Last night′s Republican presidential debate in Arizona may be the last time we see all four candidates on stage together. CNN carried the GOP debate, which was the 20th for this election season. So who won and who lost? Most of the pundits are giving Mitt Romney the win and name Rick Santorum as the loser last night. I would agree in the context that between the two of them, Romney was able to trip up Santorum, while Rick tripped himself up several times. Newt Gingrich did very well, including another shot at the Media. CNN moderator John King raised a question from the Internet about the recent discussions about contraceptives and birth control coverage by employers. While the crowd booed King over the subject, Newt said that there is a valid issue concerning the power of the State over the Church. But Gingrich then blasted the Media for not raising the subject of Barack Obama supporting infanticide legislation during the 2008 debates. This earned Newt one of several rounds of applause.
Santorum has never done well during these debates. In most of the first dozen or so, he was largely ignored by the moderators, lucky to get one or two questions posed to him. During some of the later debates, Santorum was able to land a punch or two, mainly at Romney and Ron Paul, over differences in policies. So it may be no coincidence that Ron Paul helped Mitt out last night in attacking Rick. Santorum got booed several times, including his feeble attempt to defend earmarks and then his support of the ′No Child Left Behind′ policy. I suspect that both Romney and Paul had people in the audience with instructions to be disruptive, but Santorum′s answers were just so bad last night that any campaign shenanigans were unnecessary.
Romney was relaxed for the most part as he sparred with Rick. Much of what Mitt said was either mush or outright lies, but nobody really challenged him. Once again, Romney even complained about Santorum taking more than 30 seconds to rebut a statement, showing him as petty as ever. One example of Mitt′s fibs were his declaring that he would repeal Obama Care, even though Romney′s own surrogate, Norm Coleman, said that no Republican president would be able to. Another came during his bragging about saving the Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, which was helped considerably by an earmark from the federal government, courtesy of Rick Santorum. Romney also continues to fib about how he balanced the budget in Massachusetts, while not raising state taxes per se, he did raise state fees across the board and passed off funding of programs to county and local governments, resulting in the tax burden of residents increasing by more than 15%.
Thus concludes the 20th and possibly final GOP debate. CNN broadcast the Republican presidential debate from Mesa, Arizona. Since Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul have generally stunk at these debates, they have all decided to not participate in the next two scheduled for before Super Tuesday, forcing both to be canceled. Only Newt Gingrich, the most intelligent and complete candidate left in the race, is ready and willing to debate anyone, anywhere. The next possible debate is scheduled for March 19, to be aired by PBS from Portland, Oregon. We shall see if Mitt Romney has the guts to agree to appear. Should Santorum defeat Mitt in the Michigan and Arizona primaries next week, Romney may find himself scrambling for attention.
February 23rd, 2012 at 7:13 am
President Obama was the real winner. Playing to the extreme right base is total fodder for his reelection campaign…. those guys must be loving this primary.
February 23rd, 2012 at 10:50 am
You said that Romney lied because he said he would repeal Obamacare? If you go on all the candidates’ websites, they all say they are going to repeal Obamacare. If that’s a lie, then they all have lied. However, I don’t think they are lying. Of course a President can’t unilaterally repeal legislation, but they can propose legislation that repeals legislation. And the President can issue executive orders that take the teeth out of Obamacare.
Also, Santorum had some lies of his own, like when he criticized Romney over the fact that Romneycare has an employer mandate. Romney vetoed the employer mandate part of Romneycare (among other parts he vetoed), but every part of Romneycare Mitt vetoed was just stuck back in by the veto-proof Massachusetts legislature. I’m not a huge fan of Romneycare, but it’s dishonest to criticize Romney for the parts of Romneycare he tried to take out of it.
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:52 am
TA
The only thing Obama ever won was the ability to out spend any and every previous administration trifold in record time, with not a damn thing to show for it.
If anything, his only and main reason for not assisting anyone in the Middle East, or creating a less speculative, less contemplating and less worried fossil fuel sector, is so he can give reason to push more of his green sht thereby lining the pockets of those who promised him their vote.
Right now no one who’sis trying to make a buck could give a sht about alternatives that are not marketable or viable for 20 more years.
90% of our industry is powered by natural gas, coal and oil.
Now is not the best time to be shoving half assed newfangled, absolutely expensive means of energy down our throats
Solar panels and windmills could cover the earth and they still wouldnt give us half of our needs.
If half a billion dollars cant get a failing solar firm off the ground its clearly unsustainable, or managed by thieves.
But, I guess when your “Mini Me” (Immelt)used to be the CEO of GE which payed hardly any taxes, it brings another narrative thats as plain as day makes me physically ill.
I havent heard one honest reason why Keystone didnt break ground months ao
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:22 pm
Wouldn’t it be refreshing if the Republican candidates were even talking about issues like energy for the future, instead of contraception and religion?
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:17 pm
TA
If you actually go to a rally, you would hear them talk mostly about the economy, energy, jobs, etc. What the media reports on doesn’t always accurately reflect what they were actually talking about.
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:34 pm
It would be most excellent if you guys gave up the whole global warming scam period.
