Open thread: The snowman cometh; Update: Bloodsport
posted at 7:14 pm on November 28, 2007 by Allahpundit
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I sense a great disturbance in the ’sphere for this one. The polls are in flux, the tone has turned negative, and we’ve got a bona fide freak show format on tap. 8 p.m. on CNN: anything can happen. MM and Bryan are going to take liveblogging to the next level tonight, but if you’re not commenting over there then go on and sound off below. I might actually watch this one, so good are the odds that we’re in for bloodsport.
In theory everyone’s gunning for Mitt but the shock poll from earlier today and late word of Rick Warren sounding impressed with Huck complicates things. Rudy and Huckabee have made nice so far out of mutual interest in hurting Romney but Huck’s gaining on him in Florida, which is Giuliani’s must-have. He wants Mitt taken out in Iowa but not at the price of launching a Huckabee juggernaut. Will he attack Huck tonight or will he and Mitt continue their feud, leaving McCain to position himself as the statesman above the fray? As for Fred, the snowman’s already got one of his tough questions lined up for him. Here’s a better question: Dude?
While you wait, go see the latest dirty trick being played in Iowa. This one’s a twofer; Ace thinks Huckabee’s behind it, but only because he wants him to be. Take a look at this too. The Democrats are once again way ahead of the new media curve, although the GOP shouldn’t have much trouble replicating it. Finally, the Hammer’s down in Petersburg tonight interviewing whichever campaign spokesmen she can corral. Why Townhall would waste her creativity on running around to get the same soundbites the cable news nets will have later is beyond me, but she’s always worth watching. Here she is with Team Rudy and with Team Romney.
Finally, a valentine to Mitt from the Republican Majority for Choice. I didn’t even know they existed. Click the image to watch.
Update: If you’re not watching, tune in now because they’re going at it hammer and tongs on immigration. Video later
Update: Here’s the bloodsport video between Mitt and Rudy.
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Huck was great on the Bible question.
Rudy was OK and Mitt struggled, to me at least.
omnipotent on November 28, 2007 at 9:23 PM
Dang! Really! Man, I’m getting ripped off.
Weight of Glory on November 28, 2007 at 9:24 PM
look out white liberal muslim convert
Joey1974 on November 28, 2007 at 9:24 PM
Catching up –
Yeah, and I don’t think they had a lot of elected officials then either.
Buy Danish on November 28, 2007 at 9:24 PM
lol, Rudy made a funny.
Spirit of 1776 on November 28, 2007 at 9:24 PM
Did she just say Aflgzchhanistan?
Darksean on November 28, 2007 at 9:24 PM
because the hebrew words for murder and kill are different, and have different conitations, though they are used more interchangably now?
Canadian Imperialist Running Dog on November 28, 2007 at 9:24 PM
OH MY GOSH I’m so sick of poeple saying “our image is in ruins.”
Who the f*ck cares how our image is to some flag burning yahoos in the desert.
Vincenzo on November 28, 2007 at 9:25 PM
Heh! Good point.
Weight of Glory on November 28, 2007 at 9:25 PM
I’ve been in and out of the debate, but have any of the questions been from anybody that seems the least bit interested in ever voting for a Republican? Every one I’ve seen may as well as come straight from the fever swamps.
RW_theoriginal on November 28, 2007 at 9:25 PM
One would hope a minister would be.
bnelson44 on November 28, 2007 at 9:26 PM
$50.00 in Virginia, and you don’t need to take a course if you’ve got a DD-214. That was a few years ago but I don’t think it’s gone up since then.
Oldnuke on November 28, 2007 at 9:26 PM
McCain and Rudy should be able to make up ground here.
Weight of Glory on November 28, 2007 at 9:26 PM
Exactly. In whose eyes? China, Russia? bah.
meandchi on November 28, 2007 at 9:27 PM
McCain: is he having a stroke?
wccawa on November 28, 2007 at 9:27 PM
WAKE UP CALL TO THE LIBS:
Of course if you live outside of the US you’ll probably hate the US. You’re missing out on the greatest place on Earth!
Our elected officials are elected to run THIS country, not work on how someone in Eastern Europe views us.
As long as we are stong and willfull, we’ll always be feared.
Vincenzo on November 28, 2007 at 9:27 PM
HECK YEAH DUNC
Weight of Glory on November 28, 2007 at 9:27 PM
What SHOULD we do to improve the image of America in the Muslim World?
