It's the YouTube Debate. This should be painful. John and I will be watching and liveblogging -- as much as we can stand anyway.
Oh no. The start is pitiful. Governor Charlie Crist looks quite fit and tanned after that introduction from another very nice fellow. How come Crist gets to give a sales pitch?
Well, it's 8:06 p.m. and still not a question.
Okay, finally at 8:09 p.m. a video and it's lame. The endless GOP candidate guitar song. What's the question? There wasn't one.
Of course, of course, the first question was about immigration. The GOPers love the immigrant bashing. Rudy is trying hard to be one of them. Mitt and Rudy are already going at it. This could be fun. Rudy slams Mitt's "sanctuary mansion."
8:20 P.M. Wow. Fred Thompson is really bad. This guy was considered a good actor? He's horrible. And, typical GOP crowd getting into the booing and heckling.
8:29 P.M. Geez, still talking about immigration?
8:33 P.M. McCain is right about one thing: GOPers are profligate spenders. Maybe when McCain is in the Senate, he can stop federal spending. Oh wait. He is in the Senate.
8:35 P.M. If John McCain were elected to the federal government he'd stop all the wasteful spending that he's been in charge of for decades. Oh yeah, and McCain thinks paying for children's health insurance is an example of "wasteful spending." Nice.
8:41 P.M. Nice back and forth between McCain and Ron Paul. Ron Paul wins.
8:43 P.M. Wait. The tax question is from Grover Norquist, a prominent D.C.-based GOP operative. That totally undermines the whole concept of the YouTube debate. As if Grover doesn't have enough access to the candidates. That's pathetic, CNN and YouTube. Pathetic.
8:44 P.M. Duncan Hunter said he'd vote for tax increases during the time of war. Um, Duncan, we ARE at war. He is a buffoon.
8:48 P.M. In a non-YouTube question, Rudy just blamed the police for trying to hide the tax-payer money spent for his extra-marital affair. That's low even for Rudy.
Finally, a commercial break. I've never been so happy for a t.v. ad. -- So close to a break and then, Anderson Cooper says no break because of Fred Thompson's stupid video.
This is truly painful.
They're back.
9:01 P.M. Rudy's getting tough questions about his very strong pro-gun control record. And, it was a very strong record despite what he's saying now.
9:14 P.M. What would Jesus do about the death penalty? Now that was a good question. None of the Republicans will actually give an answer to that question.
9:17 P.M. Do they believe every word of the Bible? Rudy doesn't. Although he did read it during the big crises in his life. Would that include those two divorces? Mitt seemed a little nervous, but he believes the Bible is the word of god. He doesn't disagree with the Bible. He squirmed. Huckabee (who offered to help Rudy with the answer) sure knows how to answer the question. But, he's been in the biz.
YEAH...another break after Mitt's stupid video. He gets "the big stuff done." Huh?
Ugh. Lost some of the post. Here's a recap since the last break:
The interaction between Mitt and McCain over torture was pretty good. Mitt was so out of his league. But, why did McCain compare the U.S. to Pol Pot and Communist China.
And, as for that question from the Muslim woman, as if any of the GOPers care what Muslims around the world think about us. And, note how they all turned it into a warmongering question.
Another break. This thing is brutal to watch. Brutal. Can you really imagine any of these guys being President? That's truly frightening.
Only 15 minutes left and CNN better end it on time.
9:50 P.M. The "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" question. Duncan Hunter agrees with Colin Powell. And Romney won't really answer the question. And, the questioner, a retired general, gets to really lay it out to the candidates. The audience doesn't like it. They're trying to shout down the general. Nothing like a good gay bashing from the gays.
9:57 P.M. Mars? Are they kidding? Okay, I'll admit it. Huckabee is scary. He gives good answers...even when he's being a typically insane GOPer. Meanwhile, Tancredo just looks insane cause he is.
Always the stupid question at the end. Rudy gets asked about the Yankees and Red Sox. He should have gotten the same question as Hillary at the last debate: Pearls or Diamonds? You know, for when he does drag.
Okay, it's finally over. I'd say this was Mike Huckabee's night. He gave great answers, held his own against the big dogs. Romney looked pathetic and often uncertain. He's clearly not good when he's not scripted. McCain had some moments, but overall just doesn't have it. Rudy was just too much of a smarty pants. This was a raucous gathering and they're all getting ugly with each other. Have at it.
