Iowa Republican Debate Open Thread
Posted: August 11, 2011 Filed under: 2012 presidential campaign, Republican politics, U.S. Politics | Tags: Iowa, Iowa straw poll, Republican Debate 73 Comments
I’m going to listen to the Republican debate tonight on my satellite radio. If I get really brave I might watch on line. If you have the stomach for it, please join us. If you can’t stand to watch or listen to the debate, join in anyway and find out what’s happening or bring up other issues.
Fox is going provide a live stream here. C-Span doesn’t seem to be running it, and it’s not on any other cable network, as far as I can tell. I guess no one thinks it’s all that exciting. Oh well, I have nothing better to do….
The Daily Beast is running a live chat during the debate–with hosts Howard Kurtz, Jon Avlon, and David Graham.
Minkoff Minx provided plenty of background on the debate in her evening post, so you can refer to that for more information on the participants and what to expect.
Personally I expect a lot of crazy eyes, wild policies, and blatant lies. If you’re watching and/or listening, please help us keep track.
peej
Carissa
bostonboomer
ecocatwoman
mablue2
peggysue22
quixote
skydancingguestblogger
Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)
Sky Dancing 
Question for Michele Bachmann. Isn’t your plan for turning the economy around kind of unrealistic?
Duh! Bachmann says we never should have raised the debt ceiling. Has message for Obama–“you are finished in 2012, and you will be a one term president.”
Oooo, sounds like I didn’t miss a thing!
Romney (?) says everything Obama has done is the exact opposite of what needs to be done.
Now asking Romney why he chickened out about responding to debt ceiling fight. Is that leadership?
Romney says he wouldn’t have raised the debt ceiling unless he got “cut, cap, and balance.”
Mitt: “I’m not going to eat Obama’s dogfood.” WTF?! Someone ask him about what he fed the dog he tied to the top of his car.
It’s hard to decide who is the craziest person on that stage. Is Michelle Bachmann wearing a tinfoil suit?
I’m listening on the radio, lol. I can’t find a video stream anywhere.
Perhaps bits of tinfoil are what keeps Bachmann’s eyes crazy.
Does he mean cat food?
ROFLOL
Ron Paul talks so fast, I can’t make out what he’s saying. It probably doesn’t make sense anyway.
Now he’s saying we shouldn’t have bailed out the banks. I agree with him on that.
We need to cut the military, says Paul. The audience cheers.
OK, I found the live stream.
http://live.foxnews.com/
Just in time for Newt. Ugh
Pawlenty claims he could grow the economy 5% per year for 10 years straight. This has never happened. Is your plan just “pie in the sky?”
Where’s Barack Obama’s plan–on anything? He doesn’t have specific plans on anything, and if you can find one, I’ll come to your house and cook you dinner. Or I’ll mow your lawn. But if Mitt wins, he’ll only mow one acre.
Newt gets the first gratuitous Ronald Reagan wank
That’s all Newt has.
Santorum has a four point plan and can only remember two points
lol
ha…
Someone must ask Santorum what the difference is between a napkin and a paper towel.
He says we should cut the corporate tax rate to zero, and our jobs will come back. Audience applauds tepidly–probably wonder if Santorum is insane.
Oooh…Chris Wallace asks Pawlenty a nasty question. About what he said about Bachmann’s record and her migraines. He says he never said that. The only headache he knows about is the one Obama is giving us.
Michele says Pawlenty implemented cap and trade. He wanted to require everyone to have health ins. Pawlenty is like Barack Obama. And Pawlenty said the era of small govt was over. She’s very tough.
TPaw just called her a liar.
Oh here we go with the light bulb issue! She introduced the lightbulb freedom bill or something like that.
Now talking about the “tip of the spear.” That’s fundy code!
She gets loud applause.
Good grief. You can tell I never listen to these people because I didn’t know about the light bulb problem. And they applauded. I’m flabbergasted.
Maybe I should listen to them more…
Naw, I’d rather have a spinal tap, I think.
Wallace asking Romney about all the jobs he destroyed. How can he be the “jobs president?”
Mitt says Wallace and most people in DC don’t understand how business or the economy works. He created net jobs, he claims.
The commentators are saying Michele Bachmann was a nasty attack dog.
She’s relentless.
actually she’s a crazed attack schnauzer
Comparing Pawlenty’s attacks on Bachmann to what happened to Hillary in Senate debate in NY.
Wallace asking about Newt’s staff resigning and that his campaign is a mess.
Newt says he put aside the talking points and Wallace should put away the gotcha questions. Ronald Reagan lost his staff too, and so did McCain.
Newt says every regulation on business should be repealed. Wallace is playing Mickey Mouse games. Wallace says Newt is responsible for what happens in his campaign.
Wallace asking Huntsman about previous “liberal” policies like cap and trade and thinking the stimulus should have been bigger.