Hijack planes and fly them into our buildings and we have an image problem?
Eff that!
Buy Danish on November 28, 2007 at 9:28 PM
TOUCHDOWN HUNTER !!!!!!!!!!!!!
NEVER APOLOGIZE
Joey1974 on November 28, 2007 at 9:28 PM
Duncan just sent the dems into seizures I’ll bet.
Spirit of 1776 on November 28, 2007 at 9:28 PM
That guy has the flag hung wrong. Stars should be on the right.
bnelson44 on November 28, 2007 at 9:28 PM
I think she said Alfghanistan…I think that was where the alien Muppet thing came from…
Bad Candy on November 28, 2007 at 9:28 PM
V,
Well, from what I can tell every society has an agreed standard regarding what the value of a human life means to those living within that society. The Death Penalty sends a message that a life is so precious that it is worth a life, therefore a life-affirming policy. Being anti-abortion, or pro-life is also life affirming.
I will give you the fact that America suffers from Multiple Personality Disorder vis a vis Roe V. Wade and Death Penalty Punishment however…intellectually I find refuge in life affirming actions.
ColdBore76 on November 28, 2007 at 9:28 PM
Can’t anyone just say, “Hell yeah I’m going to use waterboarding! It works!!”
Darksean on November 28, 2007 at 9:28 PM
No he was beated for 6 years staight and his bones were not allowed to heal, when he was younger.
bnelson44 on November 28, 2007 at 9:30 PM
This waterboarding question has everyone squirming. Why?
wccawa on November 28, 2007 at 9:30 PM
Spare us the shocked sanctimony McCain.
Come on Romney, hit him back hard!
Buy Danish on November 28, 2007 at 9:30 PM
Can’t we just do something else, like “sandbagging?”
Vincenzo on November 28, 2007 at 9:30 PM
McCain is a big disappointment on the water-boarding issue
ColdBore76 on November 28, 2007 at 9:30 PM
I’m aware of that.
But honestly, I’ve never seen him this rough in a debate. He’s slurring on everything. Usually he is much more coherent.
wccawa on November 28, 2007 at 9:31 PM
It’s a political question. Anyway, McCain is right. We never waterboarded (at least not openly) before.
bnelson44 on November 28, 2007 at 9:31 PM
Probably because the media is playing the candidates against the WH. This question comes up everyday almost in the WH presser.
Spirit of 1776 on November 28, 2007 at 9:31 PM
Did McCain just say, in reference to water boarding, that if we are going to get the upper ground in the world, we should not behave like Pol Pot? Water boarding = Pol Pot!?
Weight of Glory on November 28, 2007 at 9:31 PM
wccawa on November 28, 2007 at 9:31 PM
He is doing fine.
bnelson44 on November 28, 2007 at 9:32 PM
Bnelson, we’ve never had so many people leaking to ruin an administration before…
his comment about withdrawing from the Geneva Convention is absurd on it’s face.
ColdBore76 on November 28, 2007 at 9:32 PM
Stop lying McCain. We do not need to withdraw from the Geneva Convention over water boarding.
Besides, the enemy we are with engaged with don’t play by those rules anyway.
Buy Danish on November 28, 2007 at 9:32 PM
Dang Mitt nailed it on Black on Black crime.
Giuliani inherited a sewer. Simply enforcing laws would have seen a dramatic drop in crime, duh. Giuliani’s crime statistics against Mitt are not very damning.
Theworldisnotenough on November 28, 2007 at 9:33 PM
I agree with Mitt. We shouldn’t be coming out and publicly saying what we will and won’t do. I want those bastards going into Gitmo not knowing what the hell’s going to happen to them.
salmonczar on November 28, 2007 at 9:33 PM
his comment about withdrawing from the Geneva Convention is absurd on it’s face.
nelson, we’ve never had so many people leaking to ruin an administration before…
ColdBore76 on November 28, 2007 at 9:33 PM
You know when I ask people about torture, they really do not care…
Theworldisnotenough on November 28, 2007 at 9:33 PM
Simply?
Big S on November 28, 2007 at 9:33 PM
As somebody who has been angrily waiting for the late ski season to start, Rudy lost my vote with his claim that he reduced snowfall. Grrrr.
e-pirate on November 28, 2007 at 9:33 PM
Thompson RE prez in Iraq Q:
Lame. No answer.
meandchi on November 28, 2007 at 9:34 PM
We have water boarded exactly 3 people, and one of them was Khalid Sheik Mohammad.
