Running with Scissors - Presidential Debates

[FCTP]

I was working on my calendar for the rest of the year and had highlighted an announcement about another Presidential Debate.  I had not read it until last night.  See it here:  http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/content/tim...

As I read who was sponsoring it, cold chills went down my spine.  Maybe it was the Halloween decorations freshly put on the kitchen table?  Or was it a chill from the open window in the den?  No – it was imagining this debate and the commentators afterwards.

Can you imagine the St. Pete Times in charge of this?  Can we say – not friendly territory for conservatives?

The debate will be broadcast nationally on MSNBC – head spinning time!  I can see the talking pumpkin heads now — Maddow, O'Donnell, Schultz and Sharpton!  

I am amazed that the Presidential candidates will subject themselves to this torture.  They will be ridiculed, embarrassed and made to look like fools right before the primary in Florida.  They will give a pass to the one they want to win the GOP nomination -- who will help Obama win!  That will be the one they support – wait and see!

I'm reminded of my children being young and naïve - "Stop running with those scissors!"  --  They didn't think anything bad could happen to them.  

To the Presidential Candidates:  Be afraid, be very afraid.  This could be your "running with scissors" debate.  There is no way any of you will come out of this one unscathed.  

Garlic necklaces are in order!

[Michelle]

I understand Billie's point!

Herman Cain was on Lawrence O'Donnell's show the other night and he wanted to know why Cain "sat on the sidelines while people were being murdered" in the early 60's civil rights movement and "how Cain felt he could be Commander-in-Chief when he had avoided the military and did not sign up to serve his country like John Kerry". Herman asked Lawrence if he stayed up at night thinking of these questions. Good for him. The Sunday morning news shows grill conservatives and give soft ball questions to the liberals. It is so obvious.

I am really interested in hearing what the candidates have to say about the issues we are confronted with in this country and how they intend to address them.  I find the media very biased against consevatives and I fear the hosts of this debate may have an agenda to ask the same types of questions. We'll see. 

[JL Gawlik]

Amanda, my remarks are always my opinions also along with urls for information for others to read and do their own research.

Your remark about Newt asking his wife for a divorce on her deathbed is a outright lie. I thought the same thing until i research and actually saw several interviews with him, his daughters explaining what happened. He was married to his first wife for 19 years, she was NOT on her death bed, she had surgery to remove a benign tumor and he brought their two daughters to visit their mother in the hospital, at home before the surgery it was her who wanted a divorce and yes he was having a affair and ended up marrying her after his divorce. He apparently had great guilt over his actions, as he was involved with Bill Clinton and his transgressions in the Monica Lewinsky case. His daughters have told the same story for what happened. He did nothing out of line in my opinion, his personal life is his, I do not know the circumstances and do not care to know, that is his personal business. The story that has been spread around forever is the one that Democrats just love to spread around. Try investigating deeper. Newt has great integrity, great honor and honesty, more than i can say for Bill and Hillary Clinton, although he has two failed marriages, that is his personal problem not mine. He just needs to rise above all the 20 years of damning ridicule of the Democrats.  

He has a MA, BA and PHD in history. A incredible knowledge about our country, the foundation and our heritage.

It is amazing that a such deceitful person like Bill Clinton is so popular after all he did and that is just what the public knows about and both he and his wife lied to Congress, to the American people but yet the public hold them both up with very high regard. He is still married to the same wife, but in my opinion he lacks great integrity, lacks honesty, honor and morals period because of his actions, especially when in the WH.

Yes the Shark Tank is a blog and a very good one at that. Both get information out. Many blogs and social networks have taken the place of the printed and network news, many are very good sources to get the truth and facts out, jus as twitter is with certain reliable sources. They know that a good reputation can make or break you.

As for personal life of a person running for office being public knowledge is true to a certain point, but out and out lies should not be allowed as in Gingrich's case. I could say a lot about other Presidents, Congressional members in the public eye but will refrain.

I think Gingrich has proven his worth, his honor, honesty and patriotism to the American people,  they just all need to learn about it and dismiss the misinformation and lies.

[amanda choate]

These debates are no more than meet and greets. Most candidates say little or nothing and that is okay, but with nine GOP candidates it is just too many people and two little time.

Maybe they could ask questions, like on Jeopardy, and then the last two standing get to debate.

What does Article 2 of the US Constitution address?

The  capital of North Dakota?

How many members of the US house?

Define stare decisis?

US agency responsible for curbing nuclear marterials worldwide?

Who was Gerald Ford's Vice President?

Describe the five steps for a bill to become a law.

Stuff like that. Then Newt would have a chance.

[amanda choate]

JL, it was just my opinion. And many others. The Shark Tank is a blog and there are gazillions of them and none of them are probably foinf to co-sponsor a presidential debate.

When one is running for president of the US then, their personal life and they way they choose to campaign and behave do become part of the conversation. All I was saying is this, With a campaign that was quite frankly struggling at that point, it seemed to me that if he really wanted us to have confidence in him, he should have been working towards getting his campaign back in order. He was losing donors, nor communicating with staff and they felt they were be being used. Their words not mine. Maybe he is better off without them, who knows. And he is gifted. But quite frankly, any man that would tell his wife he was divorcing her while she was in the hospital, he ain't my kind of man. That is one with integrity. That is too low. For me, for you it may be okay.

