Eeps! They’re doing it Again! Live Blog for Republican Debate
Posted: February 22, 2012 Filed under: 2012 elections, 2012 presidential campaign, 2012 primaries, Live Blog, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum | Tags: Arizona debate 134 Comments
Newt’s been oddly quiet. Romney is scrambling for funds and any sign of enthusiastic support from outside of the Republican Money Class. Paul picked up a big super pac donation from a really odd Louisianian. Then there’s Saint Rick of the Sexually Obsessed. He’s undoubtedly going to get the spotlight tonight as his completely crazy religious views have taken him to places that I doubt any one has one before. The establishment hates him but the crazy base thinks he’s just right. Afterall, his culture jihad got him thrown out of his senate position.
“Santorum’s job tonight is to quell fears about his general-election electability,” says Republican strategist Ford O’Connell. “Taking on social issues to differentiate himself from [Newt] Gingrich and Romney is a good strategy, but it’s high risk. He’s been over-talking.”
Santorum’s first task, Mr. O’Connell says, is to take his strong views on social issues – a plus with the so-called “values voters” in the Republican base – and turn them into a discussion on limited government and strong families, not about telling individuals what to do. In recent days Santorum has been all over birth control, women’s role in society, and same-sex marriage.
Then there’s the story about his 2008 speech on how Satan was “attacking the great institutions of America,” now in its second day on the highly read Drudge Report. When asked about it Tuesday, Santorum didn’t disavow the remarks.
“I’m a person of faith. I believe in good and evil,” Santorum said in response to questions from CNN, host of the Wednesday night debate, which begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Then he added that he didn’t think the topic was relevant to today.
“What we’re talking about in America today is trying to get America growing. That’s what my speeches are about. That’s we’re going to talk about in this campaign,” said Santorum.
Meanwhile, Romney’s hoping his newly released tax plan will get some votes. I’m sure it won’t be from economists or people that like strong economies. Look for him to try to fit this in where he can. Well, that an some pointed jabs at Santorum.
Reducing the top corporate tax rate to 25 percent was a central point of an economic proposal Romney offered in September. The former Massachusetts governor’s plan, which would eliminate taxes on interest, dividends and capital gains for individuals making $200,000 or less per year, came under criticism over a lack of details.
Romney suggested during a town-hall meeting in Shelby Township, Michigan, yesterday that he’d offer details.
“I’ll be coming out with some proposals of my own this week that describe how I cut, create more pro-growth tax policies,” Romney said. “I want to see a flatter, fairer, broader-based tax system.”
The Debate will be on CNN tonight at 8 pm EST. It’s being held not too far where my parents lived for awhile in Mesa Arizona.
Washington bureau chief Sam Feist, who’s producing CNN’s seventh debate this cycle, said the 8 p.m. face-off “comes at an important moment in the campaign” as tight races develop in Arizona and Michigan. And given the lack of debates since January, Feist said “there are a lot of topics that are likely to come up in this debate that, frankly, haven’t come up in the other debates.”
Feist wasn’t about to tip off the candidates about what moderator John King might throw their way, but social issues, which received increased media attention since the Florida debates, are expected to get some play.
It’s also possible that former senator Rick Santorum could be asked about his 2008 comments about Satan “attacking the great institutions of America,” which had a second life Tuesday thanks to The Drudge Report. When asked if the Satan comments could come up, Feist simply said that “nothing is off the table.”
The questions asked during the previous 20 debates this week came under scrutiny from New York University professor Jay Rosen and his students in the Studio 20 program, who studied all 839 of them. The students, working with The Guardian, found that 13 percent of the questions asked involved “campaign strategy and the way the candidates responded to each other’s negative ads.”
However, they noted that members of debate or online audiences asked zero questions about polls, flip-flops or negative ads, suggesting that journalists may be preoccupied by process-oriented questions that are of less interest to the public.
Feist said he found the study “interesting and valuable,” but quibbled with how the questions were categorized. “If you ask a candidate about a comment made in a negative ad, I don’t see that as campaign strategy,” Feist said. “I see that as a rare opportunity to have the candidate respond to the negative ads that the public has been inundated with.”
This will be last debate before Super Tuesday so look for every candidate to try to make high impact statements. Will they all play nice?
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Sky Dancing 
CNN said this is the 20th debate. ARGH!!!
John King teases upcoming question: Define yourself in ONE word.
