Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

These days, even the boring Republicans are nuts.

Oppose, oppose, oppose. Do not congratulate. This is not business as usual.

Second rate reporter says what?

“Just close your eyes and kiss the girl and go where the tilt-a-whirl takes you.” ~OzarkHillbilly

The fight for our country is always worth it. ~Kamala Harris

We are builders in a constant struggle with destroyers. keep building.

Never entrust democracy to any process that requires republicans to act in good faith.

You don’t get to peddle hatred on saturday and offer condolences on sunday.

Hey Washington Post, “Democracy Dies in Darkness” is supposed to be a warning, not a mission statement.

My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

We won’t go back.

They traffic in fear. it is their only currency. if we are fearful, they are winning.

Proof that we need a blogger ethics panel.

We cannot abandon the truth and remain a free nation.

We know you aren’t a Democrat but since you seem confused let me help you.

Wake up. Grow up. Get in the fight.

The real work of an opposition party is to oppose.

Republicans cannot even be trusted with their own money.

It’s the corruption, stupid.

I desperately hope that, yet again, i am wrong.

Fear or fury? The choice is ours.

Stop using mental illness to avoid talking about armed white supremacy.

Whatever happens next week, the fight doesn’t end.

Let the trolls come, and then ignore them. that’s the worst thing you can do to a troll.

You are here: Home / Elections / Election 2012 / GOP Debate Open Thread

GOP Debate Open Thread

by | 274 Comments

This post is in: , ,

(Tom Toles via GoComics.com)

This one’s sponsored by CNN, out of Charleston. Richard Adam’s Guardian liveblog here.
***********

Stolen from earlier thread, Because of Wow:

The Other Chuck – January 19, 2012 | 7:06 pm
__
Newt asked Callista for an open marriage so he could FUCK ALL 300 MILLION OF US.

***********
From the Guardian:

8.33pm: Our correspondent Ewen MacAskill is at the debate venue here in Charleston and gives his thoughts on Newt Gingrich’s beat-up of CNN’s super-dumb questioning about his second wife:

It was a good tactic for Gingrich to shift the onus onto the media, criticising John King for starting the presidential debate with it. Media-bashing proved popular with this Republican audience and probably goes down well nationwide. It has worked for Gingrich in earlier debates.
__
But maybe he made too much of it, going on just a bit too long. Many millions watching would have been unaware of the Marianne Gingrich interview: the former House speaker has just provide great advertising for the ABC interview. He has just ensured many of them will be tuning in to hear it…

Let’s hope ABC takes full advantage. Juicy details of all three marriages?
***********

9:06pm: Asked when the candidates should release their tax returns, Newt Gingrich quips “an hour ago” (he has just released his). Ron Paul says he hasn’t because he earns so little he’s embarrassed. And somehow Mitt Romney blames Obama for insisting on it – which is weird.
__
“I want to make sure I beat President Obama and everytime we release things we get drip, drip drip … my taxes are carefully managed,” says Romney.

Next ad from President Obama’s re-election campaign: Do you think a guy who can’t take responsibility for ‘carefully managing’ his own taxes is capable of leading America in this big, messy world?
***********

9:53pm: We are in the final strait of this debate, and the candidates are being offered a final statement, although in a stupid way, the choice being offered is: should South Carolina vote for Mitt Romney or not?
__
Who is writing your questions, CNN? An drunken intern, it would seem. Possibly a not very bright drunken intern.

Reader Interactions

274Comments

  1. 1.

    dmsilev

    Introducing the candidates. We have vulture capitalist, insane egomaniac, Unfortunate Google Problem, and insane paranoid dwarf.

    Drink up.

  2. 2.

    beltane

    I have to drive shortly so drinking yet. I do feel this debate will be worth watching but not while sober.

  8. 8.

    dmsilev

    Introductions: Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney point out how many children they have and that they’re both on their first spouse each. Newt, strangely, chose not to take that route.

  11. 11.

    Violet

    Wow. Going for Newt’s philandering right off the bat. Home run for Newt. John King is an idiot for asking that question in that way.

  12. 12.

    lamh35

    Romney & sanatorium mention wives upfront. Kinda stupid on Romneys part makes him look desperate to me

  14. 14.

    dmsilev

    John King asks Gingrich about the fact that his ex-wife hates him. Gingrich slams his fist into King’s mouth, and the audience goes wild.

  19. 19.

    dmsilev

    Gingrich is going to town against John King and the media in general. The audience is eating this up, and King sounds like a sniveling wimp.

  20. 20.

    Violet

    The audience’s response to Gingrich’s answer was truly something to behold. These are the 27%ers.

  22. 22.

    Bondirotta

    King looks stricken – awesome. Smarmy bastard.

    This is turning into a huge win for Newt. Loving it!!!!

    Newt is MAULING King. This must be so annoying to Romney.

    Five standing ovations For Newt so far……

  24. 24.

