firstdown
09-08-2011, 09:21 PM
I wanted to recap last night's GOP debate. Overall I was impressed with the flow of the discussion, the exchanges between candidates. I felt it was one of the better moderated debates I've seen in a while.
Governor Rick Perry's debuted on a national stage last night. My policies differences aside, I think Governor Perry more than held his own and came prepared to answer and respond to attacks on his record and controversial comments he's made in the past. A big part of doing well in these debates is being ready and looking the part. This one debate won't propel Governor Perry in the polls or convince voters that he's presidential material, but he did show he's ready for prime time. Quite frankly, it's a very long vetting process and voters get engaged in different phases. Perry's performance probably changed the calculus of the third tier candidates and how much longer they decide to stick around. If I'm Rick Santorum, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, or Ron Paul I'm thinking what's next.
Two things Gov. Perry said jumped out to me last night though. He actually gave President Obama props for keeping the country safe and crediting him (along with the Navy Seals) for killing Bin Laden. That's one little compliment the White House will stick in it's back pocket until the appropriate time. His rhetoric on Social Security continues to be baffling. He doubled down on referring to Social Security as a Ponzi scheme. To look at this practically for a moment: Do I really want the Chief Executive referring to one of the nation's most sacrosanct programs in modern American history, one that he will presumably oversee, as a Ponzi scheme? I don't care how brilliant Perry thinks he is, that just isn't a winning issue.
Mitt Romney was on his game. Again, policy aside he seems more comfortable and is chomping at the bit to get a piece of President Obama, one on one.
I think it's a two man race -- Romney and Perry.
Jon Huntsman is who I thought he was. Just another guy. He's just there, no discernible strategy other than I don't hate Obama and let's all be civil. Sorry, that's not going to cut it in a Republican primary.
Michelle Bachmann didn't do anything to hurt herself, but she didn't stand out like she did in the first two debates. She'll probably have enough base support to stick around to the bitter end, but her momentum seems to be fading. Still, I wouldn't underestimate her.
Congressman Ron Paul went out of his to explain how FEMA is a waste of money and time and serves no good purpose. Hurricanes, tornados, and earthquakes be damned, Ron Paul wants us to go back to the '70s before FEMA was formed. I wonder if he were president during Katrina what his response would have been. His views on the TSA are about the same. Maybe it's just me, but I'm still a tad nervous and don't mind a random pat down at the airport to ensure a bomb doesn't find it's way onto a flight. I guarantee you that terrorists don't plot to kill Americans based on party affiliation or whether we're Libertarian, Democrat, or Republican. They hate all of us. One plane going down because of dumb policies is one too many.
Rick Santorum is more Catholic than the Pope. Can't he just be a pastor or something. Just do it, man. You'd be great at it.
Newt Gingrich sounds more and more like the substitute teacher who knows that he's smarter than the guy he's standing in for and is now becoming upset with the school board because he realizes they will never hire him full-time because the kids just don't take him seriously.
Hermain Cain is a talking point machine. I think he should run for Senate someday though, because he'll never be president.
The only reason that saying SS is a ponzi scheme could hurt him is that Americans are not smart enough to figure it out on their own.
On that note its still the 1st qtr and GB has 21 point and look like a well oiled machine.
Governor Rick Perry's debuted on a national stage last night. My policies differences aside, I think Governor Perry more than held his own and came prepared to answer and respond to attacks on his record and controversial comments he's made in the past. A big part of doing well in these debates is being ready and looking the part. This one debate won't propel Governor Perry in the polls or convince voters that he's presidential material, but he did show he's ready for prime time. Quite frankly, it's a very long vetting process and voters get engaged in different phases. Perry's performance probably changed the calculus of the third tier candidates and how much longer they decide to stick around. If I'm Rick Santorum, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, or Ron Paul I'm thinking what's next.
Two things Gov. Perry said jumped out to me last night though. He actually gave President Obama props for keeping the country safe and crediting him (along with the Navy Seals) for killing Bin Laden. That's one little compliment the White House will stick in it's back pocket until the appropriate time. His rhetoric on Social Security continues to be baffling. He doubled down on referring to Social Security as a Ponzi scheme. To look at this practically for a moment: Do I really want the Chief Executive referring to one of the nation's most sacrosanct programs in modern American history, one that he will presumably oversee, as a Ponzi scheme? I don't care how brilliant Perry thinks he is, that just isn't a winning issue.
Mitt Romney was on his game. Again, policy aside he seems more comfortable and is chomping at the bit to get a piece of President Obama, one on one.
I think it's a two man race -- Romney and Perry.
Jon Huntsman is who I thought he was. Just another guy. He's just there, no discernible strategy other than I don't hate Obama and let's all be civil. Sorry, that's not going to cut it in a Republican primary.
Michelle Bachmann didn't do anything to hurt herself, but she didn't stand out like she did in the first two debates. She'll probably have enough base support to stick around to the bitter end, but her momentum seems to be fading. Still, I wouldn't underestimate her.
Congressman Ron Paul went out of his to explain how FEMA is a waste of money and time and serves no good purpose. Hurricanes, tornados, and earthquakes be damned, Ron Paul wants us to go back to the '70s before FEMA was formed. I wonder if he were president during Katrina what his response would have been. His views on the TSA are about the same. Maybe it's just me, but I'm still a tad nervous and don't mind a random pat down at the airport to ensure a bomb doesn't find it's way onto a flight. I guarantee you that terrorists don't plot to kill Americans based on party affiliation or whether we're Libertarian, Democrat, or Republican. They hate all of us. One plane going down because of dumb policies is one too many.
Rick Santorum is more Catholic than the Pope. Can't he just be a pastor or something. Just do it, man. You'd be great at it.
Newt Gingrich sounds more and more like the substitute teacher who knows that he's smarter than the guy he's standing in for and is now becoming upset with the school board because he realizes they will never hire him full-time because the kids just don't take him seriously.
Hermain Cain is a talking point machine. I think he should run for Senate someday though, because he'll never be president.
The only reason that saying SS is a ponzi scheme could hurt him is that Americans are not smart enough to figure it out on their own.
On that note its still the 1st qtr and GB has 21 point and look like a well oiled machine.