GOP Presidential Debate - Discussion Thread

[MODU]

It will be interesting to see what Gilmore and Hunter have to say in their short answers that might cause the top three to fumble with a counterpoint.  This debate really needs to be 4 hours long and/or less questions asked so everyone has more time to respond.

[MODU]

It will be interesting to see what Gilmore and Hunter have to say in their short answers that might cause the top three to fumble with a counterpoint.  This debate really needs to be 4 hours long and/or less questions asked so everyone has more time to respond.

They should have fewer questions asked, and also narrow the list of topics for each debate.  There's just way too much ground to cover, and the candidates only have time to give thumbnail answers on each topic.  Have a debate on Iraq, a debate on foreign policy issues besides Iraq, a debate on entitlements, a debate on immigration, etc.  That would give you some time for some decent back and forth.

I agree. 

[MODU]

So does anybody think Giuliani's kind of awful right now?

No, but McCain is doing terrible.

[MODU]

Tommy Thompson really thinks that employers should be able to fire somebody because they're gay?

Do conservatives really believe that? I was pretty disturbed with that answer.

The question was "private business," so yes, the employer has the right to fire someone if they feel like it, especially if it is a right-to-work state.

[MODU]

After listening to the debates so far, I would say Gilmore, Brownback, Romney and Rudy have done the best as far as presentation.  McCain and Paul have been lack luster at best.  Thompson is ok.

[MODU]

Wow... Brownback really wants to be VP

hahaha . . . well, he is being "positive," isn't he?

[MODU]

So Paul does think government has a purpose.

"To defend the privacy of the individual"

Which is why no one really takes him serious as a Presidential candidate.  Some of his points I agree with, but not many.

[MODU]

I will take my stab at ranking these folks tonight:

1 ) Brownback
2 ) Gillmore
3 ) Rudy
4 ) Romney
5 ) Thompson
6 ) Hunter
7 ) Huckabee
8 ) Tancredo
9 ) McCain
10) Paul

[MODU]

You have Huckabee on there twice.

Yeah, I caught that.  Thanks. 

[MODU]

stick a fork in McCain

Yeah, he looked exhausted and scripted.

One of the guys on MSNBC called McCain "Popeye."  What the hell does that mean?

[MODU]

Newt is having his own debate on FOX.  MSNBC is still picking on McCain.

[MODU]

So when do the democrats stand in front of Brit Hume? 

[MODU]

So when do the democrats stand in front of Brit Hume? 

Chris Matthews voted for Bush twice. Nice try though.

And that has what to do with the price of tea in China?  

[MODU]

I think live analysis is better than post-analysis because post-analysis always gets skewed toward one viewpoint. So here's a montage of blog posts from msnbc.com's First Read for a live view:

-- McCain solid

Was he watching the same debate as the rest of us?