    Benjamin Franklin

    Representative Patrick McHenry, R-NC – did not serve. Saw fit to endanger American troops’ lives after a visit to Iraq by violating operational security and helping militias target their mortar attacks on the Green Zone.
    Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-KY – did not serve (1)
    Senate Assistant Minority Leader Trent Lott, R-MI – avoided the draft, did not serve.
    Senate Republican Conference Chairman Jon Kyl, R-AZ – did not serve.
    Senate Republican Conference Vice Chair John Cornyn, R-TX – did not serve.
    National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair John Ensign, R-NV – did not serve.

    House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-OH – did not serve.
    House Minority Whip Roy Blunt, R-MO – did not serve.
    House Republican Conerence Chair Adam Putnam, R-FL – did not serve.
    House Republican Policy Committee Thaddeus McCotter, R-MI – did not serve.
    National Republican Congressional Committee Chair Tom Cole, R-OK – did not serve.

    Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani – did not serve.
    Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney – did not serve in the military but did serve the Mormon Church on a 30-month mission to France.
    Former Senator Fred Thompson – did not serve.
    Senator John McCain – McCain’s naval honors include the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross. Why did the Bush campaign smear him so in 2000? At least Senators Cleland (D-GA), Kerry (D-MA), Kerrey (D-NE), Robb (D-VA) and Hagel (R-NE) defended him.

    Click on the logo above to join America’s oldest and most respected environmental organization, and stop Bush’s all-out assault on our environment.
    Former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert – avoided the draft, did not serve.
    Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey – avoided the draft, did not serve.
    Former House Majority Leader Tom Delay – avoided the draft, did not serve (1). “So many minority youths had volunteered … that there was literally no room for patriotic folks like himself.”
    Former House Majority Whip Roy Blunt – did not serve
    Former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist – did not serve. (An impressive medical resume, but not such a friend to cats in Boston.)
    Rick Santorum, R-PA, formerly third ranking Republican in the Senate – did not serve. (1)
    George Felix Allen, former Republican Senator from Virginia – a supporter of Nixon and the Vietnam war, did not serve. (1)

    Former Secretary of Defense Don Rumsfeld – served in the U.S. Navy (1954-57) as an aviator and flight instructor. (1) Served as President Reagan’s Special Envoy to the Middle East and met with Saddam Hussein twice in 1983 and 1984.
    GW Bush – decided that a six-year Nat’l Guard commitment really means four years. Still says that he’s “been to war.” Huh?
    VP Cheney – several deferments (1, 2), the last by marriage (in his own words, “had other priorities than military service”) (1)
    Former Att’y Gen. John Ashcroft – did not serve (1, 2); received seven deferment to teach business ed at SW Missouri State
    Jeb Bush, Florida Governor – did not serve. (1)

    Karl Rove – avoided the draft, did not serve (1), too busy being a Republican.
    Former Speaker Newt Gingrich – avoided the draft, did not serve (1, 2)
    Former President Ronald Reagan – due to poor eyesight, served in a noncombat role making movies for the Army in southern California during WWII. He later seems to have confused his role as an actor playing a tail gunner with the real thing.
    “B-1” Bob Dornan – avoided Korean War combat duty by enrolling in college acting classes (Orange County Weekly article). Enlisted only after the fighting was over in Korea.
    Phil Gramm – avoided the draft, did not serve, four (?) student deferments
    Congressman Ron Paul – active duty flight surgeon from 1963-65; Air National Guard from 1965-68. (link)
    Former Senator Bob Dole – an honorable man. http://www.bobdole.org/bio/wwII.php
    Chuck Hagel – two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star, Vietnam. http://www.senate.gov/~hagel/Information/bio.htm
    Duke Cunningham – nominated for the Medal of Honor, received the Navy Cross, two Silver Stars, fifteen Air Medals, the Purple Heart, and several other decorations Recently entered plea bargain on felony charges of bribery, etc. etc.
    Senator Jeff Sessions U.S. Army Reserves, 1973-1986
    Colin Powell. What are we to make of Powell? On the one hand, a long career as a military manager. On the other hand, accused of covering up the My Lai massacre. Back on that first hand, one of the seemingly sane voices in this administration when it comes to Iraq (or at least he used to be). On the other hand, a clear hypocrite (“I am angry that so many of the sons of the powerful and well-placed… managed to wangle slots in Reserve and National Guard units…”)
    Representative Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD), served in USMC in Vietnam; wounded in action.

  26. 26.

    lamh35

    Sorry, but John King walked right into that one, and Newt totally punked him…that answer might just have won him the SC primary.

    Stupid to open with the question.

  27. 27.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Bondirotta: This sounds like the Pats-Broncos game was for me. I’m not so much a fan of the winner as I can’t stand the loser.

  29. 29.

    mdblanche

    Good Lord, another debate? I’ve lost count. Is this debate number aleph null or number aleph one?

  30. 30.

    Ben Cisco

    @Benjamin Franklin:

    “I’m the only US Veteran on this stage tonight.”

    Which means exactly jack and squat considering he’s on stage with a bunch of fellow lunatics.
    __
    Actually, as a veteran myself I find it WORSE because at one time he actually took an oath to defend the country he seems determined to destroy.

  32. 32.

    Benjamin Franklin

    King sounds like a sniveling wimp.

    I disagree. He remained calm and collected during Gnoots attack mode.

  33. 33.

    Bondirotta

    Romney IS pissed off…. Glorious start.

