Live Thread - NBC News/Tampa Bay Times GOP debate tonight on NBC

.2012presidentialelectionnews.com ^ | 1/23/12 | nate

[TexasFreeper2009]

All four remaining GOP candidates have been confirmed for tonight's debate sponsored by NBC News, the Tampa Bay Times, The National Journal and the Florida Council of 100. The debate will take place at the University of South Florida in Tampa. This will be the first of 2 debates this week focusing on the Florida GOP primary on Tuesday, January 31st. Note the air times on the east and west coast.

Television Air Time: Monday, January 23rd at 9pm ET, 8pm CT and 9pm PT on NBC

Live Streams: (airing 9pm ET) NBCPolitics.com, National Journal, and TampaBay.com

Participants: Gingrich, Romney, Santorum, Paul

[kevao]

Mitt is pushing Newt to the limit. Mitt will not letup.

Hands up, all those who think Mitt Romney would ever attack Obama the way he's attacking Newt tonight. Anyone?

[CASchack]

Newt has to talk past Romney directly to the voters. Romney is not giving anyone a reason to support him... he is only interested in turning people away from Newt.

[kcvl]

Romney’s Business Success Was Due To “Corporate Welfare”: 

Governor Romney has held up his business experience as his main qualification for being President, and has been quick to dismiss the manner in which he acted as simply “free market capitalism.” What he doesn’t mention is that some of his success has been due to huge government subsidies and tax breaks, something decried by the conservative Cato Institute as “corporate welfare.”

Steel Dynamics: Undoubtedly, Governor Romney will tout Steel Dynamics, the “steel mill in Indiana,” as one of his successes. You must tell the other side of the story: this was only a success because of more than $37 million in government subsidies. And what is even more damaging, these subsidies were paid for by raising taxes on the local residents. (LA Times, 1/12/12)

[folkquest]

,

[LUV W]

Fred Thompson endorses Newt

Good news!

[Red Steel]

Romney is one nasty SOB. I hope this backfires on him.

That exchange won't help Romney one bit in FL.

[tcrlaf]

LITTLE KNOWN NBC DEBATE RULES: Romney gets unlimited time to attack Newt.

[chessplayer]

Romney is truly loathsome and Williams has fallen asleep to let him run and run and run on.

---

Williams hasn’t fallen asleep. He knows this is good for obama.

[Theoria]

Quite crowd. Crowd is now looking forward to the blue plate special tomorrow.

[llandres]

“How many more times does Gingrich have to address this head on? Are you even paying attention or are you hearing only what suits you?”

I agree that Newt did a very good job of clarifying. He’s also had a great answer to every nitpicking, nagging accusation of Romney - but Romney just won’t stop talking. He seems delighted thinking he’s on a roll.

What a con man.

[sand88]

Romney is hilarious.

Mitt is desperate for a knockout punch. So far, Newt is playing it well. Newt is in the driver's seat. As the debate moves along, Newt will go back to focusing on Obama.

We will see Mitt not letup in his attacks on Newt. People will quickly see how desperate Mitt. It will not help him with the voters.

[Reily]

to all, my ranking

Paul - actually looks and sounds presidential for a change, meaning he is above the pettiness that is currently going on. Seems to realize that Zero is the enemy

Santorum - more or less the same as Paul
Romney-Newt - petty & boring

[Lady Lucky]

Not going well at all. Romney is piling on and Gingrich hasn’t time to respond to every detail. When he was given a chance to answer clearly about “resigned in disgrace,” he punted. Romney has him on the ropes now and the moderator calls for a change of subject, leaving Gingrich no further opportunity to respond.

[bgill]

Like two accountants arguing with each other.

We have a winner! Have we run out of relevant topics to debate?

[goodnesswins]

Soooo....do we think they will ask about Property Rights? or...Global Warming and Sustainability? or...how about...the cost of ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION!!!!???

[indpndtguy]

Romeny is desperate.
Newt hit it on the bull’s eye by saying: his tactic
is not gonna work, as people can see through it.

[AFPhys]

I am quite surprised that the commercials were not left in during the break, at least on the streaming feed from nationaljournal.com

[RitaOK]

8 PM CST, Fear Factor is on the DISH Guide, but the debate is on. Did it come on at 7 EST?

[Red_Devil 232]

Willard is very creepy!

