Full GOP Primary Candidates Debate, 1/30/14 - Brannon, Harris, Grant

[aclove]

Warning, video is an hour and a half, but it's the full debate between the 3 candidates. Tillis was a no-show, the third consecutive debate/forum in which he's refused to participate. Moderator is Christian Hine, President of the Charlotte Tea Party.

http://youtu.be/FcMJyVaxUcU

[jurgs01]

Brannon is so much smarter and articulate that the other two. It's not that the other two are bad, but they have very little depth. Hopefully, Brannon isn't too deep for the people of North Carolina.

I am going to keep sending more money to Brannon each month.

[ctiger2]

Brannon's phenomenal... man he's sharp.

[asurfaholic]

I tried to watch this, but the background noise just made it hard for me to keep watching past 5:00m. Wish there was a higher quality sound recording system, I couldn't hardly hear what the other candidates were saying, and the crowd noise and distance of the camera to the candidates made it hard to focus on facial features. I am 80% hearing deficient, so I communicate mostly by lip reading and non verbal communication.

[Bastiat's The Law]

I tried to watch this, but the background noise just made it hard for me to keep watching past 5:00m. Wish there was a higher quality sound recording system, I couldn't hardly hear what the other candidates were saying, and the crowd noise and distance of the camera to the candidates made it hard to focus on facial features. I am 80% hearing deficient, so I communicate mostly by lip reading and non verbal communication.

Youtube has closed caption you can turn on. I couldn't hear Heather Grant really at all, pretty quiet compared to the guys.

[Bastiat's The Law]

Brannon is so much smarter and articulate that the other two. It's not that the other two are bad, but they have very little depth. Hopefully, Brannon isn't too deep for the people of North Carolina.

I am going to keep sending more money to Brannon each month.

That's what it's going to take to win this. Every 2-4 weeks donate to Brannon a little something so he can keep opening campaign offices around the state.

[Bastiat's The Law]

Brannon's phenomenal... man he's sharp.

He really schooled Harris on the Nullification rebuttal when Harris implied we need to do tangible things and not philosophical things. Umm, hello Mr. Harris Nullification is real-life action that the grassroots and state legislatures are already doing across the country. Colorado and Washington state essentially did it with recreational marijuana legalization. They're giving the federal government the finger and doing it their way.

[aclove]

That's what it's going to take to win this. Every 2-4 weeks donate to Brannon a little something so he can keep opening campaign offices around the state.

That's the minimum. He's got to get ads on TV this month to compete with Tillis.

[Bastiat's The Law]

That's the minimum. He's got to get ads on TV this month to compete with Tillis.

We need another money bomb. Not only does it raise much needed cash, it also raises his profile and name recognition as it goes viral.

[Brett85]

Some people may not agree, but I don't really think that Greg would have much of a chance to win a general election if he debated like that. The language he used in the debate was basically just technical and legalistic, and he didn't really ever speak to the concerns that people have in their own personal lives. Unfortunately, most people don't care very much about upholding the Constitution. They only care about what a politician can do to improve their personal lives. It seemed like every answer Greg gave started with "in Article II Section 2 of the Constitution." Of course that appeals to us, it appeals to very conservative voters, but it isn't going to appeal to the larger group of people that Greg would have to win over in a general election. He almost sounded kind of robotic in his answers. I would hope that if he actually makes it to the general election, that he would change up his style and speak to people's concerns, rather than just citing the Constitution in every answer. Whether we like it or not, most people are going to view his style as being cold. You can maintain your principles while still explaining your principles in a way that resonates with more voters.

[aclove]

You may have a point, but keep in mind that this was a very conservative, very constitution-minded audience. The group hosting this debate is a Tea Party group whose founders were kicked out of the North Mecklenburg Republican Women's Club by Thom Tillis' wife for opposing HOT Lanes on I-77. Brannon is very aware of this and is speaking in terms that resonate with THIS audience.

[lib3rtarian]

Some people may not agree, but I don't really think that Greg would have much of a chance to win a general election if he debated like that. The language he used in the debate was basically just technical and legalistic, and he didn't really ever speak to the concerns that people have in their own personal lives. Unfortunately, most people don't care very much about upholding the Constitution. They only care about what a politician can do to improve their personal lives. It seemed like every answer Greg gave started with "in Article II Section 2 of the Constitution." Of course that appeals to us, it appeals to very conservative voters, but it isn't going to appeal to the larger group of people that Greg would have to win over in a general election. He almost sounded kind of robotic in his answers. I would hope that if he actually makes it to the general election, that he would change up his style and speak to people's concerns, rather than just citing the Constitution in every answer. Whether we like it or not, most people are going to view his style as being cold. You can maintain your principles while still explaining your principles in a way that resonates with more voters.

I had the same concern and I did mention it several times earlier in the campaign whenever I could and anytime anyone would listen. The very first time I heard Brannon speak in late 2011 I think, he was exactly like this - very hardcore Constitution, George Washington's inaugural address, Federalist papers, classical liberalism etc. I enjoyed it, but all of it will fly over the head of the layman who is just worried about jobs and the economy. But he will change his tune later after the primary to appeal to a wider audience. That is the plan. For sure the people advising him would have considered this already. Like aclove said, this was a super-conservative audience. These folks needed to hear this.

[Brett85]

Yeah, I hope that both of you are right and that Brannon was simply speaking to his audience, and that he'll change his style for a general election. Because everything he said would just go right over the heads of most voters, and they wouldn't connect with it.