    The best scenario is Romney losing by six points in SC And being forced to wage scorched earth strategy in Florida.

  34. 34.

    eric

    @lamh35: king has never been very bright…you wait for the other candidates to bring it up or you ask them if they think it should matter to voters. wow, what a moran

  35. 35.

    Leadpipe

    Repeal Dodd Frank. Everyone knows it was too much regulation of our financial services industry that caused this mess.

  40. 40.

    hitchhiker

    come on, mitt . . . do the math. take your time. tell us how you did your thing at bain.

    and mitt says obama hates capitalism.

  41. 41.

    4tehlulz

    Good work on handing SC to Newt CNN.

    You can fill another six weeks worth of airtime with the revived GOP race.

  42. 42.

    dmsilev

    Huh. King asks Romney to defend himself on Bain. Romney ignores him and goes into standard anti-Obama stump speech #3. And when John King tries to persist, Romney tries to pretend that capitalism is on trial.

  44. 44.

    Bondirotta

    Romney is defensive, cranky and programmed. Applause is muted and hesitant. He is rushing through hisbuklet points. Looking good…

  47. 47.

    DCLaw1

    If anyone wondered how many GOP voters would react to the Gingrich story today, they need only see the debate audience’s euphoric screaming in response to Newt’s counterattack against King’s question.

    Newt will not be weakened tomorrow. He very well may win SC.

  51. 51.

    Benjamin Franklin

    What do y’all expect. Pressers are the only source of info that is less revealing than debates on live TeeVee.

  52. 52.

    Hal

    Just listened to Rep Tim Scott on All Things Considered where he said among other things that Newt’s words were being taken out of context, and then went on to defy what Newt actually said about black folks needing to want paychecks instead of food stamps, and say that Newt meant all Americans.

    Never mind Newt singled out black people. He also said Newt has done an enormous amount for the black community, though he didn’t elaborate. Guess there where just too many things to comment on that Newt has done for black folks. I think he and Trump must know the same people.

  53. 53.

    eric

    @DCLaw1: as someone that picked Newt to win the nomination when he announced, i justified my pick on just this: no one on that side of the aisle speaks into a mic with the same level of self-regard and fake knowledge as that blowhard. he just bullies past the truth in ways that the others cant. he may not win, but Dog in heaven, but the only thing better for obama would be a allen west write in.

  54. 54.

    DCLaw1

    @Maude: He seemed genuinely upset, almost on the verge of tears. It was weird. But highly effective, because he didn’t lose his verbal footing.

  58. 58.

    Ben Cisco

    Thank you, those who are watching this garbage. The whole lot of them has so thoroughly disgusted me that I cannot bear it.
    __
    At least TeaNN is getting their due for fellating these jackasses via hiring Ewick Son of Ewick and Dana Loesch. Way to suck up to the bullies, dumbasses!

  60. 60.

    dmsilev

    @Violet:

    Mitt’s trying to sound strong about what he did but he just sounds defensive.

    Just wait until they ask him about offshore accounts in the Cayman islands…

  63. 63.

    torpid bunny

    Newt is winning South Carolina. He’s brilliantly timed the buck-nasty phase of his campaign and is letting it all hang out. Newt’s like “This is MY Carolina. These are my people and I am their king”.

  64. 64.

    lamh35

    @Bondirotta: @Violet:

    he sounds like a poseur trying to sound tough…”cram it down Obama’s throat”??? Oh really Mitt, you a big man now. Obama will eat this dude for lunch in the debates.

    Romney betta thank his lucky stars for the Citzens United ruling.

  66. 66.

    Peter

    I could watch the debate…or I could watch the Starcraft II NASTL opening matches.

    Hmm, tough call.

  67. 67.

    Comrade Mary

    @John O: I’m streaming it with the sound turned down while reading other tabs. If anything really good comes up, Rumproast or you guys will alert me.

  69. 69.

    Maude

    @DCLaw1:
    Faked sincerity. He practiced well. It made him believable.
    He’s been in politics a long time and learned how to turn on ‘real’ emotion from Clinton.

  72. 72.

    Linda Featheringill

    @John O: #59

    I tried, I swear, but I can’t watch it. Too many lies.

    I can sympathize. I take a lot of breaks but still haven’t managed to watch a complete debate yet.

    Although Newt’s attack of the media was a work of art. :-)

  73. 73.

    Bondirotta

    One of Romney’s biggest flaws is that every debate line comes from stump speeches. He truly is programmed. He cannot come up with new crap for debates like Newt does. It’s incredibly boring and flat.

    It is puzzling.

  74. 74.

    eric

    @Maude: it is one thing ot look good next to these minor league rodeo clowns, but that rage wont work standing next to obama and speaking to the mushy middle target for the general election. please Dog let it be newt

  75. 75.

    jl

    Not sure I want to listen to this thing. But, you guys are making up shit about the debate, right? I guess I have to go click and look at it.

  76. 76.

    DCLaw1

    @Maude: There’s no question in my mind some of it was genuine. Some things can’t be faked. Gingrich may be a fucker, but I don’t doubt that this topic bothers him on some level, even if just because he knows how bad it makes him look.

