That’s what the Redstaters are saying. Clearly I don’t have any dog in that fight, but the emerging consensus is that Romney and McCain did well and Giuliani tanked. Frankly, I didn’t see that spin to it and like the Democratic debate I fail to see how this will really affect the dynamics of the race.
That said, if the John McCain I saw last night becomes the Republican nominee I’m a lot less wary of him than I used to be. Put the crazy older man barking out odd non sequiturs on the same stage as Sen. Clinton, Sen. Obama, or Sen. Edwards and we could be looking at 1980 or 1984 in reverse.
Romney looks nice, but I expect at any moment he’s ready to take me to the showroom in order to explain to me how much legroom the 2004 Camry has, if you get my drift.
Giuliani? 9/11, 9/11, 9/11 did I mention I was once mayor of New York.
None of these guys want my vote and aren’t going to get it, but sheesh, the idea that the way to improve this field of woeful Republicans is to add Hollywood actor Fred Thompson is probably going to be an awesome punch line for the next six months or so.
I’m thinking Fred can win. He has the ability to really sell the vapid inane remark that shows his down home quality to the 30%ers. All he needs to do is show them he can cut brush and he’ll have their support sown up.
And apparently he played a white supremacist on a TV show once, so that should help him with the base.
Why don’t they just dig up the corpse of Hollywood Actor Ronald Reagan and run him?
The Republican’ts love Hollywood Actors unless the poor fools hate Hollywood Actors.
Interesting tool:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18421356/
Looking at the results, Ron Paul won the debate while Giuliani and McCain lost.
You could also argue that Mitt Romney won the debate since he was the only candiate with a shot to win that had a good approval rating after the debate.
Actually the Reagan idea isn’t bad: we could have a contest between decayed symbols of Republican factions: zombie Reagan for the misty-eyed “values voters” versus zombie Nixon for the Machiavellian neocons. Now THAT’s a debate I’d like to see!
Zombie Nixon: “If the president does it, then it’s not illegal.”
Zombie Reagan: “There you go again.”
Both: BRAINS!!
To suggest Romney won the debate must be based on his demeanor because he really failed to be subsanative on several questions. McCain won on the ability to seperate himself from other candidates but probably came off as trying too hard(Ron Paul is the most different,whoops!). Duncan Hunter looked to be Bush Version 2.0 which will not sit well with the majority of independents and even normal conservatives. Huckabee was probably attacked more than the other candidates and looked thrown off, but showed more guts answering those questions. Gulianni wouldn’t confront the abortion question and pulled out 9/11 when things got bad(go figure!). The main issue I had was that they were hesitant to stray from Bush’s failed government practices and the Reagan butt kissing was out of control.(Again, its almost gay how they make Reagan the creator of optimism, sunshine, and partriotism) No Republican can be taken seriously when they espouse the same-old-same-old of GWB. The cons on this page slobber about Fred Thompson who is vying with Duncan Hunter for #1 Bush ass kisser and I welcome him to the race. Tie yourself to Bush and your SUB 30% approval ratings. Dems may take full control of government if they send out Bush#2. The sooner Republicans reject Bush and move on the better for thier party but I’m cool if the cons want to sport that albatross around thier necks.
My fvorite comment today after watching McCain:
“He sounded like the crazy neighbor three shouses down who come out waving a newspaper in his bathrobe SCREAMING for you to get off his lawn!”
ROFL
Hey look, John McCain!
A) Wouldn’t mind seeing a debate with John McCain v. Zombie Reagan.
B) wouldn’t mind seeing a debate with John McCain v. Sen. Gravel.
Good times.
The McCain jokes, however applicable, are recycled Bob Dole jokes. Norm Macdonald used to impersonate Dole on SNL with the curmudgeony (is that a word?) “get off my lawn” routine.
Debates like these, and in fact, presidential debates in general, are pretty much a joke — especailly when there are so many participants and everyone is just working for their Lloyd Benson moment.
Not having known anything really about Romney, I was impressed. He clearly appeared to be the most “presidential,” whatever that means. While I don’t think anyone can lose from their performance (and McCain and Giuliani were clearly not on top of their game) I do think that Romney enhanced his status. If nothing else, Romney’s performance has to make Fred Thompson realize it is now or never if he is going to get in the race.
Republicans believe that if they can just package the Iraq war correctly, they can still sell it.
Maybe so, but only to the 30 percenters.
‘08 is not really going to be an election. They are just picking a Judas goat to lead them down to the killing floor.
Any of those guys will do. Just make sure the bell is tied securely to his neck.
Won?
Won a trip to the friggin looney bin.
I think he would have strangled a puppy on camera while smiling just to show how tough he is.
OH SHIT! HE DID WIN!
HE’S A REAL REPUBLICAN!
Liked Guiliani’s flip flop and a summersault on the abortion question. “It would be ok”. Yeah Rudy, keep thinking you’re going to get the fundie vote.