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The Spectacle Blog
Here are my final thoughts on tonight’s Fox News South Carolina GOP Debate which took place in Myrtle Beach.
Rick Perry - He was full of piss and vinegar tonight. Perry scored early when he called upon Mitt Romney to release his tax return, defended his “vulture capitalism” comments against Romney reasonably well and connected strongly with the audience on illegal immigration, national defense, tax policy and getting the federal government out of the housing market. If Perry had this kind of debate three or four months ago we would be in a Romney-Perry race. Paradoxically, should Perry get a bump it would benefit Romney unless both Newt and Santorum’s support were to simultaneously collapse.
Rick Santorum - He started out strong against Romney on the Super PAC ads. However, when he criticized both Newt and Romney on their Social Security reforms he ended up helping Romney. His debate performance was otherwise solid but unspectacular.
Mitt Romney - Began the debate on the defensive over the Super PAC ads against Santorum and seemed less than sure footed about releasing his tax returns. At times, Romney came off sounding too much like a technocrat when discussing his private sector career and if he does that against Obama, he will be pummeled. However, he got stronger as the debate progressed as when he said that the military should be strengthened to the point where “no one would think of testing it.” He also benefited from Santorum and Newt’s discord over Social Security reforms even though Santorum also targeted him in his criticism. Romney agreed with Santorum on his criticism of Newt and simply ignored Santorum’s criticism of his own plan. He also got the better of Newt where it concerned Super PACs, although it will be interesting to see how John McCain reacts to his criticism of McCain-Feingold given how McCain has put himself out there on Romney’s behalf. Romney still hasn’t sealed the deal.
Newt Gingrich - Aside from the Super PAC ads on Bain Capital, Newt had a very strong debate drawing at least one standing ovation on Juan Williams question about President Obama being a “food stamp President.” He also connected with the audience where it concerned unemployment benefits, terrorism and No Child Left Behind. Now whether yet another strong debate performance can translate into votes remains to be seen. Despite consistently strong debate performances, Newt hasn’t been able to demonstrate that he has a strong ground organization.
Ron Paul - He simply lost the audience when he talked about how Osama bin Laden ought not have been killed and given a trial instead. I mean if Republicans are prepared to vote for someone who espouses those views, then the GOP might as well nominate Noam Chomsky. However, what he lacks in debate performance he makes up for in organization. It will be interesting to see if he gets more than 15% of the vote in a closed Republican primary.
The next GOP debate will take place in less than 72 hours from now in Charleston, South Carolina and will air on CNN at 8 p.m. EST.
UPDATE: A reader was kind enough to inform me that South Carolina has an open primary system. In which case, given Paul’s organizational strength, I suspect he’ll probably get more than 15% of the vote in the Palmetto state.
View all comments (44) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Aaron Goldstein
http://spectator.org/blog/2012/01/16/fox-news-south-carolina-gop-de
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Ras| 1.16.12 @ 11:43PM
Ohoh, succintly. "Kill the enemies of America", Gingritch says. Bin Laden was saying "Kill the enemies of Islam". So we are their equals. I don;t understand all this talk, of Islam religion of war, Chrisitanity religion of peace and love then.
It's teh same rhetoric, the same behavior. Only nobody knows who began the first killing anymore:
Was it a Westerner in middle east, or an Arab in USA? And it will continue like this, killing after killing, perpetual bloodshed, till the end of days.
Thank you for 'urinating' on all our Chrisitan principles, Mr. Gingritch.
Laker| 1.16.12 @ 11:45PM
Learn how to spell.
Dai Alanye | 1.17.12 @ 12:25AM
Learn how to think. We all know this is a Muslim extremist problem. Most of the serious conflicts in the world today are Muslim versus some other religion or culture. When, that is, they aren't Muslim attacking Muslim.
Christians aren't the problem in the Middle east or anywhere else.
Tim| 1.17.12 @ 12:43AM
Christians are just as much of the problem as any other religious sect in this world. These are labels that people stake claim to so that their unjust, immoral, and inhumane acts can be protected by others who share the ilk. A room full of Christians booed Dr. Paul tonight in the debate as he explained Jesus' golden rule. Open your eyes and get a grip. Meddling in others' affairs is immoral, shameful, and downright dangerous to our nation's security as well as reputation as peace seekers and a shining light for freedom. Remember, bombing for peace is like fuck!ng for virginity.
bigspike| 1.17.12 @ 6:11AM
surrendering to preserve freedom is like fellating to preserve virtue...precisely the problem with the Paulite defense 'strategy'
Occam's Tool| 1.17.12 @ 11:14AM
bigspike: interesting that you and I both use the word "fellating" to describe Paulbots' views towards terrorists....
bigspike| 1.17.12 @ 6:11AM
surrendering to preserve freedom is like fellating to preserve virtue...precisely the problem with the Paulite defense 'strategy'
sirbourbon| 1.17.12 @ 2:07AM
No,dali alama the problem is a State Department problem not a religious problem. It's a bad foreign policy problem that uses us tax dollars to fund our enemies - enemies that use US foreign aid to buy guns to kill our soldiers.
