Mitt's "Sanctuary Mansion" and other thoughts on tonight's GOP debate, Part 1

You're looking not quite live at...well, I'm not exactly sure where they're at, but it doesn't really matter since the questions are all coming via YouTube. It's the Republicans' turn, and you just know they're terrified of being the one to get the question from the snowman. And away we go...

• They're in St. Petersburg, Florida, FWIW.


• I would not have figured that big guy would have that little squeaky voice, although I hear that's not too unusual for Florida's Republicans.


• Did Duncan Hunter just say "Thanks Dad?"


• Governor Crist just called the Colorado rep "Tom Cantredo."


• OK, enough of this stuff, let's get on with it.
• Chuck Norris in the house.


• Oh Dear God, here we go. A friggin' song? This is worse than that awful Terry Cashman stuff they insist on singing at Fenway whenever the Red Sox have a ceremony. I'm embarrassed for these guys.


• Can you really "deploy a fence," Rudy? How do you do that?


• Mitt Romney owns a "sanctuary mansion." Nice line. That is the way to go after Mitt. Get him riled up. That's exactly what Ted Kennedy did when Romney started to challenge him in 1994. Get him red-faced and let him implode. Good start for Rudy.


• I wonder how many Canadians really want to come here right now. If I lived in Canada, I'm not sure what America holds at this moment in history that would be more attractive than the great white North.


• The idea of cutting off federal money for sanctuary cities is more bluster than anything else. How much federal money actually goes directly to American cities?


• Good grief, who is the Hank Williams, Jr. wannabe?


• Tom Tancredo: "I'm not going to aid any more immigration into this country."


• Sigh. Duncan Hunter continues to claim "I built that fence." If it's the last thing I do, I'm going to find a picture of Duncan Hunter building that damn fence.


• Mike Huckabee gave an excellent answer on education for children. Romney seems like a grinch in comparison. I think Huckabee won the day.


• Unbelievable. Ron Paul actually does believe in the North American Union. This guy gave him a softball where he could have proven that he isn't really a nutcase, and, well...he is really a nutcase.


• Instead of sending bills full of pork back to congress, I wonder if Romney would rather send it to the Muslims he won't appoint to his cabinet. That'll show 'em.


• Fred doesn't have the kind of specific answers that this questioner wants. He has no idea of three programs to cut.


• These guys are serious about dumping the income tax. I'll go on the record right now as saying they'll never dump the income tax.


• The US did not allow Hitler to come to power through isolationism. To blame WWII on the America First crowd as McCain did is an incredible distortion.


• Looks like no one in Florida cares at all about farm subsidies. Those of us in Massachusetts don't either.


• Oh good, here come the videos. And Tom Tancredo can't even string together a 30-second clip of his speeches without stammering and fumbling his words. He might be the least articulate candidate since Admiral Stockdale.


• Duncan Hunter wants us to Buy American. Good Luck. I don't think there is any way we can go through a day without using anything from overseas. In fact, my shirt was made in Bangladesh, my slippers were made in China, my running pants are a product of Taiwan, and my underpants are from El Salvador. If I only went American, I'd be naked most of the time.


• Fred Thompson's little video was an attack ad? Are you kidding me? The man clearly has no rationale for running. He has nothing to say.

It's been 55 minutes. I'll end the first round here. I'd say Huckabee and Giuliani are probably winning so far. Romney has been battered pretty hard and hasn't looked good. Thompson hasn't been very good either. More to come...

Tags: Election 2008 Republican Primary Mitt Romney Fred Thompson Mike Huckabee Duncan Hunter Ron Paul John McCain Tom Tancredo Rudy Giuliani