Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Who Won the Republican Debate
Elephant Watcher ^ | May 5, 2011

Posted on 05/05/2011 7:51:34 PM PDT by Triton42

"So who won the debate? In a political debate, of course, there is no such thing as "winning the argument." Instead, candidates aim to achieve certain goals. In this case--even for Pawlenty--the goal was to attract media attention. The debates also present an opportunity for the candidates to prove their rhetorical ability. So who succeeded?

No candidate performed in an outstanding way. Two candidates, Santorum and Johnson, performed poorly. But Cain, Paul, and Pawlenty each achieved what they set out to do...."

(Excerpt) Read more at elephantwatcher.com ...


TOPICS: Politics
KEYWORDS: 2012; cain; debate; johnson; pawlenty; republican; ronpaul; santorum
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 181-187 next last
To: freejohn

Johnson’s open borders and support of the “right to choose” disqualifies him, in my view.


41 posted on 05/05/2011 8:12:46 PM PDT by ConservativeTeen (Proud Right Wing Extremist)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: smokeyb

Specific examples?


42 posted on 05/05/2011 8:13:05 PM PDT by SumProVita (Cogito, ergo...Sum Pro Vita. (Modified Decartes))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
So why is everyone jumping all over Cain?

Because he has fire in his belly. I think he's terrific.

Watch this if you have never seen a Cain speech. And get back to us.

43 posted on 05/05/2011 8:13:19 PM PDT by agrarianlady
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Carpe Cerevisi
Sixty-five is too old?

Yes, it is.

You want to defeat Obama? You need to support someone who can rival him in terms of optics. Someone who's younger and can attract younger people.

Aren't you tired of the GOP running geriatric, tired candidates?

44 posted on 05/05/2011 8:13:36 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist (Governor Sarah Heath Palin for President of the United States in 2012)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: Triton42

SEE JIM'S #101


45 posted on 05/05/2011 8:13:59 PM PDT by onyx (If you truly support Sarah Palin and want to be on her busy ping list, let me know!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Triton42

Herman Cain going away.

Santorun looked good

Pawlenty did not hurt himself

Johnson is as rino as they come

Paul?...


46 posted on 05/05/2011 8:14:17 PM PDT by CPT Clay (Pick up your weapon and follow me.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Vendome
We generally don’t discuss them as their blood is full of homoglobin.

Only if they're gay. :)

47 posted on 05/05/2011 8:14:17 PM PDT by TruthShallSetYouFree (Note to Obama: The only time you actually are the smartest person in the room is when you are alone.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

So you are saying that candidates for gummint bureaucracies must have experience as gummint bureaucrats? Is that what the Founding Fathers intended?


48 posted on 05/05/2011 8:14:29 PM PDT by Revolting cat! (Let us prey!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: Triton42

Palin


49 posted on 05/05/2011 8:15:23 PM PDT by Gargantua (Palin 2012 ~ "Going Oval")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Triton42

Herman Cain did awesome.

Gov Tim Pawlenty did very well and so did Santorum.

Paul. meh.

Gary Johnson won the dwarf fringer pro-drug pro-abort vote, and POed everyone else. He’s the only real loser.

Other losers are Huck and Romney. Running for 3 years and ‘forgot’ to make it? Pathetic.


50 posted on 05/05/2011 8:16:45 PM PDT by WOSG (doubting OBL's death is not 'healthy skepticism' it's nutty.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Triton42

Herman Cain won. He’d eat Obama alive in a debate.

Rick Santorum was a close second.


51 posted on 05/05/2011 8:17:02 PM PDT by Salvavida (The restoration of the U.S.A. starts with filling the pews at every Bible-believing church.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Triton42
More important question: who, other than obsessive politics-watchers, even paid attention to this? The media have been all-Osama, all the time, all week.

And as for the candidates involved.... I can't help but think that this was a strictly minor-league affair.

52 posted on 05/05/2011 8:17:17 PM PDT by r9etb
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: agrarianlady
Because he has fire in his belly. I think he's terrific.

