10 To Meet In First GOP Presidential Debate

[Rhino]

10 Republicans to Meet in First GOP Presidential Debate

Thursday, May 03, 2007

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. — Ten Republicans, one stage, 90 minutes — just enough time for Rudy Giuliani, John McCain or Mitt Romney to make a major gaffe as underdog rivals scramble for relevancy during the first GOP presidential debate Thursday.

The three heavyweights were expected to boast of their own past accomplishments and outline their visions for the future, mainly playing it safe as they seek to start distinguishing themselves from one another eight months before the first GOP primary votes are cast.

"This is batting practice," said Rich Galen, a GOP strategist who offered the trio a bit of advice: "Don't get hurt."

Giuliani, McCain and Romney all kept their public campaign schedules relatively light over the past few days, opting to spend as much time as possible huddling with aides to rehearse their responses to expected questions on top issues such as Iraq, immigration, taxes, abortion, gay marriage and terrorism.

Lesser-known candidates like Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas and former Govs. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, Tommy Thompson of Wisconsin and Jim Gilmore of Virginia were simply looking for respect, hoping to be seen as serious contenders in the jam-packed field.

Reps. Tom Tancredo of Colorado and Duncan Hunter of California were sure to use the gathering as a platform to plug their signature issues: immigration and national security, respectively. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas also was to be on stage for the debate, scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. EDT at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library north of Los Angeles.....http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,269792,00.html

[John Galt]

Did a search and couldn't find where anyone has commented on the debate to be "moderated" by Chris Matthews. IMHO Matthews shouldn't be allowed to set foot in the Regan Library.

[Lubbock]

Funny thing.

I flipped over to PMSNBC this morning for the first time since Imus was canned, just to see what was going on over there.

Tucker Carlson, Girlyman-In-Chief there at the Network, was blathering and bloviating about the debate and the field of candidates, and then he announced that Tim Russert was up first in the next hour, and that we, his Liberal Friends, should all stay tuned the entire day there at the Network because it would be a day that would bring us sheer bliss, a day of Bush Bashing, Conservative Bashing, Republican Bashing, American Hating, American Bashing, Lib/Dem Ass Kissing, leading up to the debate to be brought to us live from the Reagan Library in California.

I swear on the Bible, that what Tucker Carlson said.

I heard him.

[John Galt]

ROTFL - Glad I don't get that channel.

[DoctorDoom]

If the GOP wanted to guarantee that its "debate" would have no viewers, it achieved that by allowing PMS-NBC to carry it. Its ratings are lower than a gopher's subcellar.

[libertyman]

This is the 1st time I've been excited about watching PMSNBC in a long time....probably since the days that Alan Keyes had his show.

I hope that McCain, Guiliani, & Romney will make total fools of themselves & somehow their big-government/globalist ambitions will be put under the spotlight.

:roar: Yeah, I can see it now: the elderly McCain will have a "Why am I here?" moment like VP candidate Stockdale, & Guiliani forgets that this isn't a cross-dresser's convention!

[MrsJacks]

I had the displeasure of watching a show about transgendered people on MSNBC last night. I am thoroughly convinced they are 10x more liberal than CNN.

[libertyman]

Am I missing something, or is everyone still glued to the tube & unable to discuss what just happened? :confused:

[Suzie]

I didn't watch it. There was no one there I wanted to see. And the media just asks stupid questions. I was flipping thru and landed on "what would you think of a President Hillary Clinton" and that told me all I needed to know about the whole "show" and that seems to be what it was, not a debate.

[DoctorDoom]

http://www.freeconservatives.com/vb/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=47106

[noncom]

Is that the thing with that guy from the cable access show hosting it? Oh yeah, that's right on the tippy-top of my "must see" list!

Seriously though, if Thompson or Gingrinch were there I would fast forward to their answers and ignore everything else. As it is, I couldn't care less.

[DoctorDoom]

I don't have cable or satellite (can't get the one, don't want the other), so PMS-NBC is unavailable here. Gosh darn!

[Antigone]

Well apparently Doc you missed such thought provoking questions such as:

1. What do you dislike the most about America?

2. Should Scooter Libby be pardoned?

3. Should Bill Clinton be back in the WH?

on edit: they made sure to add a Terry Schiavo question in there too I understand.

PMSNBC and Matthews....what a pair.