  77. 77.

    MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson

    Go Newt. Unleash Operation Chaos on Mittflop Smarmy. Make this primary run and run.

  79. 79.

    dmsilev

    Q: “Obamacare is already doing some good. So, if you repeal it, what then?”
    Romney: “Well, we’ll wave a magic wand and let people own their own insurance”

    And frankly, insurance that operated “like Amtrak and the Post Office” would be about 4 big steps up from what we have now.

  81. 81.

    lamh35

    I hate to say it, but I think unless someone faints on stage, Newt has already won this debate and maybe the primary.

    Who wants to bet the lead headline about the debate are already written?

    “Newt Defiant”….sounds about right.

    By doing what he did and with John Kin’s help of putting the question out there first, Newt has essentially neutralized the attacks on the marriage in this debate. Santorum or Romney will looks like douches if they bring it up now.

  82. 82.

    Egg Berry

    The fucking post office! It’s been around since the beginning of the Republic, you lying fucks!

  89. 89.

    Benjamin Franklin

    @DCLaw1:

    but I don’t doubt that this topic bothers him on some level, even if just because he knows how bad it makes him look.

    A charitable position, but I think he feels bad only because he looks bad

  90. 90.

    DCLaw1

    @lamh35:

    I hate to say it, but I think unless someone faints on stage, Newt has already won this debate and maybe the primary.

    Yup.

  92. 92.

    MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson

    Vulture grins insincerely, Dweeb rants on, Krazy Granddad is out of it, and Angry Pervert looks distinctly warm in the under-collar regions.

  93. 93.

    Bondirotta

    Santorum’s weakness could be the crucial news here. If he collapses, those votes go directly to Newt.

  96. 96.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Watching Ed Schultz: Newt Gingrich released last year’s tax returns. He actually made three million dollars selling those silly books and videos.

    I don’t suppose anyone has asked Romney about “Let Detroit go bankrupt” given that GM recently regained first place among world wide auto makers. Has this come up in any debate? the slowly shrinking unemployment rate?

  97. 97.

    Judas Escargot

    @Egg Berry:

    FDR confiscated all the gold and converted America to the ruble shortly after McKinley was assassinated by Woodrow Wilson. He then used the proceeds to start the Depression, expanding government powers so that he count invent Social Security, the Post Office, Obamacare and Hitler.

    Or something.

  99. 99.

    Bondirotta

    Santorum’s super nasty attack on Mitt’s health care policy won him the biggest applause of the night…. Romney’s grin is defying into a rictus.

  101. 101.

    Phylllis

    @Hal: Tim Scott graduated from my alma mater. Every time I see him at a football game I want to smash him in the face. Infuriating little weasel.

  102. 102.

    MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson

    So Romneycare isn’t evil, just not good enough for anywhere but the Soc.ial.ist hellholes of Massachusetts where they are apparently oddly happy with it?

  104. 104.

    dmsilev

    Romney taking some heavy fire on Romneycare. If the field was competent, he’d have faced that fire four or five months ago. Yet, here we are.

  107. 107.

    Bondirotta

    Romney is actually defending Massachusetts health care policy!!

    How dumb is he?

    Carolina yokels are deathly silent.

  108. 108.

    dmsilev

    Ooh, Gingrich goes for the teleprompter joke. Newt Gingrich, the personification of the id of the Republican Party.

  109. 109.

    scav

    @dmsilev: I can see that too, but I generally don’t get the sick pit of the stomach feeling that a civilized person shouldn’t be watching this shit from a flea circus. Or are your fleas at a Nuremberg Rally?

  112. 112.

    danimal

    Today is the first day I haven’t believed that Mitt is a lead-pipe cinch to win the GOP nomination. Newt may get some big mo coming out of SC and into FL/Super Tuesday.

    Heaven smiles upon Obama.

  114. 114.

    Bondirotta

    Santorum: you are defending the plan!!

    Romney is STILL defending the massachusetts plan. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

  117. 117.

    Elizabelle

    Remember this audience when you make your vacation plans.

    Don’t spend your money in South Carolina with the 27%.

  118. 118.

    MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson

    I do enjoy watching these lunatics washing their mutual dirty laundry in public. Such hatred, such rage, such screams of derision. And that’s only Gingrich.

  121. 121.

    jl

    Oh Christ, after lying his ass off over his previous positions, Newt roles out the 3 hour Lincoln Douglas debate without teleprompter joke, like a Henny Youngman one liner.

    The audience is eating up Newt’s droppings like they were chocolate drops.

    Paul says in the 60s there was no one on the street suffering from no medical care. I’ll tune in later.

    This debate is a nut house. And the audience are acting like idiots.

    Eff it. These guys are just throwing out punch lines. A joke.

  123. 123.

    MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson

    @Elizabelle:

    Could we just dig a large moat around South Crazylina, fill it with alligators and declare our independence from them?

  125. 125.

    dmsilev

    Oh, this should be fun. Newt just released his tax info, and that will be the topic after the break. Governor Romney, download your evasive response now.

  126. 126.

    ChrisNYC

    Gotta say that was pretty brilliant for Gingrich’s campaign to release the returns during the debate.

