Republican Primary first debate, with Bill Hemmer and Martha MacCallum
The 2nd
tier seven: Perry, Santorum, Jindal,
Fiorina, Graham, Pataki, Gilmore.
In my opinion, FoxNews
was brilliant to be fair to all candidates. Rick Perry is center-stage.
Bill Hemmer and Martha
MacCallum are the moderators. Candidates view timing lights.
You
were governor of Texas, why vote for you?
Perry: We added jobs when America was in
recession. (Talks well with his hands.)
Given
your poor polling why do you compare yourself to Margaret Thatcher?
Fiorina: $90billion in 150 countries; understand how the Economy works. I know more leaders than anyone on the stage
with the singular exception of Hillary Clinton.
Challenge the status quo and unlock the potential of individuals.
You
failed to beat Mitt Romney; is your time
over?
Santorum:
We stuck to our message and won.
Etc. I have a track record, created Iran sanctions.
Your
approval ratings at your home are low, behind Hillary
Jindal: I won a record margin in my state;
that is not why I’m running. We cut more than anyone; pro-Life. Both Republicans and Democrats have gotten us
into this mess, $18million.
Based
on your record of standing with HRClinton and AGW, why you?
Graham: When I get on stage with Hillary Clinton,
we won’t be debating the science, we will be debating the solutions. My stand will be energy independence. We send money to people that hate our guts.
You
called it quits, now you are back.
Pataki: You need someone from outside
government. Look at how divided we are,
not solving.
You
haven’t held office in 13 years; time for new blood?
Jim Gilmore: I want to reverse the USA decline. I
was army intelligence in the Cold War.
[Graphic
is shown of Donald Trump and his popularity]
What can you say?
Perry: He was for single-payer healthcare;
pro-Choice. [And changing the
subject] I looked the president right in
the eye and said, “Mr President, if you won’t secure the border, Texas will. And that is exactly what we did!
What
can you say about Donald Trump?
Fiorina: Did any of you get a call from Bill
Clinton? Did Trump change views on
Abortion?
Obama
doesn’t condemn [Jihad]
Jindal: Sometimes you win a war by killing
the murderers. Take the handcuffs off.
Why
should we sacrifice again, going into the Middle East?
Gramnesty: If you don’t understand we need
ground troops in Syria, you are not ready.
ISIS
threat to the homeland, USA; 69 have
been arrested, more arrests to come;
How
far are you willing to go? Mosques under
surveillance? Free speech.
Pataki: I would do everything in my
power. Shut down their internet
capability. We have got to destroy the
ISIS training camps over there, and then
get out. I have two sons that served.
They
recruit behind walls of Google and Apple; Do you stand with Rand Paul?
Fiorina: Turns out we had warning signals. We
need to attune all agencies, connecting dots.
Secondly, I do agree we need to target specific walls, including China
cyberwalls. We do not need to collect data on all American citizens. A law is languishing on Capitol Hill.
Jim Gilmore:
We need to use our technological advantage.
Immigration,
what about breaking up families?
Santorum: My father was born in Italy, seven
years not allowed in. “America was worth the wait.” Compassion is in being equal under the
law. We have pro-Immigration laws. [Talking fast with his hands.]
Perry:
Americans are tired of being baited for 30 years. Americans are not going to trust Washington
DC until the president works on securing the border every day. No one on this stage has my experience. “If you elect me, I will secure that Southern
Border.” [Speaking very forcefully,
including hands, going over 30seconds, was that a 60minute allowance? Moderators go to the second commercial
break.]
Food
stamps, disabilities, Americans out of work;
how do you get them to work?
Gramnesty:
Until you change the policies of Obama, you never will. Mrs Clinton is the same.
Santorum: We need jobs, manufacturing. 20% flat tax.
Reform welfare.
Based
on your record, cutting back, what will you tell welfare dependents?
Gilmore:
I will tell them we will grow the economy; tax cut for all Americans, 10-15-20%.
http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2015/02/02/Gov-John-Kasich-unveils-72B-two-year-Blueprint-for-a-New-Ohio-budget-proposal.html “The budget rises 12.5 percent over the current
year, to a large part because of the federal infusion of cash to pay for
Medicaid expansion, and then 4.8 percent in the next year.”
Why
did Kasich get it wrong in not passing on tax cuts, expanding Medicaid?
Jindal:
This isn’t free money; we borrow from China, and Obama is going along,
as he says.
Pataki: You don’t expand welfare; We do not
need a cultural change. [Oppps!]
Question
from online: How do you end the Deal
with Iran?
Perry: We need to be on the side of keeping Iran from
getting a nuclear weapon. $150billion is
fixing to go to a country that kills our Marines. I would prefer to have Carly Fiorina
negotiating rather than JFKerry. Say,
“Hell NO” and tear up that agreement.
Fiorina: I would make two phone calls: (1) Bibi in Israel; (2) To Iran:
we will make it difficult.
Fiorina, again: Day Two: I would call allies to Camp
David and ask what they need from us.
