Open Thread: Tonight’s GOP presidential candidates debate in Iowa

2012 Watch I was all prepared to write a couple of posts tonight but have almost fallen asleep at my desk a couple of times from sheer exhaustion. Long week. Taking the rest of the night off.

Wanted to put this open thread up for those of you who will be watching the GOP presidential candidates debate in Iowa. It will be broadcast on Fox News at 9 pm ET (hosted by Bret Baier) and also online at Fox News’ website. The GOP race for the nomination had a bit of a shake-up today with the breaking news – courtesy of a few Gov. Rick Perry aides – that the Texas Governor will indeed be announcing on Saturday his intentions to run for President.

Politico was the first to report a few days ago that Perry was announcing his “intentions” this coming Saturday at the Red State convention in South Carolina, but it was widely expected that he would say his intentions were to run. The aides confirmation makes it a little more official.

Bachmann is still getting tarred and feathered by religious bigots on the left as we speak. Huntsman has been trying his luck in South Carolina this week, where I suspect he’ll find very few takers. Herman Cain is saying he’ll have to re-evaluate his campaign if he doesn’t have a strong finish in Saturday’s Iowa straw poll. Rick Santorum is feeling confident about his chances of finishing high in the straw poll – but will he have to take a back seat to the Ron Paul fanatics? Romney is fending off liberal hecklers these days as Obama 2012 senior peeps have made clear their intentions to “destroy” him. Newt is – well, Newt. Will Pawlenty use the “ObamneyCare” term in tonight’s debate? Thadeus McCotter will not be in tonight’s debate has planned his own – by answering online the questions asked of the candidates tonight. Palin, who is at this point still undeclared, “is likely” to be making a bus stop at the Iowa State Fair on Friday.

I hope I didn’t leave anyone out!

National Journal has a helpful “tv guide” of events going on over the next few days in Iowa.

Lemme know your thoughts on where you are at this point on who you support, or who you are leaning towards, etc.

Checking out now. Enjoy the festivities

GOP 2012 presidential debate - image composition courtesy of CNN/Getty Images.

10 Responses to "Open Thread: Tonight’s GOP presidential candidates debate in Iowa"

Laurence Pacas says:

August 12, 2011 at 3:07 am

What’s really strange is that Romney is the frontrunner for the GOP presidential nomination in 2012 but yet he implemented “Obamneycare” in Massachusetts about 5 years ago.
CZ says:

August 12, 2011 at 7:29 am

At this point in time watching political debates are a waste of my time.

There is so much to do and enjoy, like a watching a pro baseball game, taking an evening walk, taking a twilite drive with the top down or relaxing out on the screen porch with a chewy red wine while listening to music.

Debates can wait, I’m trying to enjoy life for a while while it’s still summer.
Brontefan says:

August 12, 2011 at 7:40 am

Newt got in a few zingers! I especially liked the one about the special team appointed to do what the whole Congress could not. Pawlenty came off looking vindictive–not flattering! Ron Paul is still a nut case. Who is Huntsman? Cain doesn’t have it. Romney seems to be who the Independents want.. and I am still uneasy about his RomneyCare and some of the other things he did as governor. Don’t appreciate the attacks on Bachman and frankly, some of the questions were questionable!
Carlos says:

August 12, 2011 at 9:47 am

Did any of the candidates act “presidential,” or even “look” presidential?

Frankly, this may still be a fairly weak field in spite of protests to the contrary by various supporters, and with only ex-donkey Perry waiting in the wings to match up with continuing-jackass Romney, the Repubs could be in a very exploitable, self-caused position once again.
bill glass says:

August 12, 2011 at 10:04 am

I love to watch the debates. Last PM was a good one. I thought all looked good, but Newt seemed awfully curmudgeony. He’ll probably stay in for a while mostly ’cause he likes to be given attention more than anyone up there.
Baklava says:

August 12, 2011 at 1:17 pm

ST,

What did you think about the Byron York question about being submissive to your husband?

My view is that Michele handled it flawlessly.

I don’t understand why Byron “had” to ask it (as I heard him say during an interview this morning). His reasoning was that it would’ve been asked by the mainstream press and better to get it out early.

I think it was out of bounds but it certainly gave her an opportunity to smack an answer out of the park and connect with people.
Kate says:

August 12, 2011 at 2:40 pm

This is all too soon to make much of it…but I think Bachman did handle the “submissive” questions well. She should have asked why the other candidates were not asked about a husband’s directive to love his wife the way Jesus loves the church…but, since it was from a direct quote, she answered directly and correctly.

Did you hear those boos from the audience?
Tex says:

August 12, 2011 at 3:19 pm

As a Republican, I haven’t yet seen anyone who has declared they are running on the Republican ticket who have gotten me excited. And especially as a Texan, the news that Rick Perry is running has gotten me very much UNexcited. He seems to be quite the pick for everyone outside of Texas who don’t really know him and haven’t lived with him in their government for the past 11 years as we Texans have. I suspect after a few months of national exposure his approval ratings will drop like a rock.

But a Marco Rubio for President – now that would excite me! He’s someone I could follow. He’s smart, bold, energetic, and unflappable. Sadly it doesn’t look like it’ll happen this time around.
bill glass says:

August 12, 2011 at 5:41 pm

Unfortunately, Rubio’s parents weren’t US citizens when he was born.
fazsha says:

August 13, 2011 at 7:44 pm

Ron Paul is pretty convincing in his arguments that we need to stay out of the problems of other countries. Jeez, what are we doing, sending our young men barely 21 to get their lives ended – for what?

Comments are closed.