GOP Primaries/Candidates thread

[FlaSoxxJim]

Its driving around Florida while covered in Iowa themes?

 

I didn't see the back, but I assume it's still got the 99 checked off Iowa counties that were the first stops the bus made.

[southsider2k5]

You should have let the bus hit you in the rear . . .

 

ba ba dum dum dum . . . .

 

*rimshot*

 

Wow, I could imagine the links Balta would be posting now!

[Balta1701]

I think the media is getting the script down for how to embarrass Fred Thompson. The instructions are: "1. Ask him a question. 2. Let him answer."

Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson said Thursday he was unaware that a federal judge had ruled last week that lethal injection procedures in his home state were unconstitutional.

 

Thompson also told reporters that he was unaware the U.S. Supreme Court this week had agreed to consider a Kentucky case about whether lethal injection violates the Constitution's ban on cruel and unusual punishment.

 

Thompson's support for the death penalty was a major part of his campaign platform when he first ran for the U.S. Senate in Tennessee in 1994. Asked for his response to the recent Tennessee and Kentucky cases, Thompson responded, "I hadn't heard that. I didn't know."

 

Speaking to a group of reporters, Thompson said he didn't think lethal injections would violate Eighth Amendment rights.

 

"That certainly would be, according to my estimation, going further than the cruel and unusual punishment provision of the Constutution has gone," he said.

 

Tennessee this week postponed a scheduled execution because of a Nashville federal judge's ruling, while the Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear a challenge to the practice from two inmates on death row in Kentucky — a case that could further slow the pace of executions around the country.

Edited September 28, 2007 by Balta1701

[Balta1701]

Last night, there was a Republican debate held at Historically African American Morgan College, focused on minority issues. The 4 GOP front runners all skipped the event, so you had an actual chance to hear guys like Paul, Huckabee, Brownback, and Keyes talking.

[Texsox]

I think the media is getting the script down for how to embarrass Fred Thompson. The instructions are: "1. Ask him a question. 2. Let him answer."

 

He is running for President, how is he going to keep up with current events? More liberal media crushing the man.

[Balta1701]

Newt Flip Flops, decides now he's not going to run.

[kapkomet]

Newt Flip Flops, decides now he's not going to run.

He didn't have a chance anyway, so I don't know why he even left it open.

 

 

[mr_genius]

I think the media is getting the script down for how to embarrass Barack Obama. The instructions are: "1. Ask him a question. 2 Let him answer."

 

fixed it for you. so much for the media generated "super star". i haven't seen a single debate response or speech from the guy that has been at all impressive.

[southsider2k5]

I think the media is getting the script down for how to embarrass Fred Thompson. The instructions are: "1. Ask him a question. 2. Let him answer."

 

Where would we be without our daily Fred Thompson update... He must really scare people because they are really after him right out of the gates.

[Texsox]

Where would we be without our daily Fred Thompson update... He must really scare people because they are really after him right out of the gates.

 

The liberal media has already picked our next President and perhaps Freddy is the guy that could wreck their plans. Or perhaps this is their plan, discredit him early to thrown everyone off, then get him elected, after all he did work in their industry. My head spins trying to figure out their evil plans.

[kapkomet]

Where would we be without our daily Fred Thompson update... He must really scare people because they are really after him right out of the gates.

The interesting thing is - if he doesn't know about an issue, he is straight as an arrow: I don't know about that particular issue, I will get back to you. There's no political stupid s*** answer like you get with every other candidate. I guess candor has lost all its meaning, or to say it another way, he's just ignorant and stupid.

 

[Texsox]

The interesting thing is - if he doesn't know about an issue, he is straight as an arrow: I don't know about that particular issue, I will get back to you. There's no political stupid s*** answer like you get with every other candidate. I guess candor has lost all its meaning, or to say it another way, he's just ignorant and stupid.

 

This wouldn't happen if he had (D) after his name, you can count on that. The liberal media covers for all those candidates.

[kapkomet]

This wouldn't happen if he had (D) after his name, you can count on that. The liberal media covers for all those candidates.

