Who Won the Florida NBC GOP Debate? Newt Gingrich First, Ron Paul Second, Mitt Romney Last

Fending off pointed attacks by fellow GOP candidates Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum ... Romney looked ...flustered, stiff, and at times just babbled

In comparison, Gingrich looked like he still had all the momentum from Saturday’s South Carolina primary win. He calmly answered questions ...(snip)

The biggest surprise in the debate: Gingrich was not asked about his personal transgressions, ...

...After his 12-point South Carolina win, Gingrich has surged ahead in the Florida polls, leading 41% to the former Massachusetts governor's 32%.

Still, Romney does expected to win Florida. Almost 200,000 absentee ballots have already been cast in the state... favor Romney. ...

One point Gingrich hammered Romney on was his tax rate. Gingrich forced Romney to announce that he will release his tax records on Tuesday. ...He reaps millions of dollars a year from his former work at Bain Capital, though, maintains a low tax bracket. Gingrich in comparison pays a 31% tax rate.

Romney blasted Gingrich for his work at mortgage giant Freddie Mac, but ignored his own financial links to the organization.

...snip...Romney, though, had as much as $500,000 invested in Freddie Mac. All GOP candidates have blamed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for contributing to the housing crisis that helped to drag the nation into the Great Recession.

Ahead of next week’s Florida primary, Gingrich looks like he is gaining incredible steam. Romney — shell-shocked ...— looks like he’s out of answers.

And it might be a two-man race soon. In Florida, Rick Santorum is currently polling 11% ...

Monday’s debate turned out to be the slug fest most pundits thought it would be, with Gingrich the last man standing.

Yes, that is the secret weapon against Romney — his Romneyness.

Speaking of which, I was listening last night to a post-debate panel that included Andrea Mitchell. Even she thinks he’s less exciting than dishwater. Nor did anyone there argue the point.

So to Mormon, petty, shrill, cagey and slick you can add dull.

Whereas Newt crackles in most encounters. Romney can never compete with that.

It’s been a while since we had a potential nominee with style and pizazz!

You are right about Florida being full of Seniors, but most of them are computer literate. In fact, there are Computer Classes in nearly all the Senior Centers, Assisted Living Facilities, and Elder Housing (over 55)Complexes.

Nearly 80% of my Spam email comes from Senior Citizens! Sometimes I get 10 “Forwards” a day from the same person! LOL. Once Seniors learn how to cut, paste, and Forward, you never hear the end of it! LOL.

Most of the jokes circulating are about getting “old”. And they are sent by seniors.

BTW, I am a Senior, a FReeper, a Tea Party Conservative, a Biker, and VERY computer literate. :-)

Brian Williams and NBC set it up for Romney by banning applause, knowing full well that applause lines would go to Gingrich, which, in turn, would show him to be the more exciting candidate.

Williams also set Romney up for a possible great finish by encouraging him to provide his interpretation of "conservatism" by explaining what he had done on its behalf.

In America, over the past few decades, there are shining examples of business leaders who, perceiving threats to free enterprise principles by their government, made bold efforts to warn their fellow citizens and to "conserve" (preserve) founding principles.

For instance, one such business leader in Illinois named James R. Evans wrote a book of warning way back in the 80's. Another business leader in North Carolina, W. D. Stedman, spent years investing dollars and efforts in a free enterprise education program and related national programs intended to "preserve" (conserve) the ideas of liberty, including books, radio messages, speeches, etc. As part of that program he used excerpts from the Evans book, as follows:

"1. Does this legislation or idea increase, or decrease, individual freedom and creativity?

"2. Does this legislation or idea increase, or decrease, the power of some citizens over other citizens?

"3. Does this legislation or idea recognize that the persons who will exercise the power are themselves imperfect human beings?

"4. Does this legislation or idea recognize that government is incapable of creating wealth?

"5. Does this legislation or idea authorize taking from some what belongs to them, and giving it to others to whom it does not belong?
If 'thou shalt not steal' is a valid commandment, can we assume that it is meant to apply only to individuals and not to government (which is made up of individuals), even if those persons in power pass laws which sanction such redistribution of the wealth of others?'

"6. Does this legislation or idea encourage, or discourage, the very highest level of morality and responsibility from the individual?
. . .when government makes actions 'legal' by some citizens at the expense of other citizens, the result may be behavior which would not be considered possible by individuals acting alone.

"7. Does this legislation or idea propose that the 'government' do something which the individual cannot do without committing a crime?"**

**7 principles drawn from James R. Evans book, "America's Choice: Twilight's Last Gleaming or Dawn's Early Light" and reprinted in a Stedman Corporation (Asheboro, NC) booklet entitled "I'm Only One, What Can I Do?" Many others, across this nation, have made similar efforts in what is called the effort for "conservatism."

Now, the question is:

What was Mitt Romney doing on behalf of "conservatism" as a young business leader, and in the intervening years? Just participating in the benefits of free enterprise does not qualify as working to preserve it!

-- The big talk today is that Newt is not listed in primaries in state adding to almost 600 delegates. --

That might be literally true, but it is misleading. Some number of delegates, in every state, are not assigned on the basis of the presidential preference primary activities. There are "superdelegates" who are free to vote as they please at the convention, regardless of the outcome of the state's primary process.

I suspect that some states filing deadlines are in the future, too.

The only oddity that I m aware of of is Virginia, where the GOP is only allowing Romney and Paul to appear on the ballot. I don't know if the Virginia primary rules allow write in; but if they do, I'd bet on Newt undertaking activity in VA, encouraging write in.

I’m glad you brought up Drudge. He’s obviously a Romniac. I tell you what, last night was the press getting even with Newt. They straight-jacketed the audience and then just let Romney go on and on. I wonder how many minutes Romney had the microphone last night. One thing Newt did prove though last night ... he restrained himself, he disciplined himself (maybe too much) but the notion that he can’t hold his tongue is off the table in my view. There was one point when I thought, “Boy if that were me I’d just punch Romney right in his lying snoot!” And has anyone noticed that the story of Romney investing 1/2 million in Fannie has barely got a mention by any of the so-called “mainstream” Internet Sites! (Kinda creepy).

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.