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.
Perry looked like an angry hick.
He certainly is the sharpest knife in the drawer. But can he get elected?
The “magnificent seven” appeared as song birds in a cage singing their hearts out while a chesire cat is licking its chops awaiting for the cage’s door to open.
Each bird presented its own idea and all of them had some merit one way or another. The birds sang about jobs, immigration policy, religious integrity, promises of a decrease in government power, Obamacare and other other subjects of importance for the survival of the country.
Nobody mentioned the presence of the chesire cat waiting outside the cage because that would be politically incorrect.
All the great ideas that these birds had in mind for the country will be for nought if and when the cat gets them and establishes sharia law.
Perry was right about Mitt hiring illegals.
The boston media outlet found out and then 1 year later checked
and illegals were still there.
Mitt said when he found out the lawn care company he got rid of them.
Yeah, and 1 year later they are still there.
i remember this story. he is not a good manager if he isn’t aware of his own
property.
RE: We’re not allowed to say anything positive about Romney on this FREE Republic site so i won’t.
Well if you don’t like the political climate here on FREE Republic then go to DU where you gay-loving, statist-supporting, gun-grabbing, government-mandating Romney supporters should feel much more comfortable.
Dittoes.
Governor Rick Perry hit the ball out of the ball park when he said, we must defund the UN. I guess he is taking after the Texas Rangers. Both are winners!
Newt is ALWAYS impressive regardless of the bagage he carries.
Notice that when he speaks, all the others listen intently.
Romney's narcissistic arrogance just grates on me. Telling Perry that Texas has the largest immigration problem, WELL dumbass, Texas has the border and is YOUR Buffer zone. Idiot.
Cain? well, I like him, BUT!... and by that I mean I just don't know. Salesman he is, able to switch a statement around until he finds the one that will sell the moment. Apples and Oranges, Plums and Pears, etc. Those comments don't explain the plan. Just cutesy and cleaver salesman technique. Captivate them with words, until they give up and sign up, just to shut you up.
She said that the 9 9 9 is a VAT tax because the profits of the sub-companies would be taxed on the way up. Hello Michelle, profits are taxed today and typically at a rate higher than 9%. The truth is 9 percent is a lower tax rate than corporations are currently paying, so the end product would in theory cost less under the 9 9 9 plan. And what about her vacuous response to the foreclosure question? I talked to mothers, blah blah blah.
“We’re not allowed to say anything positive about Romney on this FREE Republic site so i won’t.”
Good. Don’t.
I totally agree with you. I thought Perry, although at least a bit more energized, was a crabby, mean spirited oaf. For HIM, of all people, to try to score any points on the illegal invasion issue against Romney is nothing short of laughable.
i hope the moderator flags this message.
we do not need name calling.
do not go down to the level of Obama, where he called
thank you
ps. we all make mistakes though, me too!
Perry did well tonight....I concede :). However, his days of over 20 percent are over. He will go from 5 percent to MAYBE 9 percent. I think Michele did better than Perry quite frankly but she will never have 20 percent again either. Cain did very well....Thank God. He will continue with his number one ranking for now. Newt did the best and will move to solid third place. Paul was the jokester on the panel. I know some don’t like him but I find him humorous....would never want him as President but he is so over the top that it breaks the thick stress of the others. Santorum would be a great President but won’t happen.
No kidding, I was about to Ping Jim Rob to see if he could ZoT the audience.
“He’s so bad, I’m actually sorry he’s so bad. There is much to admire in his life and career, but as a presidential candidate — he’s really bad.
Give it up, Perry supporters. He cannot deliver the goods. Face it, get over it, move on.”
Worth repeating. In my estimation the Dude is a Dud.
999 is NOT a VAT.
It’s really really simple. A VAT is a VAT, and saying 999 is a VAT is deliberate obfuscation.
And this should be below a candidate like Bachmann.
SHOULD be.
Newt never gets enough facetime from these tv mouthpieces.
He is the most articulate and sensible candidate of them all
and with his past experience he could start making positive changes from Day1 as POTUS unlike the current YOYO!
Like THAT really matters.
If mark levin belives this plan is actually the answer, he just developed a serious credibility problem.
Must be one of Cain’s Crack advisers.
All though I noticed tonight he caught himself when he started to say “my Advisers” And changed it to my plan.
Somehow a guy that has spent his business experience in the fast food industry is hardly an expert on TAX policy.
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