Most eyes are on, left to right, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani shown at the start of the debate in Dearborn. AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato
by Mark Silva
For someone who has played dramatic roles on prime-time television and on the silver screen as well, Fred Thompson entered his premier televised debate as a presidential candidate today with remarkably low expectations. That's the way he wanted it.
"It was getting a little boring without me,'' he said of his late debate entry.
The hunt for red states in October formally opened today with the debate of the Republican candidates for president in Dearborn, Mich. -- the first showcasing Thompson, former senator from Tennessee, star of NBC's Law and Order and veteran of feature film roles.
Without so much as one debate under his belt in this contest before today, Thompson stands just 12 percentage points behind the party's front-runner, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, in the newest Gallup Poll. So, while Thompson may be the newcomer, Giuliani is becoming the target for the rest of the pack. Mitt Romney, forrmer governor of Massachusetts, was sure to challenge Giuliani's fiscal responsibility as chief executive for the Big Apple during this, a two-hour debate sponsored by the Wall Street Journal and devoted to economic issues.
The forum, carried live from the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center, started at 4 pm EDT on CNBC, the cable business network, and was to be shown again at 9 pm EDT on MSNBC.
Which will allow us plenty of time to remark on the most noteworthy remarks here in the Swamp, and plenty of time for viewers and readers to offer reviews. The Swamp's debate spin room is open and stays open all night.
It didn't take long for some candidates to remove their gloves.
"I led... He lagged,'' Giuliani said of Romney on the question of controlling spending and cutting taxes.
Good line, Romney said, but "baloney.''
But it was Thompson -- on a day that the Dow Jones average closed at a record high 14,165 -- who drew the first question in Dearborn: Why do two-thirds of Americans fear a recession? And this may have been an economic debate, but they did not bypass the war in Iraq -- with Thompson saying this is no time for the U.S. "to leave with our tail between our legs.'' And Thompson fielded a wide array of questions comfortably -- and with humor at times. Asked if unions are good for America, he said he has belonged to one for years: "The Screen Actor’s Guild still counts, doesn’t it?''
But Thompson did not get off the stage without a serious, and prepared, shot at his relatively late entry to the race. Romney, noting that he and others had debated several times before today, said: "This is a lot like Law and Order. It has a huge cast…The series seems to go on forever. And Fred Thompson shows up at the end.''
Thompson deadpanned: "And to think I thought I was going to be the best actor on the stage.’’ And so how did he like his first debate? “Just like home,'' he said at the end, closing the show on his terms. "I don’t think I waited too long… I enjoyed watching these fellows. I’ve got to admit, it was getting a little boring without me.’’
(For Thompson, above, this was the first debate. AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
“I think there is no reason to believe that we’re headed to recession,’’ Thompson said, citing 22 consecutive quarters of growth. “The stock market seems to be doing pretty well.. I see no reason why… we’re headed for an economic downturn.
“But we are spending money that we don’t have,’’ Thompson said. “Everyone knows that we have to address that… It is the fundamental challenge facing our country.''
Then why are people so anxious? he was asked.
“I think there are pockets in the economy that certainly are having difficulty… I think not enough has been done to tell what some call, 'The Greatest Story Never Told,''' Thompson said. "That is, that we are enjoying a period of growth right now.’’
"... This place rocks,'' said Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.)
* * * *
"A president can't be an economic forecaster,'' Giuliani said. "A president is not going to be an any better economic forecaster than you are a baseball forecaster.. and I’m not going to be a very good baseball forecaster.’’
The keys, he said: Keeping taxes low, and getting control of "frivolous lawsuits.''
Speaking of baseball, moderator Chris Matthews asked the former mayor: "Will Joe Torre keep his job?''
"God willing,'' the ex-mayor, pictured right, said of the New York Yankees manager. "Joe Torre is the best manager in the history of the Yankees, in the modern era, and he’s my friend.’’
* * * *
It didn't take long for a fight to break out on the stage.
