October 09, 2007
GOP debate
The presidential debates have so far left me feeling underwhelmed, and the latest was no exception. I'm not enthused about any of the would-be nominees, leading me to believe that this will be another instance of cutting from the bottom and seeing who's left over.
Tonight's GOP debate was the first one to include Fred Thompson, the guy I want to be better than the rest; he started off a little slow, but seemed to gain confidence as time passed, projecting a sort of avuncular folksiness without any schmaltz.
And his answers were okay on the substance, too.
I thought Thompson and Giuliani were the two strongest candidates participating in the forum, with Romney and Huckabee rounding out the ranks of the top contenders (although Romney leaves me cold, not withstanding his polish).
McCain looked wan and old; he's a decade past his sell-by date, which would really be of interest if he hadn't spent that decade alienating the GOP base.
Link: sevenload.com
Check out Thompson's response after co-moderator Chris Matthews decides it's too boring trying (and failing) to be impartial; the juicy-talking "journalist" tells the candidate that he should have left his answer at "No," rather than explaining in greater detail what he meant.
Thompson asks, "Who asked for your opinion, Christopher?"
I've never heard anyone call Matthews anything other than "Chris," or maybe "Chrissy."
"Christopher" left a puddle, so drenched in dry condescension it was.
Link: sevenload.com
Romney's response to a hypothetical involving an attack on Iran to prevent an imminent threat to the U.S. was simply horrible; he defaulted to "consulting lawyers" as the first thing he would do as the Commander in Chief. The last thing we need is a president interested in waging lawfare on our enemies.
Stiff, inauthentic, political hack; Romney hits the trifecta -- and drops out of my top tier (if he ever truly was in it).
Ron Paul offers another of his wild-eyed, arm-waving, shouting responses, one that draws a sharp -- and well deserved -- rebuke from Rudy Giuliani.
Brownback, Tancredo and some other guy added nothing to the debate; the sooner they figure out they're also rans, the better.
Posted by Mike Lief at October 9, 2007 10:36 PM
| TrackBack
Comments
Romney personifies the empty suit.
McCain is right only on the war.
Giuliani is a gun-grabber who is also wrong on abortion, illegal immigration, and big government.
Duncan Hunter is right on so many issues, I can't understand why more conservatives haven't spotted him. Maybe he is running for vice-president.
Thompson seems right on all the issues but he needs to clarify one or two points. And he's the right one to put against the screechbox in the general election as his Christopher put-down shows.
So sayeth I, who knows all, sees all, and understands nothing.
Posted by: The Little Coach at October 10, 2007 08:05 AM