Boo freaking hoo.
Buy Danish on November 28, 2007 at 9:34 PM
Yea, he used water torture (we didn’t at the time). Read:
http://www.amazon.com/Cambodian-Prison-Portrait-Khmer-Rouges/dp/9748434486
bnelson44 on November 28, 2007 at 9:34 PM
Didn’t the Iraqi government just present us a legislative (almost a treaty) requesting a based presence?
Spirit of 1776 on November 28, 2007 at 9:34 PM
Kurds Ron, they’re called the Kurds…
Bad Candy on November 28, 2007 at 9:35 PM
Here comes the Ron Paul squeaky voice. God, I love this.
wccawa on November 28, 2007 at 9:35 PM
Great answer by McCain the soldiers didn’t lose ONE battle in Vietnam ……. public opinion lost that conflict
Joey1974 on November 28, 2007 at 9:36 PM
Wait, I think we did lose one battle. Was it Hamburger Hill or something? there was only the one battle we lost though.
Vincenzo on November 28, 2007 at 9:36 PM
Ron Paul is the EEO hire for the pansy crowd…
ColdBore76 on November 28, 2007 at 9:37 PM
I think Paul doesn’t like neocons (aka Jews)
bnelson44 on November 28, 2007 at 9:37 PM
God, Ron Paul looks possessed.
Possible?
wccawa on November 28, 2007 at 9:37 PM
What color is the sky on Ron’s homeworld?
salmonczar on November 28, 2007 at 9:37 PM
Salmonczar,
in ron’s world birds don’t chirp, sun don’t shine and by looking the other way, threats don’t exist.
ColdBore76 on November 28, 2007 at 9:38 PM
Nice answer by Tanc. ‘I wish it were true’. Diplomatic:)
Spirit of 1776 on November 28, 2007 at 9:38 PM
Ahh, thanks for the clarification.
salmonczar on November 28, 2007 at 9:39 PM
Strictly speaking, you are right. However, when a candidate starts dropping the archetypical names of the nefarious foes of freedom, the full connotative force is brought to bare. I don’t think it was McCain’s goal simply to highlight where techniques overlap, but to make a moral comparison. But to do that, you would have to take Pol Pot’s actions as a whole and compare them with the U.S. But when you do that the comparison breaks down,.
Weight of Glory on November 28, 2007 at 9:39 PM
Why doesn’t anybody call Paul on structuring our foreign policy on what makes people mad?!?!
If Qutb hated America, not our foreign policy, but for who we are…
Theworldisnotenough on November 28, 2007 at 9:39 PM
Giuliani: PERFECT ANSWER!
Vincenzo on November 28, 2007 at 9:40 PM
If you photo-shopped Ron Paul with Islamic Rage Boy, the universe would implode.
Be very careful.
wccawa on November 28, 2007 at 9:40 PM
That video was distasteful.
Vincenzo on November 28, 2007 at 9:40 PM
Or they hate the 700 foot diameter pipeline of sewage coming out of hollywood and MTV that is sent directly into their homes..maybe
ColdBore76 on November 28, 2007 at 9:41 PM
Okay, okay. I’ll stop!
Spirit of 1776 on November 28, 2007 at 9:41 PM
Anyone else getting annoyed with the repetition of torture questions and McCain’s “absolute moral authority” on the issue? No matter what he did, people have a right to disagree with him, and his refusal to allow dissent smacks of a new breed of political correctness.
drewmesq on November 28, 2007 at 9:42 PM
Like Immigration Policy, eh McCain? Farm that out to the veep
Spirit of 1776 on November 28, 2007 at 9:43 PM
I don’t have cable, so I have to make due.
I’m discussing Giulaini with a couple of self-described liberal NY Democrats on another site.
You’ll be shocked to hear that they are very impressed with him and say they might vote for him.
Comment by Jon Sandor
MB4 on November 28, 2007 at 9:43 PM
Anyone else getting annoyed with the repetition of torture questions and McCain’s “absolute moral authority” on the issue?
salmonczar on November 28, 2007 at 9:43 PM
V, You get my response from earlier…think it through
ColdBore76 on November 28, 2007 at 9:43 PM
Who hired this tweeter to do the Hunter commercial voice-over?
askheaves on November 28, 2007 at 9:44 PM
So McCain, are you saying you are better than Dick Cheney on issues of national security?
