The Debate So Far

[Matt Collins]

So far tonight we’ve heard questions being asked of candidates who have had to walk back their past statements, and explain their spotty records, and on their changed positions on a number of issues.



You’ve probably noticed that only one candidate HAS NOT had to do offer any explanations about his record. Only one candidate has a record of consistency unmatched by the rest of the candidates. That candidate is Ron Paul.

[FSP-Rebel]

Yeah but not getting many chances to say much doesn't put you in the debate winner's category either way. Gingrich is winning as of this moment imo.

[sailingaway]

I can't see the stream so I am auditing print. NRO is in love with Bachmann, at the moment. But she's getting all the air time. Her record doesn't back her talk from what little I'm getting out of this.

Here's a picture I like, though:

http://img2-cdn.newser.com/getimage.aspx?docid=024b44cf-99ef-4a56-925a-9ae55259bebb&source=a&width=300&height=250&crop=n

http://www.newser.com/article/d9p286s82/gop-debate-candidates-assail-obama-bachmann-pawlenty-go-after-each-other-in-iowa-face-off.html

[pacu44]

Is this a Minnesota Debate or is this a Republican debate for the nomination for the Presidency...

FOX is desperate for Timmy and giving him every chance to be on the screen....

[dusman]

That's fine, let Timmy eat some Bachmann support and put us on top.

[JTforRP]

This debate is a ****ing joke. Paul being overshadowed by people polling behind him.

[Patriot123]

*** Santorum. "You've got Ron Paul over here talking about the tenth amendment!" That man will never get my vote, what a jerk. He should drop out and save what respect he thinks he has left.

[MJU1983]

Newt is doing a good job.
Santorum is nuts.

The Bachmann Pawlenty squabble is fun to watch.

Mitt, I don't know why he is even on the stage.

[mit26chell]

Ron Paul gets NO chance for rebuttal against Santorum?

[Canderson]

Hes getting unequal airtime but let the others fight it only helps us?

[MJU1983]

Chris Wallace-- "Ron Paul, you're an expert on the Constitution"

Worth a retweet: Twitter (http://twitter.com/#!/RonPaul/status/101835003788398592)

[dusman]

Ron Paul had a nice moment interjecting about Rick Perry.

[Aratus]

newt G. limps to the next hurdle as sen. santorum becomes yesterday's news?
can t~paw forgive ms. michele for having lived in MINN after being born in iowa?

[mit26chell]

Watch... they will not ask Ron a single question on his specialty - foreign policy.

[sailingaway]

I still can't watch and it is driving me crazy. I understand Bachmann left the stage? What happened?

[MelissaCato]

Ron Paul 2012 !!

[dusman]

Fox proclaimed she had to go vomit. She doesn't handle losing votes to Pawlenty very well.. I think we will though!

[sailingaway]

Fox literally said she had to vomit? You're joking, right?

[MelissaCato]

Bachmann does look under the weather.

[heavenlyboy34]

I appreciate you all watching the debate so I don't have to. :) :cool: Afterwards, I can haz highlights, plz?

[Sola_Fide]

I appreciate you all watching the debate so I don't have to. :) :cool: Afterwards, I can haz highlights, plz?

I'm not watching it either. Not interested.

[wstrucke]

I think I may have missed RP say something on foreign policy, judging from the comments on the video. I hate DSL.

[MozoVote]

I gave my television away a few years ago. Even when I had cable, sitting through the commercials 1/3 of the time made me feel like a total chump.

I'm fine with catching up on whatever happened worth viewing, the next day on YouTube.

[trey4sports]

this feels quite disappointing...

[Merk]

Can they possibly ignore Ron any more? I think it shows how scared they are of him that he has gotten so few q's. I had to quit watching...

[MelissaCato]

Ron Paul always WINS !!!! YeeeHawwww

[idirtify]

Not ignoring him now! O baby, this is awesome!

[afwjam]

He is kicking ass now.