I don't care if he has molten lava in his belly. The man couldn't even win a Senate primary race against a couple of RINOs in GA.

Americans aren't going to vote for a businessman off the street for President.

Watch this if you have never seen a Cain speech. And get back to us.

I don't care about his speeches. What has he done in terms of advancing conservative policies in elective office?

53 posted on 05/05/2011 8:17:44 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist (Governor Sarah Heath Palin for President of the United States in 2012)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: SumProVita

“I liked Santorum, Pawlenty and Cain.”

My reaction as well.

Ron Paul and Gary Johnson are AWOL on drugs and marriage.


54 posted on 05/05/2011 8:18:43 PM PDT by WOSG (doubting OBL's death is not 'healthy skepticism' it's nutty.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

Your nuts. He has by far the best campaign skills of anyone running, he’s run multiple large companies. He is very compelling, and he’s right on pretty much every issue. I take him very seriously.


55 posted on 05/05/2011 8:19:03 PM PDT by ilgipper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Triton42

Well, the old man had his people there, and he was probably the most dynamic of the candidates, too. I am speaking of Ron Paul. Johnson, given the position on stage always, or nearly always given, to Duncan L. Hunter, received the fewest questions, but unlike Hunter, who projected presidential criteria, had the weakest arguments. I would say that it was a good night for Mr. Cain.


56 posted on 05/05/2011 8:19:19 PM PDT by Paperdoll ( On the cutting edge)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Triton42

another question... of those in tonight’s debate; whose webpage would accept the smallest credit card donation?

Whose “minimum donation” is the most thought out?
hint... it is $20.12
LOVE IT!!!

Which ones don’t want Donations of less than $35?


57 posted on 05/05/2011 8:19:41 PM PDT by PizzaDriver ( on)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

There is nothing that holding political office does to qualify someone to make policy decisions and manage, which is what presidents do. There are many people in the private sector who know far more about just about any policy issue that the typical “experienced” candidate. The only thing political office does for anyone is continually test his fund-raising abilities.

Does anyone think that John Kerry or Joe Biden have a better grasp of issues than Cain? And then there are issues of character and intellectual curiousity, which are not the long suits of the overwhelming majority of politicians.


58 posted on 05/05/2011 8:19:49 PM PDT by achilles2000 ("I'll agree to save the whales as long as we can deport the liberals")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
Herman Cain has no public service experience.

He needs to be a Governor, or at least a Senator.

He didn't even win the GOP primary of a Senate race in GA.

John Cox ran in 2008 and no one supported him. He too was a businessman.

So why is everyone jumping all over Cain?

(Answer: He's black, and the affirmative-action wing of conservatism are foolishly putting race ahead of experience).

He is also too old and is not photogenic.

FReepers ought to be ashamed of themselves. Now's not the time to support these vanity candidates who view the Presidency as the equivalent of tackling Mt. Everest. These are serious times and they demand a serious, qualified leader who has experience and has withstood the onslaught of left-wing Obama thug tactics.

If Cain gets the nomination we're screwed.

You pretty much speak the truth.

I do think Cain probably did best in the debate, but lets be serious - he isn't going to be President of the United States. No public service experience, lost his only run at office in the primaries, not particularly photogenic, and a stage 4 cancer survivor isn't a great resume builder when we are talking about the Presidency. In a general election, that issue alone will hurt him as people will probably worry he could relapse and die.

I don't think the black thing matters as much as you suggest. I also think encouraging minorities to run for office as Republicans is a good idea. Still, some of what you are saying might be true.

Palin would have simply annihilated this group of 2nd and 3rd tier candidates. I really hope she gets in the race because we seriously need her (imo).

59 posted on 05/05/2011 8:19:54 PM PDT by Longbow1969
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

What if the final ‘12 GOP Presidential ticket is, either, Sarah Palin/Herman Cain, or, Herman Cain/Sarah Palin? Will the U.S. be screwed, with either ticket?


60 posted on 05/05/2011 8:20:06 PM PDT by johnthebaptistmoore (If leftist legislation that's already in place really can't be ended by non-leftists, then what?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 181-187 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson