Last night’s debate wasn’t all that eventful certainly not to where you could make a judgment as to whether or not one of the candidate’s is slipping or mounting a serious rise. Several things stood out and I had all kinds of reactions to said things. First off I’m getting sick and tired of the Romney campaign going in and filling the audience with Mitt Romney’s fanboys. All throughout the debate every time Romney uttered a word his annoying supporters would cheer and howl like they were at a wet t-shirt contest. As a matter of fact I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that like being at a wet t-shirt contest many in the crowd had boners.

It’s fine to cheer your candidate but to do that and openly oppose Santorum on the basis of “He’s challenging Romney” is plain stupid and it plays into what I said above, Romney supporters are freakin’ fanboys, plain and simple. Romney supporters are starting to act more like Obama supporters than your average Republican base supporter and that scares me. We know you like Mitt’s “Mittness” whatever the f**k that is or means, but don’t make yourself out to be the annoying wing of the Republican Party; although I fear we’re too late for that.

Second, what the heck is this talk of Santorum having a horrible performance? The talk was “Oh Santorum had a bad night because he was on the defensive” So what? The guy had to defend his voting record and his beliefs; is that bad? Better he do it now than in a general election where he has no shot at a benefit of the doubt. I understand the double standard for Santorum and Romney where all Romney has to do is be steady yet Santorum has to all but open his chest to show you his beating heart, because I understand Santorum isn’t suppose to be challenging the anointed Romney who’s entitled to the nomination because he’s the next guy in line. But I thought Santorum did fine and it’s not like he had a complete and utter breakdown which is how his performance is being spun in the media and by Romney’s groupies.

What did hurt Santorum a lot was Ron Paul’s covert surrogate role for Romney. It’s obvious to everyone with eyes and ears that Ron Paul’s role going forward is to take out Santorum and clear the way for Mitt Romney. Now I think that’s sad and I lost a lot of respect for Congressman Paul because I think these petty rabbit punches he’s throwing at Santorum are beneath him. And you know it’s ironic, odd, a bit funny the man touted as the consistent principled, constitutional, by the book candidate Mr. Ron Paul who never voted for raising taxes and spending money because he never sold out, did exactly that and sold out to the Romney campaign for whatever reason. I’ve heard he wants to be the chairman of the FED but that’s just hearsay right now. I do know it really makes you look at Ron Paul differently because he’s never done this before. In 2008 he stayed in because he believed in his libertarian message, now he’s staying in because he sold his soul to appease Romney’s from birth dream of being president.

In closing you know that crowd really got under my skin as I could imagine they must have really pissed off Rick Santorum because Romney didn’t even have to say a word and they would cheer for him. And you know they had marching orders and that’s why they acted the way they did. It’s like Romney buying the CPAC straw poll.

Overall I don’t think this will hurt Santorum like the Florida debate hurt Newt Gingrich because Romney still has a hard time going after Rick Santorum in a way that’s credible because let’s be honest Mitt Romney ain’t credible on very much. Santorum wasn’t the reason why he lost I think the crowd made Romney sound better than he actually did. He said all the usual Romney talking point answers and the crowd made it seem like he gave the sermon on the mount. Romney could have said “I like sweaty men and German porn” and the crowd still would have cheered and hooted.

This feeling I have toward Romney is nothing new on my part. I used to like Barack Obama and was willing to vote for him but his supporters ruined it for me. It was because of them that I slowly started to dislike him and that’s how I’m feeling toward Mitt Romney. I don’t dislike him personally because I don’t know him, and I’m sure he’s a good dude, but his supporters both within the part voting block and inside the Beltway are well, douche bags.

Oh and Newt did very well last night.

For the most part, last night’s debate was refreshing in the sense that the candidates were honest about their lack of conservatism.  Santorum, Gingrich, and Paul affirmed their support for some aspect of earmarking (although some parsed words), Rick Santorum owned up to his support of No Child Left Behind, Ron Paul unabashedly enunciated his support for Iran’s nuclear program, and Newt Gingrich also confirmed his support for Obama’s federal intervention in education via the “Race to the Top” program.

Nevertheless, there was one man who refused to own up to his lack of conservatism; Mitt Romney.  Romney consistently criticized Rick Santorum for his support for things that he undoubtedly would have voted for had he been in the Senate.  Some of the items, including NCLB, Planned Parenthood, and bailouts, he did support even without a voting record in the Senate.

Let’s face it; had Romney won the Massachusetts Senate seat in ’94, he would have voted for earmarks, No Child Left Behind, every bailout under the sun, funding for Planned Parenthood, and yes – he would have supported Arlen Specter.  After all, he ran to the left of Ted Kennedy in ’94.   We all know that Romney would have made Olympia Snowe look like Jim DeMint had he been more successful at electoral politics.  So don’t try to use your time out of Congress to your advantage, Mr. Romney.  Own up to your liberalism.

The most egregious claim from Romney was his false declaration that he opposed raising the debt ceiling without a cut, cap, and balance provision.  Romney asserted, “I said yes we should increase the debt ceiling in this last vote, but only if we have a cut, cap and balance provision put in place. Only in that case. And, therefore, I did not agree with the deal that was done in Washington. That was the wrong way to go.”