Laker| 1.16.12 @ 11:43PM
Newt crushed Juan Williams and the liberal media, he will do the same with Obama.
RJ| 1.17.12 @ 1:37AM
Alan Keyes is a great debater and he lost big time to Obama. No matter how good Newt is at debating, there are many liberals and "moderates" (which is what we call liberals who don't want to be called liberals) that just don't see it as we do.
Sure, I want a good debater going against President Teleprompter, but it will take much more than that to win. We need to bring our "A" game because this is an election to continue the fight for the soul of our country as a bastion for personal freedom and opportunity. Unfortunately, too many Americans no longer value freedom and limited government.
Clint| 1.16.12 @ 11:43PM
Fox News Is Reporting That Dr.Ron Paul Scored Very High On Their Answer/Dodge Meter.
" Washington (CNN) – Mitt Romney is all tied up with President Barack Obama in a likely general election matchup, with the president showing signs of weakness on the economy and Romney seen as out of touch with ordinary Americans, according to a new national survey.
CNN Poll: Obama tied with Romney & Paul in November showdowns
And a CNN/ORC International Poll released Monday also indicates that Rep. Ron Paul of Texas is also even with Obama in another possible showdown this November. The survey also suggests the Republican advantage on voter enthusiasm is eroding, which could be crucial in a close contest."
The Tea Party Rebellion Is In South Carolina.
Dai Alanye | 1.17.12 @ 12:26AM
Paul always scores well in unregulated polls because his acolytes use Chicago-style voting techniques to game the system.
Clint| 1.17.12 @ 12:38AM
You're An Israel Firster Smear Bund Liar, Dai Job.
" CNN/ORC Poll:
Interviews with 1,021 adult Americans conducted by telephone
by ORC International on January 11-12, 2012. The margin of
sampling error for results based on the total sample is plus or
minus 3 percentage points. The sample also includes 928
interviews among registered voters (plus or minus 3 percentage
points).
The sample includes 770 interviews among landline respondents
and 251 interviews among cell phone respondents."
The Tea Party Rebellion Steps On The Israel Firster Smear Bund Boy.
Occam's Tool| 1.17.12 @ 11:16AM
Fourth in SC predicted; no better than third possible for Paul. This is the start of the slo-mo beating sequence that we see in the Rocky movies, and I'm gonna love it.
Occam's Tool| 1.17.12 @ 11:16AM
Fourth in SC predicted; no better than third possible for Paul. This is the start of the slo-mo beating sequence that we see in the Rocky movies, and I'm gonna love it.
John Herr| 1.17.12 @ 12:47AM
AS IF YOU WOULD KNOW.
The real joke here is that you think the other guys, especially FOX is NOT doing just that.
Get some smelling salts and WAKE UP!
Good luck with that.
sirbourbon| 1.17.12 @ 2:03AM
Like Obama the man you support!
bigspike| 1.17.12 @ 6:07AM
ronpaul has a lot in common with ObaMao; both of them are faux messiahs with nutjob cults of whackadoodle zombies following them
MarkP| 1.17.12 @ 12:19AM
Mr. Goldstein,
South Carolina's primary is open. Please make a correction so as to not misinform your readers.
Thank you,
Mark
Sumter, S.C.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O.....ted_States
Aaron Goldstein| 1.17.12 @ 12:38AM
You are correct. All fixed up.
sirbourbon| 1.17.12 @ 2:01AM
He knows it's an open primary, he just thinks that will fool independents from not going to the polls to vote for Ron Paul.
John Herr| 1.17.12 @ 12:43AM
Greetings,
Your misrepresentation of fair trial procedure is typical of the current ignorance of the "dumbed down effect".
I'm sorry to have to point this ot to whoever you are, but this is thebasis of what made our country great!
My ancestors came across the ocean on a boat with Daniel Boone's parents in 1707, by an invitation from William Penn.
It was William Penn who suggeated that a person was "innocent until proven guilty" by a trial of his/her peers.