  131. 131.

    lamh35

    Newt so full of himself. He really seems to think that Obama is not smart or intelligent doesn’t he. the idea that Santorum even dared to say that Newt couldn’t debate Obama on healthcare made mr “mistress marrying” gingrich look at him all askance like how dare you sir say I can’t beat that negro…

    ugh hate newt, but love him beating shit outta romney.

  132. 132.

    General Stuck

    @John O:

    The good news is while Newt would be a stronger opponent in a base only election, he is, and has been hated by indie swing voters for a long time. They neither like nor trust him, and the polls show this ceiling he created a long time ago. Plus, he would, I think, serve to energize the dem base as much as he could fire up the winger base. If Newt pulls it out for the nom, we will have the mother of all nasty elections, and Obama will have to be willing to confront and match that to some degree.

  133. 133.

    Bondirotta

    Releasing the tax returns tonight was a genius move. Much love. Let’s see if Romney chokes on his bile….

  135. 135.

    Judas Escargot

    Ron Paul’s first encounter with Big Government was when they started forcing him to wash his hands between patients.

  136. 136.

    torpid bunny

    When Newt speaks the faces of the audience are filled with joy and laughter. He has them eating out of his hand. Santorum looks like such a hopeless dweeb and Gingrinch just smirks at him. Romney tries heroic measures to defend something where Newt would just crack a one liner.

  137. 137.

    Violet

    How would Newt do against Obama? I’d like to think Obama would crush him, but there’s that 27% floor that’ll vote for anyone the Republicans dish up. Women won’t vote for Newt, well, most women anyway.

    He scares me, though. He’s so glib and lies so easily. And Big Money knows he’d do anything for a buck. They could own him.

  138. 138.

    lamh35

    @dmsilev: @ChrisNYC:

    if he’s smart laid the trap for Romney by releasing his tax returns during the debate so you know CNN has to ask about it. it practically a lay-up shot.

    Let’s see if Romney has finally come up with a better answer.

  140. 140.

    MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson

    Santorum starts methodically castrating Newt.

    “These are not cogent thoughts”.

    WTF did you expect in a GOP debate?

  141. 141.

    Elizabelle

    @MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson:

    Yesh. With a guarded bridge for the good folk who want to evacuate.

    I am really wondering what Lindsey Graham plans to do next. His Senate term is up in 2014, I think, and this is the crowd he faces in the primaries.

    Caught NBC News tonight. Tom Brokaw reporting from SC; Graham says he thinks state will go with the conservative who’s electable (thinking he did not mean Newt); footage of DeMented gladhanding and voiceover that DeMint is the state’s favorite senator.

  145. 145.

    pseudonymous in nc

    @lamh35:

    John King walked right into that one, and Newt totally punked him…that answer might just have won him the SC primary. Stupid to open with the question.

    If you think that CNN’s invested in the idea of a drawn-out primary battle (with CNN-sponsored debates) and not having Mittens wrap it up in the next couple of weeks, you might think that it was meant to turn out exactly that way.

  147. 147.

    Danny

    JonahNRO RT @RameshPonnuru: Man is Romney blowing it tonight.
    13 minutes ago

    RameshPonnuru Man is Romney blowing it tonight.
    13 minutes ago

  148. 148.

    Redshift

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    I don’t suppose anyone has asked Romney about “Let Detroit go bankrupt” given that GM recently regained first place among world wide auto makers. Has this come up in any debate? the slowly shrinking unemployment rate?

    I don’t think it was in a debate, but the last time Romney was asked about that, he just lied and said he supported the rescue of the auto industry.

  150. 150.

    Violet

    What is Santorum going on about? I can hear he’s animated, but I have no idea what he’s talking about.

  151. 151.

    MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson

    I am getting the impression that his dear colleagues might be just a little weary of Newt.

  152. 152.

    Elizabelle

    Watching “The Ed Show.”

    Richard Wolfe saying (paraphrase) SC voters prefer people who sin big and seek forgiveness.

    Whereas Mitt Romney sins by having caffeinated drinks.

  155. 155.

    Scott

    I don’t think it is mentioned and I know Callista is not running for President but…. First Home Wrecker?….. First a billion other rude remarks. I just don’t see her in the role.

  157. 157.

    MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson

    Romney now claims to have lived in the real streets of America! As opposed to the virtual streets of Bain?

  162. 162.

    dmsilev

    @John O: By this time tomorrow, he’ll be doing campaign rallies wearing a backwards-facing baseball cap.

    Mitt, keepin’ it real.

  164. 164.

    Judas Escargot

    From now on, whenever Romney speaks, I’ll hear the theme song to Baretta in my head.

    Thanks for the lifetime earworm, Mitt.

  165. 165.

    jl

    This seems to be the Reagan encomium section.

    Why not just consult the Reagan diaries and see which of the candidates (or their fathers) gets the most favorable mentions.

  168. 168.

    MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson

    Ron Paul wants to audit the Fed but not himself. Freedom, man, freedom and Ron Paul!

  169. 169.

    Bondirotta

    He done fucked up the tax info release answer.

    How can he be this bumbling? How did he not prep for this question?