Full of yourself much? I respect you on these issues but can you do it without slapping my man Cheney around?
Buy Danish on November 28, 2007 at 9:44 PM
MB4 on November 28, 2007 at 9:43 PM – can watch it @ cnn.com
Spirit of 1776 on November 28, 2007 at 9:44 PM
ColdBore76 on November 28, 2007 at 9:41 PM
Don’t like it? Don’t watch it.
Big S on November 28, 2007 at 9:44 PM
You made a good point. But remember, Jesus came to bring down the rabbis at the time(they were the powers of morality). so in reality, he brought down the government, becuase it was corrupt.
Vincenzo on November 28, 2007 at 9:44 PM
What are you talking about Big S?
ColdBore76 on November 28, 2007 at 9:45 PM
That’s one of the things I loathe about McCain. He pulls that card a lot.
Buy Danish on November 28, 2007 at 9:46 PM
Oh..BS…don’t worry I don’t. I throw up, black out, P*ss my pants and forget where I am everytime I see MTV..just a mild reaction…
ColdBore76 on November 28, 2007 at 9:47 PM
Thanks, I’ll give it a try although my phone line is probably too slow.
MB4 on November 28, 2007 at 9:47 PM
That time hasn’t come again—I don’t think and the Old T- wasn’t ambiguous on Capital Punishment, was it?
ColdBore76 on November 28, 2007 at 9:48 PM
ColdBore76 on November 28, 2007 at 9:47 PM
I pity the faint of heart.
Big S on November 28, 2007 at 9:48 PM
MB4 on November 28, 2007 at 9:47 PM
Okay, I’ll pay attention and see if an audio feed is there next time up.
Spirit of 1776 on November 28, 2007 at 9:49 PM
Cute BS, I suppose I am just not as progressive as you or not as tolerant to the diversity that is Hollywood.
ColdBore76 on November 28, 2007 at 9:49 PM
I wish Duncan Hunter could get more traction in the Press, cause I love his straight answers.
Weight of Glory on November 28, 2007 at 9:50 PM
It’s not faint of heart, it’s absolute repulsion, selective repulsion.
ColdBore76 on November 28, 2007 at 9:50 PM
I appreciate his stance on Iraq, but in other important ways, McCain = lib. Such as illegal immigration — yes, it WAS amnesty, John — and this, the absolute moral authority card. I am sure America does what it takes to get information from terrorists, and I support them doing so.
eucher on November 28, 2007 at 9:50 PM
Mitt back-peddled. Tsk tsk.
salmonczar on November 28, 2007 at 9:50 PM
Fumble Fumble Romney drops the ball its all ove rthe field loose ball
Joey1974 on November 28, 2007 at 9:50 PM
Mitt=flop
AZCON on November 28, 2007 at 9:50 PM
It isn’t in the UCMJ. The gay regulation is a public law (10 U.S.C. § 654).
bnelson44 on November 28, 2007 at 9:50 PM
RE Gay Q:
The general is wrong. He did get an answer. He did not like it.
meandchi on November 28, 2007 at 9:51 PM
Just didn’t the answer he wanted.
Spirit of 1776 on November 28, 2007 at 9:51 PM
Didn’t get an answer!? What is he talking about? Duncan answered directly. Now he is taking over the debate. What in the world.
Weight of Glory on November 28, 2007 at 9:51 PM
Hunter answered him straight
Joey1974 on November 28, 2007 at 9:51 PM
General has a beautiful bracelet.
bnelson44 on November 28, 2007 at 9:51 PM
Why does someone’s sexuality have to have anything to do with someone joining the military?
salmonczar on November 28, 2007 at 9:51 PM
Come on, this is a debate, not a lecture.
Spirit of 1776 on November 28, 2007 at 9:52 PM
Oh, Gawd…
The gay/military thing is taking center stage. What a waste of time.
wccawa on November 28, 2007 at 9:52 PM
why is this guy gonig on from the crowd? i thought this was a presidential debate.
Vincenzo on November 28, 2007 at 9:52 PM
Thaat soldier has now, or maybe earlier, something in his throat.
AZCON on November 28, 2007 at 9:52 PM
This General got an answer, he just didn’t like the answer. Why do have to give him all this airtime anyway?
RW_theoriginal on November 28, 2007 at 9:52 PM
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