Graphics list family, religion, and age information.!

The bell to indicate time is up is a good thing.

Falwell condolences stipulated.

Be the debater you want to see.

by Ross Smith on 05/15/2007 09:05:16 PM EST

McCain -- why fight and die while Iraqi politicians do so little?

A: the terrorists would follow us home. National security interests of our own are at stake. Includes fact war was mishandled.

Thompson on Iraqi government vote! (Not said, that they have already gone on record this week as in favor of a timetable). How can you require them?
A: Does not point out the obvious: the troops are ours.

Romney: I owuld not "project failure." Jihadists, caliphate. Muslim Brotherhood still lumped with Al Qaida. Turkish brder, etc. Giant scare story. No answer to the question, really.

Browqnback called out for having opposed surge (finally) and supported Baker commission.
A: Need consensus here to win there. Condemns Harry Reid. Reiterates Biden/Brownback plan.

Rudy: you said congress GOP folks who said must see progress by Sep. were irresponsible.
A: I did not say that. McCain is correct, they want to follow us. Fort Dix 6. He does not answer the question, rellay.

Tancredo: you opposed surge and talked about disengage. Are you giving timetable for retreat?
A: we will be there a long time, but the question is in what capacity? Not as constabulary. Bush established the benchmark for the Iraqi government.

Paul, you voted agains the war . . . are you in the wrong party?
A: the base of the party shrunk as a result. Declare war or don't go at all. Reagan left Lebanon.

Hunter: when will Iraqi military be stood up? Why believe in it?
A: Jargon, Fallujah, rotate. . . . chair of armed services, served in Vietnam, son is serving, credentials.

Huckabee: You said generals suggested more troops. If they said need 300k would you be open to it?
Yes: should listen to generals.

Gilmore: internet question: how resolve Iran nucs? Preemptive?
A: serious sanctions. Saudi prolif? Egypt? answer?

Be the debater you want to see.

by Ross Smith on 05/15/2007 09:19:10 PM EST

Flip flop Mitt?
A: Mass. I did not raise taxes. Washington is broken (I am an outsider). Benchmarks in Washington,

McCain you opposed 2001 tax cuts . . .
A: I did not say I was wrong. I opposed them because wanted to decrease spending. The cuts increassed revneue (Laffer curve). 2006 not lost on Iraq. Repeats drunken sailor story from last debate.

Huckabee: how eliminate AMT tax w/o deficit increas?
A: FAIR tax. Spend like John Edwards at a beauty shop!!!!!!!!1

Rudy: line item veto but you spent more in NYC.
A: Club for Growth says I was fiscally conservative, lowered taxes 23 times. Washington easier than NYC. Reagan-like across the board cuts.

Brownback: $5.00 a gallon gas?
A: biofuels, drill ANWR, weak jokes.

Thompson: 3 wasteful fed programs.
A: 1900 vetos, Wisc. reduced spending and taxes. Make all agencies come in at 95%.Can't name one program, much less three. Says there are many.
asked for one: CDC stockpile???

Paul:
DOE (both of 'em. Get rid of these monster bureaucracies. Change philosophy or no change at all.

Gilmore: social sec. and medicare, would you reduce benefits to avoid increasing payroll taxes?
A: culture of independence. I cut taxes and was consistent conservative as governor. Cal. debates -- my opponents not as conservative as they claimed. See my website !!! (blam).

How trade deficit, Hunter?
A: China cheats. job #s in SC. No manufacturing tax.

Tancredo, interest on national debt.
A: fiscal discipline. GOP has lost the mantle of fiscal disc. Votes for NCLB and medicare prescription drugs? (attack on McCain without naming him).

Be the debater you want to see.

by Ross Smith on 05/15/2007 09:33:32 PM EST

needed?

Well, MUCH better questions than MSNBC and we also have candidates going at one another even if not by name.

Be the debater you want to see.

by Ross Smith on 05/15/2007 09:35:25 PM EST

Gilmore, "Rudy McRomney" why are they not conservative:
A: abortion: Rudy on Hyde amdndment; Huckabee increased taxes, Romney health care plan is mandatory.

Rudy response: you pro abortion, choice, supported Cuomo.
Good joke. Goes after Hillary Clinton and big government. Republican should unite.
another 30 sec. to actually answer . . .
A: George Will said I was most conservative NYC mayor. Abortions went down, adoptions up when I was mayor.

McCain: campaign finance, immigration, taxes, against constl am. ongay marriage, for stem cells:
A: Bipartisanship. That's what leadership is all about. We need immigration reform. Nation's interest, work together. Really is about how to pronounce transcedental and the challenge of terror.

Huckabee: attracked without my name in the monicker. I cut taxes 93 times, 80% of people votes for it. Complied with education order. First evder to decrease taxes in Dem starte.

Romney: guns, gays, abortion:
A: I support 2nd Am and assault weapons ban, oppose gay marriage and oppose discrim
tech kids in English, absitinence ed in toghest of states.

Brownback: you opposed surge and support immigration reform. Like Reagan?
Yes (the true answer).

Be the debater you want to see.

by Ross Smith on 05/15/2007 09:46:03 PM EST

Thompson: embryonic cells have great promise. New research . . . do the research before destroying more embryos.

Giuliani: abortion not like slavery because no one can in good conscience choose it. Keep gov. out of people's lives. Let's figure out how to decrease abortions NY record.

Huckabee: I respect Rudy because he is honest. I believe life begins at conception. 12 year old boy scout, miners, etc. Separates us from Islamic jihadists.

