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

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At last, some discussion of what's going on in the world. Huntsman wants the troops to leave Afghanistan, and then makes an utterly wrongheaded comment, namely that we need to do "nation-building at home." I bet he wishes he had that one back, or at least I hope he does.

From the other end of the spectrum, Santorum calls Huntsman and Paul "isolationist." Not a helpful term, and certainly not accurate.

Easily Perry's worst moment in the debate: fielding a question on his understanding of climate science. He stumbles over his answer, and fails to present a convincing economic argument against emissions-reduction schemes. Works in one line about the preponderance of climatologists who believe in global warming -- "Galileo got outvoted for a spell" -- but that's not going to go far in winning over the folks he needs.

Newt has had a few catchy lines throughout the debate, but his claim that he'd fire Ben Bernanke falls flat. He might as well say that he'd fire Sonia Sotomayor. Romney also mounts a strong criticism of Bernanke's policies for being inflationary, but it doesn't sound heartfelt. Relatedly, his top economic adviser (Greg Mankiw) recently defened Bernanke's record in the New York Times.

And, after Perry defending his support of the death penalty unapologetically, just like that, we're done. No closing statements, no last words, no goodbyes, just a quick sign-off by Brian Williams and it's over.

Reactions: Romney and Perry both did well, with Romney making fewer mistakes but also scoring fewer points with conservatives. I thought there would be a possibility of Huntsman breaking through in this debate; that didn't happen at all. Bachmann was definitely hurt by the lack of questions directed her way. Santorum did a lot with the few he was asked, Gingrich and Cain less so. Paul was hampered by the fact that he always received weird hypotheticals instead of relevant questions.

View all comments (22) | Leave a comment

DRed| 9.7.11 @ 10:02PM

I would imagine that Ron Paul was asked a lot of weird hypotheticals because he has a lot of weird ideas. We're talking about a man who seems to want to lower gas prices by giving everyone silver dimes and bring peace to the middle east by letting Iran get nuclear weapons.

Sean| 9.7.11 @ 10:42PM

You probably do not have the intellectual capacity to understand Dr. Paul's point. High gas prices are mainly a result of inflation. A silver dime contains enough silver to buy one gallon of gas.

Clint| 9.7.11 @ 11:10PM

Agreed

Clint| 9.7.11 @ 11:08PM

Do Your Homework.

"By acts of Congress in 1933, the domestic economy was taken off the gold standard and placed on the silver standard for the first time. The Treasury Department was reempowered to issue paper currency redeemable in silver dollars and bullion, thereby divorcing the domestic economy from bimetallism and leaving it on the silver standard, although international settlements were still in gold"

USA & Israel, friends forever.| 9.7.11 @ 10:13PM

Rick Parry sounded a little light on the social security Ponzi stuff & a little too gung ho about killing people. He lost a lot of votes tonight. Paul has always been the schizo guy & he locked up the psychiatric vote with the dimes & fences remarks. Needs a body & speech coach too. Bachmann is out, she didn't get enough air time & didn't go for Parry's neck like she needed too. Lots of room for Palin now.

CalMark| 9.7.11 @ 10:15PM

"He lost a lot of votes tonight."

Well, enter a psychic. All that applause Perry got--in 2 or 3 places as I recall--when discussing the death penalty didn't happen. Because you said so.

USA & Israel, friends forever.| 9.7.11 @ 10:22PM

I got a big problem with prior Democrats coming in here & saying they're Republican now because that is how they vote in Texas & then killing innocent people when they are governor. This will get found out & a few people clapping at an applause sign in California won't help Rick Parry down the road.

Kingofthenet| 9.7.11 @ 10:13PM

Well his idea is that the silver in the money wouldn't allow the currency to be debased by inflation, just one problem there isn't enough silver in the world to allow US currency to be precious metals backed.

Sean| 9.7.11 @ 10:45PM

It all depends on how much silver or other precious metal is represented by a dollar. What it will prevent is printing dollars out of thin air.

axbucxdu| 9.7.11 @ 10:46PM

Competitive note issue and clearinghouse operations that reconcile the quantities in circulation solves your "just one problem". You might also consider the myriad problems that fiat (no specie backing) money has caused before criticizing an (historical) alternative that uses a physical asset like silver instead of the Fed's toilet rolls.

And however limited that asset may be, it's infinitely better than any liability.

Kingofthenet| 9.7.11 @ 11:16PM

It doesn't matter, when you run out of silver, you run out of the ability to print new money, assuming the country expands that's a bit of a problem. Also what are you going to do when the rest of the worlds Govts. say, OK I want to be paid in silver for my vast holding of USD?

axbucxdu| 9.8.11 @ 1:15PM

Under competitive note issue, what precisely, would those "vast holding of USDs" be? I said nothing about government sponsored metallic standards. Think. If you can't do that then search the phrase.

In any event, all monetary systems can experience a loss of confidence. The time value of money and the law of large numbers make run phenomena unavoidable. But the historical record is also pretty clear about what type of money follows unbacked paper after fiat money is ultimately repudiated. Why delay the inevitable when paper is always, always, always, rejected?

Paul McGrath| 9.7.11 @ 10:40PM

Perry stumbled a few times and was occasionally inarticulate, something I didn't expect. He certainly bumbled the global warming question, but in fairness the moderator-jerk kept asking him to specifically name which scientists he respects, clearly a gotcha-Sarah Palin type question . He lost some ground tonight.

Romney certainly eased my concerns somewhat by emphatically stating he would do everything in his power to end Obamacare. That is my big question with him. He looked good and is a good debater. He will gain a few points.

Bachmann continues to do well, but she was not given the same amount of time as the above two. She got screwed, but I don't think she lost any ground.

Gingrich was, again, great. Very quick-witted, extremely knowledgable about everything, and with sound conservative solutions to our myriad of problems. And he does not take crap from the jerk-off moderators. Unfortunately, I doubt anyone new is going to move into his camp.

Cain was also, typically good. Doesn't have a chance, though.

Santorum just wasn't given enough time.

Huntsman I find to be very, very annoying, and his seeming complete acceptance of the man-made global warming premise automatically disqualifies him in my book. Go away, ass.

Ron Paul continues and look and act like the crazy old man on the street corner. His answer to the Perry immunization program was something like: it was not good, not good, and unquestionably, not good. That's why it was bad.

You'll note that the moderators kept asking him questions; I believe he got more time than anyone except for Perry and Romney. By doing so, they're trying to paint all Republicans into the same loony-right corner.

Somebody cart the old fool away already.

Clint| 9.7.11 @ 11:22PM

"Ron Paul slammed Rick Perry on the HPV vaccine order he signed, both on policy and on the route that was taken to make it law.

"It's not good social policy and therefore I think this is very bad to do this," Paul said. "He did it with an executive order, passed it, the state was furious..."

Mimi| 9.8.11 @ 11:10AM

Paul...I got to the end of your post and before the thought was complete in my mind , that " THE CLINT" would appear sure enough,...there it was!
Your thoughts on the debate were exactly in line with mine... I agree with everthing about what we saw! Overall our GUYS looked terrific and as a group were outstanding...They made the ONE look like mince-meat, they were oh so superior!
I noticed some grimacing from Brian Williams...I think he was shocked at the sight and sound of their excellence. Things got touchy after that they tried to bring Perry down and did but he held his own . Semsible post Paul!

Clint| 9.7.11 @ 11:01PM

Other Candidates are "Parroting" what Dr.Ron Paul has said for years.

The RINO-CINO Ruling Elite Flunkie Stooges Are Afraid of The Tea Party Rebellion.

Ronn Paul| 9.8.11 @ 5:15PM

Polly wannta cracker?

Wayne | 9.8.11 @ 12:02PM

Bachman wasn't hurt, because nobody that I know watches that channel. This is just a warm-up or practice run.

Earle Belle| 9.8.11 @ 10:01PM

Liberal Rick Perry
RINO FIRST CLASS & Strong advocate for a North American Union ruled by the U.N. and International Court ... and more! Click the links and see the MORE
Progressing the Compassionate Conservative Agenda

Of note are his ties to the Bilderberg Cartel and his being a keynote speaker at the annual convention of the Council on Foreign Relations! The CFR's goal is to end America's sovereignty and make us subservient to the United Nations and the International Criminal Court.

The Democrats let a smooth, articulate talker with a pretty face to beguile them into believing a bunch of fake promises. Will Republicans stoop to their level and become mindless lemmings following a charismatic personality? Or, will they -- finally, find their spines and stand up for THE CONSTITUTION AND ITS PRINCIPLES?

Does the Elite support Rick Perry? http://www.zerohedge.com/news/.....lp-you-out

Rick Perry comes under fire for investment in America’s largest pornography distributor: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new.....z1Vdx310qB

Earle Belle| 9.8.11 @ 10:01PM

Is Rick Perry on the side of the best interests of the American people?: http://www.augustforecast.com/.....-policies/

More on Perry’s Globalist Ties and Agenda: http://12160.info/profiles/blo.....-the-world

Earle Belle| 9.8.11 @ 10:01PM

Perry? What a choice!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?a.....feature=iv

Is Perry different from other Establishment Hacks?: http://www.youtube.com/ronpaul#p/a/u/1/UUNIeOB0whI

yisong| 10.27.11 @ 2:32AM

Discussion Bearing failure of general conditions
The gradual expansion of the surface spalling, and often extended to the deep, forming deep peeling. Contact fatigue spalling is a failure of deep fatigue source. http://www.1stbearing.com