How dare you imply tht Ron Paul is wrong to stand UP for this BASE of our country's integrity. SHAME ON YOU !!! You need some respect for the Constitutional Law that hs harbored you !!!!
video converter ultimate| 1.17.12 @ 1:49AM
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sirbourbon| 1.17.12 @ 1:59AM
The GOP in the /Christian south, the state that led the rest of the south in leaving the Union, is now booing Jesus' golden rule: "do unto others as you would like them to do unto you?" Wow, what are they teaching Republicans in South Carolina- hatred and revenge and support for an insane foreign policy?
The Taliban was ready to hand over Osama Bin Laden a decade ago but GW Bush said no we'll let Osama go.The Marines had him cornered in Tora Bora but no , the "Christian" GW Bush said let him go. Now these Christian clowns down in South Carolina that booed Ron Paul when he reminded the GOP of the Golden Rule have no excuse for being Republicans they need to join the Democrud party since Obama loves war as much as they do!
bigspike| 1.17.12 @ 6:09AM
how sad and desperate do you Ronulans have to be to just completely make up your own version of history?????? looks like the Paulits ship is getting ready to crash into the side of Mt Nutjob
Margie| 1.17.12 @ 2:13PM
"Ronulans", heh!
9thID| 1.17.12 @ 11:08AM
Moral relativist Ron Paul is no more of a "Baptist" than his liberal cousins Slick Willie Clinton and Jimmy Carter are...
Occam's Tool| 1.17.12 @ 11:17AM
9thID: yeah, I know a lot of Baptists who want to leagalize heroin...(keep it up, good soldier).
Dan Phillips| 1.17.12 @ 3:06PM
Ron Paul, as far as I know, is the only one who wants to scrap the airport porno scanners. Some TSA perv ogling people's wives and daughters ought to be a Christian issue and in my personal conversations with fellow church goers is.
And I'm still waiting for that part of the Constitution that authorizes Federal drug laws. If you want to join the Lawrence Tribe school of Constitutional interpretation and cite the interstate commerce clause then be my guest but please don't try to pass that view off as any kind of conservative view.
LC JB | 1.17.12 @ 11:22AM
rLLy now? Provide some solid evidence that W refused to take this alleged offer from the Taliban. If it was true the left would still be screaming about it. This falls in line precisely with the Truthers insane accusations, that the Paul base consists of. It's pure horseshit, and as others here have said, Paul might as well have Chomsky or Ayers as his running mate. The PaulBots are becoming more bigoted, Jews, Blacks, and Christians are all evil. That is the real face of this nasty, twisted candidate you are supporting.
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aware| 1.17.12 @ 6:49AM
"...he said that the military should be strengthened to the point where "no one would think of testing it."
We now spend more on "defense" than the next 15 nations combined. We spend 10 times more than China. Our navy is larger than the rest of the world combined. America's defense spending doubled in the same period that its economy shrunk from 32 to 23 percent of global output.
Of the global military spending total, the US accounts for 44%, nearly half.
We have 25 thousand nuclear weapons, enough to waste the entire globe.
Yet we are to believe this leaves us "weak"? If we now borrow 40 cents of every dollar spent, how much more needs to be borrowed to make us "safe"? Nobody is thinking of "testing" us for the simple reason they are standing back watching a train wreck of our own making.
The last time Federal debt was paid off was in Andrew Jackson's time. 4 billion a day is added each and every day. But the kleptocrats running for the job of kleptocrat in chief hardly even give it a thought. Neither do the mindless supporters of same.
Do any of you think these corrupt insiders even begin to understand what this will mean soon? Do you even understand? In one form or another they are promising to keep the party going as if the dark day of reckoning can be put off indefinitely.
The end of borrowing is not prosperity but ruin. This painful truth will be brought home to each and everyone of us before long.
Indy| 1.17.12 @ 8:13AM
Juan Williams playing the race card on numerous questions was disgraceful and on MLK Day, even worse.
Scott| 1.17.12 @ 8:47AM
I am seriously disturbed after last night's debate. Will the country ever be run by someone who isn't a bloodthirsty war hawk? How could that debate audience, allegedly made up of primarily Christians, be so ignorant as to boo the simple use of the golden rule in foreign relations? Paul was the only hope we had on that stage for military AND fiscal sanity. Not ONE person on that stage except Dr. Paul talked about a single budget cut. Not. One.
comegetme| 1.17.12 @ 9:15AM
America is not the policeman of the world- mlk said this....it saddens me to think that my countrymen are so afraid of some brown boogieman hyped by the media. I do love the paulbot,paultard insults though but it seems when I'm out in public with my Dr Paul gear on there's no internet toughguys around to pop off at the mouth...
