Posted on 10/18/2011 7:08:00 PM PDT by smoothsailing
Bryan Preston
October 18, 2011
There were two Ricks on debate stage tonight, and both came in loaded up and ready to hunt. Rick Santorum threw a blizzard of punches at Mitt Romney early over his claim that as president, Romney, the author of RomneyCare, would repeal ObamaCare. The punches landed and the damage showed on Romney’s face. Rick Perry came in loaded up to speak aggressively for his energy plan, and spoke with an energy and conviction that has not come through in previous debates. Romney came under the most intense fire he has faced in any of the 2011 debates and while he handled it well, the criticisms of his record are legitimate and will sting. Romney’s red face as he tried to to redirect the examination over to Newt Gingrich revealed that he knew the night wasn’t going well for him.
Herman Cain also faced the toughest questioning of any debate so far, regarding his 9-9-9 tax plan, and handled it mostly with his usual humor and wit. The former talk radio host can engage in an open debate with the best of them, but his lack of depth showed in spots. He didn’t seem to know the details of his 9-9-9 plan early on. Cain did do well when discussing his ideas for reforming health care: No mandates, but focus on market-based reforms like allowing purchase across state lines. Nothing new, but nothing wrong with any of it either.
Perry also hit Romney directly for “hypocrisy” for having hired illegal aliens. Romney laughed and denied, but the story has been out there since 2007 or thereabouts. Romney lost his cool, for the second time. Perry scored another direct hit, and Mitt turned red again. The ice man melted.
Perry also did well on the question of securing the border: It’s about a fence, plus other security measures including technology and boots on the ground. Bachmann got in a jab about the president’s illegal alien relatives who keep popping up in the news, before moving on to declare that she would build a fence along the entire border. There is actually less policy daylight between most of the candidates on the border than the stage arguments suggest, but the arguments drew out some personalities, and it’s hard to see Romney benefiting from the exchange.
Tonight’s was the most lively debate, and does have the potential to change the race a bit. Perry came to fight and from tax policy to spending to funding the UN, showed that his issue knowledge is broad. Romney wasn’t prepared to take hits from so many other candidates. Romney’s packed supporters in the audience and other blogs provided some soundtrack to back their man up but I doubt it did much good. Romney’s cool broke too many times for his own good. His whining about being talked over, when he isn’t shy about interrupting others, was entertaining but revealed a thin skin. Romney probably had his best moment during the religion debate, but that’s such tired ground now and Romney has so overreached on that issue that it’s unlikely to make any difference.
This was Perry’s best night. He took control when he needed to, threw the president’s and his competitors’ words against them at opportune moments, and showed a strong and knowledgeable presence going toe to toe with Romney. Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Michele Bachmann also had good nights. Gingrich can speak brilliantly on any policy thrown at him. His brief closing statement showed that he is among the adults in the room. Santorum spoke very well on values. Cain and Romney took sustained fire and handled it unevenly. Cain was at his worst on the question of whether he would contemplate releasing terrorists held at Gitmo in exchange for an American hostage. There is simply no way to justify his answer to Wolf Blitzer, earlier today. Ron Paul was, infuriatingly, Ron Paul, capable of saying things at the edge of brilliance but coupling them with statements that make little sense or betray a hole in his moral thinking. While I admire his logical mind, I don’t admire some of the places it takes him.
The clear winner tonight was Rick Perry. He looked like a seasoned leader who has found his voice, at last. Newt Gingrich came in a strong second, Cain and Santorum follow him and Romney follows them. He was strong in spots but had trouble keeping his cool, an d had no good answers to explain his own policy history. Passion is one thing; all of the candidates brought that tonight. Edging close to revealing a Hulk moment is something else.
There was something else different about tonight’s debate. In past debates, Romney’s press team has easily outpaced all of the other campaigns combined in the number of press releases they sent out while the debate continued. Not so, tonight. The Perry press team must have rolled over the Romney team 8 to 1 or more. From the top on down, the Perry team is moving with a new energy.
If anything came of this debate tonight, it is that Perry should be employing the use of a teleprompter... I swear, he cannot string his thoughts together and get them uttered without looking like he can’t quite remember where he was going with his comments... it just freaks me out.
What is the current corporate tax in America.....All along the way......
Are you unable to comprehend basic English?
VAT = on each level of “value added” production
999 = not on each level of “value added” production
What do you not understand?
Oh, I know. Now that Romney wants to claim the nomination as a “conservative,” he claims to be a life-long hunter who has always been pro-life. Did I forget to mention that he’s a liar and complete fraud?!!
The booing was orchestrated by Mittbott LDS’ers.
Perry took it to two people, Romney and Obama. For a limited government conservative, those two statist crap artists are the enemy. Perry will never be the Debater-in-Chief, and I don’t expect him to be. I saw a man I can vote for.
Not relevent as Cain likes to say.
