A few quick thoughts on the debate tonight at the Reagan Library:
It would be a much more effective and useful debate if only the two candidates with a chance of winning the nomination were in the debate. Ron Paul and Mike Huckabee are a meaningless distraction at this point. Either John McCain or Mitt Romney is going to be the Republican party's nominee, and Republican voters need to evaluate those two candidates and decide which one will be the best candidate in November.
McCain, asked about the home mortgage "crisis", spent a lot of time blaming lenders and "greedy people on Wall Street". How about just a little conservative "straight talk" senator? What about the borrowers who voluntarily took out loans they could not afford? He seems to have let them all off the hook as innocent dupes and victims.
McCain said he's a federalist, and California should be able to regulate CO2 emissions in the state, ban offshore oil drilling, etc. Fair enough, but then he should be asked how that jibes with his support for a national CO2 "cap and trade" policy and his opposition to drilling for oil in the ANWR.
Mitt Romney offered a strong defense of President Bush on the war; good for him.
McCain: "I served for patriotism, not for profit." Profit is not a dirty word in conservative circles, senator. Leave that kind of talk to the socialists in the other party.
McCain is really hung up on "buzzwords". Romney should object: "I don't deal in Washington-style buzzwords and sound bites, senator, I deal in complete thoughts and ideas. Taking a word or two out of a complete answer to misrepresent my point is dishonest."
Asked about his lack of military experience, Romney mentioned President Lincoln; he would have been smart to point out that President Reagan had little military experience before he became Commander in Chief (The low road would've involved perhaps mentioning that President Jimmy Carter served in the Navy, like McCain).
Huckabee said, "this isn't a two man race." But it really is a two man race at this point. Huckabee and Paul need to take the honorable path taken by Giuliani, and withdraw.
Here is the transcript of the debate from CNN.
Don't write off Huckabee or Paul just yet. Less than 10% of the delegates have been decided. As long as the rest of the nation doesn't follow New Hampshire, Wyoming, Michigan, Nevada, South Carolina, and Florida off the cliff, we have a chance to nominate a decent presidential candidate.
And I don't mean Huckabee.
Comment by Craig — January 30, 2008 @ 6:07 pm January 30, 2008
Step back in to reality Craig. Ron Paul has no more chance than you do of being the next president.
Comment by The Editors — January 30, 2008 @ 6:22 pm January 30, 2008
Mmmm, This article is extremely unsettling. How can you decide whos winnable and whos not with there being 40+ more primaries to go, Anything can happen between now till then that can upset the balance. "Its better to vote for what you want and not get it, then voting for something you don't and get it".
Comment by David — January 30, 2008 @ 6:23 pm January 30, 2008
"Anything can happen between now till then..."
No, not anything. Unless that spy satellite that's expected to fall to the ground in a few weeks lands on McCain, Romney, and Huckabee, Ron Paul has no chance at the nomination.
Comment by The Editors — January 30, 2008 @ 6:33 pm January 30, 2008
wow... so Ron Paul raising 20 million dollars in the fourth quater last year, was nothing really? mhmmm i don't think ROn Paul has a good chance of winning. But saying he has no chance to either win or get enough delegates to decide who gets nominate can't happen is pretty arrogant..
Comment by David — January 30, 2008 @ 6:40 pm January 30, 2008
I think "The Editors" are missing the point. The average voter does not want the media limiting his choices of candidates. I'd rather hear four points of view than two. I'm sorry the democratic process confuses you so.
Comment by James O — January 30, 2008 @ 6:49 pm January 30, 2008
James, you don't understand what the debates are for. They aren't for fringe characters to spout off on TV, they aren't part of a reality TV show, they're to aid in choosing a candidate. Neither Paul nor Huckabee is going to be the nominee. Voters are going to choose Romney or McCain, so it's their views that matter now.
Comment by The Editors — January 30, 2008 @ 6:57 pm January 30, 2008
The Editors:"..it does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds.." -- Samuel Adams
"Once a government is committed to the principle of silencing the voice of opposition, it has only one way to go, and that is down the path of increasingly repressive measures, until it becomes a source of terror to all its citizens and creates a country where everyone lives in fear." --Harry S Truman
Comment by Derek Williams — January 30, 2008 @ 6:59 pm January 30, 2008
Derek,
No one is silencing the voice of opposition in America, outside of a few left-wing activists at universities. Take off that tinfoil hat.
Comment by The Editors — January 30, 2008 @ 7:02 pm January 30, 2008
Wow, I was really confused on the position that this article took, and then I seen the unfair and unbalanced Fox News Channel Logo on the right hand side of the page, have a wonderful evening
Comment by Eric James — January 30, 2008 @ 7:12 pm January 30, 2008
Based on your snide remark regarding Ron Paul, I think you are a "meaningless distraction."
