Fox News Google GOP Debate

Ok, first, the debate was way toooooooooo long.



I personally feel that Perry did better. I am not sure that is a popular belief though. He still did some damage to himself tonight with his answers on in-state tuition and immigration. I feel that as a governor of a border state his view is different from others. He has a very long border with Mexico and the economy of his state is very intertwined with immigrants be it legal or illegal. I do not agree with in-state tuition for illegals. Is it a deal breaker? Not really because that is not a federal issue, that is a state issue. So as president it wouldn't have anything to do with him. I also do agree with him that the policies that will lead to fixing our porous borders have to be done on the federal level and will require boots on the ground.


Newt is a smart man and a good debater. But I do feel this was his weakest performance yet. He could potentially be a good VP candidate. Can you imagine him debating Joe Biden? That would be classic.


Michele Bachmann did a better job with her answer on Gardasil this time around, but too little too late. She did nothing to help herself today and her candidacy will not lead to the nomination. She does look fabulous in red though.


Ron Paul did a very good job tonight. I agree with him on many fiscal issues and the rights of the states. He didn't answer many questions on foreign policy so that is a help with many in the republican gop base, as that is where he loses much of his support.


Rick Santorum is another very good debater. He also would make a strong VP candidate. But he did nothing that will bring him to the upper tier of candidates.


I was happy to see that Fox decided to include Gary Johnson. I have felt is was very unfair to include Huntsman and leave out Johnson. He did nothing to help himself. He will fade into oblivion after Iowa, if he makes that far.


Romney again proved that he can debate on the issues. I don't like his answers on Romneycare, mainly because they are not even truthful. To me he really hurt himself with the GOP base by going back to his answer about an executive order to give waivers on Obamacare. That will not solve the problem. It must be repealed on the legislative level otherwise the feds will still be required by law to fund it. But part of his plan in these debates is to do no harm, and he did accomplish that.


Huntsman gave some good answers, but he does stray from conservative principles and that is a deal breaker for me. But he held his own tonight.


Hands down the winner of tonight's debate was Herman Cain. He sharpened his answers, he has done his due diligence on the issues and his 9-9-9 plan is something that I could get behind. I don't like everything about it, but it is a start. He will get more people to notice him and will more than likely drive some cash flow to his campaign. He is a likable man and has a compelling and very human life story. General election voters like that. I looked up the stats on the blog and see that some hits have come in where he stands on the issues, so he did himself some good tonight. I personally believe that the best he can hope for is the VP slot and I do believe that he would fill that role well. I firmly believe that the job of the VP during a general election campaign is to be the attack dog, and he will do that very well. He is an articulate man who can draw a crowd in. I have seen him speak three or four different times and it is something to watch live.

Ames Straw Poll Predictions

Michele Bachmann will win by a small margin

Ron Paul will come in second or third.  He is an expert at getting people to vote in straw polls

Mitt Romney will do better than most people think. 

Herman Cain will place in the top 6, but it will not be enough to give him the momentum he needs to raise his profile and much needed cash

Pawlenty really hurt himself the other night and he fill finish very poorly and will be dropping out of the race before the real vote is cast

Gingrich will finish close to the bottom, he won't be too far behind Pawlenty in calling it a day

Huntsman won't even register

Rick Perry will have a very good showing even though he is a write in

Sarah Palin will do remarkably well for someone who has not announced her candidacy

Santorum I think will do better than originally predicted, he had a good showing at the debate last night, he is also beloved by social conservatives for his strong and outspoken voice for the voiceless on abortion

McCotter may actually have a bit of an impact in the poll.  He has a wonderful dry sense of humor and is a Midwesterner  Some votes of his are suspect, but overall a good solid conservative

I read in the paper today what the candidates are serving in their tents - i.e Cain is serving Godfather Pizza of course, Bachmann is doing B-B-Q and Funnel Cake, Paul wouldn't announce what he was serving, but the funniest part is that almost every candidate is having Mike Huckabee playing his bass.  He will be making the rounds for the party tomorrow in Ames - I suppose he need to fill his one hour show on Fox

Who do you think will win? 

Quote of the Day - Paul Ryan Edition

"With allies like that, who needs the left?"

Paul Ryan on Newt Gingrich's comments on his budget plan.  Just in case you didn't hear it:

"I don't think right-wing social engineering is any more desirable than left-wing social engineering," Gingrich said of Ryan's plan on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday. "I don't think imposing radical change from the right or the left is a very good way for a free society to operate."

Herman Cain Making Traction

Herman Cain is beginning to make some traction.  People have actually started putting him in more polls .  Recently, PPP has started to include him.  One such poll is for Georgia, and he is pulling people away from Newt Gingrich, who is from Georgia orginally. 

Cain’s 16% standing is pretty impressive for several reasons. His third place finish comes despite having 15% less name recognition than the rest of the quartet. And even though he’s competing with a second home state candidate he still does better in Georgia than Sarah Palin does in Alaska (15%), Gary Johnson does in New Mexico (13%), or Rick Santorum does in Pennsylvania (11%).


The fact that Cain is the first choice of so many of the people who are familiar with him bodes well for his prospects if he can muster the resources to run a serious campaign.


If you take Cain out of the mix in Georgia Gingrich does lead the way with 31% to 24% for Huckabee, 10% for Palin, 8% for Romney, 5% for Bachmann, 4% for Paul and Pawlenty, and 3% for Haley Barbour.

Today Herman was in Missouri:  This video is not that great, but it is a bit of taste of his speech:  If I can find the full speech I will post. 

The Real Reason You Should Listen Newt's Sunday Interview

Much is being made about the interview between Chris Wallace and Newt Gingrich.  I read on one blog some disdain that Chris Wallace asked him about his infidelities and used this as a reason to call Chris Wallace a liberal.  While it is well known that he is a registered democrat, I have never gotten the feeling that Wallace gives liberals a pass while being harsh towards conservatives.  If my memory serves, Newt never talked about the affair and kept his comments to the perjury.  So, in that case he was not being a hypocrite unless he also lied under oath. 

People will make their own decisions about Newt on his three marriages and the fact that he cheated on two of them.  My personal belief is that says something about character; especially when you have children.  He didn't just lie to his wives, he lied to his kids.  If he would lie to the two people who mean the most to him in the world, he will lie to me without flinching. 

But for me the real issue is his flip flops on Libya.  His statements make it seem that he is just Obama bashing.  Now, while he was a paid pundit that is fine and is in part what he is paid for.  But, his situation has since changed once he has announced he may be running for POTUS.  This country is in dire need of real leadership.  Someone that will be decisive.  He dances around it, but to me this type of thing is the real reason that a Newt presidency is a non-starter.  You can decide for yourself.