9thID| 1.17.12 @ 11:11AM
Do you have the latest RP pajamas too?
Occam's Tool| 1.17.12 @ 11:18AM
Because we're law abiding, unlike you clowns. Put your hand on me and see...
bill| 1.17.12 @ 10:39AM
Romney was robotic, as usual,but he was no longer unscratched, and his refusal to fix the SS and Medicare system, his stances on abortion, gay marriage, and gun control will ultimately hurt him in SC.
Gingrich was articulate and provided clear and specific plans on the SS and Medicare. He looked gloomy when he attacked Romney over Super-Pac. He should mention that It was Romney who started the Ad war against fellow Republicans in the GOP race. He was in full control while he answered of his food-stamp and welfare. Gingrich is the winner of the Fox News debate.
Santorum was confusing and angry. His attacks on Romney about felon-voters drew no applause among the audience. He admitted that he would do nothing to fix the SS and Medicare problem, yet he wanted to fix the economy first. Pretty confusing.
Ron Paul was the "father of liberty," but he now became the "father of Black Liberation Theology." His views on social justice and blacks are very disturbing. He was "talking black." Ron Paul will never get the GOP nod and my vote.
Rick Perry was given least amount of time ans was interrupted over and over, yet he was articulate and bold, and showed his charisma and leadership last night. He stood up firmly on the states' rights and his passion for faith and values. He may not win the SC Primary and will remain a viable alternative. He may be in the 2nd place in SC ballot.
groundling| 1.17.12 @ 10:46AM
PROPAGANDA
SC is NOT a closed primary
Independant voter suppression
Dan Phillips| 1.17.12 @ 3:19PM
Aaron, Ron Paul was on the record at the time of the alleged (I'm not convinced OBL wasn't already dead and his "death" not a pr stunt) Osama incident with this same opinion. Are you saying you weren't aware of this even though you appear to keep up with what you perceive to be Paul's missteps on foreign policy? My strong suspicion is that you already were aware of Paul's position. If that is true then once again we have feigned outrage for rhetorical effect. If it isn't true then you need to keep up.
Brittanicus| 1.17.12 @ 4:06PM
IT’S imperative that Congress passes the “Legal Workforce Act and Birthright Citizenship Act,” before Present Obama and the Liberal extremist Czars uses any more special directives to negatively modify current immigration enforcement.
Former Sen. Rick Santorum zoomed from the back of the GOP pack on immigration issues to way out FRONT at a C-SPAN televised event in South Carolina last Friday. For the first time in many years, we have a top-contender Presidential candidate who says LEGAL immigration numbers are too high! Congratulations to all of you Santorum supporters who have been pushing him to greatly improve his immigration platform. You succeeded beyond most of our wildest dreams.
Now, the rest of you who are supporting other GOP and Democratic candidates need to increase your pressure on them to catch up to Santorum.
READ ALL THE DETAILS, ANALYSIS AT NUMBERSUSA ABOUT HOW SANTORUM WENT FROM D-minus TO A-minus
IN A RELATIVELY SHORT RESPONSE AT A CANDIDATE FORUM—HE SAID, "(Immigrants) should come to this country based on a whole bunch of different criteria and one of them should not be chain immigration where relatives come into the country because somebody is here. Immediate family is one thing, but extended family is a very different thing."
If the United States is expected to sustaining its living standards, we must start to conserve our environment and address the use of oil, water and energy. In these current decades we have all observed the deterioration of our highways, infrastructure with clogged traffic lanes that never seem to abate? The continuous requisition for land to build homes, and stretching, concrete pavement that once was farmland. Border states where water supplies are being rationed, because of years of drought. The desperate need for refineries, because of constant production, cannot keep up with demand. Our antiquated national electrical grid that is unable to keep up with requirements, owing to the millions of illegal people who slip across our uneasy border and needing services must be modernized. America, just outside in suburban regions are growing smaller each day, just like the Amazon rain forests. We are daily encroaching on the wild creatures of our lands, who we now find foraging for food in community suburbs--that was once a wilderness. Our President should not be contemplating Amnesty for an unknown number of illegal immigrants or like other administrations keep welcoming over a million legal immigrants annually. Such is the forthcoming harbinger of Overpopulation for future generations. According to the Census Bureau with the current immigration level our population will touch close to a half a billion by 2050.