Comment by Steve — January 30, 2008 @ 7:15 pm January 30, 2008
Ron Paul....
Made in America....
Comment by mercman — January 30, 2008 @ 7:15 pm January 30, 2008
P.S.
This site really does "lean" a little...sad
Comment by mercman — January 30, 2008 @ 7:17 pm January 30, 2008
Why is it that in this election years so many of those that lurk behind the media curtain are such in a big hurry to pare the field and decide for us who's views are important. Why is this?
In the least, a mix of views help to keep them ALL honest and thus helps the most valid views boil to the top.
I found the CNN debate moderation horrible. They promised to come back to Ron Paul in a couple of questions and they never did. They cut him short and let the Mitt & John drone on.
Speaking of which, I won't vote either John McCain or Mitt Romney just for their rude and selfish behavior at all of the debates. Both are so immersed in shameless self promotion that both have forgotten simple notions like courtesy and being a gentlemen.
Comment by Billy Budd — January 30, 2008 @ 7:24 pm January 30, 2008
Until John McCain, Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee stand up for constitutional government they will not receive my support.
The American Federalist Journal can bad mouth Ron Paul all it wants. In so doing it is bad mouthing the Founding Fathers.
Comment by Steve — January 30, 2008 @ 7:33 pm January 30, 2008
"The American Federalist Journal can bad mouth Ron Paul all it wants. In so doing it is bad mouthing the Founding Fathers."
We didn't realize Dr. Paul was quite that old...
Comment by The Editors — January 30, 2008 @ 7:41 pm January 30, 2008
Editors: What do you like about McCain and Romney? What do you not like about Ron Paul? Besides the idea of "electability"? What about their platform do you like?
Comment by Derek Williams — January 30, 2008 @ 8:07 pm January 30, 2008
Congratulations, editors! You have succeeded in not actually countering any of Dr. Paul's arguments with reasoned, thoughtful arguments! You have successfully used personal attacks to defend your perfect, party-line, fanatical, and quite frankly, childish beliefs! I salute you for your sheepish behavior, you will undoubtedly get the big-government candidate you clamor for and so richly deserve!
Comment by M. Vic — January 30, 2008 @ 9:41 pm January 30, 2008
It's almost incomprehensible to me that McCain is winning ANYTHING. That warmongering, suffering POW torture victim, will re-start the draft to collect enough victims for an attack on Iran. I'm not THANKING HIM for his service to this country. He's already been paid one HUGE pile of money solely because of his service to this country.
I spent 4 years in the Navy during Vietnam and I know the mentality. The McCains of this world live for war ... they ain't got a job without a war (cold or hot)
Meantime, Ron Paul, who speaks only of saving this country from the absolutely drooling stupidity, and waste beyond comprehension of our current administration, is treated like the village idiot by ALL the other candidates and the media.
After living for 60 years in these United States I have NEVER seen anything like the coordinated effort to ignore, demean and discredit Ron Paul. I, personally, don't give a rat's ass WHO they nominate, I'm writing in Ron Paul because he's the ONLY candidate. The rest of them just "feed the idiots of America what they want to hear".
Comment by tellsthetruth — January 31, 2008 @ 12:42 am January 31, 2008
It's a real shame that a Web site that purports to defend "the foundation principles of the United States, from a conservative perspective -- limited government, federalism, adherence to the written law and the U.S. Constitution" (from the "About/Contact" page) refuses to get behind the one presidential candidate who actually stands on those principles -- Ron Paul.
If John McCain or Mitt Romney is elected president, you can bet that the federal government will continue to chip away at our liberties and confiscate more of our income. When that happens, what will the American Federalist Journal have to say?
Comment by Steve — January 31, 2008 @ 6:15 am January 31, 2008
The Editors = corrupted, biased and not to mention unfair and unbalance. You comments are appauling and not the least bit funny. YOU are one of the many in MSM that are trying to make decisions for Americans, but guess what, voting is about choice and I choose to support someone who I have similar views with. Both the government and MSM are out of control and your comments and article just prove that even more so. I will continue to support and donate to who I please. I encourage you to do the same, but oh wait your just going to do what your master tells you, because unlike people commenting on here you are just a puppet for someone else. Voting is one of the few rights we still have left it seems and you have the audacity to try and tell us we don't. YOU my friend are not an American, I'd say more of a Nazi or just another one of the MSM dogs (or should I say B!T@H?). Oh and RON PAUL is MORE REPUBLICAN than any of the current candidates. By the way I count FOUR Republican candidates, but only one that is real. RP FTW 08.
Comment by The Commentor — January 31, 2008 @ 7:40 am January 31, 2008