Debate Wire

09:16: Ron Paul got some applause for talking about "these silly arguments."

09:15: When McCain calls Romney "my friend," he really means: "You little @#*(@#*(."

09:14: Citing the media to defend a point in a Republican debate won't work.

09:13: W. Mitt Obama: this is a tactic of old-Washington. Romney: "The Washington Post gave you three Pinocchio's for it.... "

09:12 Romney's again arguing a process point: "He's never raised issue with me."

09:11: Romney's on the defensive...looks angry and upset...

09:10: Romney's arguing a point of personal procedure... McCain knows so much about Iraq that it;'s hard for Romney to respond substantively.

09:08: A very angry Mitt Romney: "How is it that you're an expert on my position?" McCain: "I am expert on this."

09:07: McCain: "Of course he wanted a timetable." McCain notes that Romney in Dec of '06 said he wouldn't weigh in on the surge because he was a governor.

09:06: Applause from audience when Romney says Reagan would have found the dirty tricks reprehensible.

09:05: Even if McCain is stretching to make a point, if we're talking about Iraq, he makes the points better than anyone else.

09:04: Romney: "Absolutely, unequivocally, absolutely no. I have never, ever supported a specific timetable for exit from Iraq." Points out that CNN's own analyst who said it was a lie.

08:52: Challenged with Reagan's own words about Sandra Day O'Connor, Mike Huckabee said;l "I'm not going to come to the Reagan library and say anything about Ronald Reagan's decisions. I'm not that stupid."

Paul says he wouldn't have appointed her. Sen. McCain: "I'm proud of Sandra Day O'Connor..." Romney: "I like justices that follow the constitution rather than make laws from the bench. I would have rather had justices of that nature."

08:48: Janet Hook, who has the voice of Dr. Laura (a compliment, I assure you), asks McCain whether if, his original proposal came to the floor, he'd vote for it? "I would not." Says it wouldn't come to the floor. McCain: "Everyone knows we're in agreement. The American people want the border secure first."

Comments

Ah yes, the straight-talker wouldn't even vote for his own bill now. Wouldn't this be the ultimate flip-flop?

Posted by Hawsquire | January 30, 2008 8:52 PM

Actually, he said unequivocably -- his first Bushism!

Posted by Sam | January 30, 2008 9:03 PM

Mitt is melting.

Posted by Callimaco | January 30, 2008 9:07 PM

hmmm...my comment got deleted.

god bless the free exchange of ideas...

Posted by cnnsux | January 30, 2008 9:08 PM

Ha ha. These debates are fun if you hit the vaporizer first.

McCain: War war war war war war war war LOVELY WAR, lovely war. Did I mention that I was a prisoner of war? Well, my friend, I was.

Huckabee: We need to stay in Iraq so that the senseless deaths of 3000+ troops up until now will someday somehow be justified, or something. But I'd like to stress that I think McCain's estimate of 100 more years in Iraq is certainly a little high...

Romney: Russia is trying to use energy to take over the world. Al Qaeda says, "We want to take everybody down!" China's like this crazy communist cowboy that's all crazy and communistic. Let's keep war from occurring by going to war. It's chess instead of checkers.

Posted by tinisoli | January 30, 2008 9:26 PM

Ron Paul is the best candidate!
Oh did I mention Ronald Reagan lobbied for him in 1976
CNN is now FOX in my eyes such bias media BS!

Posted by no name | January 30, 2008 9:44 PM

09:05: Even if McCain is stretching to make a point, if we're talking about Iraq, he makes the points better than anyone else.

Please explain how this is different from "McCain sounds good so it doesn't matter if what he's saying is true." Because that sounds pretty much the same to me.

Posted by SDM | January 31, 2008 10:03 AM

After Anderson Cooper quoted Mitt's Iraq "timetable" comment, I wish Mitt had said something like: If McCain can listen to that quote and reach with the conclusion that I suggested a date for withdrawing from Iraq, I seriously doubt McCain's judgment is sound enough to be the president.

Posted by Wendy | January 31, 2008 10:40 AM