This is simply not true.

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For the most part, last night’s debate was refreshing in the sense that the candidates were honest about their lack of conservatism.  Santorum, Gingrich, and Paul affirmed their support for some aspect of earmarking (although some parsed words), Rick Santorum owned up to his support of No Child Left Behind, Ron Paul unabashedly enunciated his support for Iran’s nuclear program, and Newt Gingrich also confirmed his support for Obama’s federal intervention in education via the “Race to the Top” program.

Nevertheless, there was one man who refused to own up to his lack of conservatism; Mitt Romney.  Romney consistently criticized Rick Santorum for his support for things that he undoubtedly would have voted for had he been in the Senate.  Some of the items, including NCLB, Planned Parenthood, and bailouts, he did support even without a voting record in the Senate.

Let’s face it; had Romney won the Massachusetts Senate seat in ’94, he would have voted for earmarks, No Child Left Behind, every bailout under the sun, funding for Planned Parenthood, and yes – he would have supported Arlen Specter.  After all, he ran to the left of Ted Kennedy in ’94.   We all know that Romney would have made Olympia Snowe look like Jim DeMint had he been more successful at electoral politics.  So don’t try to use your time out of Congress to your advantage, Mr. Romney.  Own up to your liberalism.

The most egregious claim from Romney was his false declaration that he opposed raising the debt ceiling without a cut, cap, and balance provision.  Romney asserted, “I said yes we should increase the debt ceiling in this last vote, but only if we have a cut, cap and balance provision put in place. Only in that case. And, therefore, I did not agree with the deal that was done in Washington. That was the wrong way to go.”

This is simply not true.

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After the debate last night I am gratified to know that at least in the spoken word our four candidates are mostly headed away from BHO and in a direction I’d rather the country go. I’m still undecided and in the ABR camp (Anybody But Romney), however, my vote can be swayed.

I was on Redstate chat during the debate and hands down Newt won. We all agreed I think. those that didn’t agree thought their candidate did the best who ever they were sold out for in the first place. This morning I find Drudge with a voting graphic up asking who I though won the debate. Imagine my surprise when the tally came back as the image I’ve inserted here!?!

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It was the last debate. Newt Gingrich won it.

He was the only candidate who repeatedly steered the questions toward Barack Obama. He was the only candidate who dared point out that the media barely touched Obama’s infanticide support as an Illinois State Senator. He returned to the role of elder statesman.

The crowd leaned to Mitt Romney. It was probably inevitable. Mesa, AZ is the second largest concentration of Mormons in America and the State Republican Party handled getting the seats filled. It threw Rick Santorum off his game. The crowd booed Santorum taking on Romneycare’s individual mandate.

Santorum did not shine. He came in, it seemed, prepared to be beaten up. He was off his game. In the second half of the debate he did better. But the beginning was stumbling, bumbling, angry, and in the weeds. One thing he did very, very well is steer the contraception issue to families.

If Santorum can consistently steer this issue back to stable families, he has an issue that will win over independent voters. Note to the Santorum campaign: you will actually win the debate even in the general election if you focus your social values critique on the integrity of the American nuclear family.

Romney out performed Santorum, but he had two flaws. First, Romney claimed to be a long time proponent of school choice, but he opposed school vouchers as Governor of Massachusetts and the Boston Hereald noted Romney refused to ever meet with the head of the Massachusetts Charter School Association while in the Governor’s Mansion.

The big problem for Romney was his concluding moment in the debate. John King asked him what was the biggest misconception about him. It was a legitimate question and a chance for Romney to help himself. Instead, he got bossy and arrogant and told John King he wouldn’t answer the question. That question of all questions was the one he chose to get arrogant about?!

Newt Gingrich won. He kept the focus on Obama. He sounded like the adult in the room. He was both diplomat and scholar.

I would caution the media on one thing — the Rick Perry Factor.

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It was the last debate. Newt Gingrich won it.

He was the only candidate who repeatedly steered the questions toward Barack Obama. He was the only candidate who dared point out that the media barely touched Obama’s infanticide support as an Illinois State Senator. He returned to the role of elder statesman.

The crowd leaned to Mitt Romney. It was probably inevitable. Mesa, AZ is the second largest concentration of Mormons in America and the State Republican Party handled getting the seats filled. It threw Rick Santorum off his game. The crowd booed Santorum taking on Romneycare’s individual mandate.

Santorum did not shine. He came in, it seemed, prepared to be beaten up. He was off his game. In the second half of the debate he did better. But the beginning was stumbling, bumbling, angry, and in the weeds. One thing he did very, very well is steer the contraception issue to families.

If Santorum can consistently steer this issue back to stable families, he has an issue that will win over independent voters. Note to the Santorum campaign: you will actually win the debate even in the general election if you focus your social values critique on the integrity of the American nuclear family.

Romney out performed Santorum, but he had two flaws. First, Romney claimed to be a long time proponent of school choice, but he opposed school vouchers as Governor of Massachusetts and the Boston Hereald noted Romney refused to ever meet with the head of the Massachusetts Charter School Association while in the Governor’s Mansion.

