Transcripts (informal) starting here.
1. Only two mentions of Ronald Reagan: Newt claimed to have helped pass the Reagan program, and Pawlenty's family were Reagan Democrats.
2. No mention (by the candidates) of John McCain. Not exactly a surprise, but still worth noticing.
3. Just one mention of Iran, by Ron Paul, who certainly isn't looking to invade. Generally, very little about the need to be invading anywhere (see item #2 above), and a lot more caution in general (as Alexander Burns noted).
4. I may have missed it, and it's trickier to search for, but while there was a much-noted conversation about how scary Muslims are, I don't think there was anything about the broad constellation of issues involving detention, torture, prosecution of terrorists, and other related things.
5. There was very, very little about budget deficits and national debt. Just a handful of mentions. Lots of talk about spending, and lots of talk about taxes, but really not very much about deficit or debt. This is consistent with what I see as the GOP war on budgeting: they're against (many types of) taxes, and for cutting (certain types of) spending, but generally not especially interested in budgeting.
6. Fairness Doctrine! C'mon; are they really going to finally take yes for an answer?
It was definitely less of a hawkish debate without McCain and Giulian. Romney also seemed to back down from our Afghanistan commitment a bit.
ReplyDeletePartisan red meat was not as plentiful as it could have been. Romney is trying to show that he’s the man who can ‘bring it to Obama,’ but he fell short by my standards.
#5 They clearly addressed the causes of our debt and deficit, even if not as convincingly as some of us would like.
Are you taking over/under on the fairness doctrine? I'll place 3 internet points on Backmann before July 4.
ReplyDeleteI don't know; my record on predicting GOP crazies sort of stinks right now -- still no impeachment resolution introduced, and so far no votes no Constitutional amendments.
ReplyDelete