January 5th ABC Republican Debate

Look how forced the smiles are on this group of people. Every one of them would rather be someplace else. I think I'd have to delouse after shaking Hillary's hand.

I think Mitt Romney came away the clear winner of tonights debate. Huckabee was brilliant, but there were a couple of times he tried to take shots at Romney and he came across, at least to me, a little bullish. McCain has nothing to say that I am interested in hearing. He really should run on the Democratic ticket. McCain got hit big time on his pro amnesty stance and then sat up there and cried about the policy he was trying to send through. He refuses to call it amnesty even though everyone in the world says that's just exactly what it is.

Ron Paul was a loon. Everyone of the candidates laughed at him and his views. They were trying to be respectful, but the guy is such a wacko it was difficult. This could have been a much more fruitful discussion if Paul hadn't been there to distract from the issues. At least he provided for comic relief.

I liked the format of tonights debate. This was more of a conversation between the candidates than the typical question answer format seen thus far. Thompson, while brilliant as usual, just seems to lack the interest in becoming president.

Rudy...he didn't do anything for me tonight. I think his campaign is in trouble. I'm still trying to figure out what Rudy has done that could qualify him for the office of the Presidency. Relatively unknown by the rest of the United States, he first came to my attention by simply being in office during 9/11. That hardly qualifies him for the presidency. His campaign will be ending soon, I think.

I found it interesting that Romney kept making statements about all of the pots shots the panel was taking on him personally and basically reprimanding them for the attacks and yet he is the single biggest negative campaigning candidate out there.

I proclaim Romney the winner of the debate, but only because he was the pushiest person up there. For shear brilliance in thought and policy, Huckabee remains the bright light.