will the real conservative please stand up...

i watched the debate last night.  and then i watched it again this morning.  and then again at lunch time.

i really like watching these things on the computer, after the fact, so that i can pause and reflect and pause and replay, etc..  in addition i read the live blogging from fred's campaign page to get his people's viewpoint and it's a must read in my opinion.

i also, purposely, didn't watch the "post debate action" until after i was satisfied that i had gleaned all that i could from the debate.  i also didn't watch the "post debate action" until i had visited the blogs of a few of my favorite bloggers including conservatism with heart, blogs for fred thompson, hot air, goat's barnyard and michelle malkin.  i have great respect for each of these blogs and like that they always challenge me (and themselves) with great questions.

having said that, i'd like to give my point of view and hope to spark some good conversations here, and elsewhere.

dee's view, over at conservatism with heart is that rudy won the debate and that fred was down the list with a "b" rating.  she says:

Fred Thompson--B
I hate to admit it but Thompson was some what of a disappointment last night. He had some good answers on things but he didn't do anything to inspire passion. I liked his answer on Education and vouchers, his line referring to the Haditha marines and he had a great response to the lazy question but otherwise not a big night for him.

it's really rare, but i have to respectfully disagree with dee (sorry, but i still love you).  he's a slow speaker, but that shouldn't be mistaken for lack of interest.  i listened to his words, i watched his face, i think he was brilliant. 

fred addressed the questions put to him honestly and forthrightly (is that a word) regardless of the "fall out".  i thought fred had great passion - when he spoke about beating hillary and reminding us what the party stands for:  "...let's don't get diverted onto some single individual, whoever their nominee is, they're going to lead us down the road to a comfortable mediocrity and that's not the united states of america that i grew up in."  when he spoke of integrity in saying what he said that needs to happen with social security - he stood by what others have quoted him as saying, saying: "...it's based on the notion that there's no reason to run for the presidency of the united states if you can't tell the truth..."

i'd love to see a thompson/hunter ticket for 2008.  i believe the two of them to be the most consistent, conservative and electable on the stage last night.

i heard some other things that i liked from some others. 

i used to like mccain.  then he started veering left in the 2000 cycle to appeal to the libs.  then he pulled his "gang of 14" gig.  then the immigration issues.  and the list goes on and on.  but aside from the woodstock comment that garnered him a standing 'o', he also said "...he's going to force us to setup a league of democracies..." in regards to putin and russia.  however, we can't setup a league of anything if we sign onto the law of the sea treaty which mccain isn't speaking out against at this point.

i've never been a big fan of mike huckabee.  i know that many like him, but he just seems like a lib in rino clothing to me.  not at the debate, but still one of my favorite stories ever:

congratulations are in order for Keith Richards, lead guitarist for the Rolling Stones. The man has been promised a pardon for a traffic offense — from 1975 — courtesy of a fan, Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

Richards was fined $162.20 for reckless driving more than three decades ago after being stopped in a tiny town 70 miles south of Little Rock, between shows in Memphis and Dallas, reports Reuters. Richards paid the fine by mail.

Huckabee said he talked to the possible future father of Capt. Jack Sparrow backstage at a Stones concert in March, and, after Richards joked about his past, the governor (and bass player in an amateur band) suggested the rocker apply for a pardon.

i like that story because my husband plays bass in an amateur band too. :)  but seriously folks.  i have to give kudos to mr. huckabee for having the best line of the debate when he said "there's nothing funny about hillary being president."  how right he is, how right he is.  but still not enough for to want him on the ticket....

i'm not going to comment too much on mitt or rudy.  i would vote for either of them if they made it on the ticket, but i won't be voting to put them there.  i just don't like them very much.  i think mitt likes to make too many deals with the libs in order to say he did something, anything.  and i think rudy likes big government and likes being a part of big government.

any how, all in all i think fred was the most impressive.  i think fred was the only one on the stage who deserved to invoke ronny.  i think i like fred more and more as time passes...

Comments

[Dee]

Excellent summary!! While I didn't think Fred did very well last night I'm glad some still think so. I would LOVE a Thompson/Hunter ticket. I hate to be so partial to Rudy when he has social issue problems but his passion, realness and honesty inspire me.

I'm sooooooooo glad that you don't like Huckabee either. I'm starting to think I'm all alone on that. Like you there is just something about him that makes my skin crawl. I'm really starting to think that there is something creepy about him that will eventually come out to prove us right. Again, just a gut feeling.

I will get you linked up with this great post.

[Sandy]

I like Fred too. Others agree that he did well in the debates. I'll vote for Rudy or Mitt if they win the party's nomination.

I took a survey once that would determine who I agree with most and it turned out to be Duncan Hunter. That was before Fred got into the race.

A Thompson/Hunter ticket would suit me just fine.

[Debbie]

I agree with you on Fred Thompson. People are judging the candidates on their 'performance' rather than the content of their answers. Rudy is the best 'performer', he works the crowd, entertains, ... but does that make him the best candidate?

[Angel]

I'm still confused!..:)

[Goat]

Wow! I am flattered to be listed with MM and her team at Hot Air, like I said at my site I thought the GOP was the biggest winner as all our big boys put on a good natured show. If it wasn't for Spencer Abraham and his Clinton era sqishiness I could like Fred more, he can't have an open border La Raza and islamist sympathizer as a campaign manager and get much respect from me. It was by far the best debate and they will get better as the field narrows a bit more. I love Duncan and Tom but they should follow Sam's lead and step down. I am biased though as a long time Mitt Romney fan, the guy's optimism is infectious and very real. I think MM is a Mitt fan as well and she is leery of Fred for the same reason's I am.
The folks at NRO and AmSpec seem to have the same take as I do and I posted before I read their take. I can say this, that was not a depressed downbeat crowd last night at all, we have many reasons to lift our heads up and put our eyes squarely on the prize.

[heidianne jackson]

dee - i can't imagine that we are alone. gosh, i hope not anyhow. i just can't get by that feeling in the pit of my stomach everytime huckabee speaks. heck, i know ron paul is looney toons, but mike is craftier or something...

sandy - i must have taken that same quiz ;)

debbie - i don't think that makes him the best candidate, i don't even think that makes him the "most electable". i especially liked fred's response to the charges that he's lazy...

angel - i think we're all confused and all we can do is to continue to research and talk amongst ourselves.

goat - the honor is all mine. i too am no fan of spencer's, but i'm a huge fan of fred's. i don't believe that spencer has anything to do with upcoming policy. i don't think mitt is anything more than optimistic; all cheer, little substance...