10:40 p.m. Colmes is interviewing Rudy and giving him face time to brag. That’s an indication of how well he did. Gentlemen, thanks. This was even more fun than last time.
10:38 p.m. Jake, yah maybe, as Carl Cameron just said, with Mitt and McC arguing over who was the most conservative, Rudy appeared above the fray and therefore was the victor.
10:33 p.m. Who was the big winner? The spin room is useless. What do you guys think? McC and Mitt went at it, arguing over who was the most conservative. Mitt wins on that score.
10:30 p.m. Mitt handled Wallace’s question on irritating the GOP base really well. He had to think for a moment but cited NCLB and eliminating the federal Ed Dept. Not bad …
10:27 p.m. Marshall, I think Mitt could go up against Hillary and do well, although perhaps not win.
10:20 p.m. Hume’s hypothetical about a terrorist attack came across as lame, too contrived. But Rudy did well … “they should do whatever they could think of.” Whatever that means. No one will say whether waterboarding is torture. Is it, Jake? Thompson mentioned Reagan at 10:18, only the second time all night. A miracle compared to the last GOP debate!
10:12 p.m. Jake, McC did better than last time but not good enough. I agree he will recede. Oh my God! Another commercial break … hotels, ELoan, the weenie Sean Hannity with an in-house spot. All strangely incongruous.
10:07 p.m. On top, on the grounds … why does it matter where it flies so long as it’s an official flying of the Confederate flag? McCain was caught off guard.
10:06 p.m. Rudy interrupts and stands tall. Asks the libertarian “to withdraw that comment.” Was his indignation genuine?
10:02 p.m. Rudy is talking about fences ..technological and physical … Hunter is bragging “I built the San Diego fence.” Yah, right, and I built the kettle next to Salisbury Town Hall.
10 p.m. Mitt got a good zinger in on McCain on campaign finance. McC’s response was “I have been consistent …”
9:50 p.m. When they start talking about stem cells my eyes glaze over. Rudy handled the abortion question OK, but Huckabee did better.
9:45 p.m. Wallace is grilling each candidate on whether they are true conservatives. I didn’t see Williams doing this.
9:38 p.m. Gilmore is the first to go on the attack.
9:37 p.m. Jake, Would that be Milliken, as is Weston Milliken at SM?
9:35 p.m. Jake, That’s was my point, too, about Fox v MSNBC. I guess I didn’t make that clear. Fox is going to commericials now, but NBC did not. I guess that’s the difference. Murdoch is always looking to capitalize …
9:30 p.m. The libertarian has no chance of winning but I’m glad his voice is being heard. “Why did we double the size of the education dept?” Indeed …
9:28 p.m. Mike, oil in the Beeslick Brook? That could finance a new trasnsfer station.
9:26 p.m. Brownback says we need to do better than $4 a gallon gasoline .. how about $5?
9:23 p.m. Jake, I would say Fox is doing a much better job if you’re a Republican. They’re asking more questions GOPers are interested in than Brian Williams did. Huckabee’s “like John Edwards in a beauty shop” was a bute … I was waiting for the first reference to the Gipper. Rudy did it at 9:24.
9:22 p.m. Mitt wants benchmarks in Washington … Look at every federal agency. He’s looking pretty good again.
9:20 p.m. TM, Yah, the bell sounds like something you ring at the dry cleaners to get the attendant’s attention. I know a Harry from Boston who wants to nuke Iran. Wonder if it’s the same guy …
9:15 p.m. Wallace is picking on the libertarian from TX. “Are you in the wrong party?” Ya, he’s probably the only one who’s glad Falwell is gone.
9:13 p.m. Rudy looked comfy talking about Fort Dix. He could take questions on that all night.
9:11 p.m. Brownback is taking potshots at Harry Reid. Poor form to pick of the weak.
9:10 p.m. Mike, speaking of gas, Tommy Thompson looks like he has indigestion.
9:07 p.m. I’m here. Hume said they would not be seeking reax to Falwell’s death. There goes the crux of my pre-debate musings.
