who was jumped over by Wallace on several occasions.
Yet, when he did have an opportunity to speak, Thompson was direct, open, honest and on the money.
When the issue of immigration and amnesty for illegal aliens arose, the rest of the panel tried all manner of contortions to redefine 'amnesty' and who was for it or against it.
But Fred Thompson jumped right to the heart of the issue - social and economic conditions in Mexico that are generating so many immigrants in the first place. Thompson chastised the president of Mexico for bad-mouthing the United States on our desire to police OUR border. Thompson also said that while both countries benefit from trade, Mexico needs to clean up its own act - which in my opinion includes astronomical unemployment, wanton pollution, criminals in and out of government, corruption and drug smuggling to name but a few issues.
This response was classical Thompson, right to the heart of the issue without all the window dressing and posturing.
Compare Thompson's response in immigration to the biggest issue of the night between the other candidates:
"Governors are smarter than Senators."
"No they aren't!"
"Yes there are!"
"Senators are smarter than Governors!"
"No they aren't!"
"Yes, they are!"
Scintillating debate I'll tell you.
At first I thought Thompson was being deliberately shortchanged by Fox, what with Wallace ignoring him in favor of the other candidates, but then a patten emerged: Giuliani, Huckabee, Romney and McCain squabbling over inconsequential nonsense, while Thompson quietly waited his turn, then KAPOW! Thompson drove straight to the heart, showed he had complete command of the issues and the ideas on how to deal with them.
How does Thompson represent the candidate of real, positive change? Simple, he isn't bombastic, he really cares about the future of America, he will do what he says he will do, he doesn't bury the voters in an avalanche of verbosity, he has ideas that will work.
That is not only a change from the onslaught we have seen from the rest of the candidates for both parties, it is a refreshing change, and one that can work.
Fred said so. And so he will not be a VP.
“You want the party to win. I want the constitution to win. Principal, Character, Gravitas, Trust not energy or image.”
Actually, I’m totally disgusted with the Republican Party, right now. I don’t see how any of us can honestly say we’re voting principal or trust for anyone from this party.
So... Principals aside, I’ll hold my nose and vote Republican this year, and I’m going to vote for the guy I think can win.
Assuming Obama wins the nomination, Fred might be a good contrast. Young/dynamic versus old/stoggy. Sounds shallow, but image can make/break a candidate, and so far, I don’t see Fred’s image working in his favor.
And it’s sad too because through the “boob tube” thay have shifted the entire country so far left that the modern Republican party looks like the 1960’s Democrats....sad.
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