On Fox News last night, the GOP candidates -- sans Fred Thompson -- went at it again. There were some more fireworks than in previous face-offs and the race is starting to get more heated. Iraq, immigration, abortion and the greater War on Terror were the main topics with immigration and Iraq taking up the most time.
Winners would include John McCain although it's too little, too late and Mike Huckabee. Huckabee had a sparring match with Ron Paul in which Huckabee definitely had the crowd on his side and in my opinion won the match. You can see why Paul attracts some devotees but I have to agree with Glenn Reynolds that his notion that the "neocons" led us to war and not the nation as a whole rings hollow. Paul is essentially rewriting history as he knows full-well that the President went to Congress for approval and went to the UN as well. In fact, the process was extended because of that and that allowed Saddam to set up the insurgency in my opinion. So the idea that a few "neocons" got us into war is ludicrous at best. Huckabee is running a decent campaign being that he came from nowhere.
McCain hit some good points and came across as prepared and on his game, unfortunately he sank during the "shamnesty" bill imbroglio and can never get back to the point he was, especially with Fred Thompson now in the race. A McCain upset in the early primaries is a possibility but not probable. The Arizona Senator had the funniest line of the night when busting on Thompson for missing the debate and doing the Leno show: "Maybe we're up past his bedtime," although McCain is four years older.
Rudy Giuliani didn't make any huge mistakes but he didn't exactly blow anyone away either. He was Mayor of New York, we all know he was Mayor of New York and we all know his record in New York. Start talking about the rest of the country, Rudy.
Romney had the best soundbite of the night:
And if it means we have to go into a mosque to wiretap or a church, then that's exactly where we're going to go. Because we're going to do whatever it takes to protect the American people.
And I hear from time to time people say, hey, wait a second. We have civil liberties we have to worry about. But don't forget, the most important civil liberty I expect from my government is my right to be kept alive, and that's what we're going to have to do.
That's pure red meat to Conservatives and supporters of the War on Terror. He scored pretty well on that and his overall answers on Iraq and immigration were good except when Giuliani called him on "sanctuary" issues.
Finally, Duncan Hunter , Sam Brownback and Tom Tancredo haven't been able to make a move and in the case of Hunter it's disappointing. He's a good candidate and I would hope he would at least be considered for a V.P. slot or at the very least a high-level cabinet position. As for Tancredo, make him the head of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and the border will be sealed immediately.
The next debate will be a bit more interesting as the entire field will be there and I would imagine one or two of the lesser candidates will have dropped by then.
Hit the link above as Instapundit has a roundup of those who blogged events as they were happening.
Reader Comments ( Page 2 of 2)
16. Ron Paul wins another debate with his moral genius. I will be voting of the only traditional conservative in the race. I will be voting for Ron Paul in 2008!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWfIhFhelm8
grace at 3:01AM on Sep 7th 2007
17. Ron Paul won the text messaging contest but lose the main event of the night the debate.McCain,well he did have a short moment of anger towards Romneys statement about the surge which I feel wasn't anything wrong what Governor Romney was saying concerning the surge at this stage.I think Romney still in control of the debates leader but I'm starting to question the intention of these debates Moderator when it comes to a specific candidate in Mitt Romney.I hope they are not trying to target Romneys Religion and thats not very nice for these Moderator to focus on such a weak point.I respect and took my hats off to every worthy and honorable individual service men and women for their sacrifice in serving their country in the military.But my dissatisfaction is to those who seems to question others that did not able to do the same.I'm sure there are a lot of ways we can serve and show our commitment to our country wether through the military or Public Services etc.But questioning a candidate and his sons why they didn't serve in the military is kind of insulting after all we do have a voluntary one and we also are free to choose what to do with our lives as individuals and as families.Personally I feel that it is better for me to serve and die with honor than making a big fuzz and questioning others of their decision not to join the Army,Navy,Marine and the Air force.In God We Trusts people.
KaM at 2:20AM on Sep 8th 2007
18. Scott, Been waiting all night for someone to respond to your challenge. Where'd they go?
Larry at 11:11AM on Sep 7th 2007
19. Larry,
There's so many text message and online polls and so little time. Why attempt to answer a question you can't when you can spam the latest Nickelodeon.com presidential poll?
Scott at 12:02PM on Sep 7th 2007
20. Scott, I think this is the sort of question you would do well to ask a librarian.
Perhaps, even a frequent flier.
I am neither, but I'm still not really looking forward to my next airport experience—I was held up before the start of my last round-trip. Luckily whatever that was cleared up "quickly" (30 minutes), though it's no fun when no one will tell you what's going on.
Still, here are a couple which I'm pretty sure aren't "made up":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habeas_corpus#Suspension_in_the_United_States_in_1990s_and_2000s
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_speech_zone
I consider the erosion of liberties to be as important as the prospect of their violent loss. Frogs in a pot, and all that.
To answer your question further, I imagine a person could fill a book: http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Rights-Destruction-American-Liberty/dp/0312123337
...even if that book precedes Bush or the AEDPA of 1996.
So, yes, if you haven't guessed, I am voting for Ron Paul.
Robert Johnson at 3:01PM on Sep 10th 2007
21. If people would actually listen to Huckabee, they will discover that HE IS right on about the IMMIGRATION Issue. HE IS NO BUSH CLONE on the issue. Those who violate the law will be deported.
NOW HEAR THIS .... You are all in for a treat.... The lid has just been blown off about the latest ELECTION SCANDAL to ROCK in BOTH and REPUBLICAN and DEMOCRATIC PARTY's as the PUBLIC is made aware of it.
The Shift in Momentum IS FOR PRESIDENT HUCKABEE in 2008 & Exposing the Unethical Tactics of Political Masons
prffsrx at 7:03AM on Nov 8th 2007
22. ONLY HUCKABEE CAN DEFEAT HILLARY / OBAMA
If people would actually listen to Huckabee, they will discover that HE IS right on about the IMMIGRATION Issue. HE IS NO BUSH CLONE on the issue. Those who violate the law will be deported.
NOW HEAR THIS .... You are all in for a treat.... The lid has just been blown off about the latest ELECTION SCANDAL to ROCK in BOTH and REPUBLICAN and DEMOCRATIC PARTY's as the PUBLIC is made aware of it.
The Shift in Momentum IS FOR PRESIDENT HUCKABEE in 2008 & Exposing the Unethical Tactics of Political Masons
http://evolutionfacts.townhall.com
prffsrx at 7:05AM on Nov 8th 2007
23. Rudy Giuliani,John McCain, Fred Thomson,Ron Paul and Mike Huckabee for illegals? Pretty amzing.
KaM at 3:31AM on Nov 13th 2007
24. Ron Paul for President. In my opionion he wins the debates hands down. I think it is mainstream media trying to make it sound like he doesn't have a chance to win so we will all feel forced to vote for who they want to win. They try really hard to twist his own words, but they just can't - he's honest and he doesn't flip flop. We have said we want a president with no ties to big money and here he is on a silver platter yet the majority choose to look the other way. WHY? Vote Ron Paul - the commen sense choice.
Wendy at 1:55PM on Nov 13th 2007