Only two GOP candidates with balls - Political Forum

francois60 · #1 (**permalink**) 07-30-2007, 12:42 PM

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McCain and Paul are the only ones who have agreed to participate in the CNN Youtube debate.

Now the defenders of Rudy, Romney, and Thompson have said that it was a farce. First off, these were questions from average Americans, so yes, some of them will end up sounding a bit immature or weird or ignorant. Are Republican Presidential candidates expected to not answer questions from Joe Six Pack? Are they only going to be governing the elite?

Secondly, this isn't because they think it's undignified, they hate it because it's unscripted. Republican candidates, far more than Democratic candidates, simply don't want to answer certain questions.

I think it says far more about the Republican candidates other than Paul and McCain that they are ducking this one. It says they are too arrogant to deign to answer questions from the plebes and that they simply don't have the mental acuity to function in unscripted settings.

Bradgriff · #2 (**permalink**) 07-30-2007, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by francois60

I think it says far more about the Republican candidates other than Paul and McCain that they are ducking this one. It says they are too arrogant to deign to answer questions from the plebes and that they simply don't have the mental acuity to function in unscripted settings.

Unscripted...how absolutely primitive. A politician during a campaign isn't just one person, they're an idea, that many people contribute to, consultants, speech writers, campaign contributors, what the polls say we want, etc...

For any one man or woman to juggle all that while debating complex topics on the hot seat is asking too much, thier brains will explode and that'll look bad. The people who could pull it off would be politicians that don't have complex and possibly conflicting forms of support, kind of like McCain and Paul. But the same lack of complex support=$$$$$$, is why neither will win... sad indeed

Aegis · #3 (**permalink**) 07-30-2007, 01:46 PM

McCain and Paul have nothing left to loose so why not take part in an unscripted free for all. The U-Tube debates are a joke. The serious Republican contenders will save their opinions for a well structured and professionally moderated debate which has value to the American electorate.

francois60 · #4 (**permalink**) 07-30-2007, 02:37 PM

McCain is close enough to the front that he's within the statistical margin of error in some polls. While he's hurting, he's still in the top tier.

As for well structured and professionally moderated debates, that's a joke. Those debates prevent any candidate from being challenged and allows them to simply not answer the questions asked of them.

superdude17* · #5 (**permalink**) 07-30-2007, 03:13 PM

it's in September. The DRats got to have theirs in July when very little is going on. September is a very busy month for the candidates. Kind of awkward why the two debates were scheduled so far apart if you ask me.

Bradgriff · #6 (**permalink**) 07-30-2007, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aegis

McCain and Paul have nothing left to loose so why not take part in an unscripted free for all. The U-Tube debates are a joke. The serious Republican contenders will save their opinions for a well structured and professionally moderated debate which has value to the American electorate.

You've basically sanitized for the consumption of conservatives what I said. It reminds me of that feeling you get when that strip of paper is accross the toilet seat in hotels and the toilet bowl is all shiny....and it says "sanitized for your protection"

superdude17* · #7 (**permalink**) 07-30-2007, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MountainMike

As much as I can criticize the YouTube format, a very large number of YOUNG people will be voting, and this relates to their generation.

I supported McCain in 2000 when he was still a Maverick. Now, we disagree on too many big issues, such as immigration policy and Iraq. I still have to admire the fact that he is the only candidate to say that as president he would not sign off on any bill containing pork projects. I respect that position wholeheartedly. Ditto that for McCain's stand against torture.

A true cajones test came with Guillani's personal attack on Paul, underscoring Guilliani's lack of real character, with Paul not firing back but listing the obvious differences between himself and the other candidates. You would not have four more years of an Iraqi quagmire under Paul, you would not have torture under Paul, you would not see Paul bombing Iran, you would see the elimination of warrantless wiretaps and e-mail taps, etc...

The GOP field of candidates are all middle aged to elderly white guys and Paul is about the only diversity they have in ideas.

Oh please. I have had enough of the Ron Paul bull shit. The man is a crock.

superdude17* · #8 (**permalink**) 07-30-2007, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aegis

McCain and Paul have nothing left to loose so why not take part in an unscripted free for all. The U-Tube debates are a joke. The serious Republican contenders will save their opinions for a well structured and professionally moderated debate which has value to the American electorate.

I couldn't agree more. CNN picked a date out of the air and stated that would be it. They didn't coordinate with the candidates one bit thinking they were more important than any event scheduled. In other words, CNN thinks they are more important than the people who were planning on going to the events.

On top of that, just think of the ridiculous questions CNN picked for the Dem candidates and imagine the foolish ones they would pick for our guys.

I don't mind unplanned questions, but the You Tube questions aren't unplanned, they are carefully chosen by CNN. I actually felt sorry for the Drats on a few questions. Pathetic, and I am the target demo for these.

apawllo · #9 (**permalink**) 07-30-2007, 05:23 PM

Giuliani is officially a joke. Pulling out of the Iowa Straw Poll and now the YouTube debates - might as well just issue a press release saying he doesn't care about the American public.

micfranklin · #10 (**permalink**) 07-30-2007, 06:43 PM

Now that you brought this up, I just might make a YouTube debate question for Ron Paul, seeing as how I might be the only one asking a serious question.