Debate Reax
Peter Robinson ·
September 13, 2011 at 4:01am
My take: In the first half, Perry performed beautifully, demonstrating wit, strength, and a relaxed, natural poise. Then the question about the inoculation for schoolgirls that he attempted to enact placed him on the defensive--and he never really recovered, although after doing badly on that round he did come back in the last half hour, rising to a level of good-enough-ness.
Romney? He never did better than okay, seeming, at moments, condescending, and, when he attempted attacks on Perry, he appeared, for a moment or two, petulant.
On balance: Rick Perry helped consolidate his position as front-runner--but only that, failing to take command of the field.
And that, as I say, is my take.
What's yours?
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Comments:
May '10
Re: Debate Reax
Huntsman really screwed up.
Edited on September 13, 2011 at 4:04amAug '11
Re: Debate Reax
I agree that Perry did very well -- much, much better than last week. (Granted, I thought the line of questioning was much better than last week, too.) Unfortunately, I got called away during the HPV vaccine question, so I didn't see his response.
You're right about how Romney came off. A little peevish. Kind of like a commander-in-chief we've had for a few years now. That's not a comparison you want to make.
May '10
Re: Debate Reax
I heard only the last half hour. None of it impressed or consoled me. My main feeling was that they're all so badly flawed our best hope lies in someone else jumping in.
I'm sorry Santorum's campaign never got traction. His support of Spector was a fatal flaw, politically.
Re: Debate Reax
Ouch. I hadn't thought about the comparison between Romney and Obama, but I fear that you're right about that. Two men whose principal claim on our support is that they're really, really smart--and who get a little testy when people fail simply to defer to their brains.
Jun '10
Re: Debate Reax
What was that last question all about? An attempt to nail the interior decorator vote? Queer Eye on the Presidential Guy?
Michelle and the decorator can always be good friends. I can just hear her now: "Some of my best friends are decorators."
Re: Debate Reax
katievs: I heard only the last half hour. None of it impressed or consoled me. My main feeling was that they're all so badly flawed our best hope lies in someone else jumping in.
I'm sorry Santorum's campaign never got traction. His support of Spector was a fatal flaw, politically. · Sep 12 at 7:08pm
Katy, I'm looking to you as the canary in the Romney coal mine--the most thoughtful, best-intentioned supporter Mitt will ever have.
Are you still with him? Or at least leaning toward him?
May '10
Re: Debate Reax
I would have answered, "A Eucharistic chapel." And that would have been the end of my presidential prospects.
No effort to explain that it wasn't because I wanted to "establish religion", but because I need continual divine help would have availed.
But it would have been honest.
Dec '10
Re: Debate Reax
Perry did seem to have a bit of a glass jaw on the HPV questions. Is his defensive skill the next on the list of upgrades? His tone and demeanor were markedly improved from the last debate. He said things with a smile and bantered well this time. I'm sticking with my sandbagging theory. Each shown weakness will turn to a noticeable improvement in the next debate until he arrives at perfection in time to sweep the field.
Romney might as well have said, "Darn it, Rick, I deserve to be president and you don't." He can't go line by line in a record comparison, so entitlement is all he has left. That could just be my perception though.
The rest of the field, Newt is awesome. Cain is fun. Santorum is whiny (still.) I feel sorry for Bachmann, she's such a good person. Paul needs to retire from more than just the House. Huntsman needs to just go away.
Jul '10
Re: Debate Reax
I dunno, Perry looked stiff and flat-footed to me. I don't think boasting about Texas is going to wear well as the months go by. Bachmann was a tigress but I don't think she advanced herself all that much. What a fine talker Newt is. He'd have made mincemeat out of Obama if he hadn't flamed out a month ago. I liked Cain, but no chance. Santorum looked good, but same deal. If you didn't know anything about Romney, he'd be your man. Smooth, poised, ready to take the wood to Obama. Huntsman has a vaguely sleazy quality.
May '10
Re: Debate Reax
Peter Robinson
katievs: I heard only the last half hour. None of it impressed or consoled me. My main feeling was that they're all so badly flawed our best hope lies in someone else jumping in.
I'm sorry Santorum's campaign never got traction. His support of Spector was a fatal flaw, politically. · Sep 12 at 7:08pm
Katy, I'm looking to you as the canary in the Romney coal mine--the most thoughtful, best-intentioned supporter Mitt will ever have.
Are you still with him? Or at least leaning toward him? · Sep 12 at 7:10pm
Dear Peter, I feel I can't answer. My support was tepid to begin with. Now it's hardly there at all. And I didn't even catch the SS exchange. I wish I weren't so very worried about Perry.
Edited on September 13, 2011 at 4:18amJul '10
Re: Debate Reax
A better debate than the last two. Newt's "In my day we knew how to create jobs" pitch was hilarious. Ron Paul is still the gift that keeps on giving. I think Huntsman is done.