More than 65 percent of that growth can be attributed to our current immigration rate and irrational polices. Without changing the direction of our current immigration policies, our population by the year 2100 and 2120 will attain the one billion mark. Is this what we want for our own grandchildren? Then Canadian immigration for years have welcomed without prejudice millions of Asylum seekers, but that is about to change? With Obama in charge altering the direction of our immigration laws by decree, we could become the next target for these people. A large majority of these immigrants come from countries, where there are no real functioning police records, so this country could easily become their destination for un-vetted immigrant’s future years. Obama has switched dramatically to halt the ICE effort of mass deportation and unless you have some serious criminal charges against them, there is likelihood; they could be allowed to walk.
If the Obama presidency is recycled this country could be heading for trouble with lax incompetence of easy access of foreign nationals into through the border and by overstay visitors by aircraft. With no means of tracking aliens as other Industrial nations have accomplished and where even Mexico can track these illegal alien fugitives. But then unlike the Mexican authorities, entering illegally into our sovereign nation our government doesn’t prosecute as a FELONY. As I have said many times before, I believe this was an intended action, so millions of illegal aliens remained unafraid if confronting no real criminal measure if they could bypass the border agents. Both sides of Congress have had the perfect opportunity to trick the General audience that they were enforcing immigration laws, but really just playing lip service to this massive predicament?
If President Obama introduces a new Immigration policy, this would be a disaster for the new generations of our children? We already settle over 1.5 million new legal immigrants each year in this nation. This is more people than any other country in the world? What we need is an amendment to the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA). This would allow specialized people, with highly skilled abilities in Engineering, Computer and Science technologies to enter the US workforce, contributing to this countries success in the global marketplace?
We already have millions of low skilled, many uneducated American workers who remain jobless in this economic morass. Lama Smiths E-Verify “the Legal Workforce Act." At the very least, it is a surefire step in the right direction to obstruct illegal labor from taking American jobs. Even though E-Verify has some flaws and some illegal aliens can obtain employment, it won't last very long before new upgraded version of E-Verify will be able to detect criminal alien workers. ICE has already gained the implementation of Mississippi’s Drivers Licensing Bureau, so as citizens WE SHOULD DEMAND THAT EVERY STATE VEHICLE DEPARTMENT GIVE ICE THE DIRECTIVE TO ACCESS THEIR PHOTO ID DATABASES, TO CROSS REFERENCE WITH ALL HIRED WORKERS BEING CONFIRMED USING E-VERIFY.
Those hired illegally will be caught eventually when irregularities are corrected as ICE auditors return to a previous company. It's better to have something as a deterrent, than to have nothing at all. As illegal immigrants start their movement from our nation, wages, benefits should slowly start to rise, as employers will have no choice but to hire American workers, instead of cheap labor from foreign lands. Steve King’s (R-IA) Birthright Citizenship Act of 2011 (H.R.140) would amend the law so the unborn babies of illegal aliens smuggled calculatedly through borders or by international flight are ineligible for citizenship. The cost to hospitals and an array of welfare payments and entitlements is the most costly for US taxpayers totaling billions of more dollars. This is another demand, you should make of the politicians who represent your state.
Join the TEA PARTY and fight back, before there is no way back? The TEA PARTY does not discriminate any nationality, if you arrived in this nation by—LEGAL MEANS? We can all stand with our fellow jobless countryman by Calling House and Senate Leadership NOW at 202-224-3121, which is the Capitol Switchboard.
Be very aware that illegal aliens do vote and will in gubernatorial, county and municipal races. This has been proved beyond doubt, as ACORN and other fraudulent canvassing groups will be looking for signatures. These entities were prosecuted in eleven states and although they were dismantled, they have risen to the surface under an assumed name in other states. One thing’s for sure that without unbiased referees overlooking current and future elections, there will be forged absentee ballots and even irregularities within the confines of the voting precincts. Also I have investigated the major instigators, that are in summary been the Liberals and Democrats. Department of Justice Eric Holder, one of Obama’s Leftist hard core Czars, not only dropped the ‘Black Panther” intimidation of voters in Pennsylvania—but has been harassing sovereign states and using the judiciary undermine policing policies. This originating with Arizona that was suffering terribly from unfunded mandates, forced upon them by the courts? Public assistance programs to support illegal aliens with welfare payments, food stamps and federal low income housing.
Currently in New York supervisors with the party affiliation have intentionally assisted in passing non-citizens as verified voters and are being prosecuted. Although voter fraud has been around for generations, all aspects of it have been ignored by the federal government as limited. However, large numbers of none citizens can have negative repercussions in close races. This will be adamantly opposed by the usual suspects, namely the open border zealots. These radical groups as La Raza, can take advantage and overturn honest elections The Tea Party leadership and members should be vigilant of irregular voting tactics as illegal aliens are a very large majority in Arizona and will commit perjury to claim a Democratic successful win.