This is universally true - they all have some spin answer instead of just straight up saying "I don't know, I'll research it and get back to you". Thompson just hasn't learned that he has to have some generic bulls*** answer for everything, even if he doesn't know a thing about it. He will though, give him time.

[southsider2k5]

This is universally true - they all have some spin answer instead of just straight up saying "I don't know, I'll research it and get back to you". Thompson just hasn't learned that he has to have some generic bulls*** answer for everything, even if he doesn't know a thing about it. He will though, give him time.

 

Don't even waste your time...

[BigSqwert]

This is universally true - they all have some spin answer instead of just straight up saying "I don't know, I'll research it and get back to you". Thompson just hasn't learned that he has to have some generic bulls*** answer for everything, even if he doesn't know a thing about it. He will though, give him time.

So I guess my question is what the heck has he been doing all year? How many "I don't know" answers is he going to give us?

[kapkomet]

So I guess my question is what the heck has he been doing all year? How many "I don't know" answers is he going to give us?

The only ones he's giving are the ones posted here every day, you know, the ones that are picked up by all the leftist blogs and MSM that Balta likes to quote on a daily basis.

[Texsox]

This is universally true - they all have some spin answer instead of just straight up saying "I don't know, I'll research it and get back to you". Thompson just hasn't learned that he has to have some generic bulls*** answer for everything, even if he doesn't know a thing about it. He will though, give him time.

 

As I have posted before, I don't expect a candidate to know everything about every issue. (Cuban health care comes to mind) I also give a lot of slack for mis speaks and mis quotes. It's a long campaign for everyone, candidates and reporters. So I really appreciate him saying I don't know. But he will have to get up to speed. I think it would be a sad day if someone gets elected by not answering. I disagree it's generic bulls*** answers that the other candidates give. I believe it can be repeated from memory and they do not even think anymore. All the questions about this topic get the same response. For example, you could ask any question about MLB and the response will be, How about them Cubs! After the Red Sox, and White Sox have won, isn't it exciting the Cubs are in the race? The question could have been about a player, team, or stadium and the response is the same. But even with this, it says something about what the candidate believes that you do not get with a "I don't know".

 

The more I've read about him, the more impressed I've become. He is a skilled campaigner and a good speaker, so I suspect he's going to make some strides here very shortly.

 

And don't worry SS, I won't waste my time on your posts either.

[BigSqwert]

Here are some highlights from a speech Huckabee made Friday morning at a foreign policy forum hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C.

 

The Administration has never done an adequate job explaining the theology and ideology behind Islamic terror, never done an adequate job of convincing us of their ruthless fanaticism. The first rule of war is “Know your enemy,” and most Americans don’t. To grasp the magnitude of the threat, we first have to understand what makes Islamic terrorists – and their suicide bombs – tick, and the Administration has not explained it well. Very few Americans are familiar with the writings of Sayyid Qutb, the Egyptian radical executed in 1966, and the Muslim Brotherhood, whose call to active jihad, influenced bin Laden and the rise of Al Qaeda. Qutb is to bin Laden as Karl Marx is to Lenin. Qutb raged against the decadence and sin he saw around him and sought to restore what he considered the “pure” Islam of the seventh century. Besides opposing non-Muslims, besides opposing Shiites, he was a Sunni who opposed Sunni governments because he believed they required their citizens to worship them like “gods,” and so were guilty of a polytheism forbidden by Islam. To him, the only answer was a return to a theocratic caliphate without national borders, and he saw nothing decadent or sinful in murder to achieve that end. Americans, who go to extreme lengths to save lives, can’t comprehend human beings who delight in taking lives, it just doesn’t compute. In our culture, the death of a child is about the worst trial a person can endure, while parents of suicide bombers feel joy, not grief. We believe that every individual has intrinsic worth and value. This culture of life is a cornerstone of our society, illuminated by the conflict with the Islamic jihadists and their culture of death.

