Highlights & Commentary From The Republican Debate  
Wednesday, November 28th, 2007

The Highlights (and Lowlights):

-Mitt Romney essentially admitted that he had illegal immigrants working in his mansion

-Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul both want to get rid of the IRS

-Ron Paul:  This country is in a 'revolution'

-Anderson Cooper had to shush booers when McCain called leaving Iraq 'isolationism' similar to WWII

-Romney make McCain cry over waterboarding and torture

-Fred Thompson says reversing Roe v. Wade should be our '#1 focus'

-All candidates except Huckabee stutter and stammer when asked about the Bible

Mitt Romney essentially admitted that he may have illegal immigrants that work in his mansion.

The accusation came from Giuliani, who seems to have a Bush-esque "charm" to him at times - that charm that even those of us who don't particularly like him have to chuckle at.  At times. Mitt ranted on about how illegal immigration, saying, "If you're here illegally, you should not be here, we're not going to give you benefits, other than those required by the law, like health care and education." Rudy Giuliani responded:

It's unfortunate, but Mitt generally criticizes people in a situation in which he's had [by] far the worst record.  For example, in his case, there were six sanctuary cities.  He did nothing about them. "There was even a sanctuary mansion.  At his own home, illegal immigrants were being employed, not being turned into anybody or by anyone.  And then when he deputized the police, he did it two weeks before he was going to leave office, and they never even seemed to catch the illegal immigrants that were working at his mansion. "So I would say he had a sanctuary mansion, not just sanctuary city."  -Rudy Giuliani, CNN/YouTube Presidential Debate, 11/28/07

Bombshell!  To which Romney fumbled the ball, "OK, then listen. All right? Then listen. First of all...No, I did not, so let's just talk about that. "Are you suggesting, Mr. Mayor - because I think it is really kind of offensive actually to suggest, to say look, you know what, if you are a homeowner and you hire a company to come provide a service at your home -- paint the home, put on the roof. If you hear someone that is working out there, not that you have employed, but that the company has.

"If you hear someone with a funny accent, you, as a homeowner, are supposed to go out there and say, 'I want to see your papers.'  Is that what you're suggesting?"

What I don't get about Romney - he says no in the debate to drivers' licenses for illegal immigrants, but yes to education.  He has also changed his stance on both immigration and abortion over the course of the last few years, which are usually opinions people hold true to one side on.

He admitted during the debate that he has changed his mind and was wrong in favoring a woman's right to choose when elected governor of Massachusetts.

"If people in this country are looking for someone who's never made a mistake on a policy issue and is not willing to admit they're ever wrong, they're going to have to find somebody else.  On abortion, I was wrong."

For two topics that are among the greatest pressure points with Americans today, the candidates hardly uttered a word:  on health care and President Bush.  Health care, which was widely discussed in the Democratic debate, made zero appearances in the discussion.  No health care questions were asked, and none answered.

With regard to President Bush, Giuliani referred to the Bush administration on one economic issue, and McCain referenced Bush in an answer regarding the power of the vice presidency.  Other than that, they reserved their jabs for Senator Hillary Clinton.

Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul both want to get rid of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

The audience cheered and waved their arms in the air when candidates Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul both referenced shutting down the IRS if elected president.

The first thing that I would get rid of would be the Internal Revenue Service...getting rid of a $10-billion-a-year industry.  I'm not being facetious.  If we enacted the fair tax, one of the most researched ways to revive our economic future...Most people in this country are more afraid of an audit than they are of a mugging, and there's a reason why."  -Mike Huckabee, CNN/YouTube Presidential Debate, 11/28/07

Ron Paul:  'This country is in a Revolution."

Another crowd-pleasing statement came from Ron Paul, on the tremendous amount of grassroots support he has received from frustrated Americans:   This country is in a revolution.  They're sick and tired of what they're getting.  And I happen to be lucky enough to be a part of it."  -Ron Paul, CNN/YouTube Presidential Debate, 11/28/07

Anderson Cooper had to shush booers when McCain called leaving Iraq 'isolationism' similar to WWII."

Congressman Paul, I've heard him now, in many debates, talk about bringing our troops home, and about the war in Iraq, and how it's failed.  And I wanna tell ya,' that that kind of isolationism, sir, is what caused World War II."  -John McCain, CNN/YouTube Presidential Debate, 11/28/07 McCain was somewhat redeemed with some cheers and scattered boos for following it up with a statement, facial expression, and nod that channelled GWB himself, saying, "Let us win.  Let us win."

Romney makes McCain cry about torture & waterboarding.

I am astonished that you would think such a - such a torture would be inflicted on anyone in our - who we [hold] captive and anyone could believe that [waterboarding's] not torture... We're not going to do what's being done to Burmese monks as we speak.  I suggest that you talk to retired military officers and active duty military officers like Colin Powell and others, and how in the world anybody could think that that kind of thing could be inflicted by Americans on people who are held in our custody is absolutely beyond me."  -John McCain, CNN/YouTube Presidential Debate, 11/28/07

Yup, he did - I am positive that I saw a tear glistening underneath McCain's right eye when he barked at Romney for dodging a question about waterboarding as a form of torture.

"I do not believe that as a presidential candidate it is wise for us to describe precisely what techniques we will use in interrogating people...I would not be in favor of torture in any way, shape or form."

McCain apparently doesn't watch the news, as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and ABC News have all reported that former and current CIA supervisors and officials have confirmed that waterboarding does take place in U.S. military detention centers against certain terrorists.

Waterboarding is a method of torture that is used as an American defense facility under and agreement signed in the 1960's, and although it violates the Geneva Conventions, it is hardly disputed that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed suffered this very treatment before confessing to being "responsible for the 9/11 operation, from A to Z."  (Who wouldn't after waterboarding, which CIA officers last an average of 14 seconds when submitted to?)

Though he's been through waterboarding himself as a Vietnam veteran, McCain is under the impression that the CIA, FBI, and military do not use waterboarding in U.S. military detention centers.

Fred Thompson said overturning Roe v. Wade should be our '#1 focus'

The young lady's question is premised on if abortion becomes illegal. That presumes Roe v. Wade is overturned, which I think should be our number one focus right now. And that has to do with the kind of Supreme Court justices we put on the bench."  -Fred Thompson, CNN/YouTube Presidential Debate, 11/28/07

There you have it:  those are my highlights and lowlights.  If you missed the debate and are looking for a candidate whose bases I didn't cover (Duncan Hunter or Tom Tancredo supporters, here's your shout-out), or for more of the debate, there are video portions here and the transcripts are divided into Part 1 and Part 2.

Then you can come back here and spam up my comments board.

Is anyone going to shriek like Howard Dean this year?  It remains to be seen...

   

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