The Winner of the Republican Debate Is...

By: Lowell
Published On: 5/4/2007 10:11:19 AM

I didn't watch the entire Republican debate, but I did watch large chunks of it on YouTube.  Also, the transcript is here.  All in all, I'd say that the winner yesterday was, hands down, Ronald Reagan.  By my count, Reagan was invoked 30 times by the candidates, always in laudatory terms (interesting, since Reagan ran up the largest deficits in American history, "cut and run" in Lebanon, negotiated with the "evil empire," traded arms for hostages, etc., etc.)  Other than that, I actually might agree with the conservative Red State blog for the first time in my life:

But let's be honest. Who really won? Fred Thompson. None of the men on that stage really stood out tonight. Tancredo, Ron Paul, Tommy Thompson, and Jim Gilmore just made you wonder why on earth they were there.

Good question, why ARE they there?  And why is the Republican field so weak this year, especially compared to the Democratic field?  Perhaps because these guys are forced to defend 6+ years of miserable failure by their own party, are bereft of new ideas, and realize that "conservativism" is completely discredited?  Just a thought.

Comments



winner? (noonan - 5/4/2007 12:50:14 PM)
If I may say so, listening to them debate, and listening to the way that they struggled with the questions and how out of touch they are with Americans, it was clear who the winner of last night's debate is:

The eventual Democratic nominee!



Isn't it hilarious (Chris Guy - 5/4/2007 1:05:12 PM)
We've had two George Bushes in the White House since the 1980's and they're still talking about Reagan. What message does that send to America about the last 2 Republican Presidents?

Newt Gingrich made a great point last year on the eve of the mid-term elections. When Republicans take shots at Dubya to save their own ass, they're just hurting themselves by destroying the GOP brand name.

And I hope they keep reminding people about Reagan since none of these guys resembles him in any way shape or form.



I know Rudy's out (mkfox - 5/4/2007 2:28:43 PM)
No way he'll get the nomination after proclaiming that it'd be OK if Roe v. Wade is upheld.


At one point tweety asked how many didn't believe in evolution... (ericy - 5/4/2007 2:31:12 PM)

And a couple of them raised their hands...


The Winner of the Republican Debate.... (Ghost of A.L. Philpott - 5/4/2007 2:37:02 PM)
.... Mike Gravel. He is no longer the craziest candidate on stage. That honor now rests on Jim Gilmore's shoulders.


Yes I watched the Debate (Gordie - 5/4/2007 2:53:23 PM)
Yes, Gilmore is sickening and yes I just paid the car tax bill Gilmore claimed he eliminated.

I also felt Chris Matthews did a lousy job. His questions were terrible. It was a game of trying to play I gottcha. He left some candidates talk for ever and cut others short. His 30 second rebuttals seemed like 1 1/2 minutes.

But the real reason I watched the debate reinforced my reason for being a Democrat. I am a firm believer in the values Christ tried to teach us all. "Take care of the less fortunate". Those clowns have no ideal of what that means. They all claimed the words "In God We Trust" If the "In God We Trust" Government cannot set the standards
just who will.

Reagon is gone and that is a good thing. We do not need another actor who destroys the family values that Government is suppose to promote. We do not need another 2 faced politican. One who has a face for the public and one who has a face outside the public. I can never forgive him for laying the ground work of destroying our manufacturing base.

I have never heard such double talk in my entire life by 9 people. Yes Paul excluded. It was okay to have another Kuncinich on the stage, just to get past the other lies.

From what I heard, if you are ready for another War, elect a Republican. Half of them were in Iran tommorrow and the other half were in Iran the next day. And I don't mean as partners of peace. Hunter was the most scary individual on that stage. And I thought Air Force One in the back ground sucked. Not a single one deserves the Presidency, but if I had no other choice it would be Romney after I voted for Gravel.

Brownback's constant "Family Values" and then destroying Government was discusting. I just wonder if any of them know what family values are. Every other word out of their mouths was destroying family values. None seem to believe in the Constitution of separation of Church and State. And they sure love the word "Activist Judges".

Ten people on that stage all blew the big question of the night. They were asked if "Bill Clinton should be back in the White House". Not a single one knew the answer was, "No because I am going to be President".

Therefore they all flunked Kindergarten and should go back to school and forget running for President.



Romney won (DanG - 5/4/2007 3:19:52 PM)
Romney just may have pushed himself into second place.  That, of course, is good for Democrats.  Have you seen his numbers?  He's the only damn candidate Hillary can beat.


Notice McCain's maniacal moment? (FMArouet - 5/4/2007 3:46:16 PM)
After concluding his apparently well-rehearsed rant about pursuing terrorists to the "gates of hell," McCain suddenly sprang a maniacal grin. Really weird.

Only 6% of respondents to Matt Drudge's poll thought that McCain had won the debate. Interestingly enough, Drudge rather quickly took that poll off his web page this morning. Romney had won with 35%, and Giuliani had garnered 20%. McCain may now be entering freefall territory. I suspect that even Romney may end up catching him by the end of the summer.

But can Romney catch a fading Julie-Annie (can't wait to see those drag photos used during the campaign)?

As for Thompson, he has a resonant voice and is a fair actor, but if he decides to enter the race, can those credentials suffice to propel him to the top?

Oops, almost forgot about Reagan in 1980. Anything is possible in what has become BushWorld.