GOP DEBATE - NO REAL WINNER BUT SOME STANDOUTS

CNN hosted the second Republican Debate in New Hampshire and frankly the moderator CNN's John King was a detraction because of how he handled the debate and the way he twisted questions and answers. His arrogant way of trying to force each candidate into saying something he wanted them to say was not only a detraction but ridiculous for a supposed unbiased moderator.

Now to the Debate itself. No candidate stood out exceptionally among the seven with the possible exception of Michelle Bachman who used the opportunity to announce that she has filed her papers and was a candidate for the 2012 GOP nomination. This was the first time that most heard Bachman whose answers were sharp, crisp and to the point and she stood her ground with knowledge and poise on each issue. In a debate with no clear winner Bachman stood out because of the announcement and her ability to stir the audience when she talked.

One candidate stood out in another way and that was Ron Paul. He looked and sounded in the minor leagues compared to the responses by the other six candidates. He took every opportunity to steer almost every question to his pet project of eliminating the Federal Reserve. I am not a fan of the Fed and would not grieve at its elimination but it is also not the source of all of our problems and Paul tried to insinuate. He looked very much out of place and small among the candidates.

There were some very disappointing moments when both Tim Pawlenty and Rick Santorum were given a clear opportunity to be face to face with Mitt Romney about Romneycare and his flip flop on several issues. Both of which have been spoken about by both Pawlenty and Santorum in other venues, but when given the chance to confront Romney directly both dropped the ball allowing Romney to weasel his way out of issues that do and will plague him in the campaign.

Newt Gingrich had two of the most powerful answers of the entire evening. First, when he was given the question that had been first given to Herman Cain concerning questioning those in whom he sought for his administration when he stated that anyone in his administration would have to prove their loyalty without question to the Constitution and the country. He also hit a home run on border security when he stated, "take half the current Department of Homeland Security bureaucracy and send them to Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. You'll have more than enough people to control the border."

All in all anyone who has questioned the strength of the GOP field saw in the Debate a strong field with the possible exception of Ron Paul. This is not the weak field that the left wing media is claiming and the proof was in the pudding during the debate. As Michelle Bachman stated emphatically," Barack Obama will be a one term President," and we saw among those on the stage the one who will defeat Obama in 2012.


Ken Taylor