Live Thread: Republican Presidential Debate in Jacksonville, FL on CNN 8 P.M. EST

Thursday, January 26, 2012 | Kristinn

[kristinn]

Hosted by Wolf Blitzer at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. Candidates: Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul.

Word is the audience will be "allowed" to participate.

Livestream here.

[jpsb]

really buy ammo :)

[Just mythoughts]

The line has been a joke since the 1990s. He should have stated it differently. Some of you same people who mocked the Clintons saying it now think Newt is a genius for saying the exact same thing. I’m not criticizing the sentiment...just the expression. Chill out.

I know from whence the line came, and it was 'it is for the children'. NOT I want to be president to preserve my grand-children's future. I did not say Newt was a genius, I recoiled at your immaturity. A trait a certain presidential candidate has.....

[rodguy911]

Newt gave an excellent answer. I do everything to create a better America for my (grand)children. Agree completely. Here is what I posted earlier today on another thread about that very point, and why I, therefore, support Newt Gingrich. Today was a big game for Rush ...defend Newt ...attack Romney ....defend Romney ....attack Newt ...etc., etc. He even referred to this as a variation of "Operation Chaos," to somehow help get a Republican nominated. Not sure I'm clever enough to follow the argument. I'm reminded of something I learned long ago about telling a joke; if you have to explain the punch line it ain't that funny. For me, what nails this all down is asking why we are fighting this battle? Indeed, I ask that of all my fellow FReepers. Now I'm probably going to sound a little harsh, but here's my take... Rush has no children or grandchildren. That's it. To me, that's the crux of the argument. Rush has a much nicer home and jet than I will ever dream of owning. Heck, I'm 64 and I will probably never even visit a home as nice as his or ride a someone's personally owned jet. I don't begrudge him that. He's earned it, and I wish him well. But I don't think Rush has my deep-down, way down in the gut, concern for my kids and grandkids. That's why I'm in this battle for the soul of America. At 64, I'm probably going to be okay. I put a little away in the 401K and the wife and I have lived within our means for the past 25 years, avoiding spending money we did not have. But my five grandkids are being straddled with debt they cannot hope to pay, and I have literally shed tears for what we are doing to them. So for me, this isn't a fight about "my guy" versus "your guy," or even moderate versus conservative, it's about who is going to stop this madness before it's too late. Romney is a "finger in the wind" politician who will move which ever way the winds blow. I put as much stock in his words as I did (now with hindsight) when George Herbert Walker Bush said, "Read my lips. No new taxes." Newt claims he's doing this because of his two grandchildren. I'm taking him at his word. I do so, because when he talks about his grandchildren, and his concern for the future we are making for them, he sounds just like me. Rush has his cats, and his jet, and golf outings to die for, but at the end of the day he has no compelling reason to look out two or three or four decades. I do. My five grandchildren give me that opportunity every day.

You may be selling Rush a bit short.

He really does not have to work. Either he is there for his ego or because he really cares about the future or some of both.

I vote for some of both.

Rush enjoys begin the leader of the pack but he takes the job very seriously.I think he truly cares about the future of the country.

I know what he does to keep audiences and how good he is at broadcasting and how he can keep a huge audience even when he can't even hear.No one else can do that,none of us are that good.

The guy has been pretty even handed in the election cycle. He has pointed out the good, bad and ugly of most every candidate IMHO.

He is and remains my leader of the New Media and for now I will still follow his lead.

[manc]

come to our county , we all speak English, one of the most republican counties in the state and we are a beautiful no crime, Christian , infact first place in this country where the first prayer was ever said. county oh we just voted down property taxes too

[jwalsh07]

Lol, sounds remarkably familiar.

[freemarketsfreeminds]

The general election debates will look nothing like tonight’s because instead of helping him (Romney) the msm will be helping Obama. Romney will have that deer caught in the headlights look in the general debates.

[tsowellfan]

Be nice to see Santorum and Newt unite

Newt's been kind to Paul the last two debates and on Laura Ingraham he mentioned there could possibly be a place for Ron Paul in his administration (at cabinet level I'm sure he means) because he and Paul agree on a lot of things especially about the Fed but certainly not on foreign affairs.

[MissMagnolia]

Mom watching talking heads (I can’t do it) .... just overhheard David Gergen saying Mitt needs to start taking personal responsibility ..... can’t always blame others (like his blind trust manager). Donna Brazile says she suspects she’ll find out tomorrow that Mitt lied tonight about several things. OUCH!! :-)

[writer33]

Yes, sir, agreed. Santorum showed far more passion tonight than in previous debates. It made a total difference.

[KansasGirl]

I disagree that Romney won the debate. Santorum destroyed him over Oromneycare, the exchange over the Spanish language ad made him look like a lying snake, as did the Reagan exchange. Newt’s performance was forgettable. Santorum did well. Paul is lame. I still can’t beleive he basically bailed Romney out on the healthcare issue. “Their all wrong?”. How was Santorum wrong?

Santorum
Newt
Romney
Paul

Romney has learned a new propaganda technique to sell himself, stack the crowd with Rombots! Have them cheer you no matter what you say! How very Obamanesque!

[KJC1]

Whoa, Santorum just said on Greta’s show that there’s not much difference between Newt and Romney. Rick, can you use some of the money I donated to you to buy a clue?

Glad I have since put my donations into Newt’s coffers.

[manc]

they are looking to split the vote

[jennychase]

Sarah should come out tell Floridan to vote for Newt.

[alstewartfan]

Yeah, that’s one thing that has burned my rump for years. Whether it’s an oncoming ice age or broiling catastrophe, more big government is always the answer. Santorum has never bought into Chicken Little climatic scares, to his credit. Bob

[rodguy911]

This may have been a pivotal evening I am not sure.

[writer33]

As I get older, I find far more things are important than television. :-)

[HapaxLegamenon]

Lol. Besides Santorum is a Catholic and has no business running for President... oh wait.

Nevermind.

[jpsb]

once the whiskey fog clears my mind I will comment on tonights’ debate, however it was not a good night.

[NKP_Vet]

“Rand has a lot of his dad in him, but without the wacky foreign policy”

Yes he does but he picks and chooses what interviewer to admit it to. He’s almost a carbon copy of the old man.
Rand Paul had to tap dance around most of his libertarian positions or he would have never been elected senator.

[goodnesswins]

Rush has many nieces and nephews.....some people who DO have kids I wouldn’t trust to VOTE!