Topic: The 9-12 Tea Party Express Republican Debate

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LINK

The format and to some degree the focus of Monday’s debate, which is co-sponsored by CNN and the Tea Party Express, could provide an opening for Mrs. Bachmann. CNN plans just one moderator posing questions, Wolf Blitzer, and will allow questions from the audience of Tea Party groups in 31 states, and from Tea Party panels watching nationally.

This debate is inexplicably up against Monday Night Football's season opener but it's also damn close to the one we just had. Go figure.

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I would like to live blog it but I may not be available until it is well underway. Perhaps others (hint, hint) may want to give it a shot...

[charlesoakwood]

The Tea Party Express and CNN,  The Tea Party Express poorly coordinating Sarah Palin and Christine O'Donnell, The Tea Party Express hosting Mittens Romney.  What the hell kind of The Tea Party Express is this?

Hopefully, CNN will have taken a less from the scolding MSNBC received and will conduct a decent debate.

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Okay, finally got to the computer.

Much better debate format (thank you, Tea Party) than MSDNC's.

Perry is definitely up for this one and doing well. They are actually all doing well except for Paul and Huntsman.

Huntsman is a girly man. Effeminate. Prissy.

Paul is just plain annoying. Although I will give him credit for parroting a few conservative talking points tonight.

Cain is more confident tonight. His message is focused...on point.

Bachmann is still struggling a bit. It's a shame that she has to keep pointing out her accomplishments because it's getting repetitive. I know why she has to do it (it's all she has) but it's getting tiresome. She should perhaps rely more on ideas.

That's where Newt has been going...his ideas. That's always been his strong point.

Santorum is still struggling for relevance in this race. Too bad. He's a decent guy and a strong conservative. All I can think is that this just isn't his time. I know that's stupid but it's all I can think of to explain his poor showing.

[LadyVirginia]

thanks, trap, our tv  is otherwise occupied with baseball

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Santorum and Bachmann pounced on Perry over Gardasil big time. Again, it's all they got to draw attention to themselves. Both of them seemed to imply that there was no opt out. Perry had to remind over and over that there was. Perry has walked back the Gardasil thing big time...all but gotten down on his knees and begged forgiveness and his opponents jump all over him anyway. That's pretty crappy in my opinion. Breaking the 11th commandment and all.

Meanwhile it's left to Wolfie to go after Romney on RomneyCare which he still stands up for. Romney is absolutely without shame about RomneyCare and tries to deflect it with his claim that he will overturn O'BamaCare on day one. Romney is too cute by half on this and several other issues. Annoying.

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Perry gets hammered on immigration. Predictable. He's very weak on this issue and won't walk back his positions.

Santorum pounces. Secure the border. Enforce the laws. Points out that Perry doesn't want to do this.

Perry responds. $400 million Texas taxes spent on the border. Says that he knows what to do.

Stupid twitter question about what should Republicans do to attract the Mexican vote. The right answer is not given by Santorum. Uses it to go after Perry again.

Perry doubles down on in-state tuition for illegals. Ugh.

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Bachmann goes after the low hanging fruit on immigration. Sez no freebies for illegals.

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Immigration is Perry's RomneyCare. For sure.

[charlesoakwood]

If they are pursuing citizenship, isn't that a federal hurdle?  
If they are pursuing citizenship legally how are they illegal?

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Huntsman gets to swing at it. Attacks Perry...accuses him of treason. What an idiot. Audience gasps. Even they aren't buying his crap.

Sez his state's "driver privilege" card is somehow better than a drivers license. The audience isn't buying it.

Romney jumps all over this. Of course we build a fence. Romney wants to be the anti-Perry on immigration. Enforce the law. And still the audience isn't buying it.

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Perry attempts to explain his position again. The audience clearly isn't happy with any of this.

The audience isn't responding well to any of the candidates on this issue. That's because they are using it to attack Perry or each other. They want to just hear hard positions without the posturing.

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Here we go on energy policy.

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BTW, much better debate than the last one.

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Cain sez kill the EPA.

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Pure red meat...audience loves it.

Gingrich steers things back to policy...he is the only one who doesn't make it a point to attack the other candidates.

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Paul goes off on another anti-military rag. Naive.

Santorum gets the nod to go after Paul. Makes him look stupid.

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Paul gets booed in his response to Santorum. Rightfully so.

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Huntsman pussy foots around yet another question...and then sez we need to get out of Afghanistan. Seems to be advocating isolationism ala Ron Paul. Yawn.

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Perry also sez to sort of get out of Afghanistan. Not a strong answer or position. Weak answer about making the Afghanis responsible for their own security. Except that isn't really the problem there.