Romney and Perry cruise; other candidates fading fast at GOP debate

By JR Hoeft | Thursday, September 8th, 2011 | Politics

So, I watched MSNBC’s attempt to make Democrats of Republican candidates running for president last night and I can only say that I am very much looking forward to attending CNN’s Tea Party Debate on Sept. 12, 2011 at the satellite location here in Virginia.

The reality is that I really have to call last night a wash.

There really wasn’t any candidate that made me say, “That guy’s nuts!” So, when you’re looking at your own party’s standard, that probably is the best litmus test.

I found points all evening where I said, “Any one of these candidates would make a better president than our current one.”

As a matter of fact former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich said that very thing during the debate. Unfortunately, while I like everyone on the stage, not everyone there should remain.

If you’re looking for a debate recap, I will not be providing it. I have some links that you can check out below.

However, there were clearly some on stage, in front of conservative matriarch Nancy Reagan, who had the “gravitas” to measure up to the Reagan legacy:

• Romney made no gaffes.
• Perry made no apologies.
• Huntsman showed he has tolerance.
• Gingrich showed he’s the smartest guy in the room.
• Paul demonstrated the Gold Standard still has merit.

As for Bachmann, Cain, and Santorum, well, the time has probably come to move on. Do I have a good reason for my assessment? Well, probably not as good as you’d like to hear. Call it a hunch.

Let me cut to the chase: I am so glad that the next six or seven weeks will give us a closer look at these candidates. Frankly, I’m not even close to endorsing – nor should you be close to your decision yet either: We’re just getting started here. I could be wrong – there may be a clear front-runner. But I just can’t see it, despite what the media tells me.

As far as I am concerned, I am going to be paying a whole lot more attention to Governors Romney, Perry, and Huntsman in the coming days – I get the distinct feeling they represent the three factions of the current GOP: fiscal, social, and international conservatives.

But there could be another candidate out there who will totally ‘wow’ me. The one who can convince me that they know enough about – and are willing to fight for – all the segments of our party will bring me squarely into their camp.

I hope that person exists. But I didn’t see it last night.

From former McCain Chairman in Virginia and BD Contributor Chris Saxman:

1 Perry – held his own, shaky second half.
2 Romney steadied the ship. Solid effort.
3 Bachmann – fading fast
4 Paul fading not as fast as Bachmann
5 Cain – most likable of the bunch. Needs more depth and needs to assert himself more
6 Huntsman – rising, albeit not much.
7 Newt – will stay longer than most would like but he always adds policy value
8 Santorum – will get out soon

And, former Congressional candidate and BD Contributor Amit Singh:

“The second half of the debate I kept thinking that Rick Perry was George W. Bush. His response to global warming was pathetic and personally I think the new candidate of the week is going to be Huntsman. Romney continues to be polished and will wait for Perry to self-destruct. IMHO, Perry lost the most ground in the debate.

“I couldn’t help but think Cain kept trying to sell me a large pizza with 2 toppings special for $9.99. “I got the sense that Gingrich at this point knows he isn’t going to get the nomination but he’s looking for an appointment. Perhaps treasury secretary or a similar position?

“Santorum and Bachmann are fading not because anything has changed other than the media seems bored with them. “Paul won’t drop out because he isn’t in to become president but to fight for Liberty. This is his grand finale since he won’t be returning to Congress either. He is setting up Rand for 2016.”

*****
Morning round-up:
Barone: GOP needs a stronger front-runner than Candidate X
“None of the current candidates outperforms the generic “Republican candidate.” The seven weeks ahead provide an opportunity for one or more Republican candidates to improve their standing not only among Republican primary and caucus voters but among the general electorate as well. “Political reporters always like to anoint one candidate as the front-runner. But there hasn’t been a real front-runner in the Republican race so far.”

The Hill: Fireworks between Perry and Romney erupt early in debate
“Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) began sparring over their respective jobs records less than 10 minutes into Wednesday’s Republican presidential debate.”

Daily Caller: Rick Perry says Karl Rove has been ‘over the top for a long time’
“Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry has made it official: He is no fan of former George W. Bush adviser Karl Rove. “‘Karl has been over the top for a long time in some of his remarks,’ Perry said during Wednesday night’s Republican presidential debate. ‘I’m not responsible for Karl anymore.’”

All Politics is Local: Jones: “Beating the defense”
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the Pilot needs to provide in-depth coverage of local news and issues that readers cannot get elsewhere. Make it the go-to source for that. None of the other media outlets can compete….The key is to increase the reader base….As a community, we cannot afford to lose the one thing that has the ability to be the tie that binds us together.”

Wa. Post: Terry McAuliffe travels Virginia to campaign for Democrats – including himself, some say
“I think he’s running,” Del. Mark Sickles (D-Fairfax) said Wednesday, a couple of days after after McAuliffe attended a BBQ fundraiser to make sure that Sickles keeps his seat on the Virginia General Assembly’s House Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee. “He’s spending a lot of time touching all the bases around the commonwealth,” Sickles said. “This is the kind of schedule and introduction to Virginia that he should have done before jumping into the race in 2009.”

Roll Call: Job Boom Seen in One Area: Politics
“Thanks in part to Obama, who has set out to spend as much as $1 billion in the next election, and to a landmark Supreme Court ruling that has rolled back restrictions on political spending by unions and corporations, political professionals are enjoying unusual prosperity.”

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