The mess that was the CNN/YouTube debate

[Sasaki Kojiro]

I thought the debate was quite revealing, which qualifies as a good debate. Romney and giuliani are scumbags, tancredo and hunter are ignored with good reason, paul is crazy, thompson is uninterested and uninteresting, and huckabee and McCain and very genuine.

Some select quotes, gotta love republican audiences:

Guiliani: I don't think we should give guns to felons and crazy people
Audience: BOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

General guy: I've served 42 years in the military. also I'm gay.
Audience: BOOOOOO!

Hunter (I think): I will never apologise for anything america does!
Audienc: YAaaaaaaay!

not exact quotes but you get the gist of it.

also:

Youtube guy: Do you believe every word of the bible is true?
Giuliani: Well, I believe some parts of it are allegorical *like "thou shalt not covet"*

[Xiahou]

They keep finding more of them too- the link has updated. Found another Edwards supporter, a former Jane Harman intern, and an apparent Richardson supporter who actually got a question thru during the Democrat's YouTube debate as well.

Really, really sloppy CNN. Were there any questioners selected for the Republican debate that didn't have links to the Democrat party?

[Sasaki Kojiro]

They keep finding more of them too- the link has updated. Found another Edwards supporter, a former Jane Harman intern, and an apparent Richardson supporter who actually got a question thru during the Democrat's YouTube debate as well.

Really, really sloppy CNN. Were there any questioners selected for the Republican debate that didn't have links to the Democrat party?

Do you actually object to the questions? Do you think the republicans can't handle questions from democrats?

Mickey mouse could ask the questions for all it matters, as long as the questions are good. The republicans are debating so it's a republican debate.

[Xiahou]

Do you actually object to the questions? Do you think the republicans can't handle questions from democrats?

I actually liked a couple of the questions- others were more like cheapshots/setups. Regardless, the idea behind such a primary debate is for Republicans to ask questions on the issues they care about to the candidates that they will be voting for. It's not supposed to be a chance for Democrat operatives to try to play gotchya games.

Again, let me mention that the Democrats are still refusing to go on a FoxNews debate because it will be biased.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

ABC News' Eloise Harper Reports: Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., a 2008 presidential candidate,has joined her democratic rivals -- former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C. and Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. -- in boycotting a presidential debate hosted by the Fox News Channel.

On Monday, the Obama campaign said that the senator would boycott a proposed debate to be broadcast by Fox News Channel.

The first senator to formally boycott the Fox News debate was former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C.

A statement released by the Edwards campaign read:

"We believe there's just no reason for Democrats to give Fox a platform to advance the right-wing agenda while pretending they're objective. If there was any uncertainty as to Fox's objectivity, it was put to rest when they attacked Democratic candidates, Democratic constituency groups, and the Nevada Democratic party when their last proposed debate was cancelled for lack of support."

The debate is to be held on September 23 in Detroit and is hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus. link

Edit:

I checked the debate out for fun and I must say the only one who really impressed me was Huckabee. All others were wanting in one way or another, and especially Romney sent my sleaze-o-meter off the charts.

I've got to agree- I think Romney is so full of crap, that I'm pretty sure I could smell him thru the TV. He'll say whatever he needs to or take any position just so it gets him the nomination.

[Vladimir]

Are the Democrats still refusing to have a debate on Fox?

[Ice]

I'm voting for Ron Paul.

After watching that video, I do agree most of his ideas are extreme to a high power, but I find him the most sincere and intelligent of the idiotic group.

Besides, he's a president. Most of the stuff he says he can't get done anyway. He doesn't have the power to abolish the Federal Reserve or the IRS.

What he can do, is appoint Supreme Court Judges who have a conservative view on abortion, and end the war in Iraq.

[PanzerJaeger]

I'm voting for Ron Paul.

Me too!

[KukriKhan]

I've watched the dem's and repub's and, maybe it's CNN and their lack of effective moderating (Blitzer was horrible, only ever digging for soundbites; Cooper less horrible, but not up to the challange either, IMO), but...

I want a whole new slate, both sides. If these are our best and brightest, we're in a heap o'trouble.

The equivocating, the grandstanding - haven't any one of them figured out that we know when we're being 'massaged', sold a bill of goods, and we don't like it?

[Papewaio]

The official campaign for the Federal elections started here 7 weeks ago. It was finished last weekend.

6 weeks was too long.

My condolences to our US friends in this time of pain and agony.

[spmetla]

I just don't the Utube debates in general. I think the whole format is somewhat stupid, especially in its claim to allow us 'normal people' to ask the candidates questions. If CNN really cared about presenting 'our' questions to the candidates it would cover question answer sessions at the many townhall meetings that happen during a campaign. The fact that the questions have been out on Utube for a long time and are then selected just makes it too easy for the candidates to come up with their usual evasive answers.

Also these are NOT debates, they are glamorized townhall meeting with all the candidates in one place but only requiring each canidate to answer a few questions. If they allowed these things to pan out as real debates then we might actually be able to gauge the candidates ability to respond to contrary viewpoints quickly and intelligently instead of merely spouting nonsense without the worry of being called on it.

Honestly I wish CNN would go back to their "a whole day's news every half hour" game than this bs.

[AggonyDuck]

I checked the debate out for fun and I must say the only one who really impressed me was Huckabee. All others were wanting in one way or another, and especially Romney sent my sleaze-o-meter off the charts.

[woad&fangs]

Yeah, the dems are still crying BIAS BIAS BIAS!!! and refusing to go on fox. I didn't watch the debate but my opinions about the republicans are pretty much already formed.

Romney-The republican version of Hillary. AKA Slimeyer than a slug's lips.

Giuliani- 9/11 9/11 9/11 !!!! Still he is decent and the most liberal of the republicans when it comes to social issues so he appeals a little to me.

McCain- I disagree with him a lot on social issues but you know that what he says is the truth. I think the US could really use that right now.

Thompson-Boring, not really sure why he is running

Huckabee-Seems like a great guy but he is too conservative for me.

Paul-Nuttier than a squirrel's intestines but he appeals because of his libertarianism. The republicans should remember that in 2012.

Of course it doesn't matter much because I'm 3 months to young to vote in the general election.

Edit: for the record I would like to see McCain as the prez and Obama as the vice prez and then have Obama be the president in 2012 but that obviously isn't going to happen. Stupid partisanship ruining my perfect white house grumble grumble grumble

[Ice]

Of course it doesn't matter much because I'm 3 months to young to vote in the general election.

Doesn't it suck?

I was 17 and 2 months on the last election.

I'll be old enough to buy a case of beer in the next one :).