New at Reason

February 16, 2007

Mild-mannered reporter Dave Weigel poses questions to all of those would-be presidents clogging up your TV.

Comments

J. Mark English|2.16.07 @ 12:27PM|#

I love the blog that you have. I was wondering if you would link my blog to yours and in return I would do the same for your blog. If you want to, my site name is American Legends and the URL is:

http://www.americanlegends.blogspot.com

If you want to do this just go to my blog and in one of the comments just write your blog name and the URL and I will add it to my site.

Thanks,
Mark

|2.16.07 @ 12:32PM|#

^

*giggle* *SNORT*

|2.16.07 @ 12:50PM|#

If we link our blogs, does that make us bestest friends forever?

|2.16.07 @ 12:53PM|#

this is what steveintheknow would like to hear.


To all conservative contestants...

If you had to support one constitutional amendment based on your belief in federalism, but could only choose one of the following, which would you choose?

1) Ban gay marriage from every state

2) Repeal the 16th amendment

|2.16.07 @ 12:58PM|#

Rudy: You thoroughly enjoyed defending the cops who put 19 rounds into an unarmed man. As president, who would you most like to see gunned down as part of a policman's duty?

Mitt: Democratic politicians claim to understand nuance and to draw on experience for every major decision. As part of the GOP, how do you justify your flip-flops on so many issues?

John Edwards: Trial lawyers are seen as sleazy backstabbers who dubiously claim to be fighting for the rights of the disadvantaged. No question. Just a statement.

Hillary: Could you not be so damn scripted all the time?

Barack: If elected president, what would be your first order of business after shitting your pants and realizing you're in too deep?

Question for all the candidates: If Mitt Romney and John Edwards had a homosexual affair, what would the children look like?

Wild Pegasus|2.16.07 @ 1:00PM|#

And the 20th question, a bonus question for any candidate who wants the extra points:

"You have to abolish one cabinet position. Name it."

Easy. Department of Defense, first day, 9 am.

- Josh

|2.16.07 @ 1:02PM|#

So early in the thread and Lamar has already won.

Warren|2.16.07 @ 1:30PM|#

6) Texas Rep. Ron Paul
"You want to abolish the Federal Reserve. What is your plan for grappling with the international financial instability - if not panic - that would follow this movie?"

Movie, Ha! It looks like a typo but works better if read deadpan straight.

|2.16.07 @ 2:06PM|#

Dave I have cursed you out before and damned this magazine for hiring you. I forget why.
But this is EXACTLY WHY I subscribed to this magazine for three years.
Brilliant, fucking brilliant.
Keep up the good work, and see if you can keep a list somewhere of other questions sure to come.
Thank you.

|2.16.07 @ 2:21PM|#

The substantive questions were very good, but a few times, you fell back on "You did X, how can anyone ever trust you again?"

Thomas Paine\'s Goiter|2.16.07 @ 2:40PM|#

"You have to abolish one cabinet position. Name it."

Secretary of Education

VM|2.16.07 @ 2:43PM|#

But... TPG!!!

What would Manuel Labor do if his cabinet post is abolished?

|2.16.07 @ 2:56PM|#

6) Texas Rep. Ron Paul
"You want to abolish the Federal Reserve. What is your plan for grappling with the international financial instability - if not panic - that would follow this movie?"

Movie, Ha! It looks like a typo but works better if read deadpan straight.

Movie trailer voice over guy from Geico commercial...

"In a world in which the Federal Reserve has been abolished..."

Larry A|2.16.07 @ 2:58PM|#

1. Suppose Congress passes a bill banning civilian ownership of handguns. Would you sign it or veto it? Why?

2. There is an organization named the Pink Pistols. They are GLBT gunowners. Why should they vote for you?

Bonus: What do the following acronyms stand for? ACP as in ".45 ACP" and GLBT.

|2.16.07 @ 3:13PM|#

I think Ron Paul has said he would not just abolish the Federal Reserve overnight, that he would do so gradually and allow time for the markets to adjust.

Of course, this might still not be enough to avert a financial panic, but for those of us who think the Fed has us on course for a collapse anyway, it's just taking our bitter medicine now rather than later.

Warren|2.16.07 @ 3:23PM|#

Matt L,
Totally. Cue the explosions, throngs of screaming extras, and planes falling from the sky.

"Get ready for the roller coaster ride of your life!"

Graphite,
Don't try to confuse us with the facts. Libertarians are all wackos that want to take our children out of school, force them to smoke crack and hand 'em a machine gun.

libertarian|2.16.07 @ 3:31PM|#

"Libertarians are all wackos that want to take our children out of school, force them to smoke crack and hand 'em a machine gun."

No they could choose whether to smoke crack or not.

|2.16.07 @ 4:59PM|#

The substantive questions were very good, but a few times, you fell back on "You did X, how can anyone ever trust you again?"

I had the same reaction. If we're going to be realistic about looking at the candidates, if they have recanted a past position you kinda have to take them at their word and move on, unless their actions don't match their words.

David Weigel|2.16.07 @ 5:05PM|#

The substantive questions were very good, but a few times, you fell back on "You did X, how can anyone ever trust you again?"

I'm aware of this, but in those cases I tried to bring up stuff the candidates never have to answer for.

|2.16.07 @ 6:43PM|#

To all candidates:

"Could you do absolutely nothing for four years?"

We'll let you fly around on Air Force One as much as you want if you do that.

|2.18.07 @ 3:45PM|#

Regarding Ron Paul and the federal reserve:

Would anyone base their vote on a candidate's position on the federal reserve? I guess a few people would, but they are probably about as numerous as those who would only vote for a candidate who wanted to return to the gold standard. (And there is probably a significant overlap between those 2 groups).

Of course, that doesn't mean its a bad question. One could argue that its an objectively important issue, even though its one voters don't think about alot.

I'm not really sure where I'm going with this but I'll post anyway.