Posted on 01/23/2012 1:09:30 PM PST by tcrlaf
Tonight in Tampa, Florida, the four men left in the Republican presidential nomination fight will gather for the 18th — yes, 18th! — time in the race to date.
Tonight in Tampa, Florida, the four men left in the Republican presidential nomination fight will gather for the 18th — yes, 18th! — time in the race to date.
CHARLESTON, SC - JANUARY 19: Republican presidential candidates (L-R) former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, and U.S. Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) listen to a question from moderator John King (R) during a debate at the North Charleston Coliseum January 19, 2012 in Charleston, South Carolina.
And tonight’s gathering, which will be carried live on NBC starting at 9 p.m. and live-blogged in this space too, is one of two two debates scheduled for this week. (The other, sponsored by CNN, is set for Thursday night.)
The frequency of debates has become a source of grumbling within some campaigns — cough, Mitt Romney, cough — but remains a ratings boon to the cable networks who host them. (CNN’s debate last Thursday drew 5 million viewers.)
And, they are clearly having influence on Republican voters. More than half (52 percent) of South Carolina primary voters said the recent debates were one of several important factors in deciding their vote. Of that group, Gingrich took 47 percent to 24 percent for Romney.
“There is never enough debates,” said R.C. Hammond, a spokesman for Gingrich. “Any candidate who toys with the idea of backing out of a GOP primary debate, you’d have to question how well they’d do on a debate stage with President Obama.”
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Now we see the Washington media attempting to de-emphasize the importance of debates.
HOW UNSURPRISING....
There’s always time for one more as long as Hussein is squatting in my House.
Also trying to get obomney off the hook. The more he debates, the worse he looks.
Translation: "Please put an end to the debates so the media will have more complete control over whom the republicans pick. Debates are hurting Romney, and the mainstream media wants Obama to run against Romney."
Hey Chris Cillizza and Rachel Weiner, If you take a close look at your remote, you’ll find a button marked “off”. If you push it will take care of your problem.
Hey Washington Post, if you don’t like it, don’t watch it! This is a blatant cover for Romney. We are learning so much through these debates and moving toward nominating a strong conservative and away from a weak candidate who simply can’t buy his way to the presidency. If anything we need more public debates - they are very valuable!
OH NO NEWT IS GAINING AND LOOKING GOOD QUICK STOP THE DEBATES, PROTECT RINO’S AND THEIR MESSIAH OBAMA
I haven’t seen a single one. I say keep ‘em coming! :)
Translation: We in the MSM have been getting our lying, deceiving, pathetic, psychotic, mental-midget, bigoted butts exposed.
ROFL
My adrenaline has been pumping for nearly 12 hours now over tonight's debate! this is better than the super bowl to me!
I totally agree. Unfortunately, we have some Moonbats here who don't watch them because they'd rather watch a sit-com or a football game.
If only the moderators and their network ninnies would start asking intelligent policy questions and stop using the debates as demolition derbies for their agenda - the candidates could present policies, platforms and philosophy.
The questions in most of these ‘debates’ are insulting to both the candidates and the voters. However, the responses have been delicious. We see Newt’s full monty magnificence, Mitt’s mumble mouth, Santorum’s sanctimonious silliness and Paul’s pissantititis.
I still believe the one-on-ones with Newt and Huntsman & Newt & Cain were superb.
Obomney is HORRIBLE at debates. He would lose every single one of them against zero, the marxist. Zero would win the election with no effort.
Newt will make zero look like a fool and marxist which scares the heck out of the Republican establishment. He will articulate ALL the Tea Party ideals easily and that Truth will resonate with the majority.
“If only the moderators and their network ninnies would start asking intelligent policy questions”
That doesn’t serve the pre-approved narrative of the Democrat Party in any way. WON’T HAPPEN.
I expect we’ll see a TON of questions tonight about Gay Marriage, Abortion, Womens ‘Rights”, infidelity, yada, yada.
Not A ONE about homelessness, joblessness, foodstamps, etc.
I think in the 21st hour of Newt’s 7, 3 hour Lincoln/Douglas style debates, I’ll start feeling a bit guilty for enjoying the thrashing Obama receives......
Obama,the GOP democratic party and most especially Romney don’t want to debate because the stuttering ObamneyCare Romney is exposed.
Me too. romney started out as nasty as anyone I have ever seen on the campaign trail. He has become his own worst liability, and just like any other liberal-brained whack job, he just thinks he hasn’t done enough of it yet.
I want to see Newt do a Sarah and smile as the knife goes deep.
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