Roe
v Wade (settled law); Is GAY marriage
now settle law?
Santorum: It is not! This is a rogue Supreme Court. [He’s very passionate] STAND UP!
Is
it time for a pro-Life litmus test?
Gilmore: I would appoint justices that
support the Constitution.
Gilmore:
I would bring ISIS and defenders in Iran and Middle East together. [Say
What?]
Back
to Planned Parenthood. Pataki, you are the only Pro-Choice candidate
Pataki: I’m a Catholic, but Abortion is the
law of the land. Defund Planned Parenthood.
We should believe in science, at 20 weeks it is life, and Hillary is
wrong. I would pass legislation denying
abortion after 20 weeks.
Jindal:
This is disgusting and I absolutely would use DoJ to shut them down.
Gramnesty:
It’s not a war on women for all of us. Put $$ into other programs. Iraq
hurts women.
What
would be your first executive order:
Gilmore: Void the worst orders of Obama.
Graham:
Restore the NSA to take the fight to ISIL. “Whatever it takes, as long
as it takes!”
Jindal: Go after Sanctuary Cities. Don’t allow IRS to attack religion on GAY
marriage.
Perry: I’ll take a bottle of white-out to
Obama motions. [Going for the short
soundbyte photo.]
Santorum: Ditto that: suspend and repeal every
action of the last your years. Second,
the First Amendment Act: I will make
sure people of faith are not harassed by the government.
Fiorina: We need to undo Obama. Conservatives are better than Progressives.
[Talks long!]
Pataki: When I left, the New York government
workforce had been reduced by 15%.
President
Obama promised Hope and Change, yet 60% of Americans are
unhappy;
Reagan
said, “It can be morning in America again”;
JFK: “A new frontier” … FDR.
Fiorina: Only someone who will challenge
corruption can bring America back; I will do that.
Santorum: I came in as a reformer; DC is not
the solution. For 16 years I got things
done.
Graham: I would be a worthy
commander-in-chief. I’ll be the Reagan
if I can find a Tip O’Neil.
Two
words to describe Obama.
Pataki: Divisive, and with no vision, at
all.
Fiorina:
Not trustworthy. No accomplishment
Santorum:
Secretive and untrustworthy.
Perry:
I’ll go with three: “Good at
eMail.” {Bill Hemmer, says Hm.}
Jindal:
Socialist; Government-dependent.
Graham:
Not the change we need; at a time we need it.
Gilmore: Professional politician that cannot
be trusted.
Bill Hemmer says, “Not a
lot of compliments.”
Closing
30-second response from each candidate
Perry:
[good hands and passion!
Whole-body motion, very presidential.]
We are just a change away from the best years that America has ever
had. And I think the record of 1.5
million jobs in Texas is what Americans are looking for. Etc.
[He takes 95 seconds and
it is like in the last two minutes of NFL or NBA, no game changing fouls called
in the last two minutes.]
Santorum: Trump highlighted immigration; I’m
the only one who will reduce immigration.
[He talks fast and then then smiles at the end to look voter-friendly
and good for the camera-shot.]
Jindal: We have great talkers as in the White
House. Jeb Bush says we have to lose the
primary to win the general. We would
lose again. Immigration without assimilation
is an invasion. I have the experience to
get us through this. Join a cause.
Fiorina:
Hillary Clinton lies about Benghazi; she lies about eMails; she is still defending Planned Parenthood;
and she is still her party’s front-runner.
2016 is going to be a fight between Conservative values and the Democrat
Party that is undermining the very foundation of this nation. We need a nominee that is going to throw
every punch, not pull punches, and someone who will not stumble even before he
gets into the ring. … With your help I will lead this
insurgence. Thank You.
Gramnesty: We need someone who can be commander-in-chief
on Day One, who understands there are no Moderates in Iran—they’ve been killed
a long time ago. …We’re becoming Greece
if we don’t work together.
Pataki:
With all the candidates, why me?
I’m different. I won in a blue
state; I’ve been tested as governor in NYC at 9/11. Talk has got to stop; action needs to begin.
Gilmore:
Direction of the nation must change.
Get the economy growing, w/jobs. I have real experience. [Examples]
ED: There were no real 30-second ‘rebuttals’
requested by the candidates on stage. Moderators would ask for someone to speak
to the same question, and they would take the full 60 seconds. There were very few buzzers, and when someone
went a little long, they were allowed to finish their thought in one sentence.
Bill Hemmer and Martha
MacCallum were excellent, keeping the timing and yet not needing to scold the participants,
but saying instead, “Thank you, governor.”
They also used the technique of derailing a monolog by asking a
question.
After this initial
debate, George Will agreed with Chris Wallace that Carly Fiorina stood out with
concise and brilliant comments. ED: Yes,
she was great, but will rise only modestly in popularity. In our opinion, Rick Perry started well but
in the end was not photogenically
presidential.
These
are my notes on the secondary debate: (low-polling seven candidates.)
