Blatant Reality

By Jonathan Williams

Tonight I will be live blogging about both the Republican and Democrat debates. The Republican debate should start at 6pm central and the Democrat debate should follow. Because of Obama and Huckabee’s recent victories in Iowa, it should be and interesting night.

 

UPDATE (6:00 CST)
Let it begin. Haha, the moderator seems to be taking a stab at Fox by stating that this debate is very “inclusive” aka including Paul.

 

UPDATE (6:10CST)

Come on, let the actual debate begin. I don’t care to hear that Romney won roughly 70% of the vote in Wyoming’s caucus.

 

UPDATE (6:15CST)
First question: Foreign Policy.
Huckabee: We gotta do what is in the best interest for the American people and the politicians can’t interrupt the battle commanders decisions.
Thompson: We aren’t arrogant and we won Afghanistan. We won? I don’t think that is entirely correct.

 

UPDATE (6:20 CST)
Foreign Policy (continued)
Paul: Defending Muslim extremist by stating it is our fault for September 11th by having bases in other countries.
Romney: President isn’t arrogant, doesn’t have a bunker mentality and so on. Hmm, I wonder who that jab is against.

 

UPDATE (6:25 CST)
Foreign Policy (continued)
Haha, Everyone is against Paul!!! This is going to be quite funny if this is what its going to be with every question.
Huckabee: “I’m not running for George Bush’s 3rd term”

 

UPDATE (6:30 CST)
Things are getting very ugly. Romney and Huckabee are starting to go at it and at each other’s throats (possibly literally soon enough since they are sitting right by each other). I wonder if the seating was as “random” as they say it was.

 

UPDATE (6:35 CST)
Moving on: Domestic Policy and a question from George Bush.
“What are the principles that you will stand on in the good times and the bad times…?”
McCain: Uphold the principles of this country. My question to him would be, Whose set of principles?

 

UPDATE (6:40 CST)
Domestic Policy (continued)
Romney: The family is most important thing and keeping America the strongest nation on earth through our economy, values, and military.
Giulianni is trying to say what his principles are but he really isn’t saying much.
Now the Moderator is bashing everyone for flipping on their views (and he points out Romney as the worst!) That was funny.

 

UPDATE (6:45 CST)
Domestic Policy (continued)
Paul: We shouldn’t reward our friends and bomb our enemies. (Only one person in the whole audience clapped. And they only clapped twice before stopping.)

 

UPDATE (6:50 CST)
Now on to health care.
McCain: The experts are wrong, its inflation’s fault.
Romney: We don’t have to have the government take over health care to get everyone insured.

 

UPDATE (6:58 CST)
Health care (continued)
Huckabee: We have a health care maze that must be changed. He wants a preventive systems not a reactionary system.

 

UPDATE (7:00 CST)
A break! Finally! They really need to take more because those candidates need to sit back and take a breather.

 

UPDATE (7:10 CST)
Border Security and Illegal Immigration
McCain: They are all God’s children so we need to address it humanely but we do need to secure the borders. Basically: Keep the ones we have here and keep everyone else out.
Romney: Kick ‘em all out (illegals that is).
Giuliani: Keep the good ones, kick the bad ones out. But they gotta hablan ingles.

 

UPDATE (7:17 CST)
Border Security and Illegal Immigration (continued)
More Romney flip-flopping attacks which Romney answered that he hopes that this can be about issues and not personal attacks.
Even though Huckabee won in Iowa, he is keeping a low profile in this debate that will probably help him in the long run. Romney is taking a beating from everyone.

 

UPDATE (7:22 CST)
Immigration (continued)
Huckabee: Finally brought into the fray. His answer: Seal the borders and kick the illegals out but allow them to reapply for entry. Government didn’t bring them over so they should be able to go back on their own so they can have self-respect when they return?

 

UPDATE (7:27 CST)
Why not to vote for Obama?
Romney: Obama wants the government to take over health care. Biggest difference: America wants change and Washington is broken. Mitt Romney can bring that change.
Thompson: Barack Obama has adopted the positions of all liberal groups in the nation. He wants a welfare state and a weaker country.

 

UPDATE (7:30 CST)
I have to hand it to Romney, he has continued to rise above the personal attacks that McCain keeps pouring on him. I don’t know why McCain is dong this since he is ahead in the polls. Maybe he is scared or possibly just plain cocky? I don’t know.

 

UPDATE (7:33 CST)
Obama (continued)
Huckabee: We better give the people something to vote for and not something to vote against. Hmm, yes, the Republicans better make sure they don’t make the same mistakes that were made during the 2004 when everyone was just running against Bush and not for anything.

 

UPDATE (7:35 CST)
New Topic: Gas Prices
Paul: Its inflations fault but it didn’t help when we invaded Iraq to get “our oil” which in turn drove prices up. Huh?
McCain: We have to stop greenhouse gases.
Thompson: No taxes on excess profits.

 

UPDATE (7:41 CST)
Almost Over!
Energy
Huckabee: We can become energy independent within a decade

 

UPDATE (7:45 CST)
Its over but now everyone has to shake hands (Republicans and Democrats) because one of them will be the next president of the United States. Don’t know why but he crowd loved it. The “Applause Now” sign must have been stuck on. Analysis of who won will come later, after the Democratic Debate so check back.