"I cut taxes 23 times when I was mayor of New York,’’ Giuliani said. “It’s something that I believe in from results… I cut taxes by over $9 billion. I didn’t cut every tax. You can’t possibly cut every tax… But I cut every tax you possibly could.’’
“We both agree with the need to cut taxes… and I did so in my state too,’’ Romney said, but spending also must be cut and that requires a line-item veto -- and he noted that the former mayor had challenged President Clinton over a line-item veto. “When it’s all said and done, if you are a Nw York City or New York State taxpayer, your taxes can still reach 10 percent.''
“The difference is that under Gov. Romney, spending went up per capita eight percent,'' Giuliani said. "Under me, spending went down per capital.
“I led,'' Giuliani said. "He lagged.
Good line, Romney, pictured right, replied, but, “It’s baloney.’’
“You have to be honest with people,'' Giuliani said. "The line-item veto is unconstitutional.. The Supreme Court has ruled on it… I am in favor of the line-item veto.’’ But there was a spending issue involving his city, he said, and he challenged the constitutionality.
“I took President Clinton to court and I beat him,'' Giuliani said. "I don’t think it’s bad to have a Republican presidential candidate who has actually beat Clinton at something.’’
* * * *
"We have to get spending under control,'' said Sen. John McCain of Arizona. "We Republicans who came to power in 1994 to change government, government changed us…''
McCain also spoke in favor of President Bush's veto of the expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, or S-CHIP, funded by an increase in tobacco taxes. "We want to take care of children’s health and we want everybody to smoke – I don’t get it.’’
Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas, suggested that the president's veto is the wrong call on a potentially costly issue for the party. “I'm not absolutely certain that’s going to be the right way,'' he said. "There are so many other issues we have to fight, and the political cost of that is going to be enormous.’’
McCain also seemed uncomfortably aware of the position he was holding in this debate -- portrayed as something of a second-tier candidate in the lineup and focus of questions. At one point, when he couldn't hear the question asked of him, he complained with a smile that some of us are sitting in "the cheap seats here.''
It wasn't as funny, however, the second time that McCain couldn't hear the question offered to him. He was asked if Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke had made the right call in cutting interest rates. And McCain, who once famously said during a 2000 debate that he would have kept Alan Greenspan in the job for life -- and even after he keeled over -- said he really couldn't speak to the question. Not his field. Not his day on the stage, either.
* * * *
Comprehensive tax reform is the solution to making the economy more generous for all, according to Huckabee.
"A lot of people watching the debate who hear Republicans say the economy is doing great, they're going to reach for the dial,'' Huckabee said. "For many, it's not going so well.''
For his part, Huckabee thought the debate was going so well for him that his campaign advertised a conference call with the media this evening to discuss his "success'' today.
* * * *
This debate may have centered on the economy, but the moderator was not going to let the day go by without talking about the war in Iraq.
“I think the policy we’re engaged in now is the right one,’’ Thompson said. “We didn’t go in with enough troops, and we didn’t know what to expect when we got there.’’
But now, Thompson said, is not the time “to leave with our tail between our legs. If we did that, it would make for a more dangerous America.’’
McCain was asked about criticizing Bush for not asking for more sacrifice after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 – for suggesting that Americans go shopping.
“Americans were ready to serve a cause greater than themselves,’’ said McCain, who said the nation should have recruited for the Peace Corps and other causes “I’m the only one on this stage who said four years ago, this is a failed policy in Iraq… I advocated the policy that’s (now) succeeding, and thank God Americans have given us… a window’’ to let it work.
Asked about suggestions that the U.S. went to war for oil, Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, the one war opponent on the stage, said: “We were told, it was about oil and jobs when it started in 1990, and indeed this is just a continuation of that war… It was a mistake to go in… We’re going broke. We have this huge deficit.’’
“I think the Bush administration has generally done well militarily,’’ said Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas. “The political side’’ of the equation in Iraq is the problem, he said.