Rape victims? Brownback says the basic question is if the child in the womb is an innocent person?

Romney: you said were pro choice because of relativce's death from illegal abortion.
A: Cloning and embryo farming cheapens life's value. The people, not the court should decide

Be the debater you want to see.

by Ross Smith on 05/15/2007 09:53:06 PM EST

Tancredo: McCaine et al. soft on immigration?
Yes, McCain in particular: amnesty, consult Mexico. I'm glad to see "conversions" but on theroad to Damascus, not on the road to DesMoins!!

McCain: never supported amnesty and never would. The American people and OUR PRESIDENT and Chertoff . . .borders, tamperproof id, Fort Dix people were here with expired visas. Need a comprehensive, bipartisn solutions
followup: you stepped away from plan w/ Kennedy?
A: I have been heavily engaged. I'm from Arizona. I intend to LEAD.

Romney, you said "amnesty" and how square that with Lowell Sun statement.
A: No advantage by being here illegally. McC/Kennedy was a special pathway for illegals. Like McC/Feingold on $

MCC: I have been consistent. Do not change in even numbered years or because of what office I run for.

Rudy: you said we want undocumenteds in NYC!!
A: thanks to Tancredo for saying I soft on anything. ID, database, NYC and Justice Dept. experience. Must be sensible. Or TERRORISTS find big underground.

Hunter: how prevent foreign nationals here illegally from using social services.
I built tihe border fence. I wrote the bill. Bush only built two miles. Patrol. Back door closed.

Paul: you oppose Iraq war. You out of step? Why seek GOP nomination? \
A: Taft not in NATO. "humble" fp acc to Bush. End Korean war. Anti-war is constitutional and tradition of republicans.

followup: 9/11 change htat?
No, our intervention was a cause. reagan was right.
followup? we invited? They say they are glad we are there.

Giuliani interrupts: as somone who lived through 9/11, that's absurd. HUGE applause. Asks for withdrawal of statement.

Paul: CIA is right when speak of blowback.

BREAKDOWN

Be the debater you want to see.

by Ross Smith on 05/15/2007 10:06:11 PM EST

BOOS to the very question:

A: McCain. It is not flying on TOP of the capitol. Long negotiation, no longer on top. Almost all believe that is reasonable. It is time to move on. APPLAUSE>

Be the debater you want to see.

by Ross Smith on 05/15/2007 10:07:39 PM EST

Hckabee: relaesed parolee responsibility?
A: I did not let him go, denied clemency, parole board did it. Used as political weapon against me. Dangerous world. Made tough decisions. Won't repeat mistakes if president.

Tancredo: global warming, esp. responsibility of US and Eyurope?
A: claims there are equal number of scientists on each side!!!! Reduce dependence on oil b/c is national secuurity issue. (Coal, sir?). Ron Paul is wrong because of Islam

Be the debater you want to see.

by Ross Smith on 05/15/2007 10:10:46 PM EST

Heard hint of this on pre-debate coverage. Should be interesting: a "real time" evolving terrorism scenario. . . .

3 shopping centers hit, a fourth averted, questioning at Gitmo, believe another planned.

McCain, how aggressively would you question them?
A: as president I would take the responsibility. When I was in Nam . ..  It's about US as a nation. 999999999 cases the Army field manual is sufficient.

Rudy: if sya best info is from waterboard, what is your view?
A: in the hypothetical, use every method they can think of (APPLAUSE) because I have seen what can happen

Romney:
A: key is prevention I did as governor. GITMO good because no lawyers, should double GTMO. "Ticking bomb"the president must make the call, "enhanced techniques.

Thompson: now know trained in W African country hostile to US, what response.
A: Trust but verify, Reagan. Powell doctrine.

Brownback, would you go to U.N.?
No. In the situation you described. Primary standard US lives or perception of the world?

Hunter: one minute discussion w/ secdef (jargon).

McCain: "enhanced techniques" torture?
A: yes. those who have served and all senior officers agree with my position. And there's more to war than the battlefield.

How reassure economy?
Gilmore: I had to deal with it during 9/11, and chaired commission before 9/11. UN to state an opinion, not to ask for permission. Need fed/state/local, info share. Experience.

Huck: what economic policies?
A: Like Bush told us, shop, etc. But will never be business as usual. MURDER. SACRIFICE.

Paul: what economic policies to avert recession. A: Cut taxes and spending. Newspeak of "enhanced interrogation" -- Osama is in Pakistan and we give them money!!

Tnacredo:
A: So theoretical (nuclear?) I'm looking for Jack Bauer. Western Civ depends on us.

Be the debater you want to see.

by Ross Smith on 05/15/2007 10:27:24 PM EST

10 white men, Gilmore?
A: as chair of party I worked to reach out. In Va., too. Judge on the record.

Romney: flip flopper. When you change to less popular with GOP base?
A: NCLB I now support, once wanted to do away with Dept. of Ed. I like testing in schools. Civil rights issue of our time is inner city schools.

Hunter: China $ to Euro risk?
A: will be a security threat and let me tell you about their arms purchases with jargon.

Be the debater you want to see.

by Ross Smith on 05/15/2007 10:31:32 PM EST

Much better debate than either of the MSNBC debates. The moderators did a good job with questions that actually exposed the fissures in the GOP and the strengths and weakness of the candidates.

Be the debater you want to see.

by Ross Smith on 05/15/2007 10:35:16 PM EST