You Tube Debate Live Blog

Final thoughts:

Who won?

Ultimately, this will be a popular question, but it’s not the right one. The question is who’s right for America? My impression of that didn’t change with the debate.

Overall, it should be noted that Candidates Tancredo, Hunter, and Paul really didn’t have a shot to “win the debate.” Why? Because, it’s very hard to win the debate when you’re treated as a minor player and brought in irregularly. CNN shows it can have eight candidates on the stage, but it can’t quite balance it.

First of all, I think Huckabee comes out a clear winner. As a speaker, he’s powerful, engaging and made his points well. Most Americans will feel positive about him after the debate, despite his dust up with Mitt Romney.

Mitt Romney was winning the debate through the first half of the event, but was ultimately torpedoed on issues like the Bible, gays in the military, and the Confederate Flag. Romney was caught off guard on the first two issues and managed to offend those who the questioner represented.

Duncan Hunter and Tom Tancredo deserved a share of the bronze. They spoke honestly and when they spoke, they made great and poignant points. Tancredo on spending, Hunter in defense of our country delivered his fabulous refusal to apologize for America. They deserved a more serious hearing.

Fred Thompson was hurt by an awful YouTube ad. His performance was mixed overall. His discussion of his Social Security Plan and his much more articulated position on abortion helped him, but he didn’t stir any one’s passion his way.

Ron Paul was able to discuss the North American Union in a way that sounded reasonable and sensible. However, he also violated a key rule that Republicans ignore their own peril. You don’t go out there and portray America as the bad guy. Paul would do better if he at least acknowledged the good intentions of his opponents, if his goal is to win over the party.

John McCain was testy and a tad arrogant. While some Republicans may have enjoyed his early attempt to slap down Ron Paul, it came off as bullying from where I sat. Later in the debate, it fit better as it least meshed with the topic. Mitt Romney got the better of him in an encounter with water boarding; McCain looked tired and angry.

Rudy Giuliani was the loser. He repeatedly dodged questions, fudged questions, and was running from his answers. It’s no wonder that in states in which Rudy has been most seen and heard from, (Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina) he is least liked and least supported.

8:05: Confederate Flag issue. Romney showed an incredible lack of tact on the issue and will offend some Southerners with his basic argument that it’s just a racist symbol. Thompson was more sensitive. His answer won’t please advocates of the Stars & Bars, but it won’t offend any but the most virulent supporters.

7:56: In answer to a question on Mars, Huckabee indicated he didn’t know about Mars, but favored increasing the space program. It was then that Tom Tancredo made one of the most appropros observations of the debate that there’d been so many questions about spending and deficits and here was someone demanding that we spend money to Mars and here was a candidate willing to say we need to do it. “There are many things we can’t afford, and a mission to Mars is one of them.”

7:53: What a set-up! Question on gays in the military, Hunter lays out the basic case. Romney is challenged on a statement saying that he looked towards a day that gays and lesbians would serve. Romney said “ask, don’t tell” has worked but looked really bad dodging Anderson Cooper on whether he’s changed his view. Then, the homosexual former general who asked it, stood up and lectured the candidates.

7:37: Paul compares Iraq to Vietnam and how the US and Vietnam are trade partners and how we accomplished in peace what we couldn’t in war. He doesn’t mention the thousands who died or the continuing enslavement of communism. McCain responds appropriately and gets quite a bit of applause.

7 :20 Last question on whether candidates believe every word in the Bible was interesting. Rudy came off poorly with that some of the Bible was intended to be interpreted in a modern context and scoffed at Jonah and the Great Fish. Romney came off as humble, in admitting that he tried to follow the Bible, but didn’t do it as much as he should. He stumbled when Anderson tried to nail it down as to whether he believed every word. The question, of course went to Huckabee.

7:15 PM: Huckabee gave a great answer on Capital Punishment and connected very well as he explained how seriously he took it. As the question originally pertained to what Jesus would do about the Death Penalty, Huckabee said, “Jesus was too smart to run for office.”

7:13 PM: Astonishing statement from Rudy Giuliani, “The problem with Roe v. Wade is that it took abortions from the states.” Whoa. Now, there’s “a problem” with Roe v. Wade? That’s a huge switch.

7:03 PM: Rudy dodges a question about a statement in 2000 that everyone ought to be required to be trained before being allowed to carry a gun. What is this? Dodgeball?

7:00 PM: Duncan Hunter gives You Tube questioner a gun safety lesson.

6:51 PM: Fred’s YouTube commercial is incredibly negative and I think in the debate format, it’s really off-putting.

6:48 PM: Romney and Giuliani after talking about fiscal conservatism express their support for Farm subsidies, which is key in Iowa. That, right there is where we get $9 trillion in debt.

6:42 PM: McCain uses his answer on spending to slam Ron Paul (who called for bringing our troops home.) The point was far off topic and McCain was booed. Paul responded and was booed as well. So, it’s hard to tell what the audience thought. But McCain really came off as a bully.

6:40 PM: Huckabee uses a question about getting rid of cutting three government agencies to advocate Fair Tax and then steal from Ron Paul on restructuring Homeland Security. When Cooper Anderson told him his time was up, he looked relieved.

6:34 PM: Ron Paul delivers a reasonable response the question of whether he really believes the same thing as his crazy supporters about a conspiracy for a North American Union. Paul answered that there’s no sinister conspiracy, but there are idealogical movements working against American sovereignty.

6:29 PM-6:31 PM: Mike Huckabee makes his tuition tax break for intelligent illegals sound almost reasonable, despite his snipey tone. But Mitt Romney response comes off as Reaganesque. He’s kind to Huckabee, but is clear, “He reminds me of many liberals in Massachusetts, who think they know how to best use your money…It’s not your money.” In response, Huckabee raises the class warfare card, pointing out he worked his way through college. (Unspoken inference: “Easy for you to say, rich boy.”)

6:21 PM: Fred Thompson slams Rudy again. Fred was a co-sponsor of the bill against sanctuary cities that Rudy Giuliani filed a lawsuit against. Said Thompson, “If New York wasn’t a sanctuary city, then I’d called that a frivolous lawsuit.” Thompson does come off a little mean when he starts going after Giuliani on other issues, hinting at people that Giuliani regrets hiring (Bernard Kerik.) Stay focused.

6:17 PM: Mitt Romney gets me to cheer when he takes Rudy down after Rudy claimed they deported those who violated the law. Mitt points out they all violated the law. Rudy comes back by alleging that Mitt Romney employed illegals. Mitt points out he didn’t, he hired an outside company to do work, and some of their employees were illegal. He then challenged Rudy by asking whether people who hire an outside company to do work for them should question anyone who has a funny accent and Giuliani dodged.

6:13 PM: Rudy plays dodge ball on New York Sanctuary city status.

6:08 PM: Mitt Romney smiles as he sees the infamous snowman.

6:04 PM: Look at this introduction. Calling them out one by one and then waiting for them to get applause seems a little odd waste of screen time. This does help Fred Thompson who is so much taller than everyone else and that does look imposing, sad to say.

6:02 PM: Governor Charlie Crist (R-FL) introduced. As an aside, I wonder what’s happened to Florida conservatism. Crist is governing as a liberal and is quite popular, and Rudy’s leading in the polls.

I’ll be providing live thoughts on the You Tube debate. Just refresh this post every few minutes.