So What About that Pre-Florida Republican Debate?

-By Warner Todd Huston

Instead of rehashing the whole January 26 Republican debate, I think it would be easier for me to post here all my Tweets from my live tweet of the debate. Some were fun, some serious and at the end I pass my judgment of how well the participants did. Below you’ll see my tweets, some with comments in parenthesis to put the tweet in context.

  • Aaaand here we go…

Opening Statements

  • I hear that Mitt Romney’s Super PAC said that Newt attacked the National Anthem in Reagan’s era!
  • (Rick says his mother lives in Florida) Uh oh, Rick’s Mommy is a carpetbagging snowbird. Now I cannot vote for him!
  • I’m Ron Paul… now GET OFFA MY LAWN YOU KIDS.
  • CNN’s first question:”Mr. Santorum, if you were a tree, what sort of tree would you be you racist creep?” OK, jess joking

Immigration Questions

  • (On the immigration ad about Romney) Didn’t Newt have that ad axed? Now he’s supporting it? Odd.
  • (Mitt’s Solution)It’s a little late to just “follow the law,” Mitt. We’ve already made a mess of that.
  • Mitt: “Our problem isn’t 11 million grandmothers.” Applause. That was a good one, Mitt!
  • (Questions back and forth between Newt and Mitt for quite some time) I think Santorum and Paul are now in the green room having a snack. Its the Mitt Newtny show!
  • (CNN goes to the Hispanic conference for a question) CNN gives Hispanics their own debate watching room? El separata but equalo?
  • Paul: “Cuba should be our buddies!” To heck with worrying over gulags and political prisoners. So last century, right Ronnie?
  • Does Ron Paul realize that supporting Castro in Miami is probably a bad political move?


Foreign Policy

  • Have to admit that Santorum is great on foreign policy!

Fannie-Freddie, and Candidate’s Riches

  • Romney gets a boo for mean commercial attacking Gingrich.
  • Mitt has been claiming he has no responsibility for his ads for so long now he doesn’t even know what’s in the ones HE authorized
  • Newt is shocked to find out HE invested in Freddie and Fannie, too.
  • Tiny mouses now in the national debate.
  • Santorum knocks ’em ALL for distractions.
  • (me getting fed up) OK, OK… Newt Mae and Mitt Mac… now let’s get to the REAL issues, shall we??
  • Wolf gets booed. (for continuing on the finances questions)
  • Mitt mounts an excellent defense of capitalism.
  • (Me getting tired of Wolf Blitzer) Blitzer: “OK let’s get off Mitt’s Money. Now Mr. Speaker, about Mitt’s money…”
  • I am pretty sure that Wolf Blitzer has MSNBC writers prompting him in his ear piece.

Blitzer asks about candidate’s health

  • Blitzer: “Mr. Paul, aren’t you about to die any second, you old coot?”
  • LOL, Paul threatens Wolf with age discrimination lawsuit!

Blitzer Asks about NASA

  • (Me mocking) Mitt Romney: “I’ll have space czars, and release a 58 -page report on NASA.”
  • (Me mocking) Ron Paul: “We need to pull our troops off the moon and maybe trade with it instead.”
  • (Me mocking) I think NASA already has a nice program to promote Islam on the moon, so we have that going for us.
  • (Me mocking) Shorter Mitt Romney: “I like firing people that want to go to the moon.”
  • (Me mocking) I think voters are against Obama because he doesn’t talk about the moon enough, ya know?

About Reagan…

  • Uh oh, Paul attacking Reagan again… just like he did in the 80s!

Break

  • So far CNN wasted and hour on the moon and MitNewtney’s investments. Greeeeaaat debate, CNN.
  • I think I’d like a debate on the moon. Cuz, in space no one can hear you scream and stuff.

Healthcare

  • Santorum smacks Mitt on Romneycare!! Finally. Mitt’s biggest trouble spot.
  • Santorum cleans Mitt’s and Newt’s clock over Romneycare and mandates.
  • Mitt says Romneycare is working well in Mass??? Is he kidding?
  • Remember, folks, Romney’s adviser (Norm Coleman) said they won’t repeal Obamacare!!
  • Shorter Romney: I am not for mandated insurance, I just think everyone should be forced to buy insurance.
  • Mitt just said that Obamacare/Romneycare is nothing to get all excited over? Lordy this guy is going to lose.

Question: What Hispanic Would You Hire, Mr. Candidate?

  • Newt hints that he’d want Rubio as VP.
  • Fernando says you guys looook mahvolous.

Who is the Real Conservative?

  • Mitt: I didn’t get in to politics early in my life. I had my blind trust manager do that for me.
  • Mitt: But I greeeew in office. Really, I did. I conservative now. No, seriously.

Foreign Policy: On Using the Military and Palestine

  • (After Mitt said we wouldn’t invade anyone, I say) I am not a fan when politicians take military use off the table. Nothing should ever be off the table.
  • (And I continue) Different situations require different solutions and sometimes that means military action.
  • Good answer on Israel/Palestine by Romney, really.
  • Newt also hits the right notes on Israel/Palestine even after Wolf trying a gotcha question.

What About Puerto Rico?

  • Problem is, the PRican people keep voting statehood down.
  • (Me mocking) Blitzer: “Speaker Gingrich, didn’t you say you want to move Puerto Ricans to the moon with Fannie Mae funding?”

Wrapping up

  • Fantastic Santorum soliloquy on the Constitution.
  • I think Santorum has seemed the most presidential tonight, myself.
  • Not a bad answer from Mitt, really. A succinct case.
  • Oooo, Santorum calls Global Warming a hoax. The left will squeal at that one
  • Tonight’s count… Santorum: in command; Romney: baffled; Newt: embattled; Ron Paul… well, he’s Ron Paul.
  • The first hour was a waste of time, but the second better.

**END**
____________
“The only end of writing is to enable the reader better to enjoy life, or better to endure it.”
–Samuel Johnson

Warner Todd Huston is a Chicago based freelance writer. He has been writing opinion editorials and social criticism since early 2001 and before that he wrote articles on U.S. history for several small American magazines. His political columns are featured on many websites such as Andrew Breitbart’s BigGovernment.com, BigHollywood.com, and BigJournalism.com, as well as RightWingNews.com, RightPundits.com, CanadaFreePress.com, StoptheACLU.com, AmericanDaily.com, among many, many others. Mr. Huston is also endlessly amused that one of his articles formed the basis of an article in Germany’s Der Spiegel Magazine in 2008.

For a full bio, please CLICK HERE.


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