A Re-Reassessment of the GOP Candidates and thoughts on the FoxNews/Google GOP Debate

I watched this debate in its entirety on Youtube a short while ago. I am jotting this post down in 'Notepad' because Blogger seems to think I am a spammer. By the time you read this post Hack Wilson will be up and running again, and I apologize for the absence.

What a doozie this debate turned out to be. It is only fitting that the most watched primary debate thus far turned out to be the most revealing for the candidates.

My former favorite Texas Governor Rick Perry has turned out to be exactly what I had expected, too good to be true. Rick Perry was simply awful. If this guy can't go toe to toe with Rick Santorum, how in the world is he going to go toe to toe with Barack Obama? His answers were slow and his speech was slurred. I actually thought he was slightly intoxicated for a second. When Rick Perry talks, it is like hearing a senior citizen tell an old story. You sit on the edge of your seat waiting for the punch line, but the words just do not come, as if there is some kind of mental roadblock. His attempted rebuttal aimed at Romney ("Which Mitt Romney is, is, is this? Is it the, the, the Mitt Romney that.........") which lasted around forty seconds and resulted in the bumbling, stuttering Perry only looking stupider made me cringe.I was previously unaware of his bright idea to give illegal immigrants free tuition to Texas universities, and that, along with his inability to debate has seriously made me reconsider my views on Perry.

Mitt Romney's performance was outstanding. Does that make me like him any better? No. But I can't help but imagine what an Obama vs. Romney debate might look like. Romney made Perry look like a fool. Romney speaks with confidence, is articulate, and is interesting to listen to. That is about the only good thing I can say about Mitt Romney. He acted and sounded presidential. He's a great liar, and that might be the perfect thing to get him to the White House. My views haven't changed on Mitt. He will only get my vote if Obama is the only alternative.

Here's a guy that I really liked watching...Rick Santorum. Of all the current candidates, I think I can identify with Rick Santorum the most politically. He is a PRO DEFENSE libertarian who isn't afraid to say the words "Islam" and "terrorism" in the same sentence. Santorum badgered Perry all night long. He is clear, concise, and one of the top three debaters within the GOP field. I hadn't given Rick Santorum much thought before. He has moved up in my list now and I would be thrilled to see him get nominated. Don't count him out.

Let's talk about Michele Bachmann. She is probably at the very bottom of my list. She may sqeeze by that fidgety Jack Russell terrier Gary Johnson but not by much. Michele Bachmann is not convincing at all. Her remarks on religious freedom were downright stupid. I was unaware people were not allowed to practice their religion anymore in this country. She digs too many holes for herself with stupid comments. My test for each candidate as you may know is picturing them in a presidential debate with Barack Obama. I would hate to think of the results of this one. She is with Mitt. Only if Obama is the only other choice.

Now to Ron Paul. You might have read my earlier blog post about my disgust for Ron Paul due to his foreign policy views and anti-American comments. I look and listen to Ron Paul and it just drives me crazy. His answers on EVERY issue but defense are exactly what I want to hear. He is different from all the other candidates. He says what he believes (He always has.) and doesn't try to be someone he isn't. He isn't your average politician. Splice Ron Paul with Rick Santorum and you would have a monster candidate. As long as Ron Paul continues to criticize America, rag on Israel, and preach defeat he will not get the votes. Pro defense libertarians and Republicans like me desparately want to support Ron Paul, but we never will because of the obvious. The only word I can best describe it is disappointment.

How about former Speaker Newt Gingrich? He has always been the most entertaining to listen to by far with his sharp, witty answers and dry humor. He's the grumpy old man who just doesn't care anymore. I can always count on him to attack Obama in the debates, as well as insult the debate moderators, which brings me great joy. I imagine a Newt vs. Barack debate in 2012 and can see some heated exchanges and wildly entertaining jabs. I love seeing ticked off Newt. Gingrich definitely has the experience, is well spoken, and could give Obama a run for his money if nominated.

Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman is just plain boring and cliche. He reeks of politician. Huntsman looks like a 55 year old Ken barbie doll. Good approaches to limited government and the economy but, like Paul, he is all in for cut and run in Afghanistan. "We have been there ten years", he says. People like him put a time limit on the task of defending America, regardless of outcome. That's the wrong approach.

Former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson is an interesting character. He favors the total abolishment of the Department of Education, wants to lower taxes, reduce the size of government, and cut off foreign aid to other countries. Outstanding. He also proclaims he will cut military spending by a whopping 43 percent. I am sure Al Qaida is salivating at that remark.

