Debate: a quick and biased take

A totally biased take on the CNN/YouTube debate among Republican presidential candidates Wednesday night in St. Petersburg:

Giuliani: Competent, strong, pragmatic. Looked weird and stupid and petty trying to accuse Romney of hiring illegal aliens. Gutsy not to pander on guns, etc., and willing to be booed. Refreshing relative lack of 9/11 exploitation.

Romney: Doesn't actually believe anything. Doesn't remember what he used to believe either. Self-righteous about it anyway. Willing to torture, and to pick on little kids in Arkansas. Can't give a straight answer (waterboard, Bible).

McCain: Honorable, principled, courageous. Old. Inspiring about America setting a moral example in the world.

Huckabee: Sincere, likable, compassionate, reasonable, natural. The guy I trust most not to be holier-than-thou about the mote in his neighbor's eye.

Thompson: Sputter, sputter, harrumph, harrumph. Foghorn Leghorn.

Paul: Look, whatever I say I'm gonna get hate mail from the faithful, so why don't we skip the middleman and I'll just go ahead and call myself an idiot.

Hunter: Not as bad as I heard. Common-sense answer on no-tax pledge. I understand he built a fence somewhere.

Tancredo: Johnny one-note, or should I say, Juan-ny.

CNN: What's with the gay general's speech from the audience and the Confederate flag question and the scary-lookin' Bible guy? Looks like CNN-types' stereotypical ideas of what Republicans are supposed to be asked about to try to make 'em look bad. But overall some good questions too, even stuff that political reporters are too dumb to ask, e.g., about infrastructure. An infrastructure question! Good for YouTube. Yay for Mr. Cooper, too -- I resisted all the post-Katrina lovin' but am slowly warming to him.

Comments

[Andy G]

Interesting that your take on McCain is "old". What exactly are the ages of the rest?

[gene]

Thompson given a correct description:
rest of the column somewhat as silly as the 'flag' question and that 'psycho general'(how did he rate same status as candidates?

[newres]

Silly commentary.
The homosexual general planted himself. He is actually proof that "don't ask, don't tell" works. He didn't "come out" until he retired. Of course, being a ranking officer, he's allowed more leverage than the poor soldiers under him.
Good questions from YouTube, thank goodness. However, some questions simply can't be answered in 90 seconds, too complicated and everyone has to cover their butt.
All in all, good debate.

[Tom Miller]

My wife and I were shocked that McCain got credit for his response to Romney about waterboarding. When McCain twisted Romney's comment and then attacked Romney, we both thought McCain had lost it. We wouldn't think about voting for him after that.

[Jim Johnson]

So how'd they answer the Rebel flag question?

I had 5 ancestors in the rebel army. The flag belongs in a museum or on the graves of the war dead. Not on a truck. Not on your clothes. Not on your trailer.