Starting the debate event with the National Anthem is a nice touch.
Mostly conventional answers so far....
Fred Thompson jumping in - he seems to have brought his A-game. First audience applause of the night.
McCain ties fighting global warming to the Reagan Revolution -- big, pointless stretch.
Ron Paul refuses to disavow the so-called 9/11 Truthers. Wack job.
Interesting question: what would the candidates have done in response to this week's naval provocation in the Straights of Hormuz... McCain rightfully points that it's unwise to second-guess the ship's captain.
Ron Paul can't handle it... he's fretting about our supposed interest in aggression. GREAT response from Fox's Brit Hume: congressman, what are you responding to?
Oh boy, another question for Ron Paul: should the president be visiting the Middle East. Answer: better for everyone if we're just "out of there." Trade and talk, but no evil "aid." Moron.
McCain: no trading burkas with Al Qaeda.
Ron Paul comes off like the crazy uncle everyone hoped wouldn't show up at the family reunion.
9:02 central time -- second commercial break. Good old Fox capitalists.
Romney on "change" -- can't be done by insiders.
McCain -- Chris Wallace asks if he is part of the solution or part of the problem. Hmm, let me guess, he will mention the change of strategy in Iraq... Yep. Next should be the cancelled Air Force tanker contract... Bingo!
Huckabee --blather about new government programs in Arkansas. Not much of a brief for smaller government.
Huckabee asked question about his electability given his support for Southern Baptist doctrine about wives "submitting" to husbands. Sounds like a tough question, but really a softball. He hits it out easily, and no follow up.
Ron Paul asked about his electability -- goes off on his loyalty to the constitution. Non-answer.
Immigration time.
McCain: build the fence but handle everyone humanely. He is so not sincere.
Romney: send 'em all home, but evaluate on a case by case basis. 12 million cases?
Thompson: can't look at all individual cases. "High fences, wide gates. And we decide who gets in."
Paul: enforce the law. Claims our border guards are in Iraq. Puh-lease.
Huckleberry: total non-answer. Doesn't want anyone to fear the police.
Giuliani: defends his record in NYC.
And that's that.
Insta-verdict: Fred Thompson was the winner. Hard to say if he had enough individual time to make a difference.
Frank Luntz's focus group: Fred a big winner. Ron Paul the big loser. Oh yeah.
Posted by Alan at January 10, 2008 09:35 PM