I save the best for last. That man is Herman Cain. Wow. It is no wonder Cain won the straw poll in Florida. He dominated this debate. Herman Cain seems to be the only candidate who consistently states specifics (999 plan) and he does so with confidence, passion, and a dash of humor thrown in. Herman Cain reminds me of a modern day Patrick Henry. Picture Herman Cain against Barack Obama in a head to head debate. Delicious. Cain is not a career politician. He is a successful businessman who knows money. That is exactly the kind of person this country needs. And let me just say, and I hate to do it, the fact Herman Cain is a black conservative could throw the left for a total loop. He could absolutely crush the opposition's bogus claims of racism on the right, and I suspect bring out the worst in them as they try to attack him, revealing themselves to be the true racists, as is the case. Keep an eye on Herman Cain. He is moving into the top tier. I am very excited about his prospects.

Updated favorite ticket: Cain/Santorum


Your thoughts are welcome and encouraged in the comment section below.

RON PAUL: Does he actually think he can win?

Who does this guy think he is? I can honestly say, this uneducated American "sheep" has had it up to here with the good doctor.

This may come as offensive to some of my fellow libertarian friends and libertarian bloggers but I simply cannot stand Ron Paul anymore. And please, if you are a Ron Paul supporter, spare me the "You don't know the truth" crap. I am sick and tired of hearing someone who is running for President blame all the world's problems on the United States. You know those little quote mix up games that feature quotes from Obama, Hillary, Hitler, and Mao which you cannot tell apart? I could just as easily put together a nice little list of Ron Paul and Osama bin Laden quotes, mix them all up in a hat, pull one out and not have the slightest clue who said it.

Ron Paul says September 11th was the result of the United States "relentlessly bombing" the Middle East in the ten years before. Oh really? Do tell dear sir. Newsflash: It is not the 1700s anymore. We live in a global interconnected world where intervention is necessary to protect our country. Not cowardice isolation. Ron Paul says a fence on the border of Mexico to keep the droves of illegals out would do the opposite and "keep Americans in." What kind of lunacy is this? Ron Paul says he would not have taken out Osama bin Laden if he had the chance. Do people really take this guy seriously? Ron Paul says the Palestinians do not get a fair trial. You mean before or after the fifty rockets launched into Israel that day? Seriously, whose side is this guy on?

Don't get me wrong, Ron Paul has some great views on limited government and the economy. His foreign policy is worse than Barack Obama's.

I will say it again, this naive isolationist "blowback" mentality is misguided and wrong. Get a grip. And study some history. Our country has been at war with the Muslims for decades. Ron Paul is so quick to blame America. He is worse than Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and John Kerry. Ron Paul supporters are the same. "The truth hurts" they say. "It needs to be said". Well how about this truth...an Islamic extremist movement that is present worldwide and hellbent on jihad against America, Israel, and Great Britain. This is not simply blowback from American foreign policy. It is deeply rooted in the Muslim world, their ideology, and their way of life. Look at the number of Muslim terrorist attacks worldwide. It is staggering. Ron Paul would have us lift our foot up and all the while the Islamic deathdealers would have free reign to plot and plan to their hearts content from Pakistan to Yemen. If I was a Taliban fighter or Al Qaida operative, I would jump for joy if Ron Paul got elected. I would be emboldened. But Ron Paul and Ron Paul supporters conveniently brush aside these truths.

Let us pretend for one minute that the threats of Islamic terrorism were not real. Then I would be 100% in full support of Ron Paul's "humble foreign policy". But this is not the case. We live in a world where it is real. There is a religion out there that is at war with our nation. And we cannot simply ignore it!

I can honestly say, based upon the many speeches, debates, and writings I have heard from Ron Paul, I have heard more critical words directed at America and Israel than the Islamic terrorists.

Even worse than Ron Paul are Ron Paul supporters. I base this opinion on personal contacts and interactions, internet activity, and their public activism. I have never seen such a bungled group of conflicting negative ideologies in all my life. They are a mob of anarchists who hate any form of authority, anti-Semites who decry the "Zionist occupation" of the world, general idiot college and high school kids who want pot legalized, paranoid conspiracy theorists, spineless non defense libertarians, and general people who hate America.

I am sick of being talked down to by these people because I have not come to the light. Maybe you should know this, I am a former Ron Paul supporter and for a time I confess, a 9/11 Truther. Then I began to watch and read the news. Particularly the 'World' section (those Zionist Jews controlling the media can't make up every terrorist attack!). Give that a try. I did come to the light.  Now it is your turn.

Some thoughts on the GOP Debate.

Some of my fellows troops and I caught a good portion of the GOP debate last night via live streaming on the web. Before delving into my take on what I heard I will tell you all of us are completely and 100% on the side of the conservatives. There is no question, 90+% of the soldiers (and civilian contractors) I have talked to here are sick and tired of the current administration, massive expansion of government, over regulation, and on a personal note, disdain and neglect of our military. That said, here is my take on what I heard from the Republican contenders.

In short...Rick Perry is the man, for now.

What I saw in Rick Perry was a strong, unwavering, articulate, and prepared debater, and a serious threat to Barack Obama.