Whether they pay 50% or 9%, it is still passed on.Cain claims there will be oonly ONE 9% tax and that is on the consumer.
I asked this same question last week and was provided these links:
Reagan Economist Art Laffer: Cain‘s ’999‘ is a ’Wonderful Plan’
The economist after whom the famous “Laffer Curve” was named, said of Cain’s 999,“I think it’s a wonderful plan.”
Laffer reportedly lauded the plan’s structure, saying it would “lower the tax rate and broaden the tax base” while provide people with the least incentive to cheat on their taxes. He also emphasized the importance of eliminating the corporate tax rate.
Fox adds: Baier then asked him about many critics’ belief that the nines in the plan could be raised limitlessly by politicians in the future: “Will we ever have a “20-20-20 plan?”
Laffer said there will always be that problem with politicians and this is a plan the U.S. could benefit from now, as it is a huge improvement from the current tax codes.
“The current tax codes are filled with all sorts of awful ducks, chickens, pigs and turkeys,” Laffer said. “They’ve got to be cleaned out and we have to revamp the codes. I’d really like to see that done.”
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/reagan-economist-art-laffer-cains-999-is-a-wonderful-plan/
The famed economist told HUMAN EVENTS that the proposal was pro-growth and would create the proper conditions for America’s economy to expand and thrive again.
“Herman Cain’s 9-9-9 plan would be a vast improvement over the current tax system and a boon to the U.S. economy,” Laffer told HUMAN EVENTS in a statement. “The goal of supply-side tax reform is always a broadening of the tax base and lowering of marginal tax rates.”
Added Laffer: “Mr. Cain’s plan is simple, transparent, neutral with respect to capital and labor, and savings and consumption, and also greatly decreases the hidden costs of tax compliance. There is no doubt that economic growth would surge upon implementation of 9-9-9.”
Laffer also said that “such a system provides the least avenues to avoid paying taxes, yet also maintains the strongest incentives for work effort, production, and investment.”
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=46828
Are you claiming that the “winner” of the 2008 nomination won all of the debates that year? Most? Any?
Newt is slick but he’s a third way Clinton guy.
No I was responding to the previous poster by replying to your post.
I was just too lazy to go look up the other post.
“However, I agree with what Governor Perry said and find arguements about semantics to be unnecessary.”
LOL! The subject of your post was semantics!
Eliminating the tax-code eliminates Washington from picking winners and losers. Everybody pays 9%. No more of GE paying nothing.
I did not watch this debate live, only reading reactions and catching a few YouTube snippets.
I did watch the Perry v. Romney exchange. I know it’s been a stunning and heart-breaking revelation to many in the country, but that’s just Rick Perry stammering around and looking like he doesn’t know where else to go. It’s a petty topic to bring up and Romney handed him is arse. If this is what he and his debate team think are winning talking points, they are all flippin’ delusional.
I understand Newt did well but he has no campaign. Same for Santorum. Cain was respectable but ran out of gas toward the end. I like the man greatly and have listened to him for years but I think he’s in over his head.
This is the big time and those who have the big stick, the big money, and the big apparatus win out here.
No, He said we need to discuss not funding the UN. That is political speak with his finger in the air.
Perry looked way to awkward
This is just the debates, one year away
Actually the first primary is 76 days away.....that is hardly a year. If Perry does not IMMEDIATELY turn around, it is over. Sorry but that is the facts. We are on the fast track now. Tomorrow Perry needs to begin getting in front of every camera and give interviews. He did not have any exposure whatsoever from last debate to this one. I know he was practicing for this debate but now he has more time until the next debate (mid-November) so he has time to go on Sunday talk shows and whatever else it takes to get his policies out. I am not a Perry fan but you are so that is what he needs to do.
He could just say 999 was a joke and that America needs to get a sense of humor.
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+2 hahahahahaha!
smoothsailing - you are on the Titantic and believe it when your Captain tells you we’ve not sinking that the crew is just filling up the swimming pool. Party on!
Bauchmann did better tonight.
Perry did better, too.
Cain would consider trading the prisioners at gitmo for one US soldier... Trying to think on your feet when you have absolutely no political or government experience is difficult.
Newt is a slick guy.
Romney makes me ill.
Santorium is earnest.
The media wants to run this election on debate performance. Why? Because they control the debate. The CNN nancy boy did all he could for mittens.
Amen. Thanks for saying that.
I have been reading several reports to the contrary. Perry is indeed, making personal visits in Iowa and is campaigning vigorously, like he is so well known for. He has also set up a very strong caucus there, TV ads, etc.
You might be confusing him with Romney, who has not visited Iowa for months. Romney is concentrating on the East Coast, starting with New Hampshire. Romney does plan to stop in Iowa, since it was his lack of interest there in 2008, which may have cost him the nomination. At least that is what he claims. But he is not planning on making it a major effort because he is not well received
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