The Republicans: 2008

Like it or not, Fred Thompson (yes the guy from Law and Order), who officially entered the race yesterday on the Tonight Show, is probably right when he said,

“I’m certainly not disrespecting them, but it’s a lot more difficult to get on ‘The Tonight Show’ than it is to get on a presidential debate.”

Wednesday night’s 5th Republican debate did little to turn over new ground. The eight candidates opened with jabs at Thompson, including McCain’s reference that it was probably past Thompson’s bedtime. But when it came to issues of immigration, Iraq and terrorism (major concerns for GOP voters), the candidates all stuck to the same line they’ve been holding since the first debate.

Romney attacked Guliani for being “lax on immigration”, and Chris Wallace (the moderator) rebutted Romney by saying the Massachusetts Governor “didn’t even catch the illegals who were mowing your front lawn”.

[They could have had a much-needed discussion over the necessity and legality of continuing ICE raids.]

Instead, they took turns using Ron Paul’s anti-war stance as a foil for pro-Iraq soundbites. Huckabee and Paul had a particularly heated exchange:

"We've dug a hole for ourselves, and we dug a hole for our party," Paul said. "We're losing elections, and we're going down next year if we don't change it."

"Even if we lose elections," Huckabee said, to loud cheers, "we should not lose our honor, and that is more important to the Republican Party."

Even if Paul ends up being right, at least the Republican Party is concerned about my honor.

McCain, to the relief of many, stepped it up this week. First, attacking his rivals about their knowledge and experience of security and foreign policy issues on Tuesday and then, by most accounts, having an “A-“ debate.

Only problem is McCain’s continually been a BIG advocate of the “surge” in Iraq. And the progress of that “surge” is set to be evaluated next week. Will it turn out well? My guess is going to be no, mixed with maybe.

Not going to lie, I was a little glad that Romney got chewed out by a man with a son in Iraq for Romney’s comparison of his son’s campaign work to serving in Iraq (in Salon’s comprehensive following of the debate, at 57 minutes):

"I know you apologized a couple of days later after a firestorm started, but it was wrong, sir, and you never should have said it."

There’s just something a little creepy about Romney. Watch his new “leadership” ad, featuring him running.