Santorum: Sociopath
Paul: newconfederate
Romeny: Liar
Newt: assshole
Their answers:
Paul: consistent
Santorum; Courage
Romney: resolute
Newt: Cheerful
guess those are aspirational definitions
So far, I can’t find a live stream of the debate.
Did you try CNN? They’re firing up the TV program.
I finally found it.
http://www.cnn.com/video/?hpt=hp_t1#/video/cvplive/cvpstream1
So John King is the moderator. I bet Newt Gingirch wishes he had something controversial this week.
I’ll bet he can’t wait to question Santorum. So many issues, so little time.
Oh sheesh … the pledge and the national anthem! Are we significantly jingoistic now?
Is this a sporting event? Why do they sing the national anthem?
Republicans only understand knee jerk stuff. Doesn’t matter if it’s totally out of place or not
gawd, the neoconfederate just introduced himself as a constitution lover….
Santorum just avoided a pius opening
Willard is trying to channel Zombie Reagan again
Newt? Who is Newt?
okay, he just hit Obama … he wants American energy so now American president bows to a saudi king …
I liked him better when he was the Moon president instead of the gas president …
but giving his girth, I bet Calista can attest to the gas at least
Santorum hit ‘Obamacare” on a debt question
He’s saying he won’t cut defense, but cut off poor people … listing all the means tested programs he’d get rid of
what a dick…
Mitt hit spending on planned parenthood and education … hes making that faux comparison of balance budgeting and business again.
He’s going to make Medicaid time-limited? What will they do with all the old people in nursing homes when they reach the limit?
well, no death panels, so I’m assuming they dump you on the streets
Those programs like food stamps are already run at the state level.
I know … he’s so ignorant about stuff it’s not even funny.
Oh sheesh, there’s that lie about federal workers more than private sector. Willard is just a serial liar.
and now Santorum is taking credit for the Clinton record
He said that federal workers don’t pay taxes!
So, I’m noticing that no one is sporting their ashes on the foreheads … I guess they’ll just have to be serving SATAN
Santorum’s were on there earlier. I saw them. They do wear off eventually. I don’t know about Newt.
Newt skipped church today. He’s new to Catholicism, so he doesn’t get the idea about Holy Day of Obligation yet. Maybe you need to be born into it.
lol
Spot on…
Cut, cap, and balance? I think that would probably be the end of the federal government.
Omigosh, Newt just said you can’t balance the budget on the backs of unemployed and a low growing economy …
Now he talks about returning to Federal jobs and duties to broke states … these guys don’t know anything about government economics
Ron Paul is such a little old geezer.
Paul is screaming about foreign aid which is less than 1/2 percent of the federal budget.
It’s 1/2 a percent that manages to tick a lot of people off and keep a lot of really nasty people in power. -facepalm-
King wants to know what Severely conservative means.
Mitt’s pandering to Catholics on not granting foster children or adoptive children to gay couples.
Romney is repulsive.
Willard has hit women, gays, immigrants, and the poor it’s only his third or fourth comment.
What a bunch of total assholes. And they’re ignorant to top it off!
and liars …. lies, lies lies lies lies
Mitt said he’d ban earmarks … how can the president do that?
When are they going to ask Rick about Satan and how he took over Europe and the mainline protestant churches?
Romney’s tag line to Santorum of the night:
While I was fighting to save the Olympics, you were fighting to save the bridge to know where.
Santorum and Gingrich just called Mitt a liar and Santorum is getting boo’d.
Santorum just hit Ron Paul for being an ear marker
Romney doesn’t know what he’s talking about and Santorum just said so. The audience didn’t like it though.
Newt is going to lecture on how Congress works now.
Santorum still can’t figure out that in 2008 Barrack Obama was not the president and therefor did not bail out wall street …
They all want other people to feel pain. When are they going to sacrifice something?
Awww…Romney doesn’t want to save Wall St. banks. He was worried about the other banks.
Wasn’t worried at all about the auto companies. Newt says it when he says Toyota and Honda were fine. Who cares about auto workers?
He also said BMW and Mercedes were fine. All of those are foreign cars, even if they are being built here by non union workers.
Toyota and Honda are fine. Screw the big three if they can’t make a profit even with the govt/corporate fleet market pretty much guaranteed to them. Guess they should branch out from making crapmobiles and 37-ton SUVs.
I can’t stand to listen to this anti-union talk when the unions have been giving back for years and years.
I wonder exactly what percentage of these statements are not true?
I had to turn it off. I was in fear for my TV, Thanks for keeping me updated.