Thompson was asked about weapons of mass destruction – had he suggested the other day that they existed?.
“Saddam had had them, prior, and used them against his own people, used them against the Kurds,’’ Thompson said. “There is no question that he had had them in times past…’’ If Saddam Hussein had remained in power, he said: “The whole place would be nuclearized… and you’d have an entirely nuclearized part of the world that we don’t have now.’’
* * * *
They had a little lightning round on the question: Are unions good for America?
Paul: “The right to unionize should be a basic right of any group.’’
Huckabee: “The real fact is, unions are going to take a more prominent role in the future,’’ because CEO salaries are soaring and workers are accepting lesser-paying work. “Unions are the natural result of workers finally saying,'Look, I can’t go from a $70,000 a year job to a $15,000 a year job and feed my family of four.'’’
McCain: “I come from a right to work state… If someone wants to join a union in my state, they are free to do so, but they are not compelled to do so..’’
Romney: “There are some good ones, and some not so good… Like the carpenter’s union, for instance, does a great job of training their members… There are also bad unions. I’m probably not going to name specific bad unions.’’
Thompson: “I don’t have to pretend that I’m a union member, because I have been a member for some time.. The Screen Actor’s Guild still counts, doesn’t it?…. I do not believe that someone ought to have to be a union member to work… They have done a lot of good for this country over the years and will continue to.’’
Giuliani: “I have a great appreciation,’’ citing his mother’s union work and then deflecting the moderator’s playful invitation to sing the union song. “You do not want me to sing a song. Everybody will go running out of this auditorium.’’
Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Cal.): “A union is a receptacle of power… We need to work with unions.’’
Brownback: “They’ve been good for the United States, historically.’’
Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo): “When unions, I think, get off track, is when they start to influence public policy, especially in regard to – shall I say it – illegal immigration.’’
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Comments
Someone needs to wake up Grandpa Fred and remind him that he's got some debatin' to do today.
Can I get a round of applause?
Posted by: John E | October 9, 2007 3:38 PM
I wonder if anyone will ask Freddy about Nixon's remarks.
When Nixon's aide H.R. Haldeman told Nixon of Thompson's appointment, Nixon was less than impressed.
"Baker has appointed Fred Thompson as minority counsel," Haldeman is heard saying on one tape.
"Oh s---, that kid," Nixon responds.
"I guess so," Haldeman replies.
Nixon worried that Thompson's Democratic counterpart, Sam Dash, would outsmart Thompson.
"Well, Dash is too smart for that kid," Nixon says on another tape from March 16, 1973. The existence of the tapes were publicly revealed by a question from Thompson at a Watergate hearing and led to the president's resignation. They are preserved at the National Archives in College Park, Md.
"Sure. Runs circles around him," agrees an aide, John Dean.
As the investigation picked up speed, Nixon grew increasingly concerned about whether Thompson could stand up to the Democrats.
In this May 1973 recording, he shared his concern with then-chief of staff Alexander Haig.
"He's talking to Fred Thompson. I said you're not --," Haig begins.
"Oh sh--, he's dumb as hell. Fred Thompson," Nixon interjects. "Who is he? He won't say anything."
In another conversation some weeks later, Nixon and his advisers were still describing Thompson as not very smart but at least beginning to play ball.
"Our approach is now, we've got a pretty good rapport with Fred Thompson. He came through fine for us this morning," White House counsel Fred Buzhardt says on a tape from June 6.
"He isn't very smart, is he?" Nixon asks.
"Not extremely so, but --," Buzhardt says, interrupted by the president.
"But he's friendly," Nixon says.
"But he's, he's friendly," Buzhardt echoes.
"Good."
A few days later, White House aides are heard saying Thompson will be even more helpful than his boss, Sen. Baker, and that Thompson agreed to secretly help undercut the credibility of White House whistleblower John Dean.
"They've finally got [Dean] under oath," Buzhardt says on a tape from June 11. "Uh, Thompson will work with us. So, good."