9:02 p.m. The candidates are being introduced with little graphic bios and applause — just like a football game. I half expect them to run across the stage and high-five each other.
4:25 p.m. I suppose it’s bad manners to say this, but one of my least favorite people just died. It will be interesting to see how this affects tonight’s debate.
Remember that, as First Read points out, John McCain branded Falwell (along with Pat Robertson) as “agents of intolerance” during the 2000 presidential campaign — an utterance that probably cost the senator the South Carolina primary and some much-needed momentum.
Will all the candidates brown-nose the religious right by singing Falwell’s praises? Or will they triangulate and perhaps have a Sister Souljah moment? I’d bet on the former, especially since it’s poor form to speak ill of the dead (which I just did, ooops …).
* * * * * * * *
Join me tonight for some live blogging (and comments in real time from readers) on the Republican candidates’ debate. The event begins at 9 p.m. on the Fox News Channel (the one the Dems have boycotted but Marshall has not). I’ll probably chime in a little early for some pre-debate musings.
110 responses so far ↓
1 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 9:02 pm
OK, I’m on board, although I don’t see our host yet.
2 Terrence McCarthy // May 15, 2007 at 9:04 pm
I’m on board, too. Where’s the captain?
3 Michael Flint // May 15, 2007 at 9:05 pm
Here … Got my bean burritos ready …
Pass the gas …
4 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 9:06 pm
Looks like he’s here now. Sox got a good one going.
Hope they can pull it out.
5 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 9:07 pm
Good idea keeping Falwell off the agenda. Doesn’t interest me much.
6 Michael Flint // May 15, 2007 at 9:08 pm
Shouldn’t the American people be deciding if we stay????
7 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 9:09 pm
Thompson shouldn’t have been allowed back, after the last performance. This one isn’t much better.
8 Michael Flint // May 15, 2007 at 9:11 pm
Nation building … aggressively … Hmmmmm
9 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 9:11 pm
Romney looked good. He’s under a lot of pressure this time. It’s going to be hard to match his last performance.
10 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 9:12 pm
BTW, I’m watching this on a bittorrent feed which has a slight delay. So if it looks like I’m behind the curve, that’s why.
11 Michael Flint // May 15, 2007 at 9:14 pm
If they are following us here … doesn’t it make sense to have OUR TROOPS HERE TO GREET THEM?
12 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 9:14 pm
Rudy looked good and went to his strength. Nice.
13 Terrence McCarthy // May 15, 2007 at 9:15 pm
We can put a man on the moon and they can’t come up with a better times up gong? Sounds like something from a 1950s game show.
14 Michael Flint // May 15, 2007 at 9:15 pm
You go Ron Paul!
15 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 9:15 pm
Sox just ate it in the top of the 8th. 7-1.
16 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 9:18 pm
Is Fox doing better than MSNBC? I’d say so.
17 Michael Flint // May 15, 2007 at 9:19 pm
Fox is the bomb … much better …
As for Iran … Don’t we have enough on the middle eastern plate???
18 Terrence McCarthy // May 15, 2007 at 9:21 pm
Mitt looked like teacher’s pet in the last one. More presidential so far here
19 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 9:21 pm
Is Romney trying to look like Reagan with that head nod thing? I hope the hell not.
20 Terrence McCarthy // May 15, 2007 at 9:22 pm
Detroit 7 Sox 1 in the 8th. Wakefield got spoiled pitching indoors the last two starts, eh, Jake?
21 Michael Flint // May 15, 2007 at 9:23 pm
Down with the IRS!!!!
Yeehaaaaaa!!!
22 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 9:23 pm
McCain… that joke is sooooo old.
23 Terrence McCarthy // May 15, 2007 at 9:24 pm
Awful joke by Huckabee. That’ll be the sound bite of the debate. Cheap shot. Not funny. Did Imus phone that one in to one of his old regular guests?
24 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 9:24 pm
Yuke just hit a homer. He is really hot. He’s hitting nearly .330 at this point.
25 Michael Flint // May 15, 2007 at 9:26 pm
Drill the beavers … there must be oil there!!!