The big problem for Romney was his concluding moment in the debate. John King asked him what was the biggest misconception about him. It was a legitimate question and a chance for Romney to help himself. Instead, he got bossy and arrogant and told John King he wouldn’t answer the question. That question of all questions was the one he chose to get arrogant about?!

Newt Gingrich won. He kept the focus on Obama. He sounded like the adult in the room. He was both diplomat and scholar.

I would caution the media on one thing — the Rick Perry Factor.

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Someone who IS a conservative doesn’t have to convince us he is a conservative because he lives like a conservative, thinks like a conservative, and acts like a conservative.

¹⁵ Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
¹⁶ Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
¹⁷ Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
¹⁸ A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
¹⁹ Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
²⁰ Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Matt 7:15-20 (KJV)

Cross posted at www.firstchevalier.com

Something dawned on me the other day when I decided to write yet another assessment of the race for the GOP nomination.  The media elites have been wrong just about every time they have attempted to predict what is going to happen.  Mitt Romney was deemed the front-runner and the nominee before he even officially announced his current bid for the White House.  Even though Romney is likely to be the nominee, it is hard to think of him as the front-runner.

The dynamism of the governor’s team and the size of the money advantage were supposed to surpass everyone else, and eventually he was supposed to become the inevitable nominee.

We are less than a month away from Super Tuesday and not only is Romney not leading in the polls like any solid front-runner should be at this point, but he is fighting not to lose the one state that only months ago no one would have guessed he could lose .  If Romney loses the state of Michigan, where he grew up and met his wife in, the media may have to disestablish his front-runner status, and this time for good.

There is already talk about a “brokered” or “contested”convention; and as we witnessed at the start of the election cycle, names like Chris Christie, Jeb Bush, Mitch Daniels and Paul Ryan percolate through the various political sites as possible saviors. The likelihood of a brokered or contested convention is still low, but it does appear like the establishment media is now realizing what people likeErik Erickson have known all along, Romney will lose the general election to President Obama.

Romney went into this campaign with the premise that Republican activists should get behind him because he would be the strongest candidate against Obama.  The media acknowledged this argument, but outside the moderate wing of the Republican Party, no one else seemed to think it was true, or they did not care.

Romney is not known as a candidate with a solid core, and this handicapped him with conservative activist.  Nevertheless, with superior assets, higher name recognition, and a weak field on opponents this should have been duck soup for an experienced national candidate.

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I’m currently in the ‘Undecided’ category on the Republican primary. In the days to come here are some questions I’d like to see answers to from the respective candidates. Following those questions are some suggestions I have for each candidate. But, before I continue there is one thing I would like to see from ALL the candidates and that is their participation on this forum. Not just them posting campaign speeches in the form of diary entries (that would be good) but their participation in responding to individual diarists here. Those responses would be very telling about how they truly think, what they really believe, and give us insight into the man behind the camera image (but it will never happen). Oh and don’t give me the ‘they’re too busy to read and post on Redstate’ line. Really? Those on here who hold down full time jobs, families, hobbies, et al aren’t? To sum up what I want initially, I’ll steal and modify a line from John F. Kennedy.

I don’t want to know what you’ll do for me. I want to know what you’ll do for my country?

Some rules about responses, gentlemen…First, Don’t give me platitudes or trite campaign answers. Conservatives can tell if it’s from the heart or if you’re mouthing what some consultant has fed you from a focus group. We’re smart like that and so are the independent voters you guys are all so worried about (don’t be or you’ll loose in my opinion). Second, these answers need to come from the candidate not some super PAC or other mouthpiece that would even present the appearance of plausible deniability, which is the tactic of someone eying a run to the center for the general election.

Now on with my questions and suggestions…

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What a weird campaign season we are having. Let me present you a truth that some of you may bristle under, but is true nonetheless.

No matter how right the cause or principle, it may still be a political liability.

I’ll start with the one you’ll agree with it. Barack Obama and many on the left may believe that abortion . . . er . . . um . . . “women’s health except for mammograms, pap smears, and the like — contraception only —” is a fundamental right necessitating the Catholic Church foregoing its own tenets and forced to give out free birth control pills and abortifacient drugs, but those who agree are deluding themselves that it will not also be a political liability.

Let’s try another one. Barack Obama and the Democrats may believe that socializing healthcare in this country is the right and proper thing to do, but it has also been proven to be a political liability.

How about this one: God bless Mitt Romney for being a capitalist’s capitalist making millions on Wall Street, but it will be a huge political liability in November.

Oh, one more. Come on! Rick Santorum may be absolutely right on the principles of morality and social decay in this country, but it will be a political liability with independent voters.

The funny thing is that many of you on the left who read the first two were shaking your heads in absolute disagreement and then agreeing with the latter two. Those of you on the right had the opposite reaction.

Partisans typically do. It is for level headed strategists, consultants, and pundits to try their best to overcome their partisan world views and accept reality. Some things you and I may love about a candidate may actually be real political liabilities for that candidate in a general election.

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