[JL Gawlik]

Doyle, i agree with you, i do not understand how this group is doing it but they have NOT yet, allowed the moderators take control of the debate. Last night was another illustration of them controlling the debate just as they have before. One with CNN in September, they even controlled the one with MSNBC, even the one with FOX!  

L❤ve your analogy Doyle!

[Doyle]

I have to disagree with you on this, Billie, and I do not do so lightly.

When watching the debates I'm not only paying attention to each candidate's stated position, but how each handles themself when confronted by a ridiculous question, biased moderators and their reaction to how the debate's audience is responding.

I noticed something different about the GOP debates starting with the first one FOX conducted. A group dynamic?

Each of the candidates does their questions and answers thing, and while generally adhering to the prescribed (slavish) rules that were agreed to, none felt bound to or by them after the debate began.

More than once I noticed a deer-in-the-headlights expression from the moderator that told me that they knew they weren't really in control. Somewhere, somehow it had been taken from them.

The dumbfounded look -- particularly last night -- from the person who asked an idiotic question recognizing they were way out of their league as they tried desperately to understand the answer because it went beyond their so-obviously limited word.

It was a thing of beauty.

Bring on the cooked debates, Billie. Bring 'em on! It's a test by fire, I agree, but they're only the prelims.

The winner will face Obama in debate, many engineered in his favor.

And the ObamaTron will fall apart.

[JL Gawlik]

Newt Gingwich has been attacked for over 20 years by progressive liberal democrats period.

I have finally found information on his marriages and the TRUTHFUL story does not even come close to all the lies spread about him. It is very interesting to know that while Bill Clinton is enjoying his highest popularity right now even though he had all of those numerous affairs that we KNOW ABOUT. There are probably many more that we DO NOT KNOW ABOUT. 

His affair with a barely 21 year old WH intern just alone broke all ethical, moral, principles and values in my book especially with his 15 year old daughter and wife in residence, plus he and Hillary both lied to Congress and the American people, that is lowest of all the lows and does not even compare with Gingwich and his two unhappy marriages. 

As far as him going off to Greece that is his personal business. If people hold that against him, that is a silly reason to be against a candidate but the progressive democrats really went after it, like they have for over 20 years, his campaign had just started and really was not even off the ground. He probably is a lot better off today without those campaign managers and workers. 

With the Progressive Democrats holding up Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Chuckie Schumer, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz etc., as the pillars of their party, Gingrich outshines them any day. The man has vast knowledge of our US Constitution, our Constitutional Republic, our vast history and heritage. He knows what is wrong with our government and has watched it over the years being taken over by elitists, crony capitalism on both sides. He has watched the abuse of our US Constitution and Congress. When you look at his experience, his knowledge and his standing. He truly outshines anyone.

As far as political information. I personally find the St. Pete Times, Tallahassee Democrat and the Miami Herald all way too, Progressive Liberal, way to the far left.

The Sharktank is great on getting out the truth and the facts:

http://shark-tank.net/2011/10/09/george-lemieux-reconsidering-dream-act/

It has exposed C.A.I.R.'s role in trying to destroy Allen West and Adam Hasner's political careers because they are Constitutional Fiscal Conservatives and believe in our US Constitution and our Constitutional Republic. Adam Hasner is my pick for 2012 Florida Senate race, right now many political publications and media are trying to destroy him. He help get Rubio's Senate race off the ground.

They also have a Latino version El Sharko.

[amanda choate]

I think Newt spending two weeks floating around Greek isles while his campaign was unwinding did him in. It isn't even important what I think, the fact that his campaign staff left him en masse say a lot. It isn't smart at the very beginning of your campaign to leave the country and hang out on a luxury yacht.

 

[amanda choate]

St. Pete Times is the best paper in the state in covering state government/ politics. The Tallahassee Democrat and Miami Herald are the next two best sources. Palm Beach Post is third and after that there is no one. Capitol Update with Beth Switzer has provided years of outstanding coverage.  Public radio also provides a full staff to report on these state issues.

The SPT won two Pulitzers in 2009, one being for Politifact, which has developed into a widely cited resource.

And not for nothing, One of their writers was nominated for the story "Winter's Tale" which just became the movie "Dolphin's Tale".

Florida 100 is also sponsoring this debate. And pols answering tough questions, when there are this many in the race sure helps in figuring out who can win next fall. But does anyone here see any hope of someone surpassing Romney at this point?

 

[Cindy Jordan]

Cain and Newt would be a good matchup possibly.  Newt is very smart, however like someone else said before.  The media has demonized him for years.  He reminds me of a history professor, similar to Glenn Beck.  Very informative, unfortunately too much baggage from the past.  We need to get Term Limits on the ballot.  We all need to push for that, repealing Obamacare, and a cut in Gov. spending.  Together, we can get this done.  We simply need to orgainze the Tea Party to get it done.