"I changed my position." and other thoughts on today's Republican debate -- Part 2

(Part 1)

Finally back from commercial. I wonder if they were waiting for Tommy Thompson to get back from the men's room...

• A YouTube style video asking about Cheney's abuse of power. McCain says "I would make certain that everyone knows there is only one president." Pow!


• Giuliani: War, war, Islamic war, terrorist war. Did I say war? He'd go back to the Reagan-Bush model.


• Mitt pandering to the pro-Bush crowd. They've made us safe. Too sugary sweet.


• Brownback said something. I wasn't paying attention. I was talking about laundry. I doubt I missed much.


• Huckabee is in favor of the fair tax. No more drug dealers, prostitutes when we have the fair tax. What the hell? Does the fair tax eliminate the need for sex and weed? Will they become legal as long as they're taxed?


• Tom Tancredo actually has a good argument on this. He's right that the current tax code is just a way to get people to do what the government wants them to do. I'm guessing that he is not consistent with that argument when it comes to non-tax issues.


• Brownback wants an optional flat tax? Why would I want to opt to pay a tax?


• What was your greatest mistake? Hunter, contemplating running for Congress as a Democrat.


• Paul says he isn't forceful enough. Cop out.


• Huckabee's biggest mistake is getting fat. At least that's a real answer.


• Mitt Romney's biggest mistake was running as a pro-choice candidate. Oh brother! He can talk about it all he wants, but the abortion issue is not going away.


• Giuliani refuses to answer, but gets away with it because he makes a funny joke.


• McCain got himself put in a Vietnamese prison. I'd say that qualifies.


• Brownback doesn't say he loves his kids enough.


• Tommy Thompson gave all of his relatives breast cancer. No, wait. He wasn't supportive enough.


• Tom Tancredo took 30 years to find God.


• On another note (and the final question), Tancredo will restore hope to the office of the president.


• Tommy Thompson would open up the East Wing. Has it been boarded up? I don't get him at all.


• Brownback would rebuild the family. Apparently he thinks Jenna and Barbara are bad kids or something.


• McCain loves America. Doesn't answer the question.


• Giuliani will also restore hope. And not be like the Democrats.


• Mitt has made a pigs breakfast of his answer. Something about the Gettysburg address and strengthening America or something. These guys have lost the sense of the question, which is what would you restore to the presidency.


• Huckabee will work for the people and put up a citizen of the month photo. Probably give them a special parking space too.


• Paul would restore openness to the government and would not use executive privilege to cover up.


• Hunter would restore economic patriotism. That means nothing. Talk about a bunch of hooey. And he keeps talking about his son in Iraq. How about just running on your record, not on your son's back.

Well, that's enough of that. I thought Giuliani won, in the sense that he controlled the discussion. Romney recovered from his tough start, and seemed fairly presidential. Ron Paul also did well. Of the upper-tier candidates, McCain was ineffective. He looks like a man whose time has come and gone. Tommy Thompson was so bad, it's almost sad.

Democrats have a debate with Keith Olbermann Tuesday night. See you then.

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