The Real Winner of the Republican Debate

Jesse Walker | May 16, 2007

According to one Internet poll, it was Fred Thompson, who apparently upstaged everyone else by not showing up.

(Jokes aside, I actually do think Thompson is going to be the nominee. Mark my words: It'll be Thompson vs. Obama. Better yet, don't mark my words -- I'd hate to see them spat back at me when it turns out I'm wrong.)

Comments

|5.16.07 @ 11:35AM|#

Seriously,

While the current set of candidates tear each other's policy's apart and make the republican base depressed with their constant jockeying for soundbites, Fred can sit back, plan his words carefully and emerge as the one savior of the GOP, hollywood style. And since he's an actor, he'll naturally be comfortable in front of the camera and know how to sweep an audience off their feet. Although I'd probably come to despise Fred much like I've hated Bush, he's definitely playing the right game for the nomination and possibly the presidency.

|5.16.07 @ 11:37AM|#

Isn't that the same way he won the first debate? The man's a genius.

Eric Dondero|5.16.07 @ 11:39AM|#

Jesse, this is just pure spin.

You don't want to admit Rudy won the debate, so you use a diversion tactic.

Reason Libertarians, always gotta be different. Can't even admit something when it's smacking everyone else right in the face.

You have lost credibility in my book.

|5.16.07 @ 11:43AM|#

Wait a minute, I didn't show up either. In fact, I didn't even watch the debate. Doesn't that make me as much a winner as Fred Thompson?

|5.16.07 @ 11:44AM|#

Can't even admit something when it's smacking everyone else right in the face.

Can I smack you in the face and see if you admit it?

|5.16.07 @ 11:47AM|#

Eric,

Why does anybody have to admit anything about Rudy. Frankly, I felt Romney had a better resolve and clearer talking point than Rudy and McCain had a very clear response on torture which would resonate better. Rudy didn't do so bad, but his response to Paul was pure pandering and I saw right through it. Whether or not the nation did as a whole is no concern of mine, that's to be left up to the polls, of which none have been done post debate.

|5.16.07 @ 11:47AM|#

Heavens, losing credibility in Eric Dondero's book!?! What will become of you, Jesse?

|5.16.07 @ 11:47AM|#

This Republican primary is a bigger-dick contest.

"I'll keep Gitmo open." "Yeah, I'll double it!"

"I'll torture convicted terrorists." "I won't even wait for conviction, just indictment." "Indictment? Pansy! I'll just start rounding up people at mosques!"

Eric Dondero is right - Guiliani's codpiece was bigger than everyone else's last night. Since this was a Republican debate, that means he won.

Grotius|5.16.07 @ 11:48AM|#

Eric Dondero,

You don't want to admit Rudy won the debate, so you use a diversion tactic.

(A) Why would anyone of even a remotely libertarian bent support Rudy Guiliani?

(B) Do you anything to substantiate your claim?

|5.16.07 @ 11:48AM|#

Abdul,

Ignoring politicians is as good a use of time as building a Habitat for Humanity, so congratulations on your win.

XaabaZu|5.16.07 @ 11:48AM|#

Abdul-

That makes you more of a winner, because I would imagine Fred watched the thing.

Grotius|5.16.07 @ 11:49AM|#

R. Totale,

I am sure that was a soul crushing development. :)

|5.16.07 @ 11:50AM|#

Also, once again they keep mentioning universal ID cards and conveniently keep forgetting they mean it for immigrants only. What do you want to bet Rudy sponsors a bill to make us go spend hours at the DMV to get a chip implanted in our wrist.

Adam|5.16.07 @ 11:58AM|#

Guess what Mr. Dondero? I have donated $100 for every snide remark you have made on this site. Keep em' coming!

Adam|5.16.07 @ 11:59AM|#

Addemdum:
To Ron Paul's campaign, of course.

|5.16.07 @ 12:00PM|#

Grotius,

No one who is actually libertarian could support Giuliani at this stage of things. I suppose if Hermann Göring were nominated by the Democrats, there might be a reason to cast a libertarian vote at the feet of Giuliani. Otherwise, no.

I'm still somehow registered as a Republican (What can I say? I like voting in primaries, I guess), and I fully intend to vote for Ron Paul come primary season. He's not perfect, but he's light years closer to my way of thinking than his competition. We'll see what happens in the general election, though I sincerely hope we're not faced with the nightmare all-New York choice.

stephen the goldberger|5.16.07 @ 12:05PM|#

im pretty sure the real winner was hillary clinton

|5.16.07 @ 12:14PM|#

Grotius | May 16, 2007, 11:48am | #

Eric Dondero,

You don't want to admit Rudy won the debate, so you use a diversion tactic.