The entire debate was a sham, aimed at pitting Perry against Romney with a dash of Bachmann, Gingrich, Paul, and Cain to fill in the spaces in between. I witnessed for a long time a pack of wild dogs snapping at Rick Perry with tenacity. Was this supposed to be an all out assault on Perry or an honest debate on the issues? Good grief. He handled himself professionally, calmly, but most importantly boldly.

His remarks on capital punishment were perfect (a few of us even clapped) and his line "we need provocative language in this country" was bold and I think exactly the kind of talk Americans want to hear.

Romney? YAWN.

Ron Paul? Where to begin. A fence on the border with the drug cartel run state of Mexico would keep Americans IN? Why does everyone rave about how smart and "honest" Ron Paul is? His comments are stupid and he sounds like a whiny child every time he talks. Put simply, he is annoying. And his isolationist philosophy is dangerous. I don't trust him to protect our country. People who support Ron Paul are deniers of the threat Islam poses to our nation.

Michele Bachmann? I'm sorry, but she simply does not belong there, nor is she presidential material.

Herman Cain? Showed more substance than anyone else and told the viewers what exactly he would do, instead of dodging each question with mushmouth talk like Bachmann and the rest. I loved what Cain had to say and he has quickly become my second favorite after Perry.

Gingrich? Past his prime.

Santorum? Virtually no chance.

Hunstman? Seems to be more interested in evolution and global warming than anything else. He also needs to quit tanning and get rid of that ridiculous haircut. He looks like a career politician, and is.


I will take a Perry/Cain ticket after what I saw tonight! But more important to note than the candidates is the fact MSNBC tried to rig this entire debate to get the Republicans to fight amongst each other, as well as throwing them stupid questions that don't reflect the GOP platform. How about the fact they brought out a Hispanic to address a question about illegal immigration??? And Brian Williams or his liberal partner in crime couldn't ask that? Further proof it is the leftists who harbor the real racism deep down. The entire debate was a sham, but Perry and Cain were bright spots!

Reassessing the GOP candidates.

Pawlenty is out of the race. Gingrich is sputtering. Palin has stayed back in the shadows for too long. That leaves some top tier Republican candidates. Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, Rick Perry, and Michelle Bachmann.

I will keep this short. As you all know, my favorite has been Paul Ryan. I firmly believe Ryan has the very best chance of defeating Obama. He still hasn't announced any plans to run, and I don't think he will in the future. So it's time to assess other candidates.

Let's start with Ron Paul. I have slowly but surely begun to like him to the point where he just might get my vote. I will admit, Ron Paul has a following like no other candidate and he has hung around with tenacity. He is a thorn in the establishment's side. For just that, I like him. He may be the only candidate who offers real change and has a real understanding of the Constitution. He has a spot on approach to free market economics and limited government but when it comes to defense, I do not trust him one iota. Coming in second in this week's straw poll has given him a boost and made the name Ron Paul mainstream.

Mitt for Brains Romney is out of the question. If, by chance, he does get the nomination I will put aside my disgust for his liberalism and support him as the lesser of two evils. As of now, Romney supposedly is the front runner. I have one question. HOW? Every conservative I have talked to hates Romney. He may attract moderates and Democrats but not the Teavangelical vote by any means. Expect Romney's numbers to fall just as they did in 2008. He is just too liberal to get the nomination.

Newcomer Rick Perry has a special appeal. He has substance in the "Texas Miracle" with which he can use against Obama. Perry has the look of a president, much like Reagan, and a record to back it up. It will be interesting to see how Perry handles himself in the coming months. Perry has establishment and evangelical support but it all hinges on if he will be able to nab Tea Party support. I have high hopes for Governor Rick Perry. I think he has a very good chance at defeating Obama should he get the nomination.

Michelle Bachmann. The media hates her and is doing all it can to discredit her much as it did Palin. This morning I watched in disgust on NBC's Meet the Mess with David Gregory as Michele Bachmann was grilled without mercy, first on her belief in God, then on her views on homosexuality. Gregory asked her lamebrain questions repeatedly ("Should wives submit to their husbands?"..."So the man has the last word?"---WTH??) and Bachmann deflected each flaming arrow of liberalism with finesse and professionalism. I don't expect her to get the nomination but if she does, I will vote for her in a heartbeat.

And then there is Sarah Palin. I am sorry if this comes as insulting or offensive to supporters of Sarah Palin but I do not like her as a politician, nor do I think she has any chance of beating Obama should she get the nomination. Sarah Palin is like a withering flower. Her time has come and gone. Yes, she will eventually enter the race with a bang, and her poll numbers will rise. That is only natural. Sarah Palin vs. Barack Obama would be an absolute disaster, especially in the debates. Granted, this is just my opinion.

As of now, I am set on two candidates. Ron Paul or Rick Perry. I would love to hear your input if you have one. Comment below and feel free to vote in the new poll I have posted to the right!