But we dont need anymore of those nasty little parasites giving our main squeeze stretch marks and more carbon footprints.
Barry said 3 years ago green energy would produce 4-5 million jobs by now. Another BS unfulfilled campaign promise
Instead it cost us billions and continues to even after being exposed for the crap it is.
We talked energy last election with promises of more offshore drilling and Anwar.
This time theres Keystone, and you ass holes dont want to talk about that either and instead boast of Chevy Volts that suck my dime at 70,000 each car never mind the tab waiting for kids
In three years weve gotten absolutely nowhere.
Nowhere.
Its about time you guys simply shut the fck up and get out of the way.
Take your shovels with you
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:43 pm
Rick,
The reason I single out Romney about repealing Obama Care is because, as I stated, his own surrogate, former US Sen. Norm Coleman (the dummy who lost to Al Franken) stated that no GOP president would be able to repeal it.
Newt Gingrich has made it quite clear that if he wins in November, he’ll want the new Congress to start work on January 3 to repeal Obama Care so Newt can sign the bill right after being sworn in on Jan. 20. As for Santorum and Ron Paul, I’m sure they are sincere in their desire to repeal this Obamanation.
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:49 pm
TA,
You have to admit that the questions being posed at these debates by the moderators are not designed to benefit any Republican candidate. Last night not one question was asked about the recent rise in gasoline prices. We have not had any questions about the Euro Zone since (where Romney thinks everything is just honky-dory) in a debate since October.
Newt was spot-on being critical of last night’s question on contraceptives since Obama was never questioned about his support of infanticide in 2008. The news media is in the tank for Obama and continues to protect him.
February 23rd, 2012 at 2:00 pm
BTW, TA,
Newt has a 3-point program for getting oil prices down immediately (Keystone XL pipeline, opening up the Gulf again and off shore drilling in Alaska would give us 2.4 million barrels per day, more than all of MidEast oil) and the most rational long-term approach towards energy independence. Yes, it involves that crazy moon colony idea. But realistically, if our economy is based on Carbon, and you want a cheaper, more abundant source for energy, the only true options are Helium and Hydrogen. That’s just the way the Universe is organized.
The Moon offers the best source for Helium-3, an isotope that works well in current fusion reactors. One 40-ton load that would have filled the cargo bay of the Space Shuttle would be enough to power the entire Earth for a year. BTW, Helium-3 is a renewable resource as our Sun spews it out continuously.
Plus, if you want to make solar panels really cheap and effective 24/7, the best place to construct them is in space. The Moon’s surface has all the materials needed for making the solar panels. Since gravity is just 1/6th of Earth, it will be easier and cheaper to mine, refine, process and construct solar arrays on the Moon and launch the components into their working positions about the Earth.
February 23rd, 2012 at 2:07 pm
Agree that the questions should be on more important topics. But since the candidates themselves have spent the better part of the past week arguing about who is the nuttier wingnut on social issues, I don’t think it’s entirely fair to blame the moderators. And ANY of them could have scored HUGE points by simply pointing out that they would rather get off the moral issues and talk about more substantive stuff…. crickets.
February 23rd, 2012 at 2:38 pm
TA;
“Wouldn’t it be refreshing if the Republican candidates were even talking about issues like energy for the future, instead of contraception and religion?”
Are you serious ?
You morons mandate the Catholic church to supply and pay for contraception in all forms and then have the idiotic fckin nerve to harp on them or anyone for discussing it ?
And what the hell did that have to do with my original post which in fact was about energy and its future ?
February 23rd, 2012 at 2:44 pm
“I don’t think it’s entirely fair to blame the moderators.”
The hell it isnt !
“Governor Perry, with more executions than any other state how do you sleep at night ?”
And then, for no reason but his own bigotry that little putz Staffococolus starts eggin Romney about contraception.
Romney asked him what the hell does that have to with the price of tea in China ? and he repeated the same question all over again !
Fckin priceless
February 23rd, 2012 at 3:23 pm
I agree, the moderators deserve much of the blame, though they are only following orders from the White House and George Soros.
Too many stupid questions being asked, like what is your favorite food and such. May as well ask them what sort of tree they would like to be? We might actually learn something from that answer!
February 23rd, 2012 at 4:12 pm
I agree, the moderators deserve much of the blame, though they are only following orders from the White House and George Soros.
Christ, you guys are a loony bunch.
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:27 pm
Snow.
Its not that far a stretch considering that George Snuffelufecus used to be Clintons mouth piece (and still is) and Cooper was the first confused gay man that concocted “metrosexual” who’d probably love for nothing more than to gargle Barrys balls after wearing the same thong for three days
CNN debates simply dont count since theres little doubt they’re shills for the manchild
March 8th, 2012 at 9:34 am
I almost never create responses, but i did a few
And, if you are posting at other sites, I would like to follow everything fresh you have to post. Would you make a list of all of your shared pages like your linkedin profile, Facebook page or twitter feed?
searching and wound up here Final GOP Debate in Arizona, Who Won, Who Lost? Right Pundits. And I do have some questions for you if it’s allright. Is it just me or does it look as if like some of the remarks come across as if they are left by brain dead individuals?