"Does he realize that Dean has some problems?" Nixon asks.
"Oh, yes sir," Buhardt responds. "Quite a few...He is willing to work with us; he is also now willing to work with us on shifting some focus to the Democrats. He's finally made up his mind; he's got to start looking at some of their stuff."
Later in the tape, Buzhardt says, "[Thompson is] willing to go, you know, pretty much the distance now. And he said he realized his responsibility was going to have to be as a Republican increasingly."
In his memoir of the Watergate era, Thompson admits to secretly alerting the White House to key evidence as it was discovered by congressional investigators.
Former Watergate committee investigator Scott Armstrong told ABC News that Thompson's cooperation with the White House undermined the investigation.
"It was the equivalent of two prosecutors knowing about something and one of them going behind the scenes and telling the person being accused what the witnesses were saying about him," Armstrong said.
Two months after Buzhardt's comments, Nixon resigned. Thompson would later take credit for helping to reveal the secret White House taping system that led to Nixon's downfall.
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/10/nixon-on-thomps.html
Posted by: nisleib | October 9, 2007 3:50 PM
Grandpa Fred, John E?
Mark, since you say the Swamp debate spin room will be open all night, does that mean you are pulling an all-nighter??
Anyway, it'll be interesting to see how Thompson does. If he does do quite well, he could be neck and neck with Guiliani in the polls. Either one is fine by me. But, then, ANY of the GOP candidates is head and shoulders above anything the Demoncrats can muster.
Posted by: John D | October 9, 2007 3:54 PM
Yep Johnny - like Tom Tancredo. He's a real GOP winner. How badly do you think even Dennis Kucinich could beat him?
Posted by: BobinATL | October 9, 2007 4:01 PM
The former Senator from Tennessee, Freddy the free loader, cigar smoking Thompson "tusk hog" red truck express wheels are burninig rubber. Hold your noses America. Law and Order SHALL be reinstated in America and around the world places the US policies of people who abide by the law and pay their taxes cause the unpatriot act 1 and 2 will handle them. As acting is Freds field, I see a patriot act 3 police state happening. All the Bush kings horses and all the kings men, abermoff, libby, tom the hammer from Tx, Tom Lay from OH,
The Duke Cunningham, Larry Craig, Karl Rove, Kindasleeazy Rice, and the other former Sen. from Fla. who likes to room with Congressional Pages, Halliburton, Black Water, and hundreds other no bid contractors Shall be paroled when "Freddy" pulls out his secret suprise to steal 08 and takes oath of Presidental Office in 2008.
Posted by: Frank Bolin | October 9, 2007 4:13 PM
"And Thompson -- on a day that the Down Jones average closed at a record high 14,165 -- drew the first question: Why do two-thirds of Americans fear a recession?"
Could it be that Americans fear a recession because they get their economic news from mainstream media types like Democrat operative Chris Matthews?
Nahhhh.
Posted by: Bruce | October 9, 2007 4:15 PM
Brucey:
Must mean the other 1/3 must get their news from Fox News - the official news network of the Republican party.
No Bruce - people see the housing market collapsing, high energy prices, jobs going over seas. That is what makes them think of a recession. Not the liberal media.
Posted by: BobinATL | October 9, 2007 4:21 PM
"A lot of people watching the debate who hear Republicans say the economy is doing great, they're going to reach for the dial,'' Huckabee said "For many, it's not going so well. ''
You're right Brucey - they only hear it from the liberal media, and liberal politicians like Gov. Mike Huckabee.
Posted by: BobinATL | October 9, 2007 4:23 PM
"THE GOP SPEAKS, ON A CONTINUED BUILDING A CULTURE OF PREPAREDNESS"
You can call it a Quagmire. You can call it an Augmentation. You can call it Spurious Arguments.
But you have to call the GOP the IRAQI PARLIAMENT WORK IN PROGRESS.
1st question DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE CONSTITUTION?
