Republican Debate Thread -- Tuesday, June 5, 2007 -- 7:00 pm EDT

[Alcon]

I loved Mike Huckabee's answer to creation.

I didn't.  He perpetuated the "we evolved from monkeys" error.  I liked it until then.  Disagreed with it, but liked it.

I also like how the lightning only strikes when Giuliani is talking.

My dad won't stop yelling "Flying Spaghetti Monster" at the TV.

[Alcon]

And would they please fix Rudy's mic problem?

It's interruption from lightning.  But it seems to almost exclusively be affecting him...

[Alcon]

And would they please fix Rudy's mic problem?

It's interruption from lightning.  But it seems to almost exclusively be affecting him...

yeah, I saw that before... clearly its not just the lightening though, unless God really is trying to screw Rudy.

The man is pro-choice.

[Alcon]

Does it seem to anyone else like Ron Paul is getting a disproporionate amount of time relative to how well he's polling?

[Alcon]

Huckabee's "Don't Ask/Don't Tell" answer didn't make much sense to me.  Romney handled it much better, even though I disagree with him.  But Romney is starting to sound too needy.

McCain managed to make it sound like letting gays in the military would ruin the greatest army in the world.

Tommy Thompson was really looking for clapping on that.  I liked his expression of disappointment.

[Alcon]

The only political use Libby's going to have is as an attack against those who support him.

Supporting his pardon is too nuanced of a thing for the average voter to care about.

[Alcon]

Mexico is a third-world country?  OK.

Also, if I hear "free enterprise" one more time...

Tommy Thompson's healthcare answer was really good...but also unnecessarily angry-sounding.

[Alcon]

Romney is giving a meandering, desparate answer.

His hypocrisy in advertising to...the economy of China.

[Alcon]

I actually have to give it to McCain on the English/Spanish answer.

This question (from the electrical engineer) should be fun.

[Alcon]

Last-minute ZING.

[Alcon]

...optimism!

These are such cheesy closers.  Giuliani's going after the Democrats, but not as successfully as Clinton went against the GOP.  She was subtler.

[Alcon]

I thought this was a mediocre debate for the issues.

It seems like McCain had 2 or 3 really well-rehearsed, well-delivered answers, including his last.  The rest were kind of lame.

Overall, I thought it was OK.  I think Romney was probably the overall loser, although Tommy Thompson also did rather eh.

I might even say McCain "won" overall, but he wasn't great.

[Alcon]

So, winners?  Losers?

I'd say winners were McCain and Huckabee, while Thompson delivered a good answer on healthcare.

I'd say losers were Romney and Brownback, because I almost forgot Brownback was even in the debate.

Then again, Brownback's best moments were the ones where I disagree with him, so...

[Alcon]

CNN is analyzing the dial results...

McCain tanked big on immigration and on nuclear power.

Giuliani scored on global warming, especially among independents.

Some of the strongest reactions came from trashing incumbent Republicans, especially among independents.