[trey4sports]

ohh shit, that was intense yo

[Harry96]

Fox proclaimed she had to go vomit. She doesn't handle losing votes to Pawlenty very well.. I think we will though!

Did they really say that? I didn't hear it. Anyone can get sick, but between this (if true) and her persistent headaches, she seems to be illness prone. I hope that hurts her vote total on Saturday.

[Aratus]

less than 30 min. to go and finally mr. wallace
evens out dr. ron paul's time with a string of Qs?

[MJU1983]

I think he's doing better but could be more self promoting (I know, not his style).

Ex: Only one who served in military. More than 2x greater campaign donations than everyone else on this stage combined from military men and women.

[Matt Collins]

Once again tonight we are treated to candidates on stage who have multiple choice answers on their foreign policy positions. They either promote a foreign policy that drains America’s bank account and cost American lives in trillion dollar undeclared wars with no end.



No candidate on stage except Ron Paul has a consistent or coherent foreign policy stance that would keep America safe, prosperous, and free.

[torchbearer]

less than 30 min. to go and finally mr. wallace
evens out dr. ron paul's time with a string of Qs?

http://cdn.gunaxin.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/matrixrev.jpg

[dusman]

Yeah, they are coming on strongly. This makes it very interesting, as it looks pretty doggish on purpose. I really can't stand Chris Wallace, during these debates. He is ALWAYS looking to attack Ron Paul with "sensational" cheap shots.

In the end, I think this works well. He had an opportunity to show he can show his ground strongly.

[MelissaCato]

"I don't want the federal govt to have a marriage police" -- Ron Paul

[Pro-Life Libertarian]

Do you guys think that Ron won or lost those numerous foreign policy confrontations?

[sailingaway]

vote for Ron in this Fox poll: h xxp://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/index.html

[MelissaCato]

How can "crazy stupid hoes" and "all hoes go to heaven" be trending and not Ron Paul ?

[sailingaway]

Do you guys think that Ron won or lost those numerous foreign policy confrontations?

Twitter went both ways. Some tea party were tweeting 'admit it Ron Paul supporters, you're wishing he would just be quiet right now' and others were glorying in it.

[nobody's_hero]

I just stopped watching the debate, I'm going to bed, and I'll catch the highlight reels of Ron Paul tomorrow when I wake up from a long night full of nightmares in which the American people, of all people, have to be force-fed freedom while they're spitting it out like a spoiled child who doesn't like to eat his vegetables.

[ctiger2]

Watching the debates is VERY frustrating.

[Nate-ForLiberty]

Watching the debates is VERY frustrating.


extremely

[Matt Collins]

As the only military veteran on state and a six-term Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Dr. Paul understands that American troops and American taxpayers deserve better than to be used for nation building and policing the world. Instead, we need a foreign policy that truly defends America.



The federal government is $14.5 trillion in debt, and we must learn to within our means both at home and abroad.



While Ron Paul was the only candidate who bothered to mention that American foreign interventionism is costing us trillions of dollars, other candidates were falling all over themselves to try and declare war on the most countries.

[Alex540]

This is pretty entertaining. I think Dr. Paul has performed very well tonight.

[Chieppa1]

Greatest Tweet for the Night: @SnoopDogg What u think about the next president? You think Obama? What u think about Ron Paul? DOES HE BLAZE?

[TortoiseDream]

My God, transitioning from liberty forums and liberty minded conversations to listening for 2 hours to these psychopaths, murderers, and idiots is stunning to say the least.

[Chieppa1]

Ron Paul is trending in Washington D.C. on Twitter.

[Matt Collins]

Bachmann has voted in support of $133.5 billion dollars in foreign aid thus far(Congressional Research Service). This included $6.6 billion in aid to Egypt, $159 million in aid to China, and another $6 million in aid to Libya. (U.S. State Department, Congressional Budget Justifications for Foreign Operations, FY2010 and FY2011)

[dusman]

Greatest Tweet for the Night: @SnoopDogg What u think about the next president? You think Obama? What u think about Ron Paul? DOES HE BLAZE?