2nd question DO YOU THINK GEORGE BUSH SHOULD BE IMPEACHED? IF NO WHY, IF YES WHY?
WE CAN'T ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS as the DECIDER, AKA COMMANDER GUY, AKA BIG POPPY OF AFGANISTAN HAS EXTENDED EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE RELATING TO ANY AND ALL ONGOING INVESTIGATIONS.
A CULTURE OF CORRUPTION, NOW LOOKING TO BUILD A CULTURE OF PREPAREDNESS.
We better get even more prepared, because we know they are not. Now that Bush didn't get his get out of jail free card, he has AT&T and Verizon wireless working overtime eavesdropping and DATA MINING FUTURE VOTERS LUNCH BREAKS AND PARTISAN CHARACTER ASSASINATION LISTS.
Posted by: Roger Morris | October 9, 2007 5:07 PM
Alternate caption:
I once grew a watermelon this big.
Posted by: bill r. | October 9, 2007 5:13 PM
Fred refers to "pockets" in the economy "having difficulty". Nice. Further talking points will developed later if addressing those "pockets" is necessary.
Posted by: kb | October 9, 2007 5:29 PM
Alternate caption for the G-Man...
"No, no, no... that was my third wife....
Posted by: Carl L | October 9, 2007 5:37 PM
The sixth Republican debate kicked off Tuesday in Dearborn, Mich., with nine GOP presidential hopefuls taking the stage.
Who do you think won the Dearborn, Michigan MSNBC News Republican debate?
------------> http://www.youpolls.com/details.asp?pid=671
.
Posted by: PollM | October 9, 2007 5:39 PM
I hope that Thompson learns by the time of the debate that russia is no longer called "the Soviet Union".
Posted by: bill r. | October 9, 2007 6:00 PM
Could it be that Americans fear a recession because they get their economic news from mainstream media types like Democrat operative Chris Matthews?
Nahhhh.
Posted by: Bruce | October 9, 2007 4:15 PM
Bruce pushing the boundaries of propaganda.
Bruce and Co, your guys in the Whitehouse have made a living off of FEAR as does Rudy. Grandpa Fred doesn't even really want to run from all accounts. Mitt Romney = flip-flop. Huckabee Zzzzz...
Good luck in 2008. You'll need it. The GOP is ideologically bankrupt.
Posted by: Logic Prisoner | October 9, 2007 6:08 PM
Alternate Caption;(Top Pic)
Willard and Sleepy; 'And THAT guy is a cross-dresser! ha ha!!'
Thompson; 'Man that guy McCain! He's hot!!'
Posted by: C.Morris | October 9, 2007 6:36 PM
Alternate Caption;(Top Pic)
Willard and Sleepy;
'And THAT guy is a cross-dresser! ha ha!!'
Thompson; 'Man that guy McCain! He's hot!!'
Alt Cap;
(Thompson)
"I have a tumor this big.'
(Rudy)
"So let me 'signify' this, my homey Republican Christians!"
Posted by: C.Morris | October 9, 2007 6:39 PM
Willard pic (Alt Cap)
"Please send the Senator from Idaho in for his exam."
Posted by: C.Morris | October 9, 2007 6:41 PM
""I cut taxes 23 times when I was mayor of New York,’’ Giuliani said. "
He had the advantage of the Clinton economy, of course.
******
"I hope that Thompson learns by the time of the debate that russia is no longer called "the Soviet Union".
Posted by: bill r. | October 9, 2007 6:00 PM"
bill r,
Hope he doesn't say 'Poland is not free'. This guy could have his finger on the trigger.
(Thompson 'Sub-Machinegun' in his dreams.)
'Get some! Get some! Get some!'
Posted by: C.Morris | October 9, 2007 7:12 PM
08 GOP Debate?
It looks more like the tee box at any "whites only" country club in America
"DEBATE" SCORECARD:
----------
RON PAUL - A - The clear winner, if the GOoPer's had any common sense (they don't) they'd nominate him.
