Especially memorable was the exchange between Rudy Giuliani and Ron Paul on the reasons that al-Qaida and terrorists in general attack Americans. It was clearly Rudy's best moment in an otherwise awkward balancing act.
But back to the moderators. Perhaps what it really took tonight were conservative commentators to ferret out the crucial distinctions between the GOP candidates. The Fox guys did good on this score, and, as a result, tomorrow's headline will not be about the media, or a bunch of guys who all sounded the same.
Reader Comments ( Page 2 of 3)
16. Fox did a great job asking hard questions. It is clear why the democrats are afraid to have their debates hosted by FOX. They want only soft ball questions. I loved it when a candidate did not answer the question and the modirator came back and said that he'd give the candidate 30 more seconds to actually answer the question asked. Democrats need to find a backbone and reschedule the debate hosted by FOX News.
Rick at 9:58AM on May 16th 2007
17. Fox was great. They asked the tough questions. Chris Wallace would not allow Rudy to get away with not answering the question. When Rudy went on about the democrats, Chris said now i will give you 30 seconds to answer the question I asked. If the democrats are serious about the presidency, I suggest they go to Fox and have their debate. I enjoyed this debate and got a lot out of it. Not sure who did the best because the field is still too big but I really thought they did an excellent job.
FLORENCE C. at 10:01AM on May 16th 2007
18. Wouldn't it be nice if the Demos had the guts to have Fox interview them. It will never happen because they are a bunch of cowards. How does anyone expect them to combat terrrorism if they can't even have a debate on a Conservative network?
Joe Tonelli at 10:02AM on May 16th 2007
19. The questioners actually asked PERTINENT questions!
Romney or Rudy were and are mt favorites.
Joan Kunitz at 10:33AM on May 16th 2007
20. I concur that the three Fox 'moderators' did exactly what Chris Mathews did not do: Ask 'hardball' questions. What an excellent job they did.
Ron Paul's positions were abysmal for a conservative. He doesn't belong on the podium with the other nine candidates. His condeming comments about the War in Iraq were ludicrous and even malicious, and his ideas are NOT what is necessary to preserve our freedom and liberties from Islamic Jihadists who want to defeat and rule America - a committment to a life-time goal taught to youngsters since age 4-5. (Wonder how many liberals voted for Paul?).
Duncan Hunter's ideas about illegal immigration merits serious consideraton. Mitt Romney's intellect and leadership ability showed very clearly.
'Rudy's' committment defending America against Islamic Jihad was unequivocable and admirable on one of the two most serious issues facing America today.
David Heckman at 10:21AM on May 16th 2007
21. Is there ANY question on: 1.) Who can beat Hillary? and 2.) Who can lead America? RUDY RUDY RUDY
It's GOP Me! at 10:28AM on May 16th 2007
22. The Debate Was Done Very Well By Fox News I was Impresed By it. Now Some one Needs To Hand The Dems Over To Them For The Same Thing.
http://www.todaypolitics.blogspot.com/
bloggershaven at 10:29AM on May 16th 2007
23. I believe the reason the Fox News folks are being praised for how well they conducted the debate is because they did not try to be the focus of the show. I was disgusted with how the liberal questioners tried to take the focus off of the candidates and place it upon themselves in both the Dem and GOP previous debates.
Mike Horn at 10:29AM on May 16th 2007
24. I thought it was a much better debate than the first one . It least you did not have cheap shot Chris Mathews and the other moran walking back and forth like an attack dog.
I think Rudy wanted to nail Ron Paul to the wall and I wish he had more time to do it . I think Ron Paul is a Wimp .
Dennis
Dennis at 10:46AM on May 16th 2007
25. The questioners asked PERTINENT questions! Romney and Rudy are my guys.
Joan Kunitz at 10:35AM on May 16th 2007
26. Fox did a great job asking hard questions. It is clear why the democrats are afraid to have their debates hosted by FOX. They want only soft ball questions. I loved it when a candidate did not answer the question and the modirator came back and said that he'd give the candidate 30 more seconds to actually answer the question asked. Democrats need to find a backbone and reschedule the debate hosted by FOX News.
Rick at 10:36AM on May 16th 2007
27. FOX NEWS - Always "fair and balanced" - in the news and debate moderation.
Mike at 11:33AM on May 16th 2007
28. RIGHT ON RUDY !!!!!!!!!!!!
NOW IF YOU COULD JUST ADD TANCREDOS PLANS ABOUT ILLEGALS .....
YOU WOULD BE PERFECT........
LINDA at 11:48AM on May 16th 2007
29. Debates are not debates but cattle calls.Ten men with hopes of being president,hoping to say something
pithy and catching someone in a mistake,is not a debate.Bring on the real canadate"newt"
ira siegel at 11:51AM on May 16th 2007
30. Finally, some really tough and good questions for the presidential debaters! Great job. The only part I didn't like was the part in which the candidates were encouraged to excoriate one another. Dems don't do that, they circle the wagon...always. And, with Ron Paul saying most Americans are for ending the war, I wish someone had responded that, for about 4 years now, the Dems have been crying "Vietnam! Vietnam!," and they, with the help of the liberal-leaning medi, may well have brought that about. To emphasize that, a marine was recently spat upon, and another soldier was denigrated. Haven't we (actually the Liberals) learned from past mistakes? But, this time, when soldiers return and are denigrated, and terrorists bring to our country suicide bombers, I'll know who to blame. Sadly, the Dems have become the party of the party and Ron Paul is playing right into that. Gail
Gail Torp at 12:37PM on May 16th 2007