Snoop going to throw out an endorsement? That would be interesting.

[freedom-maniac]

"This is just WAR PROPAGANDA! It's time we end these 30 year wars!" Ron Paul

[Nate-ForLiberty]

My God, transitioning from liberty forums and liberty minded conversations to listening for 2 hours to these psychopaths, murderers, and idiots is stunning to say the least.

it's like being dragged out of a blissful sleep and hurled into a vat of boiling acid.

[eleganz]

wow huntsman and pawlenty (cheese as hell) straight up pre-made closing speech.

So hilarious...

[freedom-maniac]

This is interesting.

I don't agree with the analysis that the MSM is trying to prop up Pawlenty in this debate. They're setting him up against Bachmann to make him look bad. He keeps attacking her and Romney and the other Republicans, and that makes him look bad. Especially with personal attacks against Bachmann, that she is able to effectively rebuttle. He's goose is cooked for Ames. I think they set him up to be beat by Bachmann.

Santorum is an ass trying to make a name for himself.

Hunstman's obviously running for Vice President or Secretary of State.

Gingrich is interesting. He must have forgotten to take his meds, because he keeps debating the moderators instead of the other candidates. Some good points though.

[TortoiseDream]

it's like being dragged out of a blissful sleep and hurled into a vat of boiling acid.

"The price good men pay for indifference to politics is to be ruled by evil men." - Plato

goddammit Plato...

[Pro-Life Libertarian]

Newt's comments on the Fed help give Ron Paul more credibility among the mainstream.

[Aratus]

the Official Ames Debate thread is 93 pages
trying to authoratively close in on 100 pages!

[The Magic Hoof]

Hey guys, what did Paul say about Perry? I was out of the room and walked in and he said something about the Fed.

[Ronulus]

Hey guys, what did Paul say about Perry? I was out of the room and walked in and he said something about the Fed.

He said that it would be good if Perry got in because he represented the status quo and it would help split their votes. While Ron was not part of the status quo.

[IPSecure]

Romney mentioned 'the season of war', wtf is that?

[The Magic Hoof]

Man this was so disappointing. I mean, it was expected. But seriously, why hammer out all of this 'hey bruh everyone's gonna be a polygamist if Ron gets into office' crap? I wish they'd talk about the economy a lot more. But that's to be expected.

[ChiefJustice]

I think theres been too much negativity. Yes Ron stumbled on a curveball about getting Congress to come together, but otherwise he did really well. Theres one main complaint I have and its that Ron runs circles around all these candidates in terms of the economy but too many people are not knowledgeable about the business cycle and the economics lesson he was giving. I bet most casual viewers didn't quite follow but at least he came across as the most opinionated on it and intelligent.

He dominated on foreign policy. Santorum pumped up Ron Paul with his attacks. Good job by RP, winner of the debate.

[Canderson]

Newt's comments on the Fed help give Ron Paul more credibility among the mainstream.

+rep, changing the debate is as important in the long run as winning the debate

[FSP-Rebel]

Flat out, Newt won as far as i c. ron did ok with wat he got. Straight up, they all did good. Bachmann withstood attacks like at Sematary Ridge. Ron held up because of the likes of us/. And Romney minced the 10th amend to his advantage with pureness. My pt taken: they all were schooled like yall have never seen.

[go_cardinals11]

this debate was the worst of the three so far. fox was awful. the bachmann/pawlenty rate against each other was mind numbing and eat entirely too much time. props to Newt for calling out fox on stupid questions.

Romney wants unemployment accounts that each individual is in charge of...?? Sounds a lot like social security part 2. give me the freedom to save/spend how i want, not some special account that has rules and regulations that the govt establishes.

[Feeding the Abscess]

Saw Collins when Bachmann was getting interviewed by Hannity lol.