RUDY JULIEANNI - F - same old Republican scare tactics, be scared, Be VERY Scared, 9/11 9/11 and also don't forget....9/11!!!
Here's all you need to know about this woman:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMveQ1sG9QU
JOHN McFINISHED - F- at least the old man has stuck to his pro-Iraq war wide-stance, now will someone please give him another dollar?
WILLARD ROMNEY - F - probably the best varmint hunter in the GOP field and it's honorable that his son's have signed up to serve their country.....in Iowa
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u09CgZ3m5_A
GRANDPA FRED - F - ZZZZzzzzzzzzz....huh?......what?...oh yeah,...let me check my notes here.....can I have a round of applause?
MIKE HUCKSTER - F - doesn't believe in science, doesn't like Brown colored people, enough said
SAM BROKEBACK - D - ditto (see above) same as the Huckster and he'd like to double that
TOM TANCREDO- F - this guy should even scare the Wingnuts
DUNCAN HUNTER - F - Human or alien?
ALAN KEYES - NA - wanted to come but the GOoPer's wouldn't let him in the front or back door until he does something about that skin color of his.
Posted by: John E | October 9, 2007 7:19 PM
This debate was unfair to Grandpa Fred...he had to miss his afternoon nap and was not as sharp as usual.
Posted by: weinerdog43 | October 9, 2007 7:41 PM
I see the demented, maniacal souls of the Loony Left, lead by Chief Braindead, John E., are chirping their usual blather.
Bruce, on the recession front, I remember a couple of weeks ago on the front page of the LIBune was a "news" story on how gas prices would be rising at minimum 15 cents a gallon in the next couple of weeks. Hmmmmm, seems like gas prices have come down a minimum of 10 cents a gallon since then.
Posted by: John D | October 9, 2007 7:56 PM
Alternate caption:
No wonder that guy Larry Craig has a wide stance..he has a prostate this big.
Posted by: bill r. | October 9, 2007 8:34 PM
If I may step out of character and play the "Devil's Advocate" for a moment, Fred Thompson was given an excellent opportunity to display his depth of knowledge of the economy, to whit, the deferred payments on the trillions of dollars debt generated by the occupation forces in Iraq [remember, war over, Mission Accomplished, Saddam hanged], the impact a wartime economy has had on a the US and how it will affect the economy if the occupation is ever over, the potential impact of displacing 4-12 million workers who are here albeit illegally, the volatility of the real estate market and how it it now a buyers market, driving prices down, how the US market would react to a delta* in the oil market, ie, hurricane in the gulf, mid-East unrest, or how he would ensure that Social Security/Medicare would remain intact...
But all in all, his answer of “The stock market seems to be doing pretty well.." indicates to me he has what it takes to be the next GOP candidate for the White House.
As a staunch Republican, I rate his performance a B+.
I am sure my journalistic colleges Bruce and John D would agree...
*delta = change
Posted by: Smirky McFlightsuit | October 9, 2007 8:36 PM
The kin folk said ole Freds a millionare. They said Washington is the place ya oughta be...so the loaded up the vans to lead you and me.
Posted by: bill r. | October 9, 2007 8:49 PM
Ron Paul wins this debate hands down. What a sorry group of candidates other than Cong. Paul and Gov. Huckabee
Posted by: John A | October 9, 2007 10:05 PM
we've changed the meaning of torture, bill of rights, prisoner, conservative...the list goes on....onto debate. this was no debate. this was an advertisement for mayor judy, rombot, and freddy...nothing else. the post coverage was more fair, and actually allowed more air time to the other candidates than cnbc did during the debate for the other candidates. shameful.
Posted by: pdubya | October 9, 2007 10:10 PM
Mr. Silva, since you never read what actual Republicans write on the blogosphere, I'll inform you that a quick survey of the leading right-of-center blogs show a general satisfaction with Fred Thompson's debate performance. In fact just about all bloggers praised the performance of each of the four heavyweights in the field (Giuliani, Thompson, Romney and McCain).
