GOP Debate Open Thread

Do you Believe in Dinosaurs? n/t (4.00 / 4)

Hope >> Fear





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by: Mike Hoefer @ Mon Jun 13, 2011 at 13:33:32 PM UTC

Paul Revere first fired (4.00 / 9)

his automatic weapon in defense of the Second Amendment, while visiting the Great Northwest.  Do you support Nullification?

Do you support a Constitutional Amendment that will require candidates to be born in the US, and not in foreign countries such as Kenya, Mexico, New York, Hawaii, and California?

It has been proven, time and time again, by great thinkers such as Ayn Rand, David Brooks, and George Will, that government is the cause of all of our problems.  What action will you take to eliminate government?

Taxation is theft by force because we have a right to live a life of unfettered liberty and squat in any community in the US that we choose.  What action will you take to eliminate taxation?

Do you know of any person who ever saw Ayn Rand and L. Ron Hubbard in the same room?

In the immediate aftermath of Since the start of the financial crisis, the Fed/Treasury lent, spent, or guaranteed $28 $29 trillion to save the banking system.

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by: StraffordDem @ Mon Jun 13, 2011 at 14:33:41 PM UTC

Niiiiiiiiice! n/t (0.00 / 0)

"We start working to beat these guys right now." -Jed Bartlet

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by: cblodg @ Mon Jun 13, 2011 at 14:37:01 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

A few suggestions (4.00 / 3)

1. Have you ever texted your junk to anyone?

2. Were you born in this country? Are you prepared to prove it?

3. Do you worship at the altar of Medicare Destruction? Are you prepared to prove that?

4. What's more important, the health, wealth, and safety of the American people, or a balanced budget?

5. What would you consider to be a reasonable bill at Tiffany's? What about breakfast at Tiffany's?

6. The GOP just rejected a Nobel Prize-winning nominee to the Federal Reserve Board, apparently because he specialized in labor. Do you support the GOP's apparent attempt to permanently remove "full employment" from the Fed's mandate? If so, why?

7. True or false: Elizabeth Warren is evil.

8. IF you believe that government should be run like a business, why then do you believe in shrinking it?

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by: JimC @ Mon Jun 13, 2011 at 15:14:50 PM UTC

If Government is to be run like a business? (4.00 / 3)

Can anyone show me a business that is a Democracy?
Is this code for a dictatorship?

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by: tchair @ Mon Jun 13, 2011 at 15:47:12 PM UTC

Here's a few more: (4.00 / 1)

How will reducing taxes on corporations and the wealthy create jobs? They haven't created any jobs since Reagan's day, so why would one think they would now?  What creates jobs, boys, is demand for products and services.  Not taxcuts.

Which system are you hoping with win, theocracy or oligarchy.  (If you don't know what those words mean, Michelle, you can always Google them, if you know how to do that).

Since the founding fathers were opposed to slavery, how come many of them owned slaves?

Although Darwin wasn't born until 1809, and hadn't published the Origin of Species until 1859, why would you think that the founders believed that creation should be taught over evolution? (Oh, because David Barton says so.)

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by: mevansnh @ Mon Jun 13, 2011 at 15:52:32 PM UTC

how old is the universe? (0.00 / 0)

When were the heavens and the earth created?  Can you give me an exact date?

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by: TimothyHorrigan @ Mon Jun 13, 2011 at 16:31:05 PM UTC

What if... (4.00 / 5)

If a Republican controlled Congress passed the following legislation, would you sign ...

a bill to outlaw unions,
a nullification bill,
a bill defining marriage as 1 man/1 woman,
a voucher system for Medicare,
a bill privatizing Social Security for everyone under the age of 50,
restricting abortion rights to those whose life is endangered,
abolishing the EPA
abolishing Dep't of Ed
abolishing Dep't of Ag
abolish FDA
abolish FTC
abolish NIMH
abolish NIH
abolish NEAA
abolish Dep't of Commerce
abolish Dep't of Transportation
abolish most of foreign aid? (which would you keep)
abolish capital gains tax
abolish estate tax
abolish progressive income tax rates in favor of flat tax.

"A national political campaign is better than the best circus ever heard of, with a mass baptism and a couple of hangings thrown in."



/H.L Mencken.