I have to say this is an UGLY crowd and CNN is letting them hoot and holler like it’s a jerry springer show …
next up is immigration and “faith” which ought to bring out the real ugly in this group
King got boo’d for asking which candidate believes in birth control
Gingrich just got really ugly and said Obama voted for infanticide and that the press didn’t ask him question for it.
Willard forgets that it’s SCOTUS that interprets the constitution and not him.
I thought that was an audience question.
Romney hasn’t seen the kind of attack on religious freedom that is being carried out by Barack Obama.
What a slimy a-hole!
King’s bringing up Santorum’s comment about the “dangers” of contraception … Santorum is points to what the stats dont’ show … the out of wedlock births out coming from teenagers. He mustn’t have read the article he keeps bringing up.
Oh wow. Santorum likes Charles Murray’s book.
How is ending birth control going to help out-of-wedlock births? I’m confused.
Try this for info on his thoughts:
http://www.brookings.edu/papers/1996/08childrenfamilies_akerlof.aspx
Course, we’d have to return to chastity, shot gun weddings and social ostraicism of the kids.
Ron Paul says that an immoral society results in people wanting to use birth control pills.
Romney says that “in certain ethnic groups” almost all babies are born out of wedlock.
I really don’t like Mitt Romney … he’s disingenuous and he lies.
oh, this is so cringe worthy … every one gets choice but women
Ron Paul beating up on Planned Parenthood.
Santorum doesn’t like Title 10 funding …
this is just the heart of everything that’s wrong with today’s GOP
oh and Santorum just says abstinence courses work … that’s just the reverse of all the evidence
Now Ron Paul is lying about Plan Parenthood. He says they use federal money for abortions.
It’s the same argument the Beanies are using about the health insurance mandate. If you through it into the pot, it goes to everything.
So, if there’s a wino on the corner and he has 5 bucks for food and booze, and someone gives him food, are you denying that he now has five dollars for food alone? heh
edit: for booze alone, not food
Someone ask Santorum to provide data to back up his statement that abstinence programs work.
Personal experience.
You’re on fire tonight, Sophie.
Santorum is saying Romney is responsible for the contraception problem because of Romneycare being the model for Obamacare. Romney looks like he just sucked on a lemon.
Now Romney points out that Santorum endorsed him in 2008 and said Romney was a conservative.
Romney thinks the President can repeal laws. He doesn’t understand that there are three branches of government.
Wow, this exchange between Santorum and Romney on the Romney/Obama care has turned into an Arlen Specter hatefest
Santorum is wiping the floor with Romney. He points out that the MA constitution requires balancing the budget every year. Michael Dukakis did it for 10 years. Is he qualified to be president?
Okay, moving from misogyny now to racism
and Ron Paul is living up to why the KKK and Storm Front support him
Too bad King didn’t have the nerve to ask about Satan.
omigosh, Romney just called Arizona a model for immigration law
I can’t handle the immigration stuff. I’m taking a short break.
I can’t believe all the jerry springer style audience that appears to be on Romney’s payroll …
There are probably a lot of mormons there, and Romney probably bussed in more from Utah.
I’ve only been listening intermittently. Scooping litter boxes was much more enjoyable than listening to these idiots.
Apparently there was no sex outside of marriage before the pill. Santorum says abstinence teaching works. Newt – secure our borders. I like him to secure my house so no ants get in. Do any of these men live in the real world? They are so out of touch with reality. Mitt – Arizona is a model. For what? Nazism? I’m switching stations before I lose my mind.
I just got in from a baseball game, and the first thing I see when I get online is this:
https://twitter.com/#!/ESQPolitics/status/172503504664002561
So…crazy.
Employers get sanctioned for not paying taxes? Oh really?!
One word…assholes.
What the hell, is the swimsuit competition up next.?
ROFLMAO!!!
no, but judging from the tie choice, Romney and Santorum are signalling their special frendship
Talking ties, where are the right wing nuts shrieking about Newt’s purple tie…isn’t that a GLBT support thing?
Minx, only if that’s a pink shirt.
Danger Will Robinson!!! Let’s ramp up the military again!!!
So has there been any questions about Santorum and his satan statement?
Sadly, no.
The only guys asking questions from the audience are el chubbo white men with odd facial hair/hair cuts… what does that say?
Didn’t Newt not want women in combat positions because they got yeast infections back in the 90s or am I having one of those pesky flashbacks again because I lived through the 60s?
