President 2008

After the South Carolina GOP Debate Tonight

January 10, 2008 /

Republican presidential candidates, former Senator Fred Thompson (R-TN) (L-R), former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, Senator John McCain (R-AZ), former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani and Representative Ron Paul (R-TX), stand onstage before the Fox News/South Carolina Republican Party presidential debate at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina January 10, 2008.

Flap says status quo after the debate. No gaffes and no surprises.

Report Cards for the candidates:

John McCain: B+

Rudy Giuliani: B+

Fred Thompson: B+

Mike Huckabee: B

Mitt Romney: C+

Ron Paul: D

Full report cards later – maybe tomorrow.

5 Comments

  • Dennis

    January 10, 2008 at 11:16 pm

    I didn’t see the debate, however this guy Chuck Todd in the MSNBC Report says that the moderators and other candidates tend to ignore Rudy. Was that your observation? Seems like a typical cheap shot to me.

    I wonder if Mr. Todd will make the same comment after Rudy wins Florida. By the way, the campaign tells us volunteers that Rudy is doing extremely well in absentee ballot voting in Florida. There has been a very heavy return by voters in the Miami-Dade area.

    • Flap

      January 11, 2008 at 6:37 am

      The media seems to love McCain and will give him more of the attention but it is GOTV efforts on the ground that will win the elections.

      Who cares about the pundits – especially the national TV talking heads. Rudy must play this strategy out and remain focused.

      Good to hear about Florida.

      Rudy begins his bus tour in Florida this weekend I believe.

  • Greg A

    January 10, 2008 at 11:52 pm

    I didn’t see the debate live (did something more important…went out to dinner with my wife), and I have the repeat on (and a repeat of the repeat, as Fox came back from its second commercial break, it restarted the debate tape from the beginning…Stupid network).

    I’m catching up on reading posts on another discussion board, not listening closely to the debate (other than when Rudy’s on), but it’s an interesting perspective. Rather than the details, I’m picking up the general tone of the answers and the presence of the candidates in answering.

    What I’m picking up is:

    Fred was actually energized tonight, got off some good lines, but sounded a bit forced, and desperate.

    Huckabee sounded shallow, like an amorphous vapor with no real substance (and he really exudes Clintonesque schmoozy ooze).

    McCain sounded condescending.

    Paul sounded crazy (big news to everyone, I’m sure).

    Mitt was like a non-entity. I can’t remember a thing he said. It was like he wasn’t there.

    Rudy sounded confident, knowledgeable, spoke with conviction, and with substance….In short, he sounded presidential.

  • Flap

    January 11, 2008 at 6:27 am

    The debates are becoming redundant and very boring. Everyone waits for an attack or a gaffe and nothing happens.

    Good choice about the wife.