May '10
Re: Debate Reax
Perry - Relaxed. Maybe too relaxed.
Romney - Ice water in the veins. How did someone THAT cold get enough passion going to have five kids?
Bachmann - Too shrill. Needs to study Thatcher more.
Newt - I want to take a history course from him, not vote for him.
Huntsman - Democrat. Holds no known Republican positions other than the knowledge that a Democrat can't get elected statewide in Utah.
Santorum - The 255th pick of the NFL Draft.
Cain - Foreign policy? What foreign policy? Do we deliver pizza to that country?
Paul - Bat**** crazy.
Jul '10
Re: Debate Reax
katievs
I would have answered, "A Eucharistic chapel." And that would have been the end of my presidential prospects.
No effort to explain that it wasn't because I wanted to "establish religion", but because I need continual divine help would have availed.
But it would have been honest. · Sep 12 at 7:12pm
You mean we are going back to mortal candidates? I thought the One changed the rules on that. (BTW, the waters in DC haven't done much receding lately.)
Edited on September 13, 2011 at 4:28amJun '10
Re: Debate Reax
Perry couldn't clarify his thoughts quickly enough in the last debate, and he fixed that (for the most part) tonight. Romney did come across as peevish, but not nearly so much as Santorum; I get the impression that he's half a sentence away from whinging every time he speaks. He's next to drop out, I think. Bachman after him, and she'll refuse to endorse anybody. Cain didn't get asked enough questions, which was disappointing. He can speak eloquently to economic issues, which is what we need to hear. CNN, unfortunately, tried to guide the debate into a Romney v. Perry title match.
As an aside, I just saw video of Perry talking up Herman Cain at a Tea Party rally right after the debate. I'm pretty sure their campaigns are talking.
Feb '11
Re: Debate Reax
My first take is that I liked this debate much more than the first -- the questions were so much better 'cause real people got to ask them. But I did not like their podiums at all. Those were seriously distracting, more so than Ron Paul's tie. Rick Perry's response to Michelle Bachmann that if she thought he could be bought for $5K he was insulted made me wonder how much he can be bought for. And I was surprised by how much I enjoyed listening to Rick Santorum, who I cannot possibly imagine as president. I agree with katievs that his endorsement of Arlen Spector kind of prevents me from ever trusting or taking him seriously again.
Jun '10
Re: Debate Reax
I don't want to know. I'm a little afraid that it involves a whip and a saddle....
Feb '11
Re: Debate Reax
I would have liked to hear more Herman Cain -- both my husband and I particularly enjoy the way he says "Chilean model" and listening to him for four years would be much more snappy and sassy and fun than the pablum we are served up by our current president. His sense of humor is much more to my liking than Rick Perry's. Actually, I am not sure Rick Perry has a sense of humor. He DID NOT LIKE being attacked about the Gardasil issue, in which he was completely wrong, and the whole issue shows that he may be a fiscal conservative, but he is certainly not a philosophical one.
May '10
Re: Debate Reax
Mama Toad:
His sense of humor is much more to my liking than Rick Perry's. Actually, I am not sure Rick Perry has a sense of humor. He DID NOT LIKE being attacked about the Gardasil issue
I fear Romney, too, lacks a sense of humor. A serious flaw.
Palin's is alive and kicking.
I might need to get a "Run, Sarah, Run" bumper sticker. Except, I'm not convinced she'd do, either.
Mercy.
Edited on September 13, 2011 at 4:34amRe: Debate Reax
katievs
Peter Robinson
katievs: I heard only the last half hour. None of it impressed or consoled me. My main feeling was that they're all so badly flawed our best hope lies in someone else jumping in.
I'm sorry Santorum's campaign never got traction. His support of Spector was a fatal flaw, politically. · Sep 12 at 7:08pm
Katy, I'm looking to you as the canary in the Romney coal mine--the most thoughtful, best-intentioned supporter Mitt will ever have.
Are you still with him? Or at least leaning toward him? · Sep 12 at 7:10pm
Dear Peter, I feel I can't answer. My support was tepid to begin with. Now it's hardly there at all. And I didn't even catch the SS exchange. I wish I weren't so very worried about Perry. · Sep 12 at 7:16pm
Edited on Sep 12 at 07:18 pm
Fair enough, thanks--and keep us posted.
Re: Debate Reax
I am no great fan of Mitt Romney, but I thought that he had a pretty good evening. He seemed to me relaxed, cogent on the whole, eloquent at times. Bachman was all right but she talked too much about herself. Santorum, ditto. Cain is a national treasure; Gingrich was superb. Perry, whom I am inclined to prefer, seemed to me to be too folksy and insufficiently clear. I was disappointed in his performance.
Wolf Blitzer seemed to me to be fair. He was far better than the clowns from MSNBC -- and I think the debate did the Republican Party no end of good. They are getting a great deal of free advertising . . . while Obama, unopposed, is ignored.
Edited on September 13, 2011 at 4:37am