The Manchester Debates (Part I – Republicans)
I liked the way Charlie Gibson moderated the debate last night at St. Anselm’s College. He set a serious but cordial tone. He asked tough questions but with class and intellect. Having the candidates from each side come together in the middle of the broadcast for a group photo-op was great. The whole world watched as they did their best to look “likable”; Obama made it look easy. Anyway, on to the races.
This is the first of two posts regarding Manchester.
Here’s my snapshot of the Republicans:
Huckabee – Just as he started to sound charming he melodramatically recited the first few sentences of the Declaration of Independence and blew it. Never forget, “It’s easy to be cheesy”. The religious “halo” that follows him around is equally annoying. Personally, I think he knows he has no chance but the further he goes the more he can raise his speaking fees in the future. However, I have to give him credit for one good idea – offer a $1 Billion tax-free reward to the first engineering team that designs a car capable of getting 100 MPG.
Mccain – Seasoned, battle-tested, steady. Unfortunately, he also comes off as old, a bit of a slow-talker, and just a touch too casual sometimes. American hero? Yes, but so was Bob Dole. If “change” is really as important as the polls suggest, he does not inspire those images. His joke about Romney being the real “candidate for change” – because he has changed positions so many times – was painfully forced and ill-timed. Everyone felt the awkwardness but him. Ultimately, he will not be President. He will serve another Senate term or two and retire with a Medal of Freedom.
Romney – Obviously, he is the best looking of the lot and his hair is definitely presidential. Yes, that means something. But he also comes off a bit too polished, a little plastic. There’s no doubt he was a successful businessman. So was Ross Perot. In business, people get fired for not doing their jobs and producing results. The President doesn’t have such luxuries when it comes to steering the government. Washington D.C. is full of self-interested people that you just can’t “downsize”. You have to deal with an assortment of characters. This is why I am often wary of businesspeople who venture into politics. The Mormon thing is no more ridiculous than anybody else’s beliefs. His shameless flip-flopping is more bothersome.
Thompson- Comes off as painfully arrogant. Physical appearances aside, he represents what many people hate about Republicans. He’s rude but thinks he’s witty. His lame joke about Romney liking “man-dates” fell flat, but that didn’t stop him from chuckling like a sixth grader. He also looked like a schoolyard bully for the way he treated Ron Paul. No class. The sooner he is gone the better.
Rudy – Looking more and more like a one-trick-pony. Do we live in a post-post-September 11th world yet? The more he talks about being a mayor, the less presidential he looks. He is unlikely to get the nomination. He’ll be a great recurring guest host on Saturday Night Live.
Ron Paul – When is comes to foreign policy and terrorism he is telling the painful truth. People just don’t want to hear it and consider for even a moment that our actions have both short and long- term consequences. (This happens to be an area where I have a certain amount of expertise (see Bio). So, I will soon post a series of short articles on terrorism soon.) He is polling low but raising tons of money ($35 average contributions to the tune of $20 million for the last quarter). The concept of being “left alone” by the government to live in peace and privacy resonates especially with the young. Ironically, he gets more contributions from the military than any other Republican candidate. He has no chance but is making a statement.
Overall, I would have to say that McCain and Romney came out as the real players. There were no especially heroic or tragic moments for any of the candidates. McCain will likely win New Hampshire.
As for the Democrats….I’ll touch on them in part II
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About the Author: Randall H. Miller is an American college educator/blogger. He is also a former U.S. Army officer (82nd Airborne) with a M.A. in Diplomacy (focusing on International Terrorism) and a B.A. in Criminal Justice. Use the form on the right to sign up and receive notifications of new content. The words and ideas expressed here are 100% his own and not those of his employers or affiliated organizations.
BobIrving | Jan 7, 2008 | Reply
Go Randy !! Agree with your outlines of the Republicans except for McCain. I love the guy for his patriotism…but let’s face it, he a Democrat at heart. He belongs on Hill’s team. Good luck to you in your quest. Somebody needs to clean house here in MA !!!