    He is literally stammering.

  172. 172.

    dmsilev

    Mitt Romney trying to tie releasing his tax returns to a partisan attack from Obama.

    It isn’t working. He really sounds like he’s hiding a whole sheaf of secrets.

  176. 176.

    MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson

    Newt is really smashing Romney’s knees with the Mean Hammer tonight.

    Rick Santorum really does say “Hehehe”. Alarming.

  177. 177.

    Anne Laurie

    @Violet:

    He scares me, though. He’s so glib and lies so easily. And Big Money knows he’d do anything for a buck. They could own him.

    Nah, Big Money knows — from prior experience — that the Swollen Amphibian can’t be trusted to stay with the talking points once the check has cleared. IIRC, one reason Newt got bounced by his own side in 1994, the GOP Permanent Government told him to power down all the public outrage about the Clenis, only Ther Professor just knew that the ordinary right-thinking American would rather hear old white guys bully Monica on CNN than have those old white guys doing something that might actually be useful towards running the country. Newt’s ego will always win an argument with Newt’s strategery-brain, which makes him a lousy whore shill.

  180. 180.

    dmsilev

    Hah. Romney’s being asked to live up to his father’s tax release record.

    Answer: “Maybe”

    I think at least one campaign aide just slit their throat on hearing that.

  181. 181.

    Bondirotta

    Wow… Audience booing at Romney’s flippant tax answer.

    Stammering again.

    Mentioned his Mexican father. Not exactly an applause line.

  183. 183.

    Redshift

    @lamh35:

    Newt so full of himself. He really seems to think that Obama is not smart or intelligent doesn’t he.

    Maybe, or maybe he just knows that the Republican base believes it, and Newt has that sociopathic ability to sincerely believe whatever is convenient for him to believe at any moment.

  184. 184.

    gbear

    @Bondirotta:

    Romney is getting pissed. Audience is not going for it.

    Romeny will probably be awake until 4am trying to figure out who to fire for this.

  185. 185.

    lamh35

    Finally someone brings up Mittens daddy who intitiated the whole tax releasing by Presidential candidates anyway…

    I guess the Romneybot is malfunctioning…

    “Danger Will Robinson, Danger Will Robinson!!!”

  187. 187.

    pseudonymous in nc

    If the Romneybot 3000 has been running for president these past seven years, you’d think he’d have massaged his tax returns into something respectable for at least that long, but apparently not.

  188. 188.

    dmsilev

    Fucked-up question. Apple doesn’t have 500,000 employees. They have subcontractors with a lot of people (e.g. Foxconn), but that’s not Apple.

  189. 189.

    jl

    Marianas slave labor Rih Anhorumh will now talk about how he will bring jobs back to the US by turning us into China.

  191. 191.

    MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson

    @gbear:

    Definitely time for Romney Corp to mercy kill some underperforming subsidiary corporations.

  192. 192.

    pseudonymous in nc

    If I were in the governor’s office in Raleigh, I’d have made “Come to North Carolina: We’re Not South Carolina” ads and had them playing during every break during these debates.

  193. 193.

    slag

    @General Stuck: You’re right. Though I have to say, if we can manage to make this election a choice rather than a tantrum, I’m convinced that the Republican nominee, whoever he may be, is dust. The challenge, though, is retaining the focus on choice. Choice choice choice choice choice…

  196. 196.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Redshift:

    Newt has that sociopathic ability to sincerely believe whatever is convenient for him to believe at any moment.

    Well put. That blogger whose very name seems to drive some people nuts (gaycatholictorygapmodel) made a good point that one of the essential weaknesses of Republicans in this round is they actually believe in their fantasy of Obama as propped up by a teleprompter, and a lot of them apparently believe that Newt Gingrich (in Ezra Klein’s phrase a stupid person’s idea of what a smart person sounds like) will destroy him in a debate. I suspect Newt believes this too, and Newt thinks Newt sounds very smart.

  197. 197.

    Cacti

    How would Newt do against Obama? I’d like to think Obama would crush him, but there’s that 27% floor that’ll vote for anyone the Republicans dish up.

    Considering Gnewt has 20 percent favorables with women, and 16 percent favorables with indies, I don’t see a scenario where he doesn’t get creamed in the general.

    I could even see Gnewt losing some McCain states.

  198. 198.

    Elizabelle

    @dmsilev:

    Why didn’t John King segue into question about GM (!), if they wanted to talk about business. Romney was discussing his father’s stint in the auto industry not 40 seconds before.

    (I peeked at CNN for a bit. Might catch the rebroadcast at 11 or later.)

  199. 199.

    jl

    Paul seems to be trying to revive his newsletter themes for a last push for SC votes. I guess if he figures they aren’t going to get reburied.

  201. 201.

    Benjamin Franklin

    On SOPA…..

    “The economic interest of Hollywood”

    Newt scores…..”I favor freedom”

    If the GOP candidate is smart he’ll focus on SOPA.

  203. 203.

    Redshift

    @Violet:

    How would Newt do against Obama? I’d like to think Obama would crush him, but there’s that 27% floor that’ll vote for anyone the Republicans dish up. Women won’t vote for Newt, well, most women anyway.