[libertyman]

http://www.freeconservatives.com/vb/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=47106

Thanks, Doc...but I was hopin that FC might have had a thread goin about the debate even from its very beginnin, discussin the pros & cons of the candidates there. Seems like no one was interested, huh?

Personally, I can understand why....none of the ppl there were up to snuff. Tancredo looked like a deer that got caught in the headlights, I'm sad to say; McCain sounded like he was FOS (which he normally is anyhows), & I couldn't believe 1/2 of what Romney or Guiliani said.

It looks like Hillary! is gonna be our next Prez considerin the cast of characters the GOP has assembled so fer. :flame:

[The_Elucidator]

Thanks, Doc...but I was hopin that FC might have had a thread goin about the debate even from its very beginnin, discussin the pros & cons of the candidates there. Seems like no one was interested, huh?


The general consensus around here is wait and see on Sen Thompson, as they say in football, the rest are training camp fodder! A vast majority of folks on this board are politically savvy and don't need a debate to confirm what they already know! Track records speak volumes.

[The_Elucidator]

I had the displeasure of watching a show about transgendered people on MSNBC last night. I am thoroughly convinced they are 10x more liberal than CNN.

I have dishnetwork and have the menu programmed on my TV to not even show any of the DBM networks, 'cept for Fox!

[Rhino]

Three threads merged.

[Rhino]

Didn't watch it.

1. It's too early.

2. There's nobody running that interests me (waiting on Fred).

3. They had this stupid 30 second time limitation, which made it more like a collection of quick soundbites rather than a debate.

[Antigone]

Well apparently Doc you missed such thought provoking questions such as:

1. What do you dislike the most about America?

2. Should Scooter Libby be pardoned?

3. Should Bill Clinton be back in the WH?

on edit: they made sure to add a Terry Schiavo question in there too I understand.

PMSNBC and Matthews....what a pair.

Since I didn't watch the debates I have had to rely on news reports to garner the above questions asked. They now have the transcript up and it's even worse than I thought. Bush bashing garbage to the extreme.

Would you have fired Rumsfeld? Congressman Paul, you voted against the war. Why are all your fellow Republicans up here wrong? Governor Gilmore, you know Karl Rove (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/r/karl_rove/index.html?inline=nyt-per) and you’ve worked with Karl Rove. And -- is Karl Rove your friend? (Laughter.) Do you want to keep him in the White House if you get elected president as the president’s chief political operative? But you, as commander in chief and chief executive, would you employ Karl Rove? (they are still afraid of Karl Rove I see) :rolleyes:

Has the increased influence of Christian conservatives in your party been good for it?

What’s with your party and all this corruption?

And what's up with this question:

"Do you have a plan to solve the shortage of organs donated for transplant?" :huh:

[dPrasse]

Didn't watch it.

1. It's too early.

2. There's nobody running that interests me (waiting on Fred).

3. They had this stupid 30 second time limitation, which made it more like a collection of quick soundbites rather than a debate.

Agreed on all 3 points ....

Until Fred says "No" , the others aren't worthy of listening too ...

Run Fred Run !!

[noncom]

Matthews: “Would it be good to have Bill Clinton back in the White House?”

Mitt: “You have got to be kidding.”

Matthews: “What would you say to a Catholic bishop.”

Mitt: “I can’t imagine saying anything to a Catholic bishop.”

http://news.bostonherald.com/columnists/view.bg?articleid=198481
Wow. Did that really happen?

What would I say to a Catholic Bishop? Umm... I dunno. How about, maybe: "Hello?"

Or was he looking for something more original, like: "Hey dude, nice frock?"

I always wondered why people thought Barbara Walters was some kind of speech-impaired savant for asking things like, "If you we'h a twee, what kin' woul' you be?" Now I understand: it's because compared to a lot of people in the media, she's a freakin' genius!

[Timberwolf]

Didn't watch it.
Ditto...

1. It's too early.
WAY too early.

2. There's nobody running that interests me (waiting on Fred).
Yuppers...

3. They had this stupid 30 second time limitation, which made it more like a collection of quick soundbites rather than a debate.
Plus, I just can't stomach ol' Lardball...

[Dowple]

Right now, I only care to see that certain candidates lose: McCain, Giuliani, Huckabee, Brownback. Any of those four would be a disaster. Worst of the lot is probably Huckabee.