Free Republic

Remember when George Stephanopoulos, at the New Hampshire Republican debate on January 7, brought up and harped on whether the candidates thought states could ban contraception? Everyone, at least on our side of the aisle, shook their heads in disbelief as to why Stephanopoulos was bringing up the issue. There was no active controversy over contraception, it wasn’t in the news, and there were far more pressing political issues, yet what seemed like an eternity of debate time was devoted to the subject at the insistence of Stephanopoulos. It was, shall we say, something out of left field. When Romney...

....“I don’t think telling the truth in a happy, pleasant way comes across as negative,” he said. “It may come across as the truth.” He said he would follow his typical debate prep tonight – drink a Diet Coke and call his grandchildren, Maggie and Robert to “get their sophisticated coaching advise.” His mental to-do list for the contest at Saint Anselm College? “Slower. Smile. Shorter. Clearer,” Gingrich said....

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Mitt Romney has never looked stronger than he does today. He’s built up a huge lead in New Hampshire. The famously flat line of his support in Gallup polling is trending upwards. And, in South Carolina – SOUTH CAROLINA – the former Massachusetts Governor is leading the pack with almost 40 percent of the vote, while the only southerner in the contest – Texas Gov. Rick Perry – has fallen to 5 percent. It’s remarkable what an 8-vote victory over an underfunded and unknown candidate in Iowa can do to momentum. The only question now: can anyone...

The first New Hampshire Republican Presidential Primary Debate will be held tonight, January 7, 2012, at 9 a.m. E.S.T. in Manchester, New Hampshire. The debate is will air on ABC. Since the Iowa Caucus, the number of candidates in the debates has dwindled down to six: Rick Santorum, Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Newt Gingrich, and Jon Huntsman. This will be the first debate where Newt Gingrich will have the opportunity to go after Mitt Romney for the negative ad campaign which was sponsored by Romney's Super PAC. The personal banter between Gingrich and Romney should make for an...