    That’s all it will take for him to lose. Remember, Republicans have gone so far into bashing minorities that it’s estimated that whoever is nominated will have to win 65% of the white vote to have a chance. Lose a big chunk of women, and there’s no way to manage that.

  204. 204.

    MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson

    Gingrich is totally dominating Romney in this debate.

    Definitely good news for John McCain!

  207. 207.

    David Koch

    PPP says Newt’s lead in S.C. is holding in their tracking poll.

    And after Newt’s overwhelming win in tonight’s red meat debate, it’s hard to see how Mittens wins on Saturday.

  211. 211.

    gbear

    Do you suppose someone has poked their head into the president’s office and said “Hey Barack, you gotta come watch this.”

  212. 212.

    jl

    Santorum: foreign pornographers are starving little grandmas living in SROs who are trying to eek by on their patent and copyright royalties.

  214. 214.

    ChrisNYC

    @jl: It’s interesting because Rupert Murdoch has been throwing out some very flattering stuff about Santorum. And Rupert is of course nuts in love with SOPA.

  215. 215.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    9:06pm: Asked when the candidates should release their tax returns, Newt Gingrich quips “an hour ago” (he has just released his).

    Sumbitch is not without a certain talent for being an asshole.

  216. 216.

    Benjamin Franklin

    Do you suppose someone has poked their head into the presidents office and said “Hey Barack, you gotta come watch this.”

    If you’re talking about SOPA; from your mouth to God’s ears.

  217. 217.

    dmsilev

    Commercial break. Ah, sweet oblivion.

    So. Mitt Romney and his tax returns. No matter what is or isn’t in them, we’ve learned that when Mitt gets pushed into discussing subjects that he doesn’t want to talk about, he falls all to pieces. He must lose a fortune (to ordinary people) every time he plays poker.

  218. 218.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @DCLaw1: Axelrod and Plouffe will have it memorized on Monday morning like a pair of junior high nerds on a school bus quoting Monty Python lines at each other in 1979. Not that I’d know anything about that.

  220. 220.

    dmsilev

    @David Koch:

    And after Newt’s overwhelming win in tonight’s red meat debate, it’s hard to see how Mittens wins on Saturday.

    Well, his ex-wife could reveal that she’s a lesbian and that Newt had a sex-change operation in order to be with her. That might do the trick.

  222. 222.

    Constance Rifle

    Oh dear Lord, they’re displaying that Tea Party Patriots logo like it’s an F’ing football team.

  223. 223.

    Judas Escargot

    Romney wants “to protect all the intellectual content on the internet”. And also, unicorns.

  225. 225.

    jl

    How many more of these loon show destruction derbies are there?

    The problem is that these debased sub bad Jerry Springer show spectacles performed in front of idiots will get the candidates and the GOP believing their own BS.

    They will think that repeating tired one liners about teleprompters, 3 hour LD debates, and not apologizing for being successful will be effective with the 83 (Edit: oops, 73 percent) saner percent of America.

  226. 226.

    cbear

    Earlier Romney literally said “….I was out in the streets” and some other bullshit about creating jobs, blah, blah, blah, in contrasting himself with Washington insiders Gnewt and Little Rickey.

    Does this now make him Slumdog On Car Millionaire???

    JGabriel???

  230. 230.

    David Koch

    watching Mittens get his ass handed to him by a disgraced, disgusting racist is priceless.

  237. 237.

    Redshift

    @jl:

    How many more of these loon show destruction derbies are there?

    I’m guessing they’ll keep having them as long as there is more than one non-Paul candidate in the race. Anyone who’s not the frontrunner would be a fool not to participate, and they’ve come too far for any frontrunner to refuse to participate and risk looking like he’s afraid of the others.

  239. 239.

    patrick the pedantic literalist

    “I-I-I-I’m not questioned on character or honesty very often.”

    Romney seems to have his problems with Newt.

  240. 240.

    Redshift

    Catching up on my Krugman:

    I view the primary race through the lens of the FOF theory — that’s for “fools and frauds”. It goes as follows: to be a good Republican right now, you have to affirm your belief in things that any halfway intelligent politician can see are plainly false. This leaves room for only two kinds of candidates: those who just aren’t smart and/or rational enough to understand the problem, and those who are completely cynical, willing to say anything to get ahead.

    He notes that Gingrich manages to be both.

  241. 241.

    dmsilev

    Jesus. Gingrich rips Romney on abortion (funding in Romneycare), and Romney spends a while hemming and hawing before even starting to answer. Romney really is floundering tonight.

  244. 244.

    SiubhanDuinne

    CNN cameras go to Callista, who has that little mentally-measuring-for-new-draperies smile on her face.

  245. 245.

    Hal

    @Judas Escargot:

    OMG! Evil Fred Thompson is in the audience!

    oh Fred. How difficult you made watching Law and Order. Thank God your ego forced you to leave a cush job and foolishly thing you could be President.

  246. 246.

    catclub

    @pseudonymous in nc: Exactly!
    Only someone who is not actually connected to the real world would not have done that. He _seems_ to think that as in all other things he will simply do what he wants and no one has ever said no to him, till now.