Huntsman changes the subject. Says he’s patriotic and wants to serve his country. He wanted more tax cuts in the stimulus.
Wallace asking Cain about his statements about muslims, doesn’t have a plan for Afghanistan. Is ignorant of foreign policy.
Cain: “bla bla bla bla sharia law.”
Audience cheers.
These people are nuts. Huntsman ranting about securing the border.
Mitt also wants to secure the border. He likes LEGAL immigration.
Everyone on the stage would refuse to compromise on raising taxes even a tiny bit.
You know, it all is scary shit!
Newt: If someone asked you to choose between getting shot in the head and having your leg cut off, which would you choose?
Huh? These people are nuts.
Pawlenty. Obama care is the same thing as Romney care. But Romney is like Obama in other ways–spending, judicial selections. Romney appointed pro-choice judges.
OK, I guess I’m the only one watching. I’m going to watch instead of typing. Hope someone else chimes in.
I can only take so much and then I have to go watch Futurama.
I know. It’s pretty deadly. I don’t know why I’m even watching.
Ron Paul is his usual neoconfederate brand of bat shit crazy. They’re all making Mitt Romney look like a plastic actionless figure.
Romney hasn’t really answered a question yet. He deflects everything. I guess he is like Obama.
Yes, it would be nice to see that bone vampire go after these loons.
Huntsman had a funny line about RIck Perry. Said we can all use prayers and hopes Perry will pray for jobs–something like that.
TPaw reminds me of Dukakis in a tank.
He’s really sad. I wonder how long he’ll stay in.
The Fox comentators think Newt is winning the debate. They obviously live in some alternate reality that I’m not in touch with.
Funny, I was just thinking Newt was saying that Fox was the liberal media with its usual bias.
He’s very defensive, isn’t he?
The audience cheers loudly every time someone says the troops should come home or defense spending should be cut.
The foreign policy ideas are really crazy. I can’t listen to it. Ron Paul actually makes sense though.
where is Sarah Palin’s Bus – why don’t show a picture of it out in the parking lot?
Is it supposed to be there?
Don’t know BB
I hope Ron Paul smacks “dog on man” upside his head. A republican called Assad a reformer and the media asked what was being said about him and she said some call him a reformer. Tpaw is a LIAR.
She=Hillary
Minx,
Is your husband OK?
yeah, but he says the bites burn real bad…
Sorry, all these people are wearisome. But has anyone else noticed that the crazy answers get foot stamping and cheers, while the saner respondents like Huntsman receive polite clapping and murmers.
Just proves my basic suspicion: The Republicans have lost their minds. And the Eye of the Newt obviously feels put upon. He’s a real grump tonight.
Who loses? Pawlenty.
I can’t believe some one just asked Bachmann if she’s a ‘submissive’ wife. One look at Marcus ought to tell any one that he’s a bottom.
That question truly surprised me. Guess Fox was trying for some drama or pyrotechnics. The other smarmy question was thrown to Pawlenty about his comments on Bachmann’s migraines. Pawlenty squirmed like a worm. It was a sad, sad performance.
You are baaaadddd! An it’s by invitation only.
Newt is completely humorless. I’ve never seen him laugh or smile.
Newt just seemed pitched for an argument with the panel tonight. Grumpy puss!
I was waylaid by a neighbor so I missed out on the first hour or so but this is what I came away with:
1. EVERYTHING is Obama’s fault.
2. Michele Bachman reminds me of Paula Abdul for some reason.
3. All doctors performing abortions should be jailed.
4. Tax increases are off the table under any circumstances.
5. Keep the troops fighting on the say so of whatever general recommends.
6. Healthcare should only be available to those who can pay.
7. Herman Cain is a non entity.
8. Tim Pawlenty is an idiot.
9. If Mitt Romney is considered the “front runner” then you know the rest are really, really bad.
I was hoping to see Sarah Palin crash her bus through the wall with Piper manning the wheel.
Other than that, what I did see was a cohesive GOP group without one mention of job creation but a message that clearly illustrates that they will never win over the hearts and minds of a general election that requires more than just “God bless America”.
Thanks for the running commentary. I tuned in for a couple of minutes and saw the huge applause for Cain’s response about Sharia law. I can’t believe how far the GOP has fallen. I actually know a few old-style Republicans that are great people. They must be in hiding tonight.
I went back to “Burn Notice”.
Is it over?
Thanks for the highlights. I couldn’t bear to watch or listen. These people are truly frightening–and, it seems, so is the audience listening to them.
I echo the thank-you.
Apparently Ron Paul seemed to be the most sand/and/or rational of the bunch??? 0bowma=R would have fit in with that bunch just fine!
This *(*&*^%^ political season is going to seem to go on forever.
and a day 😦