Anyone Watching Tonight's Debate?

[TVDOC]

It's actually better than most.  Ron Paul is making a fool of himself (as usual), but Newt, Perry, Bachmann, and Romney are making good showings.

doc

[Splashdown]

Holy crap. Paulbots are wackjobs.

[Ralph Wiggum]

I'm catching the latest part with Bachmann attacking Dr. Nuts.

I'm going to be so embarassed for my home state if Paul wins or finishes in the top 3.

[Chris_]

This just popped up on Facebook... I wonder how old it is.

At least RP is down at the bottom where he belongs.

The Townhall.com Presidential Straw Poll
The results for voters' second choice.
Michele Bachman: 25.4%
Newt Gingrich: 20.6%
Mitt Romney: 20.4%
Rick Perry: 18.2%
Ron Paul: 15.4%

[DumbAss Tanker]

The good part about his recent surge is it means he will actually be the focus of the attacks for once, instead of the sane candidates beating up each other.

I hate caucus primaries, they disproportionately reward the candidate whose followers are willing to go to the most outright gangsterism and skulduggery.

[TVDOC]

Newt just gave a devastating narrative on the Keystone pipeline issue.....

doc

[Chris_]

I'm not familiar with caucuses.  I would appreciate anyone that has participated in one to describe the process or any experiences they've had.

[Ralph Wiggum]

The good part about his recent surge is it means he will actually be the focus of the attacks for once, instead of the sane candidates beating up each other.

I hate caucus primaries, they disproportionately reward the candidate whose followers are willing to go to the most outright gangsterism and skulduggery.

I haven't been here for a caucus for quite a while, but I can't envision any Paul-bots converting anyone.  I even wonder if all those stoners even can find and/or show up on January 3rd.

[TVDOC]

Perry is doing very well tonight.....far better than his early debates.  His comments on energy subsidies are spot on.

doc

[TVDOC]

Holy crap. Paulbots are wackjobs.

It's hard to expect anything else considering their candidate.  He actually stated that he didn't believe that Iran was enriching Uranium......what a kook....

Border issues coming up.

doc

[TVDOC]

Perry is doing very well tonight.....far better than his early debates.  His comments on energy subsidies are spot on.

doc

Perry on "Fast and Furious", insists Holder should resign.

doc

[DumbAss Tanker]

I'm not familiar with caucuses.  I would appreciate anyone that has participated in one to describe the process or any experiences they've had.

A politically-active friend who had been through them in Iowa explained his experiences to me while I was deployed with him a couple of years ago.  

It depends on the precinct, of course, as some of them are the model of Norman Rockwell townhall Populist democracy that the originators of them intended.  Others, unfortunately, are as full of bullying, intimidation, double-dealing, and downright trickery as the War of the Roses.  It essentially involves a lot of jaw-jacking, verbal infighting, and straw polls with a lot more jaw-jacking, infighting, and deal-making between the straw poll rounds (Until someone comes out with a majority for the precinct?  Not sure what happens when there's a multi-way deadlock), as I recall; it's definitely not something you can drop into, cast a vote, and then leave for home, so from the git-go, it is dealing with a much different population than actually exists in the state as a whole, or than will be voting in the general election.

[Splashdown]

Perry and Santorum are having a good debate. Too little too late?

[TVDOC]

Perry and Santorum are having a good debate. Too little too late?

Santorum was nver a serious candidate.....not so for Perry, he's having a good noght.

doc

[franksolich]

Caucuses, because they require extended participation, aren't really reflective of the voters.

Most people drive to the polls and vote in a primary and then leave, five, ten, minutes, tops.

But as caucuses involve prolonged meetings, generally only party activists show up for them.

So caucuses are more reflective of the wishes of the party activists, not of the average voters.

[TVDOC]

Newt proposes cutting off funding to any and all "sanctuary cities".

doc

[franksolich]

Newt proposes cutting off funding to any and all "sanctuary cities".

doc

There's nothing wrong with that idea.

If they don't want to follow the laws, they shouldn't get the goodies either.

[TVDOC]

Romney on "God, guns and gays"....won't back off his position supporting gay marriage.  He's waffling on guns and an assult weapons ban.

doc

[Chris_]

Caucuses, because they require extended participation, aren't really reflective of the voters.

Most people drive to the polls and vote in a primary and then leave, five, ten, minutes, tops.

But as caucuses involve prolonged meetings, generally only party activists show up for them.

So caucuses are more reflective of the wishes of the party activists, not of the average voters.

Sounds like March Madness and fantasy brackets with a bunch of arm-twisting and haranguing.  Yeah, no thanks.

I guess they thought this was a good idea when people had a lot of time to waste between harvesting crops.

[TVDOC]

I think the reason Romney can't get more than 25% support is becoming obvious tonight.....slick, but not unlike Obama, an empty suit with no core conservative principles.

doc

[franksolich]

I think the reason Romney can't get more than 25% support is becoming obvious tonight.....slick, but not unlike Obama, an empty suit with no core conservative principles.

doc

His father was kind of that way too, I guess.

[TVDOC]

Bachmann keeps pounding the life issue....overall in the general election it's a loser.

doc

[franksolich]

Bachmann keeps pounding the life issue....overall in the general election it's a loser.

doc

I know it's all subjective, but which one looks like a winner at the moment?

[Chris_]

His father was kind of that way too, I guess.

You said a mouthful.

[Splashdown]

I know it's all subjective, but which one looks like a winner at the moment?

IMHO, I think Newt did ok. Bloodied, but still standing. Romney's numbers are going to go down. Perry might come up.

Just my two cents.