Friday, December 16, 2011

Iowa Debate

Superficial impressions gleaned from last night's showdown:

Newt exercised restraint, defended himself against outrageous assertions, avoided attack responses, and largely came off as competent but with a few valises in the hall closet.

Romney looked better (to me) than I had seen him before. He was well prepped and looked the model of executive competence. His major asset is private sector experience and familiarity with government relationships.

Ron Paul had my benefit of the doubt going into the event. I've previously expressed here that I thought he was a loon, but his recent surge in the polls caused me to give him a second look. He didn't disappoint. Every time he opened his mouth he looked like a nut job. Whether it was rambling about Austrian economists or single-handedly cutting a trillion off the budget in his first year, or reverting to 19th century isolationism, he always sounded like a fringe weirdo.

Michelle Bachman confirmed my judgment that she is a button-pushing harpy with little in the way of policy suggestions or reasonable proposals. Like a yippy little Pomeranian she barks with more noise than her bite justifies.

Rick Santorum is a conundrum. He should have more traction, but he simply isn't lighting the electorate's fire. Can't figure out why.

Rick Perry sinks further in my estimation. He simply isn't bringing the right sized guns to the OK corral. He may not possess such weapons.

And poor John Huntsman, who should have some level of appeal, continues to mumble about Utah's success and how to be an ambassador to Beijing. I honestly think even I could effectively govern a state which is predominantly white, hard-working and moral. It can't be that hard with that environment.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ed, the real question you need to ask isn't what they stand for because from your PoV all of these candidates are better than The O-man.

The real question is are they electable?

Romney can't generate tea party support. Can't win without it and not sure he can win with it hiding a 150 boxes of records from his time as Gov.

Newt is unelectable no matter how much he tries to channel Reagan. Way too much baggage. Hope he gets the nomination ;-)

the rest are simply lightweights.

Now if Jeb Bush decided to run...

Anonymous said...

~Leadfoot posting above at 14 after the hour

Dweezil Dwarftosser said...

For the record: The majority of Americans know that any of those candidates (even crazy Uncle Ron Paul) are better than the Obumbler.

Hell - Larry, the cable guy would be a better candidate.

My only question is who will be the Democrats' choice at their convention? Shrillary is all they've got left.

Anonymous said...

Benjamin Netanyathu decided to have party elections becasue he beleives Obama will be re-elected. When you look at the election in a cold didpassionate manner instead of wishful thinking you'll get it.

~leadfoot

Anonymous said...

Nice summary. Take your pick-Romney or Newt. It is highly probable it will be one or the other. Me -I don't get to decide,I just get to vote for the nominee. I don't buy this stuff about the T-party folks won't support Romney. Do you think they will vote for BO?

Anonymous said...

Yup.He's a loon alright.The only one in the bunch that actually lives the constitution,and has the track record to prove it.Tell me which of those candidates most closely embodies the American Ideal as put forth by George Washington or Thomas Jefferson.

As for Romney,you better believe that if the Republican leadership puts him out front,you will not get Tea Party support for him.

I personally will vote for Obama if that is the case,rather than vote for the socialist lite.America needs to see what true leftist rule looks like,rather than the false hope that Romney or Gingrich would represent.

Maybe what this nation needs is a two by four upside the head to get our attention.

The Freeholder said...

I disagree with your take on Ron Paul. While I don't agree with all his positions (like him on economics and social issues; think he's somewhat off on foreign policy issues), he has one thing going to him that none of the others do--he tells you where he stands on an issue and then he stands there.

Romney is simply Obama Lite. Gingrich will do fine for a while, then do something utterly foolish and get us into something we won't be able to get out of. Bachman is great at soundbites. Huntsman, Santorum & Co. aren't getting traction for a simple reason--they're unlikeable--a cardinal sin in presidential politics.

Can't vote in the primaries in my state, as I'm registered Independent, so I'll get no say so in the matter. Personally, I wish every ballot had a "None of the above" choice--rule being that if Mr. None got a majority of the votes, there had to be a do-over and none of the current candidates were eligible to run.

Anonymous said...

That someone would vote for BO rather than Romney so we can see how bad things can really get is unbelievable. Let's sink the Titanic and let everyone die then maybe we will get safer ships.

Six said...

I'm also a bit mystified as to why Santorum isn't doing better. I don't have any theories except that he's being supported by Beck.

PickYourBattles.Net said...

I learned from the last election not to trust a candidate who didn't have a track record. Experience is actually valuable...because then you can see what you're really getting, not just what they say. Most politicians say anything and everything and contradict themselves enough that it's easy to spot the dishonest ones. But really good politicians without a track record can be consistent and still be liars.

Ron Paul has both the consistency in speech, and the consistency in a long record of experience. I don't agree with him on several things, but my Harvard wife and I just switched to Republican for the first time in our lives so that we can vote for him. He's honest and he understands how badly our country needs to get back to the Constitution.

The others are running for King. Ron Paul is running for President.

Ed Rasimus said...

Would this be the Ron Paul you are talking about:

http://hillbuzz.org/the-skeletons-in-ron-pauls-closet-78991

The Cynthia McKinney linkage is simply precious. Also like the Bradley Manning as a patriot concept. Yep, that Ron Paul is really tightly wound.