Winner of the Republican Debate: Fred Thompson. Loser: Mitt Romney.

[Colobo]

Rudy did OK, and so did Huckabee.

[hlthe2b]

1. So Thompson won by skipping it?

[AlCzervik]

2. McCain will get a bump from NH repubs imo.

[Colobo]

3. I agree to a certain extent.

[Mz Pip]

7. THey seemed to like him

better than any of the others, though their reasons were pretty cosmetic. "He sound's like a leader" isn't good enough. Charles Manson was a leader. Big Wow.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[AlCzervik]

10. i agree but the good thing is that the bloom is wearing off Rudy and Romney is a total joke.

[Mz Pip]

14. I'd much rather have

Rudy president than McCant. Both are nuts but at least Rudy seems to be okay with the social issues.

Romney creeps me out on a visceral level. He's rich, ambitious and will say anything to make his next home the White House. I do not trust him. He would be like Bush with an even nastier attitude.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[AlCzervik]

15. and Rudy has an authoritarian streak a mile wide.

[Mz Pip]

19. Oh yeah,

the guys an ass, big time but if I had to choose between Mitwit and Rudy? I'd gag, choke and hold my nose and hope for Rudy. Mitwit creeps me out so much more.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[TwilightGardener]

4. Thought Fred was the big loser, actually--looked like a puss afraid

to face the voters. Rudy was the winner. Huckabee and Romney were horribly fake panderbears, as usual. McCain did not have a bad night. Brownback is reasonable on foreign policy, but the family values shtick is getting old. Paul was Paul. The rest not worth mentioning.

[Colobo]

5. Thompson got an applause without showing up. That should tell you something.

[TwilightGardener]

6. He'll suffer for not being there, I'm betting. He's missed many debates now, and

there's no excuse at this point.

[Mz Pip]

8. Yeah, but he ran his ad!

All you needed to know about Fred you could learn just by listening to his damn ad. Why waste an hour of valuable free time to watch a debate when Freddie can tell you all you need to know in 30 seconds. Nothing else to hear. Nothing else to see. No need to trouble your little mind over substance. Game over.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[AlCzervik]

13. totally agree, he snubbed NH and NH won't forget.

[TwilightGardener]

18. NH likes their down-and-dirty retail politics. He might as well write it off.

[AlCzervik]

20. Fred the sloth is getting the slap down for not showing by some NH

Republican bigwig. Says NH is not pleased.

[BlueStater]

9. I didn't watch the debate but...

...doesn't everyone get applause when their name is called? I don't see how Foghorn Leghorn getting applause somehow means the crowd favors him over the others.

[Colobo]

11. His positions on several issues were mentioned, and people cheered

then Rudy answered and he got a timid applause.

[RB TexLa]

22. You put yourself above the others by not debating, I do not understood why Hillary is debating

She could just pay to hold town hall meetings in the debate city on the same day or a day after, the media would pick up enough of it. Or her and either Edwards or Obama pay to stage a debate with just those three or Hillary and one of them. She's got the money to do it.

[opihimoimoi]

12. WINNER Dem Party...LOSER...GOP..the Bathroon Boys are struggling

[Manifestor_of_Light]

16. Ron Paul got the most applause by far.

He got in a shitfight with another guy over pulling out of Iraq. He pointed out that we can't stay there forever, thousands have died, it's an illegal war, etc. He also pointed out that only Congress can declare war, we've lost our civil rights like habeas corpus, and now we have wiretapping, FISA courts, torture etc.

He did NOT want to nuke Iran in a hypothetical situation question. He wanted to deal with them diplomatically and said they were complying with the Int'l Nuclear body that inspects that stuff.

He can't win, he's saying sensible stuff about the Constitution and not starting illegal wars.

[Cameron27]

17. Fifi lost, but gained a nickname.

I can't stop laughing.

[Gretchen]

21. most improved GOP debater award goes to . . .

Huckabee

[spanone]

23. thompson skipped to be on Leno....ego over substance? good chance