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by: susaninrindge @ Mon Jun 13, 2011 at 17:43:50 PM UTC

A few more (0.00 / 0)

"Please repeat the following phrases. Winner of this question is the one that sounds most presidential."

"I'm president of the United States, and I'm not going to eat any more broccoli."

"You're either with us, or with the terrorists."

"My fellow Americans, I've just signed legislation outlawing Russia forever. We begin bombing in two minutes."

"I'm PAYING for this microphone, Mr. Green!"

"Reince Preibus."

"Manson is guilty."

"I am not a crook."

"What about the [ethnic slurs], Henry? What about the [ethnic slurs]? Rogers is always worried about the [ethnic slurs]."

"In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist."

"Now watch this drive."

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by: JimC @ Mon Jun 13, 2011 at 19:12:21 PM UTC

On a serious note: (4.00 / 2)

This quote is from one of our greatest presidents, a Republican.

Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration.

Do you agree or disagree?

[This is from Abraham Lincoln.]

JillSH

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by: JillSH @ Mon Jun 13, 2011 at 19:32:41 PM UTC

Suggested office pool: (0.00 / 0)

How many times do you think we will hear one of the clowns say something like, "We need to focus on attacking Obama for being the worst President in American history, not on attacking each other... any one of us on this stage tonight would be a better President than Obama..."

I put my bid in for 6 times in 90 minutes (if that's the timetable)

"A national political campaign is better than the best circus ever heard of, with a mass baptism and a couple of hangings thrown in."



/H.L Mencken.

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by: susaninrindge @ Mon Jun 13, 2011 at 19:38:09 PM UTC

I'd go higher (0.00 / 0)

Guaranteed they'll go there in round about ways with every question.  Kind of like that asinine commercial by some R on the radio claiming President Obama attacked him only by name.  

"We start working to beat these guys right now." -Jed Bartlet

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by: cblodg @ Mon Jun 13, 2011 at 20:15:47 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Stolen from Roger Fisk: (4.00 / 4)

hhhmmm....a tough choice tonight; the Republican debate from New Hampshire or the Bruins Game Six. One has opponents I have really come to dislike, who have shown their poor character through cheap shots and trashtalking, who have no problem with below the belt hits and sucker punches. Or I could watch the hockey game.

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by: cmnh @ Mon Jun 13, 2011 at 20:39:20 PM UTC

Hockey Game! (4.00 / 1)

Here is what you will miss: "Obama care" "Obamney care" "Second Amendment forever" "NH is the live free or die state" "It isn't a voucher program" "Bankrupting our grandchildren" blah, blah blah.

Not even a close call. And if you don't like hockey, there must be a Law and Order of some kind on cable somewhere.  



"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    

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by: Kathy Sullivan 2 @ Mon Jun 13, 2011 at 22:14:45 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

liberty... liberty... liberty (4.00 / 1)

FOREVER.
Don't need no stinking taxes, don't need no stinking regulation, don't need no stinking mandates.

FREE MARKET FOREVER!

"A national political campaign is better than the best circus ever heard of, with a mass baptism and a couple of hangings thrown in."



/H.L Mencken.

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by: susaninrindge @ Mon Jun 13, 2011 at 23:06:00 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Will you trust the Presidential primary election results (4.00 / 1)

since the legislature has postponed the "need a picture ID to vote" law until AFTER the primary?

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by: elwood @ Mon Jun 13, 2011 at 22:39:22 PM UTC

Talked to my Mom yesterday (4.00 / 2)

Who has always been one of those indecipherable independents. Network news watcher too, not cable.

She says she's actually considering Romney because "he sounds like he will actually do something about jobs, and maybe he'll get us out of these stupid wars"

That's a low info opinion, and crazy of course, but the weird thing is that the Obama admin though by pivoting to the deficit and ignoring job creation and war expense they would appeal to the center at the expense of the left. In reality I fear it's much much worse than that. Romney is going to run on a progressive set of issues with a conservative toolbox of solutions, and most people won't have the sense to know or care that he's proposing to fix your plumbing with a sledgehammer.

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by: Mike Caulfield @ Mon Jun 13, 2011 at 23:08:40 PM UTC

Oh, and questions for Repubs (4.00 / 3)

I'd just up the ante on the crazy:

* Did the World Health Organization create AIDS while trying create a better contraception pill in the 1950s?

* Should Americans have the right to pay taxes in gold nuggets instead of dollar bills?

* Should we return the capital gains tax to Reagan era rates (Trick question!)

* Would you approve of prayer in schools if Muslims were allowed to pray too?

* What is the current percentage of GDP consumed by Medicare? What is the projected 2030 percentage of GDP? What's behind the cost?

* Should citizens be allowed to bring guns into presidential debates?

* [For Ron Paul] You've been predicting the imminent collapse of the dollar yearly since 1981. That's thirty freaking years. Why should anyone listen to a damn thing you have to say on economics?

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by: Mike Caulfield @ Mon Jun 13, 2011 at 23:20:02 PM UTC

Questions (4.00 / 1)

"Why is the person to your left not qualified to be President? Why is the person to your right not qualified to be President?"

Easiest question of the night, admittedly. For all of them.

Only the left protects anyone's rights.

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by: RealNRH @ Mon Jun 13, 2011 at 23:51:25 PM UTC

This is ... (4.00 / 1)

... snarky and unfair, but I'm going to say it anyway.

The GOP debate, happening RIGHT NOW, is not even trending on Twitter.

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by: JimC @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 00:03:42 AM UTC

This is ... (0.00 / 0)

... snarky and unfair, but I'm going to say it anyway.

The GOP debate, happening RIGHT NOW, is not even trending on Twitter.

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by: JimC @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 00:03:45 AM UTC

Congresswoman Bachmann (4.00 / 2)

"Don't you know NH is the granite state?  Not the 'Live Free or Die' state."

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by: Timmy J @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 00:04:22 AM UTC

"I am Herman Cain and I am not a politician..." (0.00 / 0)

"... Politicians are at least theoretically electable."

Only the left protects anyone's rights.

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by: RealNRH @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 00:05:16 AM UTC

Watch... (0.00 / 0)

Not a single response on 'how will you create jobs' will include any suggestion that would actually create a single job.

Only the left protects anyone's rights.

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by: RealNRH @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 00:07:39 AM UTC

Summation: (4.00 / 1)

"If tax cuts create job growth, why haven't historical tax cuts created any jobs?"

Only the left protects anyone's rights.

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by: RealNRH @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 00:09:05 AM UTC

Livetweeting (0.00 / 0)

@DougLindner

#nhdebate

--
Hope > Anarch-tea
Twitter: @DougLindner

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by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 00:09:14 AM UTC

Bachmann: (0.00 / 0)

"I introduced the bill.... because it's an over-the-top bill." How do you know when a Republican might be saying something true? When they go off-message!

Only the left protects anyone's rights.

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by: RealNRH @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 00:12:57 AM UTC

Local Republican: Are you guys as crazy (4.00 / 2)

as the nuts who've taken over my state party? (my summary of Mr. Pfaff)

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by: elwood @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 00:22:35 AM UTC

Responses (4.00 / 3)

T-Paw: Screw you, I'm a teabagger.
Bachmann: Teabaggers are no crazier than I am!

Only the left protects anyone's rights.

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by: RealNRH @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 00:23:46 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Herman Cain (0.00 / 0)

I'm a businessman and everyone will change their positions until I count as mainstream!

Only the left protects anyone's rights.

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by: RealNRH @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 00:26:01 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

From my livetweeting (@douglindner, #cnndebate) (4.00 / 1)

Anachronistic moderate Republican asks candidates not to be #teaparty sockpuppets. Nobody on that stage wants his vote. #cnndebate #nhdebate

--
Hope > Anarch-tea
Twitter: @DougLindner

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by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 00:24:29 AM UTC

T-Paucity of Hope (4.00 / 4)

n/t

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by: JimC @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 00:26:02 AM UTC

Ron Paul (0.00 / 0)

Looks like he's about to keel over on stage, but he's still as solidly nutty as ever. Gotta give him credit for consistency, anyhow, if not sanity.

Only the left protects anyone's rights.

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by: RealNRH @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 00:27:00 AM UTC

FYI (0.00 / 0)

Seth Cohn is a Paullower.  

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by: susanthe @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 01:19:18 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

For another eight months or so (4.00 / 4)

Then he's a Paulbearer.

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by: elwood @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 01:21:16 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Not a surprise (0.00 / 0)

Might as well be a LaRouchie.

Only the left protects anyone's rights.