Romney isn’t worried about the price of gas. Gee, I wonder why? I can think of about $250 million reasons.
Romney doesn’t understand all options are on the table vis a vis Iran’s nuclear strategy and the president’s comments … guess he needs to say, I will blow you nasty suckers up or it’s just not said …
Romney says if we reelect Obama, nukes will be used.
sounds like nukes will be used if any of them are president too because they’re going to do it
Santorum sounds like a lunatic…
Good thing, because he is a lunatic!
Dak: Ding ding!
Minx: Sounds like??!!
Except for that naughty old “neo-confederate?” (Of course, admitting that would violate your policy of never, ever saying anything nice about Republicans because Republicans are the Other Side and therefore automatically the very epitomy of evil, so I guess you get a pass on that. 😉 )
I used to be a Republican before the party went bat shit insane. I used to like Mitt’s father a lot. I was watching two old Republicans last night—Simpson and Bartlett–and they think the same thing about the “new” Republican party that I do. Bartlett who was an economist and key in the Reagan administration said Reagan couldn’t get elected any more in the Republican party.
I’m an independent now but I have to vote democrat most of the time because there’s no other rational choice.
Santorum said SATAN!!! Drink!!!
next up: Gingrich and SIGMA
Ahhhhhhaaaaaaa……
Dak, we have a big thunderstorm going on outside and just when Santorum was talking there was a thunder so big it shook the house.
He did. Oh no, I missed it! I was working on my morning post.
It’s hate on teachers now. Newt is totally talking about something no where near reality
guess parents get to decide when children grauate
coming up on the final question …
or their version of the final solution
Homs grieving American journalist Marie Colvin & French photographer Rémi Ochlik for risking lives to report to the world plight of Syrian people (Santorum should be required to watch this clip, as even in MENA people see women as dedicated professionals and value them as any man lost/killed while carrying out their jobs) Marie Colvin & Rémi Ochlik RIP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As1zOG6_2A4
what’s the biggest misperception?
sheesh, Ron Paul thinks he’s electable
Romney ignores question had gives his stump speech
and tells John King to fuck off with his question … he wants to do his memorized closer regardless. Same with Santorum …
guess some folks just never learned to follow directions
So do quite a few polls.
Then Paul and some polls are batshit insane!
I really don’t know when people started thinking that not having the govt up your arse 24/7 is batshit insane, but I imagine it was a very bad day. Personally, I’m a bit more alarmed by the fact that we’re all being reduced to welfarised, well-policed apolides than by the possibility of the military, for instance, not just buying new computers each year and throwing the old ones out. Silly me.
Paul thinks it’s okay for the state government to be up your ass 24-7. How is that any different?
Misconception — I can’t carry my state, tho I lost my 18 points…….misconception vs. contraception
BREAKING: Bush Appointee Finds DOMA Unconstitutional | Moments ago, Judge Jeffery White of the District Court for the Northern District of California ruled that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) violates the Constitution’s equal protection clause in a case brought by Karen Golinski. Golinski, represented by Lambda Legal, “was denied spousal health benefits by her employer, the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.” White was appointed to the court by President George W. Bush in 2002. The decision represents a serious setback for House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), whose Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group (BLAG) defended DOMA after the Obama administration announced it would no longer defend the law. Read the full opinion here. (HT: GinnyLaRoe)
from Think Progress
I posted that on my thread down below. Very exciting. This is the third court that has found DOMA unconstitutional, beginning here in MA.
TPM says Santorum blew it tonight.
http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/02/five-ways-rick-santorum-blew-it-in-arizona.php?ref=fpa
#6 Being there in the first place.
I have to be in just the right mood to appreciate their wingnut, flat earth, econ 101 flunkout mindset. Thanks to all for watching so I didn’t have to go through it!
When are they going to finally stop having yet another debate?
The GOP debates were a non subject — northwest of Mesa, AZ. I was out meeting fiber artists and we talked about almost every topic except the stupid “debate”. Of course the only campaign signs around here I’ve seen are for Ron Paul.
MM — spinners galore up here!!
The local paper has a letter to the editor — about how the GOP is at long last fielding real Christians candidates at long last. Then then numbnuts went on to quote a bunch of scripture. You can’t argue with nuts like that — their rules require that all rebuttals use scripture — that book of myths and mythology. No logic need apply. According to the rightwing religious nuts — abortion is the evil of our time — and I translate that to mean WOMEN are the root cause of all evil and everything that is wrong. According to the extreme rightwing religious nuts.