The American Spectator : The Spectacle Blog : Tonight's Debate, Part II

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Responding to immigration questions from Susan Ferrechio of the Washington Examiner, Romney gives the most polished answer, Cain gives the most charming answer ("America's got to learn how to take a joke," he quips, in reference to his previous suggestion that the border be guarded with electric fences in addition to moats and alligators), and Gingrich gives the wonkiest answer. With Ron Paul dragging troop withdrawal from Afghanistan and Iraq into the question, everyone is playing his part.

After Pawlenty owns up to, and apologizes for, raising cigarette fees, Bachmann attacks him again, suggesting, inaccurately, that he gave Minnesota legislators the choice to either oppose raising fees or opposing abortion. The two then get mixed up in another war of words.

Pawlenty and Bachmann fighting each other is perfect for Romney, but Chris Wallace leads Pawlenty to follow up on his infamous "ObamaneyCare" dig at Romney's health care record, and he does, following up with an attack on Romney's spending record. This is the first time Romney is challenged. Yet Pawlenty doesn't go beyond merely asserting that Romneycare and Obamacare are similar, lessening the impact of his accusation. Romney is able to respond with his canned defense of his bill, which includes a reference to the 10th amendment.

Bachmann follows up with a promise to not rest until Obamacare is repealed. No reference to what she would replace Obamacare with, though, nor any suggestion that she favors any other reforms.

View all comments (6) | Leave a comment

CalMark| 8.11.11 @ 10:36PM

You really HATE Bachmann, don't you, Lawler?

Sheesh.

simon templar| 8.11.11 @ 11:42PM

Winning this election is quite simple. I am afraid however, that, as usual, many Republicans ...particularly politicians just can not seem to get past their handlers, talking heads, and the typical stupid conventional wisdom.

Here it is loud and clear.
It is about real ideas and solutions, stupid!
It is about the economy, jobs, and government out of control, stupid!
It is about the POSER (and the Dem Party) currently sitting in the white house!

It is not about tearing each other apart or scoring points for yourself. These debates are idiotic, entertain only talking heads, and provide little for the public other than propaganda and group think.

Mike 3/505| 8.12.11 @ 8:24AM

When the candidates are encouraged by the press to bad mouth each other...they need to refuse to play that game...and pointedly so.

Regards,

Mike

Clint| 8.12.11 @ 12:43AM

Don't Let The Mainstream Media Orchestrate The 2012 Elections.

The Tea Party Rebellion Is Now In Iowa.

Rise Up.

jo blo| 8.12.11 @ 2:47AM

Do we need to replace obamacare with anything? Or pass any 'reform' for that matter?

darcy| 8.12.11 @ 5:43AM

To jo blo: NO. The feds need to let the market work; where they have placed regulations that impede the market, they need to remove them and allow the states to handle whatever regs the people of those states deem necessary. The states, for example, should all have stiff tort reform laws that end the lottery mentality.