Debate and Switch

The Florida water shortage was brought to an end when MSNBC anchor, Chris Matthews, spittled his way through an evening of presidential hopefuls bashing Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton, in a Republican debate on the campus of Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. Ooooh, Chris, smell that English Leather and Old Spice? Such manly men! The fragrance of testosterone wafting through the air! Okay, that was from Janet Huckabee, but still….
From MTV (yeah, I said MTV!!):

Unlike the Democrats at Monday’s contentious presidential debate, the Republican candidates spent more time piling on Senator Hillary Clinton than each other at Thursday night’s debate.

Original DVD cover

From the economy to the war in Iraq, the candidates found plenty of opportunity to attack Hillary Clinton. Front-runners Romney and McCain agreed that the war was justified but mismanaged, and Romney lashed out at what he said were claims by Clinton and other Democrats that the recent drop in violence in Iraq was tied to calls from Democrats to withdraw U.S. troops. “The success over there is due to the blood and the courage of our servicemen and women, and to General Petraeus and to President Bush — not to General Hillary Clinton,” Romney said pointedly.

From The Boston Globe:

The debate at Florida Atlantic University hosted a five-man field that appeared to have taken a mutual vow to stay civil and even complimentary of one another. While the Romney and McCain campaigns released TV ads last night attacking each other, on stage, the men kept their remarks conciliatory.

Instead, the candidates saved their attacks for Hillary Clinton, saying the Democratic New York senator would weaken American security by pulling the United States out of Iraq prematurely. No GOP candidate mentioned either of the other two Democratic contenders, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois and former North Carolina senator John Edwards.

Asked how he would run against Hillary and Bill Clinton, who has been aggressively campaigning for his wife, Romney cocked an eyebrow.

“I frankly can’t wait, because the idea of Bill Clinton back in the White House with nothing to do is something I just can’t imagine. I can’t imagine the American people can’t imagine,” Romney said, declining to elaborate.

From Newsday:

Asked about Iraq and national security, McCain defended his staunch support of the surge and accused Clinton of “waving a white flag.” And Romney ridiculed her as “Gen. Clinton.”

From Times Online:

Rudy Giuliani, who has seen his formerly frontrunning campaign falter – even in Florida which he had counted on to deliver a much-needed win – also criticised Mrs Clinton for changing her mind on Iraq. “She used to be in favour of the war,” he said, “now she’s against it.”

Last night almost the Republican fire was directed towards Mrs Clinton, rather than at each other.

Aside from the Hillary bashing, there was another important subject discussed (transcript of the debate from WPTV):

[Brian] WILLIAMS: We have another question from Paul Tash in the audience.

TASH: Governor Huckabee, this questions comes from David Haney (ph) in Spring Hill, Florida.

Chuck Norris, one of your most vocal supporters, recently said that at 72 Senator McCain would be too old to withstand the rigors of the presidency. Do you agree or disagree?

MCCAIN: Did you get my response?

HUCKABEE: I did hear what Chuck said. I was standing with him. And I didn’t disagree with him at the time, because I was standing next to him.

(LAUGHTER)

It’s as simple as that. This is a guy who can put this foot on that side of my face, and there’s nothing I can do about it.

Now, I have said publicly — in fact, I think it was the debate we had, gosh, back in New Hampshire. And I publicly said — and I have said it many times — I don’t think that Senator McCain lacks the rigor and the capacity to be president.

And I said, if you look at his mother and see her strength at 95, of all the things we can pick on Senator McCain for, that ain’t one of them. There may be some other things I can pick on Senator McCain about, but not that.

And, frankly, I think he’s demonstrated in the campaign that he’s got the capacity to run. He and I would have different approaches to be president, but I promise you that is not an issue for me. It might be from Chuck, but I’m far enough away from him that I feel comfortable in saying that now.

WILLIAMS: Governor, thank you.

Senator McCain, because it’s your mother, 15 seconds.

MCCAIN: Well, now that Sylvester Stallone has endorsed me, I’m sending him over to take care of Chuck Norris right away.

(APPLAUSE)

I’m going to get him.

So there you have the new Republican strategy–rely on washed-up moronic Hollywood has-beens. Well, it did work with Reagan! 😀