[napscoordinator]

As long as there are debates, then I don't care who moderates. Obviously the problem is that conservative moderators have zero interest in moderators. So the liberals step up to the plate and moderate. I think it is easy as that. Until Rush puts together a debate for the Republicans, we will have to deal who steps up to the plate. Hard to complain about liberals being the moderators when the Conservatives don't have an interest in the job.

[Mr. K]

I can’t wait to see Newt stare him down and DARE him to ask him a stupid question

[GraceG]

I think only Newt should show up and spend 2 hours ripping the liberal media, that would be epic!

[CaptainK]

They all just need to ask Anderson how that kid in the coma is doing.

[DustyMoment]

CNN Republican Debate: Are Republicans Getting Dumber?

If you have to ask, you're part of the problem.

Republican stupidity isn't new, it's been part of the GOP for decades. Thus the Tea Party and the reason that so many former Republicans (such as myself) now call ourselves conservatives.

The GOP is destined to go the way of the Dodo if they don't quit going along to get along with the Dems who have long played them like violins!!

[MestaMachine]

How many pubbies are actually going to be there? 2? 3?

[Maceman]

The other issue is that it is, by definition, a REPUBLICAN debate. Theoretically, at at least, only REPUBLICANS will be voting in the primaries to elect one REPUBLICAN candidate who will represent the REPUBLICAN party (don't get me started on the "open primary" states). So why shouldn't ALL the questioners be avowed amd self-identified Republicans?

What business does ANY non-Republican have asking questions in these debates?

[Vaduz]

Cooper and CNN will be on their good behavior and dispense with the junior high school-level vulgarity.

And the Easter bunny is real too.

[Huskrrrr]

I haven’t tuned into CNN in years (airports excluded). Don’t see any reason to tonight.

[frposty]

I like the candidates to be challenged, and the candidates should challenge the moderator on his choice or omission of topics.

[fatima]

Gettin tired of the debates.All they are doing is attacking each other rather than Hussein .Newt stays on target.

[Onelifetogive]

I’d love to see one of the candidates reply to Anderson as follows: “Anderson, I don’t really like that question. So, instead, I’m going to answer the question YOU asked Obama: ‘At the end of a hard day working for the American people, I like to relax and decompress by whipping up a pizza with my family and sitting around the kitchen table eating and laughing.’”

[nathanbedford]

It does not much matter whether it is Anderson Cooper or a Republican such as Romney or Perry, the agenda tonight will be to bring down Herman Cain. This is actually as it should be. The Republican nominee has got to pass through the fire and prove his mettle. This cannot be done except as an adversarial contest.

To judge who wins the debate, we should consider who will have advanced his quest for the nomination. I judge Herman Cain today to be the front-runner and so his 9-9-9 plan will be put to the test. Cain will have to defend the most serious charge against it which is that the imposition of a federal sales tax opens the way for subsequent Democratic congresses to simply add to the numbers and make 9-9-9 something resembling the vat tax at almost 20% which we have here in Germany. I might add that the income tax here is substantial as well.

Anderson Cooper will probably attack the plan because it is "regressive" in effect but that is not a conservative objection. We actually want the 50% who currently do not pay income tax to have second thoughts before they vote themselves largess from the federal treasury.

It is not clear to me how imposing a sales tax directly discourages those who currently do not contribute income taxes from voting for increased entitlements. The Democrats will demand higher taxes from corporations and perhaps also from individuals who pay income taxes and the lower earners in the country will likely see a more direct benefit than harm. Moreover, it is folly to believe that the Democrats will stay within the strictures of 9-9-9. Most certainly they will demand increases in the income tax with a progressive starting point and increases in the corporate tax. They will scream for reductions in the sales tax by means testing or by way of a rebate system.

Conservatives also ought to have another objection to 9-9-9 which is that it takes away the charitable deduction which, in effect, places the disposition of our charitable giving in the hands of the likes of Nancy Pelosi. The charitable deduction empowers the individual and eliminating it empowers the state. To refer again to Germany, one can understand why Americans are more generous in this regard than Europeans. My neighbors looked instinctively to the state for curing problems. Democrats would like nothing better than to advance that tendency in the USA. They hate Christianity not only for its own sake but because it is an obstacle to control.

So Cain will be forced to defend his left flank against Anderson Cooper and his right flank against the rest of the panel. So far, Cain has been unflappable and he has always maintained his good humor. If he is smart, he will talk about the need for thinking outside the box and the need for sweeping reform to stop the Democrats from crony capitalism and selling tax exemptions. He will analogize this to regulation reform as well.

It will also be interesting to see how the candidates handle the occupiers demonstrations. Any Republican wannabe who concedes the high ground to these demonstrations will be dismissed. We should watch Huntsman, for example, on this score but the real one to watch here is Ron Paul who has already expressed support for some of their demands, especially those concerning the Federal Reserve. Huntsman could disqualify himself of this issue but nothing will ever disqualify Ron Paul, not even dead girls and live boys. He will not win but neither will he be disqualified.

Herman Cain has already come out on the right side of this issue for the bulk of conservatives. He might also be questioned on the recent Martin Luther King ceremony and its attempt to link Martin Luther King with "social justice." Anderson Cooper will probably characterize this transparent ploy for reelection by Obama as a populist movement. It will be interesting to see if any of the candidates identify it as a communist insurgency.

In my judgment this debate tonight is Cain's to lose. If he performs as well as he has in the past, he will be well on his way toward the nomination. His job tonight is to avoid gaffes and continue to look self-possessed and affable, in other words, to look presidential.

The rest of the field faces a very difficult task, it must somehow disqualify Herman Cain. His momentum must somehow be broken or he is very likely to solve his financial weakness problem and go on to the nomination.

[Onelifetogive]

If the GOP was thinking ahead, they'd not agree to ANY MSM debate (especially for the primaries) as long as the MSM remains biased.

The debates are money-makers (and status-symbols) for the networks. The GOP should take that money and status away from them as long as they lean-Dem.

[TexasFreeper2009]

Just a little heads up

Anderson Coopers SOLE goal during his moderation of this debate will be to destroy Cain.

The liberals love Romney, and they have done everything in their power to clear the path for him during their moderation of these debates. Cain is the last thing standing in the way of them succeeding in selecting Romney.

So don’t be surprised if Cain takes some flack tonight.

The gotcha questions I expect tonight will be about the electrofied fense joke of Cain and well as continued attacks on his 999 plan, and probably some attempts to make him look unlearned in regards to foreign policy questions.

You have been warned.

p.s. Who in the heck decided to let all these liberals moderate our debates? I don’t see Rush, Hannity, and Beck moderating democratic debates! This is an outrage.

[mulligan]

Yes, if that is possible.

[pallis]

Cain does a great job of defending and asserting himself, so while I agree that going into the lion’s den is stupid, it’s more free advertizement for him.

[Evil Slayer]

[sanjuanbob]

Anderson Cooper is going to be really fair.....
http://www.mrc.org/realitycheck/realitycheck/2011/20111017061216.aspx

[teddyballgame1]

Any bets on what inane question AC is going to ask Herman Cain? I’m betting the first question of the night will be made to trip Cain up like, name the leader of Uzbekistan.