There was a general wish for more fireworks. The Romney crack at Thompson and Thompson's comeback was the most entertaining part of the evening. Romney was also thought to have scored points by pointing out the economic basket case Dem-controlled Michigan has become.
Romney is judged not to have scored a knockdown with his set-to with Giuliani. Thompson's folksy demeanor went over well with the rank and file precisely because it didn't sound "Beltway". Giuliani was, as always, sharp witted, and McCain showed an impressive grasp of tax issues.
Duncan Hunter is judged the best of the 2nd tier. Several supporters of other candidates have suggested that Hunter be given a top job in the administration of their candidate.
Posted by: Bruce | October 10, 2007 12:00 AM
I see the demented, maniacal souls of the Loony Left, lead by Chief Braindead, John E., are chirping their usual blather.
Bruce, on the recession front, I remember a couple of weeks ago on the front page of the LIBune was a "news" story on how gas prices would be rising at minimum 15 cents a gallon in the next couple of weeks. Hmmmmm, seems like gas prices have come down a minimum of 10 cents a gallon since then.
Posted by: John D | October 9, 2007 7:56 PM
Get a life John D. Your comments are mean spirited and WEAK!
Posted by: Alberto | October 10, 2007 2:36 AM
But, then, ANY of the GOP candidates is head and shoulders above anything the Demoncrats can muster.
Posted by: John D | October 9, 2007 3:54 PM
Dream on Bright boy and your stooge lackey Bruce-the robot. Fred was muck akin to...watching paint dry but with less ideas.
Same could be said for all the robots on stage. Ron paul is the only serious reptardlican candidate.
Posted by: Alberto G | October 10, 2007 2:56 AM
Get a life John D. Your comments are mean spirited and WEAK!
Posted by: Alberto | October 10, 2007 2:36 AM
Dream on Bright boy and your stooge lackey Bruce-the robot. Fred was muck akin to...watching paint dry but with less ideas.
Same could be said for all the robots on stage. Ron paul is the only serious reptardlican candidate.
Posted by: Alberto G | October 10, 2007 2:56 AM
"Alberto" appears to be a newbie here. Another John E alias, hmmmm?? Seems like another unemployed leftie with the posting times, though.
Also, John E., please explain how Mike Huckabee hates "brown-colored people."
And, Mark, isn't it just a little ridiculous for this turd to throw unfounded racist charges like that and the Trib to post them?
If i said Dickie Durbin hates white people because his momma and daddy abused him, would you folks print that?
Posted by: John D | October 10, 2007 9:10 AM
I can't believe how weak and pathetic the Republic field of candidates are. The strongest person is Guiliani and he sucks. Many Republics will be holding their noses when they step into the voting booth.
Posted by: jethro | October 10, 2007 10:14 AM
Jethro, no matter hjow "pathetic" the Republican candidates are, the Democrats have absolutely nothing to offer. And your leading candidate is a former first lady who can't even keep tabs on her husband. How she gonna run a country and fight terrorists when she can't even control her husband?
Posted by: John D | October 10, 2007 11:07 AM
Did Freddie Thompson have to beg for applause after regurgitating any RNC talking points?
Posted by: BC | October 10, 2007 11:24 AM
"Jethro, no matter hjow "pathetic" the Republican candidates are, the Democrats have absolutely nothing to offer."
Posted by: John D | October 10, 2007 11:07 AM
The democrats offer leadership and ideas. Things you would know nothing about.
Posted by: Anonymous Bosh | October 10, 2007 11:40 AM
"I can't believe how weak and pathetic the Republic field of candidates are. The strongest person is Guiliani and he sucks. Many Republics will be holding their noses when they step into the voting booth.
Posted by: jethro | October 10, 2007 10:14 AM"
Jethro,
But remember, nearly everyone thought GWB was a laughing stock in '00 and that Gore would beat him handily.
'Things' happen over a campaign.
Posted by: C.Morris | October 10, 2007 4:45 PM