November 28, 2007
Rankings ... With More Analysis to Come in the Morn
1. Huckabee
2. Giuliani
3. Romney
4. McCain
4. Paul
5. Thompson ...
Huck gave clear, thoughtful answers to questions about the death penalty, the Bible and immigration. He also had the funniest line of the night, per the WWJD? death penalty inquiry. "Jesus Was Too Smart to Ever Run for Public Office, Anderson." Huckabee also looked more statesmanlike than his frontrunner counterparts, who sniped about sanctuary cities, illegal workers and more.
Giuliani got off easy when asked to respond to Politico's report of his security detail's use of public dollars to facilitate affair with Judith Nathan. But he did stick it to Romney on the opening immigration q, pointing out that Romney did indeed employ illegal workers at his "mansion." Romney denied it, saying a person can't ask every individual who works on his property for their citizenship papers, but Rudy's campaign quickly blitzed reporters the Boston Globe article revealing that Romney hired a company that used illegal workers to tend his 2 1/2 acre grounds. Expect to see this denial and the Globe story in an ad ...
Romney, meanwhile, appeared on defense most of the night, on that opening immigration q, and on his shifting positions on abortion and gays in the military. He gave hazy answers to the latter two questions that smacked of HRC's initial debate answer to the driver's license q. He seemed to lose his skirmish with McCain over the waterboarding issue as well, declining to say if he'd back the controversial method of interrogation. Romney's most (only?) authentic moment came during the question of what the Confederate flag means to him. "That's not a flag that I recognize or that I would not hold up in my room. ... This country can go beyond that kind of stuff," he said.
More tomorrow ...
(JENNIFER SKALKA)
Posted at 10:44 PM
Comments
I slightly disagree with your rankings. I thought Huckabee did a great job tonight (exclaimer: Edwards supporter). I don't agree with him on a lot, but he has a likeable personality and I, at this rate, fully expect him to win Iowa. I thought John McCain, when he did get to talk, did a very good job tonight. Giuliani and Romney, aside from the points they got at the beginning going after each other, I thought had horrible nights. Mitt Romney couldn't take a position and constantly said, "I'll have to consult with so and so..." If he is running to be President, take a stand! He suffers from Kerryism (flip-flopping), and I don't think he really knows what he should be saying anymore. I thought Ron Paul had a decent night, but I don't expect the polls to be moving for him. He got in some good thoughts, but he was also torn apart by McCain and Co. Thompson had an ok night. Not a whole lot of noteworth things, but he didn't stink. Hunter essentially said, "The people who join in the military are bigots, so that is why we can't have gays. Unit cohesion." OK, so then why did LGBT's join the army. These same arguments about unit cohesion were used to prevent women and african americans from joining the military and being able to vote. Tancredo is just weird, like his ad. (On a side note, I don't think any of the GOPers had good 'Ads')
Ranking:
1) Huckabee
2) McCain
3) ---
4) Thompson
5) Paul
6) ---
7) ---
8) ---
9) Giuliani
10) Romney
11) Hunter/Tancredo
Bryce | 11.29.07 12:29 AM
 |
Post a comment
The Watergate · 600 New Hampshire Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20037
202-739-8400 · fax 202-833-8069
NationalJournal.com is an Atlantic Media publication.
