Republican Debate

"What do you hate most about America?" WTF?

Thompson is doing extremely well.

It seems that Ron Paul is not getting asked nearly as many questions.

Update: McCain is intense but not inspiring .

Big boon for Porkbusters. Lots of anger about Pork all around.

Update: Do you believe in evolution? Does anybody not believe in evolution?
2 or three raised their hands...but the camera was to the side...WHO WERE THESE NUTTERS?

UPDATE: Thomson was exceedingly professional, and generally good right up until the admittedly idiot question about firing people because they were gay....in which he inexplicably gave an obligingly idiotic answer. One of the legit roles and functions of government is to protect against theft, fraud and see that people are treated equal under the law. A good argument might be made that the case in point is not a FEDERAL matter and should be handled on the state or local level, but damn....

UPDATE: A surprisingly substantive debate....which given US debates lets the bar low...but still.

UPDATE:McCain seemed passionate but did not come off well, to me anyway. A lot of people are disappointed with Gulianni but he stood by his guns pretty much. He's libertine on a lot of social issues, people know that. Gilmore I liked, he seemed pretty professional, articulate, and reasonable....as he is the only one of these fellows I've met, and as a Virginian I'm slightly biased. The one time I met him he struck me as quite down to earth and competent, he did here too, but likely not enough to give him self a boost in the polls.


Stem cells: I liked the fact that though Gilmore and Romney and one other(?) are not in favor of govt. funding of stem cells, they are not in favor of an overall ban. Several were and I was distracted by an IM, spilled coffee, and a barista during that period....so no meaningful commentary there. Ron Paul made a remarkable pro-life argument for stem cell research on the local radio show here a few weeks back....he flubbed it here, but in fairness was cut off.

General competence: The whole field seemed pretty solid and there was some surprisingly good talk of actual issues. Ron Paul, who I disagree strongly with on the war, is, nevertheless a very smart guy who was not given the opportunity to make his case, in fact he was largely skipped over, or so it seemed. Duncan Hunter came off better than I expected, though his far right social conservatism is a bit off-putting.

Links to lots of rather more informed blather here: