And yet another GOP debate..

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This time it’s being held in Las Vegas, Nevada, and hosted by CNN. If you are watching on your computer, you can watch it live here.

Missing from tonight’s debate is Jon Huntsman:

Jon Huntsman won’t be at the debate. The former Utah governor and former ambassador to China is boycotting the showdown, to protest Nevada’s decision to hold its caucus on January 14, which could force New Hampshire to move its first-in-the-nation primary to December. Huntsman is placing all his chips on New Hampshire.

Will Herman Cain be asked to give us another rendition of his pizza song? Will Ron Paul fall asleep again? Will Rick Perry be in another stupor? Will Michele Bachmann make more biblical jokes?

Feel free to join in the fun and help us live-blog this thing..

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323 thoughts on “And yet another GOP debate..”

  2. Finally an appropriate location for a GOP panel shit show. You can’t win with any candidate.

  8. Mitt and Santorum are singing with the anthem. Does that make them more patriotic, extra points? Sorry, I couldn’t help it.

  11. The national anthem always tells you something: the rooster Perry, Romney making sure to outh the words, Paul standing with his hand drooped like a wilting flower. And a reader asks the obvious question: why don’t they just get it over with and have Ryan Seacrest host this?

  12. I just discovered that I can’t stand the idea of hearing the Star Spangled Banner with those dorks standing on the stage. I shut off the sound. I should probably leave it off, because what follows is sure to be even worse.

  20. It does not raise taxes on those that are making the least, it just throws out their old age!

  22. I did the math, KochCain. You’re lying! The only people who would benefit from “999″ is the wealthiest Americans while everyone else suffers.

  26. ’9 per cent on your Social Security’

    There isn’t going to be any Social Security!

    • Yeah, CEOs aren’t used to being told no, that’s why they don’t make good presidents. They don’t govern, they expect to rule.

  37. We didn’t have an ‘economic miracle’ under Reagan, we had an eight year ‘stimulus plan’.

  38. Compared to Batscat, Raygun was a socialist. And doesn’t she realize that she would have to raise taxes to go back to the Raygun tax rates?

  41. Prick Prayerry lying about energy policy. What he is proposing would result in the taxpayers making all the infrastructure payments up front while the oil companies just wait for more obscene profits to roll in.

  42. Perry ‘s awake cuz it’s only 6:30pm in Vegas. Those eastern time zone debates were killer for him. Too bad D.C. is in the eastern time zone.

  50. Dycker, I thought I saw a big wreck Sunday afternoon in Las Vegas. This is bigger, and more dangerous. (In all seriousness.)

    • Indeed. There is hope for IRL and open wheel racing to improve safety after the car wreck. Not so much with that bunch of corporate minions.

      • I’m not that hopeful. The new car is safer, perhaps, but they can’t race on these cookie cutter ovals. They’re all meant for stock cars. They need to do Indy, Michigan and Fontana, and get off the small ovals.

        • I think the drivers agree with you and for that reason I think that the Vegas race will be eliminated or speeds reduced with changes to the cars.

  52. There’s no government component in ACA. It’s all private companies.

    Oh yes, Michele, the whole thing is bad because they decide to change one program!

  53. This debate is a lot feistier and including a whole lot more interrupting of each other than previous debates. More desperate, less dignified..
    This is actually quite comical.. I wonder if these crazy people even get how TOTALLY UNPROFESSIONAL and IDIOTIC they all look and sound? Geez louise..

    • I couldn’t watch any of these “debates”. I rely on the Zoo to confirm what I already know.

  54. The break came just in time for me to post one more comment. Don’t hurt yourself. These freaks aren’t worth it. There’s not a one of them who will hold up under another year of scrutiny even if they don’t end up in a “royal rumble” and kill each other. Now I’m leaving.

    G’night.

  55. Bachmann: “When even the Obama administration wants to repeal this bill–I think we can win this thing!”
    Bullshit and delusion as usual from demonstrably the most useless congresscritter.
    BTW what is she running for now, with no staff, low numbers and no money? Hoping to be the VP that Palin wasn’t?

  56. Question about if Obama’s health plan is bad for the US, what is the alternative?
    RP says he doesn’t like any of it.”Our problem is we have too much health care in this country”.

  57. None of these assholes HAVE “Obamacare”—what the fuck do they know about it? And of course there are no government bureaucrats doling out healthcare, but Insurance company bureaucrats DO ration healthcare.

  59. Another FOOD FIGHT!! Is anyone in charge of this debate????
    GEE WHIZZ!! Did you guys see the look on Rick Perry’s face??? If looks could kill..

  68. I wonder why they are letting this stuff happen without the moderator stepping in and putting them back on track.. Ratings, I know.
    This is absolutely ridiculous. Though, entertaining..

  73. Yeah, the President can’t have his relatives visit if he wants them. They have clearance with the Secret Service, for chrissakes!

  80. OMG.. Romney is relentless on Perry. This is bizarre. I wish I could remember what he said.

    OMG!!!! Perry just hit back. Audience is booing.

  83. Romney doesn’t want to be explaining to Americans the difficulties of hiring contractors that don’t employ illegal immigrants by mistake or design. Most mow their own lawns, I’d wager.

  86. Perry just blew it. He won’t answer the question but said he’ll answer the one he wants. He just drew more boos.
    He is done.

  89. If I were Hispanic, I’d be feeling – how shall I put this – as if I were not in the room.

  91. Santorum has said ‘I agree with everything that has been said, but…’ every time he’s spoken.

  93. Oh dear, Santorum is talking about things no one has mentioned yet? Ricky, you do NOT want to bring up things that no-one has mentioned yet—like the Google search result on “Santorum”!

  95. Isn’t Ron Paul really in favor of 50 separate countries instead of one United States?

  98. If the free market had to rule on nuke energy, there never would have been any, except on ships and subs.

  99. As I watch this on CNN web page, as these nitwits talked about the fed ‘failing’ with regard to immigration, right below the video feed is the article “US deportations reach historic levels”! Hah!

    • Since Bush left, more agents hired, more spending, more interdictions and more deportations.

  103. Newt and Mitt said they would rely on science for nuclear waste. Gov. Goodhair agrees with Mitt!

  110. Michele claims she will be better on foreclosures? She won’t take on B of A and Citigroup.

  112. Clearly Cain hasn’t watched “Inside Job”. RP saying it right “He’s blaming the victims”. Though now he’s going after the Fed again..

  116. Does anyone understand what would have happened if the entire banking system had gone under? And the notion that after the last five years, markets have proven their ability to self-regulate without a disaster seems from another planet to me. The government did not create a credit default swap.

  121. There’s no escape! The local bar had Bachmann fans, complete with signs, watching the rumble. I’ve never downed a black russian so fast in all my life.

  125. From TP’s live blog:

    Surveying the drama of the debate, Huntsman’s daughters tweet, “This is what happens when the adult is no longer in the room.” Zing.

  130. Penn Jillette on Real Time said true morality is doing the right thing because it’s right, not because you are scared of the Great Sky Fairy.

  131. Mitt is running for the general election while everyone else is running for the GOP nomination.

    • Newt, if you’re a ‘cheap hawk’ how come you fired all the carpenters, plumbers, and cooks from the millitary, forcing us to hire civilian contractors for ten times the cost?

  140. No, you don’t negotiate with HIJACKERS’, if there was no negotiation with terrorists, the IRA would still be active in the UK.

  141. Hey Santorum, the biggest problem with this administration has been the Republicans and their obstructionism, and their stated goal to bring Obama down. THAT is the biggest problem with this administration.

  144. Ron Paul has made more Progressive arguments tonight than any Republican ever, and he’s STILL crazy!

  145. We spend money on foreign aid, military and otherwise, so that your precious businessmen can travel to other countries without getting kidnapped, arrested, or killed on sight.

  152. Oops! Ron Paul said that we should cut Israel off. No soup for you!

    Crazy Shelly looooves Israel because they have to be there if Jecbus is going to come back. Simply lying about Obama and Israel.

  155. Reagan’s Peace Through Strength fell through when he cut and ran from Lebanon.

    RP says Reagan traded arms for hostages (and gamed the 1980 election too.)

  156. Perry urged defunding the UN because the Palestinians chose the same route the Israelis once did: go to the UN.

    Twits.

  157. Gingrich tries to salvage Reagan with “a mistake”. Bullshit of course. It was calculated and of course Reagan didn’t suffer any consequences ( nor did Bush 41, nor Casper Weinberger, both of whom were up to their necks in Iran-Contra).

  158. They are all insane.

    We all need to get out and campaign like mad for Obama, and send him any money we can spare.

    We can’t have one of these flaming nutcases as president!

    • I think the reason W ‘had’ to win the 2000 election, at all costs, was to keep those Reagan papers from coming out.

  160. Obviously, none of these freaks have considered what would happen to their precious “free market” if we pulled out of the UN and cut all foreign aid.

  167. Perry goes again. States aren’t the same size Rick. Mass. is much smaller than Texas.

  177. I went back with the DVR, during the brouhaha with Perry I heard Romney say, “I’m running for office, for Pete’s sake, I can’t have illegals?”

    WTF?

    • I was going to do that then they didn’t have a break at the hour mark like I thought they would.

  180. Mitt got to CHOOSE which jobs he wanted to take on. It’s easier to succeed when you get to cull the losers as you go.

    • Trying to be the statesman.
      Given that Newt gave every insane ‘investigation’ into the Clintons his imprimatur, he, even more than Reagan, laid the foundation for today’s totally insane GOP.
      Amazing that Newt appears reasonable and actually feeble in the present, when he was the bete noire before.

      • He’s a joke. I keep forgetting he’s even running, until I see him on the stage.

        He’s only staying in the race to get people to send him as much money as possible, and when that cash stream runs dry he’ll be gone.

  184. Bachmann—”we need to listen to a dead retard magical color-therapy advice that I’ve just invented in my head, for American number-one-ness!!!!”

  187. Oh no. Ari Fleischer is working for CNN??? Yikes.. I REALLY can’t stand that guy. He is such a neocon lying sack of you-know-what.

    • I tried to stop at the first commercial break but got sucked back in. I must admit that there’s something satisfying about these people, who I already despise, proving just how bitter and petty they are for all the world to see. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that I enjoyed it but it was something I wouldn’t have recognized just watching the highlights later.

  191. Whoever wins the nomination, unless it’s someone who wasn’t on stage tonight, will find it very hard to live down this epic embarrassment. And they have about a year left!

    I’m also looking forward to all the whining about how the format was “a trap”. Yes. It was a trap and every last one of them stuck their necks in it. Newt almost managed to stay above the fray but just couldn’t help himself. Considering their childishness, any one of them would end up nuking someone by the end of their first week in office.

  195. Thanks gals and guys. Once again reading your play-by-play was funny as well as insightful, and I didn’t have to watch the clusterfuck.

  196. From Richard Afdams, Live blogging for the Guardian:

    “David Gergen says Mitt Romney did best. Under the Gergen Rule – which states that the total reverse of whatever David Gergen’s conclusion is will be the case – that means Romney is finished.”

  199. I sure hope Perry doesn’t have any history of undocumented workers working for him privately. That could prove pretty embarrassing after slamming Romney in the face over past stories. It wouldn’t surprise me. All these Repugs are such flipping hypocrites.

  200. Also from the Guardian live blog, via a third party here’s a very good point:

    Romney hit Perry hard. Perry is Texas. Texas is a critical state for a GOP nominee (and also then for the Gen Election).
    Romney was pissing all over Perry and Texas tonight. Can’t see a bunch of Texans forgiving him that in the nomination battle. Way to go Romney!
    I guess he’s risking it and hoping to carry the rest of the states in the process.

      • It’s the hair.

        Even as I write this, Romney is instructing his team to either find him some Grecian 2000, or search Perry’s dressing room for the same and then accuse him of dying his hair.

        It;s not the policies, or the lies, or the truths, or the gubernatorial records, or the faith or the patriotism, or the bigotry—it’s just about the hair. THE HAIRRRR!!!!!

  201. I think that Cain will come out of this with more support in the polls. He was the least juvenile when his plan was attacked. Perry and Romney blew it. The rest are bit players.

  202. Someone just described this debate as the Jerry Springer Show. What a PERFECT description. That is exactly what it felt like. (I’ve only watched the Springer show once in my life. It was enough..)

    • I have watched Springer a time or two, home sick from work with no cable. It almost got to that point, but they didn’t need the big, bald headed guy to keep ‘em separated!

      On the Ed Show:
      Martin Bashir: This was the best reality show that we’ve seen. It was a combination of Big Brother that ended with Big Loser. And the Big Loser was the GOP.

    • My friend Tom is watching “Are You Being Served?” ( BBC sitcom from 70s-80s) which has more substance than that witnessed tonight or during any of the previous ‘debates’.

      • That is still the centerpiece show for my PBS Saturday nights. I have watched those so much I laugh before the punch lines, along with the audience, that knows what’s coming.

          • I think I used it in a comment at The Zoo once. For some reason it fit the conversation.

  203. Unfortunately, I had to skip part of the ‘debate’ so that I could take a shower, so I missed whatever questions/answers there were about the 2nd amendment. Anyone remember any of that part?

  205. Huh. On Ed, Inhofe refudiated Limbought because Rush said Obama was attacking the LRA, who were Christians fighting Muslims. Inhofe! Didn’t see that one coming!

  206. I guess that the trolls must be going nuts. The local paper has pulled their entire article on tonight’s debate. The whole thing, not just the comments, has vanished down the memory hole.

    • Sounds more like the lefties were having too much fun, if the article had to disappear.