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by: RealNRH @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 01:54:20 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Boston scores! n/t (4.00 / 4)

"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    

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by: Kathy Sullivan 2 @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 00:33:15 AM UTC

And Boston scores again!!! (4.00 / 4)

"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    

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by: Kathy Sullivan 2 @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 00:34:35 AM UTC

I didn't even know Boston was in the debate. (0.00 / 0)

Boston Blackie, Boston Brand??

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by: elwood @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 00:40:52 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Still livetweeting (0.00 / 0)

Things these #GOP candidates would kill: Medicare, Social Security, GM, America's credit, our planet, your job. #CNNdebate

@DougLindner

--
Hope > Anarch-tea
Twitter: @DougLindner

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by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 00:43:04 AM UTC

Cain (4.00 / 2)

"So Cain, you want to cut the FDA entirely, but Europe doesn't have an FDA and has food safety issues. You want food safety issues?"

"Let me talk about housing..."

Only the left protects anyone's rights.

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by: RealNRH @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 00:49:36 AM UTC

Godfather Pizza, indeed. (0.00 / 0)

I'll have the Mushroom and Horsehead, hold the anchovies.

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by: elwood @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 00:53:13 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Still livetweeting (4.00 / 1)

Yes, Ron Paul, Washington caused the recession. Did you vote to deregulate banks in the 90s? I bet you did. #CNNdebate #NHdebate #fitn

Twitter: @DougLindner (<--adding that to sig to save time)

--
Hope > Anarch-tea
Twitter: @DougLindner

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by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 00:56:54 AM UTC

Heh. (0.00 / 0)

Mister Santorum trying valiantly to not let the word 'vouchers' escape his lips because people understand what vouchers are.

Only the left protects anyone's rights.

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by: RealNRH @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 01:00:37 AM UTC

Cain again (0.00 / 0)

"We should adopt South American economic policies because it's clearly worked so well for them."

Only the left protects anyone's rights.

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by: RealNRH @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 01:01:52 AM UTC

Still livetweeting (4.00 / 1)

Cain, fmr Godfather's Pizza CEO, wants to be POTUS. "President Herman Cain (R-Pizza Mafia)" #CNNdebate #NHdebate #PizzaMafia

--
Hope > Anarch-tea
Twitter: @DougLindner

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by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 01:04:00 AM UTC

Romney (0.00 / 0)

"People will stop lending money to us if we run deficits!"

Except that, um, BOND RATES ARE AT HISTORIC LOWS AND TRENDING DOWNWARD FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS.

Only the left protects anyone's rights.

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by: RealNRH @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 01:05:03 AM UTC

Still livetweeting (0.00 / 0)

Romney complains @THEDEMOCRATS aren't negotiating in good faith on the issues. Ever met Mitch McConnell? #CNNDebate #NHDebate

--
Hope > Anarch-tea
Twitter: @DougLindner

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by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 01:06:46 AM UTC

Still livetweeting (0.00 / 0)

Rick 'gay = man on dog' Santorum cites Madison, urges people to respect one another. #CNNDebate #NHdebate #hypocrite

Romney boldly says he doesn't fear Sharia taking over America. Somehow that's a profile in courage #CNNdebate #NHdebate #fitn

--
Hope > Anarch-tea
Twitter: @DougLindner

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by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 01:15:05 AM UTC

Summaries (0.00 / 0)

Ron Paul: "We should let illegal immigrants die and punish their children by denying them education."

Herman Cain: "I oppose the Constitution because it contains the 14th Amendment."

Only the left protects anyone's rights.

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by: RealNRH @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 01:33:01 AM UTC

And... (0.00 / 0)

Newt: "Herman Cain is right."

Only the left protects anyone's rights.

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by: RealNRH @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 01:33:37 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Good question from DiStaso (4.00 / 3)

"Popular bill in NH outlawing eminent domain for electrical transmission lines. Should the government be able to use eminent domain for projects that reduce our dependence on foreign oil?"

Paul says No. I was struck by (what seemed to me ) the even-handed phrasing.

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by: elwood @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 01:42:10 AM UTC

And Romney ducked it, naturally (4.00 / 1)

He turned it into "Well not if the whole point is benefiting a company!" instead of addressing the "Electricity is a public good" point.

Only the left protects anyone's rights.

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by: RealNRH @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 01:44:16 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Still livetweeting (0.00 / 0)

Ron Paul, would you sell govt-owned national parks' land? Would you sell the Statue of Liberty? #CNNdebate #NHdebate #fitn

--
Hope > Anarch-tea
Twitter: @DougLindner

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by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 01:42:25 AM UTC

And in the end... (4.00 / 2)

The winner of the night's debate is... Palin. She didn't have to stand up and transparently duck questions, she got another candidate forced to declare her ready to be president, and she got through the night without making yet another of her nonstop idiotic gaffes.

Only the left protects anyone's rights.

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by: RealNRH @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 02:15:35 AM UTC

John King asked: (4.00 / 2)

"If you had to pick one, and only one, of the other candidtaes here as your Veep, who would it be?"

What is this, "Simon Says"? If any candidate is STOOPID enough to answer they lose?

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by: elwood @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 02:30:13 AM UTC

Correct answer: (4.00 / 2)

"What, one of THESE losers? John, I'd be ashamed of any party that would nominate one of them, let alone any country that would elect one."

Only the left protects anyone's rights.

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by: RealNRH @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 02:35:25 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

"When I think of the great Republican Vice Presidents... (0.00 / 0)

...so few of them were really candidates for the Presidency at the time. So I would look beyond my colleagues here.

"Cheney, Agnew, Nixon..."

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by: elwood @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 02:47:14 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Quayle! n/t (4.00 / 2)

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by: susanthe @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 02:48:34 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

The big takeaway (4.00 / 4)

Republicans literally and openly cheered for letting human beings in need of emergency medical care die for a lack of paperwork. Republicans literally and openly cheered for revoking the 14th Amendment. Republicans literally and openly cheered for ending Medicare. Republicans literally and openly cheered for forcing an underage girl raped by her own father to carry the child to term, even when the specific conditions of rape and incest were explicitly laid out in the question. Republicans literally and openly cheered for defaulting on the national debt.

Is it any wonder I'm fundamentally disgusted by the Republican Party?

Only the left protects anyone's rights.

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by: RealNRH @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 03:01:04 AM UTC

And in the end...(opposing viewpoint) (4.00 / 1)

They. Don't. Care.
We do.
Rinse, repeat.

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by: GreyMike @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 03:16:57 AM UTC

out right winging each other (0.00 / 0)

They were are to the right of the average American, and vying to become the farther farthest right. Its a reality in the Primary for the Republicans which helps them very little in a general, at least that's the way it appears to me.
The tea p'ers definitely call the tune in the Republican caucus now. To the right, right, to the right right right.

note to close readers: this might be sarcastic so think twice before reading to candidates for use in their attacks on each other

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by: JonnyBBad @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 04:22:09 AM UTC

Clarifying for me: (4.00 / 3)

Romney: a lot more confident and comfortable than four years ago.  He made the others look small. Grade: B.

Bachmann: despite two absurd answers, she was perfectly clear without being obviously talking point-y, detailed without getting into Congresspeak, and likable.  The clear winner in terms of raising her profile.  But her history is so replete with insanity I wonder how she will deal with subsequent attention, because she is, in fact, an ultra-radical right-winger. Grade: A-.

Pawlenty: offers absolutely nothing. Utterly forgettable.  Can not be nominee, will not be VP choice, imo.  Kind of sad, actually. Grade D+.

Santorum: frightening and irrelevant. Grade: C.

Cain: did not live up to the hype at all.  Contradictory, unclear, fuzzy rhetoric.  Looked like he was winging it. Grade: F.

Paul: opposite of Romney in that the 2nd go around makes him look like a crank.  His glibertarian talking points do not wear well at all after four years. Unserious. Grade: D.

Newt: smug, patronizing, and an all around grump. Not afraid to toss out absurd rhetorical hyperbole that nonetheless did nothing to drive traffic in his direction.  What a waste of time. Grade: D-.

birch paper; on Twitter @deanbarker

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by: Dean Barker @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 10:03:52 AM UTC

I love you guys! (4.00 / 1)

If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane. --Jimmy Buffett

Thank you for making me laugh over the least funny topic of the week.

A stage full of righties was just nauseating. At least two of them are not from this planet. I could not watch it. This stuff is starting way too early....

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by: DianeR @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 17:00:46 PM UTC