(A) Why would anyone of even a remotely libertarian bent support Rudy Guiliani?

(B) Do you anything to substantiate your claim?

Oh great, now you've done it. Dondero's gonna come here with his link to some stupid website that he can never get the address of right, and say "This website calls Giuliani a libertarian, so he's a libertarian."

Never mind that Giuliani is an authoritarian prick.

Nick

steveintheknow|5.16.07 @ 12:17PM|#

You have lost credibility in my book.

Eic, say it aint so. I'll be your best friend?

|5.16.07 @ 12:30PM|#

I'd be curious to get ratings numbers on a debate held this early in the campaign. Anybody appearing to be on top at this point is nothing but a target for the next 8-9 months and will have a hard time staying there. At some point, F. Thompson has to make a decision, but he's probably wise to keep tarrying awhile longer.

|5.16.07 @ 12:31PM|#

Rudy won the debate only in the eyes of single-issue voters, and that single issue is perpetual foreign intervention. He didn't come close on any traditional conservative issue.

Ron Paul may have been the target of Rudy's derision, but he showed that he was the only true conservative there. All the rest showed that they were big government paternalistic neocons.

The lack of even a semblance of classic conservative rhetoric showed that not only does the emperor have no clothes, he's not even pretending that he does.

VM|5.16.07 @ 12:46PM|#

You have lost credibility in my book

Well double Gitmo on you, then.

/stomps off in renewed search for the Humpback whales, George and Gracie

Roy|5.16.07 @ 1:01PM|#

Ron Paul was the only one at the debate to defend liberty. The Fox 'moderators' only asked him questions about foreign policy for a reason, they think his non-interventionist stance will lose him support from voters, though most Americans tend to agree. He, and Mccain were the only 2 that dont support torture...Gulianni is an Authoritarian, no doubt about it...

|5.16.07 @ 1:35PM|#

Rudy is a fascist pig.

http://www.lastfreevoice.com/2007/05/15/fuck-giuliani-fuck-fox-news/

|5.16.07 @ 1:36PM|#

http://www.lastfreevoice.com/2007/05/15/fuck-giuliani-fuck-fox-news/

|5.16.07 @ 1:51PM|#

XaabaZu & Lost in Translation:

Thanks for recognizing my win. Although winning the Republican Primary is like winning a gold medal in the special Olympics.

|5.16.07 @ 2:19PM|#

What is it with the Republican party and actors?

|5.16.07 @ 2:43PM|#

the rudy/paul stuff aside...Rudy did have the most libertarian statement of the night out of the real candidates when he quoted the Borg Queen's inherent socialism and questioned the philo meaning behind such beliefs

|5.16.07 @ 3:58PM|#

I think Thompson will be the nominee too. Right now, I don't see how either Rudy or McCain could win, one being pro-life and the other being near death.

|5.16.07 @ 6:40PM|#

I hereby resolve to post the following in every thread Dondero decides to contribute to:

Eric Dondero Rittberg is such an egomaniac that he created his own wikipedia entry

|5.17.07 @ 12:40AM|#

For a while I had really meant to ask Eric a question about the Republican Liberty Caucus, and had until now meant it to be a friendly query. Every time I try to access their website my computer freezes; the next thing I have to do is shut everything down with Ctrl+Alt+Delete. CBSnews.com is the only other website that has consistently done this to me, and I visit a variety of websites. Is there a problem with the RLC website, or might it be a problem with my computer?

I really want to avoid suggesting it might be my computer's antivirus protection.

|5.20.07 @ 6:22AM|#

Ron Paul won the debates hands down

|5.20.07 @ 11:50AM|#

From Eric D.

"While everyone is hailing this as a "Great moment" for Rudy Giuliani, I think just as importantly, it was a horrible moment for Ron Paul. My former boss looked like a complete nutcase. He looked frail. His hands shaked. He showed his age. He was completely unprepared for Giuliani's romping response.

Is this the man that should be representing South Texas Congressional District 14 in the US Congress?

I think not.

I am calling on Ron Paul to resign his seat, sooner rather than later. Otherwise Congressional District 14 voters from Victoria to Galveston will appear to be endorsing his treachorous, and near treasonous views on foreign policy. "

"shaked" ????

sigh