 

Many Iranians are well-disposed toward us. We should remember that on 9/11, while there was dancing in the street in other parts of the Muslim world, there were candlelight vigils and mourning in Tehran. When we first invaded Afghanistan, Iran helped us, especially in our dealings with their allies, the Northern Alliance. They wanted to join us in fighting Al Qaeda, hoping this would lead to better U. S.-Iranian relations. The CIA and the State Department supported this partnership, but some in the White House and Pentagon did not. When President Bush included Iran in his Axis of Evil, everything went downhill fast. As the only presidential candidate with a theology degree, along with years of political experience, I know that theology is black and white, but politics is not. My enemy today on one issue is my friend tomorrow on another.

 

The bottom line is this: Iran is a regional threat to the balance of power in the Middle and Near East; Al Qaeda is an existential threat to the United States. I know we can’t live with Al Qaeda, but there’s a chance that we can live with a domesticated Iran. There is no way Iran will acquire nuclear weapons on my watch. But before I look parents in the eye to explain why I had to put their son’s or daughter’s life at risk in military action against Iran, I want to know that I have done everything possible to avoid that conflict.

 

While I disagree strongly with Democrats who claim that we are fighting on the wrong battlefield, I am convinced that our focus on Iraq at the expense of Pakistan or Iran is like dealing with a neighbor’s house that is on fire, while ignoring the house on the other side that is filled with carbon monoxide. Iraq may be the “hot” war, but Pakistan is where the cold, calculating planning is going on. Al Qaeda in Iraq is a branch office, corporate headquarters is in Pakistan. If Al Qaeda attacks us tomorrow, that attack will be postmarked Pakistan, not Iraq. Pakistan is the new Afghanistan.

 

Musharraf’s top priority is not American survival, but his own, both physical and political. While he does his best to convince the Administration that our destiny and his are inextricably interwoven – that after him, the deluge – it is not true. Musharraf isn’t keeping Islamic extremists from seizing power in Pakistan, they simply don’t have the strength and support to do it.

 

Full Transcript

 

Edited October 1, 2007 by BigSqwert

[southsider2k5]

Wow. That might be one of the best speeches I have seen during this whole election cycle. Huckabee actually understands the history and sociology behind what is happening in the middle east, versus trying to read Islam through the eyes of American Christianity.

[Texsox]

Iraq may be the “hot” war, but Pakistan is where the cold, calculating planning is going on. Al Qaeda in Iraq is a branch office, corporate headquarters is in Pakistan. If Al Qaeda attacks us tomorrow, that attack will be postmarked Pakistan, not Iraq. Pakistan is the new Afghanistan.

 

Among many moments I was , I saw this. Great sound byte and true.

 

All the more reason to regain flexibility in our military by getting out of Iraq sooner, rather than later.

[StrangeSox]

Fantastic speech (at least the parts posted by BS).

[kapkomet]

I'll ask you directly, B.S., what do you think about that speech?

[BigSqwert]

I'll ask you directly, B.S., what do you think about that speech?

I think this line from his speech sums up my thoughts best: We can’t ‘export’ democracy as if it was Coca Cola or KFC, but we can nurture native moderate forces in all these countries where Al Qaeda seeks to replace modern evil with medieval evil.

 

Overall a very good speech from Huckabee.

Edited October 1, 2007 by BigSqwert

[kapkomet]

I think this line from his speech sums up my thoughts best: We can’t ‘export’ democracy as if it was Coca Cola or KFC, but we can nurture native moderate forces in all these countries where Al Qaeda seeks to replace modern evil with medieval evil.

 

Overall a very good speech from Huckabee.

Obviously, I suffer from not being able to articulate things because I agree 100% with what you picked out of that speech, and I've said it here and other places: it's ABSOLUTELY the way this president and others have presented this "war on terror". This speech sums up this struggle about the best I have seen it done.

 

I wish that the knuckleheads in Washington could see things this way instead of screaming back and forth for the power elements.

 

[Balta1701]

The McCain campaign raised roughly $5 million in the 3rd quarter, but also holds $2 million in debt.

 

The Thompson campaign is saying they raised $8 million.

 

The Huckabee campaign seems to be saying it will not announce its numbers until the FEC releases them on October 15th.

Edited October 1, 2007 by Balta1701