    Did he release any tax forms in 2008?
    Losing in 2008 should have been one case where the world did say no to him. Some people would learn from that.

    Maybe Romney actually _HAS_ massaged his tax returns for the past 5 years and when he releases will get a big publicity bounce, but if so, he is hiding it really well.

  247. 247.

    jayboat

    Clicking back and forth between you guys and Richard Adams at the Guardian is a helluva lot more fun than watching those clowns on the teevee.

  248. 248.

    catclub

    @eric: Yes. And Nancy Pelosi has the ethics committee report on Newt from when he was censured.

    Mitt is gonna be it.

  249. 249.

    patrick the pedantic literalist

    @catclub:

    I think Romney was waiting to be Mr. Inevitability before he released his tax forms. A close race in SC and Newt may change that.

  250. 250.

    Mike in NC

    @dmsilev:

    Romney really is floundering tonight.

    Noot needs to apply the coup de grace to Mitt ASAP. Maybe a couple more references to his Mexican heritage (“Willard the Wetback”). Then celebrate this comeback in SC by hosting a cross burning/prayer breakfast tomorrow morning.

    With one primary win each for Ricky (IA), Mitt (NH), and Newt (SC). Florida will be a bloodbath.

  251. 251.

    MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson

    I think South Carolina urgently needs a new state slogan. I propose:

    South Carolina: all ass-hat and no cattle.

  252. 252.

    rikyrah

    @catclub:

    Did he release any tax forms in 2008?
    Losing in 2008 should have been one case where the world did say no to him. Some people would learn from that.

    I’ve asked this question earlier today, because it popped into my mind yesterday:

    W-T-F did Romney think he was gonna do in 2008, if he had won the GOP Nomination? did his arrogant ass really think he wasn’t gonna have to release his tax returns?

    and, he’s been running since 2007…this mofo is actually arrogant enough not to have been planning for this situation?

    he’s LITERALLY been running for President since 2007, BUT says he’ll only release the 2011 return?

    he REALLY thought nobody was gonna ask for the returns, and folks would just say ‘ok’ to it?

  253. 253.

    MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson

    Ron Paul:

    “South Carolina is known for their love of liberty”

    Sure they are, Ronnie. *cough* 1860 *cough*

  258. 258.

    MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson

    Romney looks older and grimmer at the end of all this than I have ever seen him. That’s one seriously rattled cage he’s got there.

  259. 259.

    ChrisNYC

    Mitt never had to actually prove himself, to win anything ON HIS OWN. How many times has he said, “I agree completely with the Speaker”? Ummm, don’t say that to your opponent except in very very limited circumstance.

  260. 260.

    Frapalinger

    Willard is getting positively murdered tonight. I’m sure Mark Halperin will give his performance a B+.

  261. 261.

    Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)

    Someone needs to make the entire country of Germany sit down and watch this debate, telling them that if they blow up the world economy then one of these fuckers is going to be the next U.S. President. Hopefully that will scare them into getting off their asses.

  264. 264.

    Rhoda

    So, Mitt Romney has a glass jaw. It’s just crystal clear tonight; his money may save him now but it is going to kill him in the general. Republicans must be freaking now; because I think Romney’s candidacy would suppress the Republican base.

  266. 266.

    Killjoy

    Veritas mysteriously absent. Who’s going to say Romney’s got it locked up with UNLIMITED CORPORATE CASH?

  267. 267.

    Danny

    robertcostaNRO Strong debates for all. Mulling grades but I feel like a teacher grading overachievers in an honors class.

    No spin zone

  268. 268.

    dead existentialist

    Wow. Closing pitch from the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse at the Southern:

    Paul reminds us that the USA was founded on “property rights” (how high pitched was that whistle?).
    Gingrich reminds Southerners who can handles their “problems.”
    Romney invokes “meritocracy”??????????
    Santorum claims he can “win” a swing state (after he lost one by 18%).

    Irony officially died tonight.

  270. 270.

    JGabriel

    @jl:

    Oh Christ, after lying his ass off over his previous positions, Newt roles out the 3 hour Lincoln Douglas debate without teleprompter joke, like a Henny Youngman one liner.

    If Gingrich wins, that line is gonna bite him on the ass hard.

    Imagine this scenario: Obama takes up Newt on his 3 hour debate offer, eloquently kicks the shit out of him, and then ends the debate with, “Hey, look Newt, no teleprompter.”

    .

  271. 271.

    JGabriel

    Questions for Gingrich:

    1) Given your response about being appalled by the media asking about your past marital indiscretions, will you be apologizing to President Clinton?

    2) Do you think Family Values are best pursued by divorcing a spouse in the aftermath of marital infidelities, as you did, twice, or working through marital difficulties and staying married, as President Clinton and his wife did?

    3) Follow-up: What can you say to the American people to assure them that the Democratic Party won’t attack your personal life and seek impeachment as you and your party did to President Clinton while you were Speaker of the House?

    .

  273. 273.

    JCT

    @Cacti:

    Considering Gnewt has 20 percent favorables with women

    Wow, I am shocked that it is this high. Who the hell are these idiots? Ladies, really — Noot only thinks women are good for ONE thing. Period.

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