26 Terrence McCarthy // May 15, 2007 at 9:26 pm
Brownback on gas. More supply? How about less demand? Blah, blah…
27 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 9:26 pm
TM… ya, Wake is better indoors. Tough night, given how good he’s been up to now. Leading the league in ERA.
28 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 9:29 pm
TC… the point about Fox v MSNBC is that this is supposed to be for Republican voters, as we are preparing for the primaries. That’s why all the MSM type questions (real liberal) asked by MSNBC weren’t appropriate.
29 Michael Flint // May 15, 2007 at 9:29 pm
I like Ron Paul … common sense … I would like to see more of him …
30 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 9:31 pm
I like Wendell Goaler (sp?). He has a good presence.
31 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 9:34 pm
Sorry Duncan. The China bashing isn’t a winner, even in South Carolina. All those armored vehicles are made in Charleston and Asia ships are calling SC ports like crazy. The days of the Millikins bashing trade in SC are over.
32 Terrence McCarthy // May 15, 2007 at 9:34 pm
Given how desparate MSNBC is in the wake of Imus’s firing, you may just see more of Ron Paul tomorrow morning hosting the remains of Imus in the Morning. Seems like everyone else has been given an audition since Imus rode off into the sunset.
33 Michael Flint // May 15, 2007 at 9:36 pm
Fox is doing much better with this … better questions, better moderators … just better …
However, nothing that outstanding from the candidates in general … Still like Paul, even though he probably has not chance … It is the common sense thing …
34 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 9:37 pm
Ya, TC, I’m surprised their taking commercial breaks.
35 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 9:38 pm
***they’re***
36 Terrence McCarthy // May 15, 2007 at 9:38 pm
Hardball question from Wallace. Looks like he made Gilmore unhappy
37 Michael Flint // May 15, 2007 at 9:39 pm
Is Rudy working on a stand up routine?
38 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 9:41 pm
Yes, Weston’s dad was a big closed trade guy because of his carpet business in SC. He funded Buckley during the early days of National Review and both were closed board types. Milliken was basically the leader of the anti-trade wing of the Republican Party for thirty years.
39 Terrence McCarthy // May 15, 2007 at 9:42 pm
Wallace can try, but he’s not going to succeed in getting these guys to take shots at each other. It’s like he’s a family therapist - and the family’s the Waltons.
40 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 9:42 pm
Rudy is looking good. Light on his feet and strong in his advocacy. He may be making up for last time.
41 Marshall Miles // May 15, 2007 at 9:43 pm
Hey, just got back from dinner at the Woodlands…saw Elvis and Fawell there..
42 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 9:46 pm
Mitt is feeling the pressure of the being the golden boy. Still looks good, but he’s not going to be the talk of the town tomorrow.
43 Michael Flint // May 15, 2007 at 9:46 pm
I am so tired of working together … I like Ron Paul … good stands … firm … no bull!!
44 Marshall Miles // May 15, 2007 at 9:50 pm
Islamic Jihas with abortion….give me a break!
45 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 9:50 pm
Did Rudy quiet the abortion buzz on him. Don’t think so.
46 Marshall Miles // May 15, 2007 at 9:51 pm
No, he did not
47 Terrence McCarthy // May 15, 2007 at 9:51 pm
It’s over. Sox lose. Now I can pay attention…
48 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 9:52 pm
Sox lose 7-2. First loss in quite a while. Got to drop one now and again. Still have best record in the MLB.
49 Marshall Miles // May 15, 2007 at 9:53 pm
Romney uses Brylcreem!
A little dab will do him!
50 Michael Flint // May 15, 2007 at 9:54 pm
Can we do this segment with spanish subtitles?
51 Marshall Miles // May 15, 2007 at 9:54 pm
no mas!
52 Marshall Miles // May 15, 2007 at 9:55 pm
Our President…McCain just lost 5,000 more votes
53 Terrence McCarthy // May 15, 2007 at 9:56 pm
Tancredo! I know immigration’s his issue. He’s passionate in a Lou Dobbsian way. I expected his face to turn red. But was it just my TV, or did you see…
His whole suit turned red! How do they do that?
