Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Iowa Debate - Who was the Winner?

RR's Thoughts on the Debate:

Tancredo
Tom is really fabulous and he is targeted on two issues, illegal immigration and the war against islamofacists. It is too bad that he cannot win a general election.
Keyes The Ambassador really is a great speaker and he is clearly being insulted by a process that allows Paul to speak but not him. Not that Paul does not deserve to be there, he does. But Keys should be allowed to play up to a point (Till After NH.)

Huckabee
He really stepped in it with his video statement regarding faith. Saying that a person stating he is a "person of faith, but it does not guide my decisions" is not really a person of faith. Huckbee is trying to twist and subtly attack Romney. I think Romney is on the high ground in this discussion and Huckabee really looks bad continuing to harp on this. The more he defines his candidacy on his religion and not being Mormon, takes away from his ability to show he has other issue based strengths for other voters who care less about what religion a leader is. I think that is his weakness here, he is a one point candidate (His Christianity) that sounds really good in sound bites,

Thompson
Fred was presidential and the winner of this debate. I am not saying this cause Fred is my guy. (I am not pulling a "KJL" like her support of Romney) I really think he won the debate. Too bad it was at 2 pm on a Wednesday. Fred really nailed why he should be president with this statement,

"When the enemies of this country are at the negotiating table, who do you want representing you? Whoever that guy is, that's the guy you ought to vote for for President."

He was also good putting down that liberal moderator, Carolyn Washburn, editor of the Des Moines Register. Thompson stuck it to he on the global warming-hand up moment.

"I'm not doing any hand shows today."

Washburn
Washburn was a factor in the debate. Carolyn (I have heard he called Nurse Ratchet) should be led out back and told to walk into the corn field never to return. Or she should be checked to see if she was a Clinton plant ( My guess is that she is a big time liberal.) She did a disservice to the potential republican caucus goers by holding a debate whose main goal was to make the candidates look stupid. I think her questions, time limits (although justified) and overall inability to really bring issues out was disappointing. I am curious to see if she 1. is still moderating the dem debate today and 2. if she asks similar irrelevant questions in similar ways to the dems.

I also thought her slam of the Republicans in the beginning of the debate was uncalled for. (Paraphrasing - the dems have debated a lot in Iowa, you haven't. So I am here to make you pay for that. WHAAA!!!!)

McCain and Giuliani
These two were at the debate? I think they were effectively neutered at this event. The format did not suit them. I think they could have skipped it and gotten a bump from it.

Romney
Other than KJL's love for Romney as a candidate rubbing off at NRO and getting him their endorsement, There really was no true good or bad done to or by Romney in this Debate. He does benefit every time the Huckster takes a crack at Mormons.

I bet today's debate will be very serious and will contrast well with the Repubs.

Stay Tuned,
RR

No comments: