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A memorable debate, for the wrong reasons (How the candidates did in the CNBC debate)
Hotair ^ | 11/10/2011 | Ed Morrissey

Posted on 11/10/2011 9:31:54 AM PST by SeekAndFind

The Republican candidate held their first debate in weeks last night, a forum dedicated to economic policy hosted by CNBC’s John Harwood and Maria Bartiromo, and for the most part they seemed to have improved with the time off. For the first hour or so of the debate, everyone seemed sharp, with crisp answers and very little to criticize. Even Rick Perry seemed to have improved — and then, one of the worst moments in decades of major political debates took place when Perry got lost on an easy listing of Cabinet-level agencies he wants to eliminate. Worst of all, the one he couldn’t recall despite nearly 30 seconds of stammering was the Department of Energy, a key area on which Perry has based his economic policy.

The moderation in this debate was perhaps the worst since John King’s “This or That?” Harwood and Bartiromo were mostly capable, but they decided to insert a question to Herman Cain about the allegations of sexual harassment that has roiled his campaign. That question was perfectly legitimate — for an interview or a press conference. It has nothing to do with economics, and it’s hardly a debating point for the other candidates on stage. The audience booed with great relish all through the delivery of the question, and rightfully so. Cain’s denial generated loud cheers, which turned to boos when Bartiromo asked Romney to comment on Cain’s answer — which Romney firmly refused to do, and insisted that the debate return to its topic.

On top of that derailment, the beginning and end of the debate featured Jim Cramer screaming at the candidates, especially at the end. Note to CNBC — we’re watching the candidates debate each other. If Cramer can’t figure that out, then he doesn’t belong on stage, and perhaps your network shouldn’t be hosting these debates at all.

How did the candidates do?

That leaves us with Newt Gingrich, who clearly won the debate — but also gave flashes of his weak points. Gingrich gave marvelously detailed answers, reflecting the deep study he has made on American public policy during his years in politics, and demonstrated that he has the best command of both facts and philosophy on stage. Gingrich also went after the moderators especially hard, perhaps protesting too much at the 30-second limit for one of his answers, badgering Bartiromo until she agreed to let him take all the time he wanted. He showed flashes of derision towards Bartiromo and Harwood that didn’t bother the red-meat conservatives he wants to woo now, but that may not sell as well in a general election. Gingrich has been very careful to be patient, positive, and supporting of his fellow Republicans, and that continued last night as well. He will have to find a way to project that statesman-like persona with the media as well, like it or not, especially if he wins the nomination, in order to avoid the angry-conservative-man image that Gingrich has had to fight in the past.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: cnbc; debate; gop
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To: Paperdoll
I agree Paperdoll.

Herman Cain is the only candidate that inspires me to want to go out and support a GOP ticket.

Newt may be the best debater but he tends to drone on when asked a question but I get lost at times in his monologue deliver.

I think a Cain/Newt ticket would get all invigorated in 2012.

21 posted on 11/10/2011 12:20:48 PM PST by not2worry
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To: MNJohnnie

Aw jeez. When I start agreeing with MNJohnnie, that’s when I need to go buy a freakin’ parka, ‘cause hell’s frozen over.

Newt is their buddy. That’s why the WSJ is now promoting him with articles like “Why Gingrich Can Win” and other b.s.—never mind that he won’t make it through the primaries if he remotely makes it into stalking horse distance. The man is scummier than a frog’s armpit, and about as trustworthy as a rattlesnake. That he’s up on that stage is testimony to the fact that the GOP is a big tent—it even lets those who have cheated on their wives and dumped them at the side of their hospital bed run for the party nomination.


22 posted on 11/10/2011 12:23:03 PM PST by LibertarianInExile (Rick Perry sweep the polls? Naw, the illegals he's coddled in Texas do all his sweeping.)
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To: LibertarianInExile; All

Versus Obama??? Um, yeah, I’ll take Newt.

The fact is, whomever is nominated isn’t merely running against Obama - they’re running against the press. Newt is the only one who can chew-up and spit-out the MSM.

And anyone who “sits it out” is casting a tacit vote for Obama, so shame on them.


23 posted on 11/10/2011 12:31:30 PM PST by jmstein7 (A Judge not bound by the original meaning of the Constitution interprets nothing but his own mind.)
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To: Para-Ord.45

“But Obama can say there are 57 States, doesn`t know the term for ‘wheeling and dealing in Austrian, likes to talk about being in St. Louis while he actually standing in K.C., Israel is a strong friend of Israel, his Intercontinental railroad,Iran doesn`t pose a serious threat,forgets what year it is when signing guest books,forges the age of his kids, AND GETS A FULL PASS EACH TIME FROM THE DOMINANT LEFT WING MEDIA”

But that doesn’t change for any GOP candidate. Perry’s made himself into the fool here. The media piled on, sure, but he keeps shooting himself in the foot. It’s not like CNBC made him forget the Department of Energy.


24 posted on 11/10/2011 12:55:17 PM PST by LibertarianInExile (Rick Perry sweep the polls? Naw, the illegals he's coddled in Texas do all his sweeping.)
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To: jmstein7

“Versus Obama??? Um, yeah, I’ll take Newt...The fact is, whomever is nominated isn’t merely running against Obama - they’re running against the press. Newt is the only one who can chew-up and spit-out the MSM...And anyone who “sits it out” is casting a tacit vote for Obama, so shame on them.”

Oh, PUH-LEEZE. First, it’s not as if this were ever as stark a choice as X vs. Obama. Nearly all of them onstage would be better options than Zero from some perspective. But second, Newt is a particularly BAD choice for women and conservatives because he’s simply a dirtbag, and he’s a worse choice because he’s a bloviating, arrogant professor. If the GOP were dumb enough to allow that man to be its nominee, first, the ads will show his moral failings nonstop in key states, then, the ads will just play Gingrich himself. The man has spoken against key Republican principles enough recently, and on top of that, he’s just a terrible, terrible speaker given the time to hang himself. This debate format is his dream job, with sound bites all that candidates have time to spit out. But given the speechmaking he’s done in the past as speaker and as a fundraiser, he’d be in a huge hole in the general both with women and with conservatives walking away from him. They wouldn’t be sitting out—they’d be walking out. I don’t care what media types he can chew up and spit out. Newt as nominee could very well be Barry’s chance for reelection, and I don’t make that “electability” argument often right out of the chute.


25 posted on 11/10/2011 1:20:18 PM PST by LibertarianInExile (Rick Perry sweep the polls? Naw, the illegals he's coddled in Texas do all his sweeping.)
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To: not2worry

I think Newt does tend to ramble, getting lost in his own sentences. He is not a people person. But he would make a good Chief of Staff for Herman Cain. Then I like John Bolton, though he is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, as SOS. A very experienced Duncan L. Hunter as the Chair of the DOD. Governor Scot Walker may make a good VP for Mr. Cain. He is gutsy and conservative, though Wisconsin would miss him I’m sure.

Who other than Gingrich would you consider if you were Mr. Cain?


26 posted on 11/10/2011 1:33:11 PM PST by Paperdoll (I like Herman Cain)
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To: Paperdoll

Good point, but I don’t think he would go for that.


27 posted on 11/10/2011 2:42:15 PM PST by Bigg Red (Maryland girl on the Cain Train)
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To: Bigg Red

Well, there are plenty of others that would


28 posted on 11/10/2011 3:08:10 PM PST by Paperdoll (I like Herman Cain)
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To: SeekAndFind

I would like to see a Cain/Palin ticket. Mainly because in 8 years Sarah would still be young enough to run for Pres and no one else in this field except Michelle Bachman will be. Otherwise we will be back in the place where Bush/Cheney left us, open door for Dems.


29 posted on 11/10/2011 9:55:45 PM PST by tinamina
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