54 Michael Flint // May 15, 2007 at 9:56 pm
What did McCain just say?????
Bio what?
55 Michael Flint // May 15, 2007 at 9:58 pm
Here here MITT!!
Make ‘em follow the rules …
56 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 9:59 pm
McCain just doesn’t have the presence to be in the first tier. I predict this is the beginning of the end. Romney nailed the immigration question.
57 Michael Flint // May 15, 2007 at 9:59 pm
Did John just slap Mitt??? (so to speak)
58 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 10:00 pm
McCain just screwed the pooch on this little attack. Lame.
59 Marshall Miles // May 15, 2007 at 10:00 pm
Rudy should not TRY to be funny,
your right jake..McCain is DOA..
Romney looks to stiff for me right now, like he is acting!
60 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 10:00 pm
Yes, MF, that was an effort to take down Mitt. Embarrassing.
61 Terrence McCarthy // May 15, 2007 at 10:01 pm
Duncan built that fence? Like Al G. invented the internet?
62 Marshall Miles // May 15, 2007 at 10:02 pm
I guess he believes that fences do make better neighbors!
63 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 10:03 pm
Duncan Hunter seems to have some credibility on boarder security. At least he sounded good on it.
64 Marshall Miles // May 15, 2007 at 10:03 pm
Republicans were elected to end the Vietnam war?
Uh..what about Nixon?
65 Michael Flint // May 15, 2007 at 10:04 pm
Love that Ron … Tell it like it is …
66 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 10:05 pm
OK, sorry guys, but Ron Paul is a whack job.
67 Marshall Miles // May 15, 2007 at 10:05 pm
Score a big one for Rudy!!!
68 Terrence McCarthy // May 15, 2007 at 10:05 pm
The good news. Rudy scores a knockout. The bad news. The guy he hit’s Pat Paulson
69 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 10:06 pm
Rudy got the sound bite of the night.
70 Michael Flint // May 15, 2007 at 10:06 pm
You all know … Ron is right …
71 Marshall Miles // May 15, 2007 at 10:06 pm
The sound bite of the year!!!!
72 Marshall Miles // May 15, 2007 at 10:07 pm
McCain really looks like an idiot….
73 Terrence McCarthy // May 15, 2007 at 10:09 pm
re McCain on confederate flag issue. Looks to me whatever flag he’s flying, it’s not exactly straight out. Limp’s more like it.
74 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 10:10 pm
McCain recovered a bit on the flag thing, but the big money guys are going to be done with him after tonight.
75 Marshall Miles // May 15, 2007 at 10:11 pm
These Republicans are getting testy with one another tonight!
76 Terrence McCarthy // May 15, 2007 at 10:13 pm
Another commercial break in the midst of an infomercial. Ya can’t make it up.
77 Marshall Miles // May 15, 2007 at 10:14 pm
Griff needs new glasses
78 Michael Flint // May 15, 2007 at 10:15 pm
I still think Ron Paul has hit the nail on the head … everyone can say what they want, but we have been poking our fingers in places all over the world when maybe we should not have …
Blow back is real … the rest of them are just in denial … Remember, we created the likes of Bin Laden, yet can’t understand when he and his likes turn on us …
We are nation building right now … do you really think that is gaining us any friends and won’t result in more ‘blow back’?
Maybe it is time to come home and take care of our own business and let them take care of their’s … and rely more on ‘real’ relationships with the rest of the world, rather than trying to shape the world in our image …
79 Marshall Miles // May 15, 2007 at 10:15 pm
I am watching on the internet, a horrible show inbetween breaks is being run!!!
80 Terrence McCarthy // May 15, 2007 at 10:15 pm
My answer to that torture question: Watch Jack Nicholson’s scene in A Few Good Men
81 Michael Flint // May 15, 2007 at 10:16 pm
Sounds like the script for next season’s 24!
82 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 10:17 pm
“World opinion”? The conservative pundits are going to go to town on that.