[Fawn]

Oh no...Newt needs to clear up Mitts attacks.

[Deo volente]

I wish I had bookmarked that video where the reporter from AP asked Mitt about a lobbyist being one of his top campaign staffers. He got angry in an ugly way.

[this is my country]

Romney is truly loathsome and Williams has fallen asleep to let him run and run and run on.

Exactly!

[ez]

I’m for Newt. Romney just scored on him, but at what cost? He doesn’t look Presidential.

[tcrlaf]

“This is pretty boring so far”

Is this a DEBATE, or a TAX AUDIT?

[kcvl]

Fred Thompson endorses Newt on Hannity...

[kjam22]

Romney just guaranteed he won’t get the vp slot.....

[VastRWCon]

My bad....I really can not stand Brain Williams

Ha, I just texted my brother in FL that Brian Willians is a D*ck!

[TexasFreeper2009]

You not missing much, most boring debate ever

[kabar]

Gingrich Says He Doesn't Regret Supporting Medicare Drug Plan Which Is Now a $7.2 Trillion Unfunded Liability

[Girlene]

This is a boring waste of time.

No friggin' kidding. That was bad. Williams let Romney and Gingrich go for a bit. Romney lost that one. He went off on Gingrich trying to influence peddle as a lobbyist, et. At some point, Gingrich cuts in and talks about Medicare Part D (not sure where that came from???), throws out some examples that people can understand, scores some points, Williams cuts them off.

......EVER!

[GizzyGirl]

NBC letting Newt/Romney have the debate Newt wanted some weeks ago when he sat down with Cain. Newt is winning this playoff game and it's. It by a field goal, we're talking being basically out by Halftime. WOW. I have. It read what one else here has said because I've been watching intensely. Hope nobody minds the football metaphor and GO NEWT!! I still have to go back later and watch ACoulter. These really are amazing times

[ReneeLynn]

I’m in PA watching on NBC. It’s running here.

[goodnesswins]

Mediate.com is running great

[riri]

It seems Newt has studied Romney’s previous debates and knows his style. I don’t think he will lose his cool.

[show]

[radu]

What the heck? I can’t find the debate on TV. Can anyone tell me what I’m doing wrong?

Consider yourself lucky. This is one HORRIBLE debate. I'm about to turn it off and just follow this thread.

[untwist]

Yes, Rita! He is taking Romney’s crap and tactics and throwing it back in his face. Romney is boring, his attacks are boring. Santorum is boring, nobody is hearing him.

What this means is that at worst, this is a status quo debate. All this is good news for Newt. Newt looks in control. He is starting to plant seeds of believability among a wider group. Romney looks nit-picky. This is not leadership, it’s petty politics and does not gain Romney any new votes.

[kevao]

What the heck? I can’t find the debate on TV. Can anyone tell me what I’m doing wrong?

Are you logged in? You have to be logged in.

Seriously, just tune to your local NBC channel.

[altura]

This is the worst debate I’ve ever seen.

Romney is obnoxious. Newt is having to stay on the defensive and nobody is interested in this crap.

We’re interested in what these candidates would do to change Obama’s policies.

NBC is loving these candidates make each other look bad while sitting back grinning.

There is no discipline in this debate.

[angelcindy]

lolololol omg i would love that!!!! willard calls himself a leader????? yea leader of the crybaby pack!

[imchris]

Romney kept attacking Newt. I hope Newt won’t take the bait. Just focus on Hussein.

[The Citizen Soldier]

FredThompson endorses Newt Gingrich!!

[mcmuffin]

S.S. ROMNEY...

[LA Woman3]

Why have a live audience if they aren’t allowed to respond?

[wolficatZ]

“Newt just took a 5 minute severe beat down by Romney....”

Hardly, that was a rabid poodle snipping his ankles..

[patriot08]

http://video.msnbc.msn.com/rock-center/46058377#46058377

[Utmost Certainty]

Please shut up Santorum :(

[j.argese]

Mitt is something that starts with p and ends with y and it’s not petty! 5 letters ...

[Texas Songwriter]

That is what I saw.

[Irish Eyes]

Quite crowd. Crowd is now looking forward to the blue plate special tomorrow.

They were sanctioned an told to act like zombies.