      • Actually I think there was a coordinated attack by one or more trolls logging in repeatedly to skew the voting. There were only about a dozen posts but anyone who made a comment critical of the “debate” got 30-50 down votes in a couple minutes. My guess is that they’ll put it, or another story, up and disable comments.

        The editorial board doesn’t like it when the comments demonstrate that “Minnesota nice” is a myth. They also don’t like it when anyone calls Batscat Bachmann names or criticizes Christianity. They’re really hard to figure out but I have also noted that “FOX”, not mention variations on the spelling, and even “GOP” can result in a comment being blocked.

  208. OK what’d I miss? Anyone still sober?y

    I was out watching AtT play soccer and now I’m watching Seattle….

    • TtT, just go anywhere you’d normally go for your news. You’ll see all you can handle. Guaranteed! Perry’s little verbal stumble a couple debates ago will now be forgotten.

        • Well, you can backtrack through the comments, and I’m positive Cenk will have a full report tomorrow. Stewart doesn’t have enough time in the two shows he has left this week.

          • Cenk might have trouble stifling his laughter long enough to get through it. Has anyone set the over/under on how many times he’ll say; “elbow from the top rope”?

        • Well, I’m sure that I wasn’t the only one who was shouting obscenities at the TV machine tonight. The whole lot of these candidates, as well as their audience, are sick, lying, hypocritical sacks of shit who don’t even deserve to be running for dogcatcher.

  209. I’m looking at a number of photos of the debate on various sites. I just realized that Romney put his hand on Perry’s arm more than once. I guess I don’t remember seeing that. That seems really not cool at a debate. I didn’t think they were supposed to have physical contact..

  210. One last post before bed.

    I was chatting with a friend and we got around to the subject of how weird it is that so many polling places are in churches. He said something very profound when he said; “churches used to be political neutral ground”. I really miss those days.

  211. Las Vague-s

    Gingrich
    Can’t generate a drone, let alone any buzz.
    Did not sell any revision history books tonight.
    Total has-been/never really-was, anyway.
    Seat-filler.
    AND by appearing to be the ‘intellectual’ not only does he make himself look bad in the eyes of those who despise intellect, he also makes the rest of the candidates look bad by appearing and actually being smarter than the rest but failing to have any personality or energy—i.e. no “leadership” or “principle” and no red-meat—so he bores everyone.

    Bachmann
    She peaked weeks ago, was very desperate tonight and sounded even more like the quittingest grifter Queen, Sarah Palin, who Republicans have long since come to regard as their whiny bitchy ex-girlfriend who still has all their CDs, but, whatever, who needs the drama?

    Paul
    The most plain spoken and ‘principled’—but he’s too short, not religious enough, doesn’t really demonize the Democrats and keeps his racism too private, doesn’t use code, GOPers might like him as a neighbour but they aren’t going to lend him their lawn-mower. No chance, as usual.

    Santorum
    Too effeminate, actually. Whiny and a kiss ass “I agree with everyone…” and just plain creepy and weak. Ends up in the kitchen at parties. No chance.

    Cain
    Flavor of the month, just reached his expiration date tonight. Sure he’s stupid enough, but he’s as boring as Newt and can’t provide any snappier answer than “you’re wrong because you are wrong, you wrong person you!” And he’s black of course.

    Perry
    As dumb as Dubya but lacks the ‘pedigree’. Dubya isn’t mentioned at all by GOPers (for good reason) and they don’t want a doppelganger. A contender on paper but not in the popularity contest.

    Romney
    Too ‘liberal’, too smooth, weird religion, no charm, no fake charm, but still likely the best candidate in a national popularity contest. No one really likes him, but no one really hates him—he’s a logical choice where there is no actual choice.

    That’s my take anyway.

    to sum, seems to me lie Perry v Romney and I suspect a lot of Repubs really won’t want to vote for either of them.really. but in the inevitable Presidential Debates, Romney would be the best performer on-stage, and yet will be no match for Obama. Republicans really have no good choices, even by their own twisted and deluded standards ( or rather, because of them).
    Boo-hoo. . .

    • (standing ovation)

      I missed all the fun – luckily you folk had the tempo and demeanor..
      thank you!

      Excellent – I’ll now go look for the high lights for I need a good laugh!

  213. Sorry I’ve been away so much.
    New role and job at work, seems like I have zero spare minutes each day.
    Nice to see the clown parade still pissing all over themselves in Vegas…!

  214. OK… read through the comments. Looks like it was a little bit of a barn- burner. But nothing new was said. Didn’t Newt admonish the candidates not to say anything bad about other Repubs?

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