83 Terrence McCarthy // May 15, 2007 at 10:17 pm
Rudy’s answer was as Jack Nicholson as it gets in a context like this
84 Michael Flint // May 15, 2007 at 10:18 pm
Let’s just use Cuba for our private prison …
85 Marshall Miles // May 15, 2007 at 10:18 pm
Double Guantanamo?
Huh…
86 Terrence McCarthy // May 15, 2007 at 10:19 pm
enhanced interrogation techniques? Say what, Mitt? Is that like, say, enhanced hair improvement techniques?
87 Marshall Miles // May 15, 2007 at 10:21 pm
God help us…these jokers want to bomb anything that moves on our poor intelligence reports
88 Terrence McCarthy // May 15, 2007 at 10:22 pm
They gotta get rid of that bell
89 Michael Flint // May 15, 2007 at 10:22 pm
Should we say … Please tell me????
What ever happened to COVERT OPERATIONS???
90 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 10:24 pm
McCain is using Democratic talking points on torture. Seems strange at a Republican debate.
91 Terrence McCarthy // May 15, 2007 at 10:24 pm
Marshall makes a good point
92 Marshall Miles // May 15, 2007 at 10:25 pm
Does anyone see any candidate here that can go against Hillary, or Gore, I think the Republicans need a new face
93 Michael Flint // May 15, 2007 at 10:27 pm
HERE HERE … YOU GO RON!!!
94 Marshall Miles // May 15, 2007 at 10:27 pm
It looks to me like all these guys will spend 600 billion more dollars except for the one who looks like Pat Paulsen
95 Michael Flint // May 15, 2007 at 10:27 pm
I TOLD YOU … 24!
96 Marshall Miles // May 15, 2007 at 10:27 pm
Poor pluf for Bauer and FOX, he looses a point from me!
97 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 10:28 pm
TC… waterboarding as torture? Depends on what you consider torture. We got waterboarded at jungle warfare school in the Philippines. It was pretty unpleasant, but torture is in the eye of the beholder. One of the Guantanamo guys considered the way his cell was cleaned torture. So it is all semantics, on some level.
98 Michael Flint // May 15, 2007 at 10:29 pm
Here we go … the old diversity thing … damned old white guys …
99 Marshall Miles // May 15, 2007 at 10:29 pm
Wallace sounds like Sam Donaldson!
100 Terrence McCarthy // May 15, 2007 at 10:30 pm
I was waiting for this. It took 85 minutes to come up. The quote about how these guys look like ten white men waiting to tee off at a restricted country club. Wallace mentioned it. WOnder if he’s trying to make up for his pathetic performance interviewing Bill Clinton last year.
101 Marshall Miles // May 15, 2007 at 10:31 pm
No child left benind support…mistake Mitt!!
102 Michael Flint // May 15, 2007 at 10:31 pm
Wonder how Mitt feels about bus rides and how it effects drug use??
103 Terrence McCarthy // May 15, 2007 at 10:31 pm
The fat lady just sang
104 Michael Flint // May 15, 2007 at 10:32 pm
China … The economic terrorists …
105 Marshall Miles // May 15, 2007 at 10:32 pm
Thank God! Its over, I think Rudy won!!
106 Jake // May 15, 2007 at 10:33 pm
All good fun. The winner was Rudy. Mitt was passable. McCain was the loser. Who cares about the other.
107 Marshall Miles // May 15, 2007 at 10:33 pm
He had the sound bite of the year so far on 911
108 Michael Flint // May 15, 2007 at 10:34 pm
All in all … this debate did little to move me or excite me about any of the candidates …
It was interesting, however I stop right there.
As a Republican, I am actually still waiting for the candidate who can represent the party and actually win an election against the democratic nominee …
Good night all …
109 Marshall Miles // May 15, 2007 at 10:34 pm
Time for sleep, see you in the AM Mike!!!
Goodnihgt everyone…
Goodnight Terry Bastards Beaver Cleaver..love this blog!
110 Terrence McCarthy // May 15, 2007 at 10:36 pm
Who won isn’t the question. Which sound bite’s gonna be heard on the news when America wakes up. That is the question. My guess is it’s gonna be Rudy’s very un John Boy response to Mr. Paul
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