The audience thought Ron Paul did --- he also beat the shit out of them the last time
it's too bad he won't abandon the GOP and give himself a real chance to win On Jun 14, 7:23 pm, MJ <[email protected]> wrote: > Who won the GOP debate? The audience thought Ron Paul didBy Luke Broadwater > 4:00 p.m. EDT, June 14, 2011 > Who won last night's Republican presidential debate onCNN? > It's a question a lot of pundits have been asking -- and there seems to be > some consensus forming among the analysts: Former Mass. Gov.Mitt Romneyand > Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann. > But judging by the reaction of the audience in New Hampshire, a different > candidate carried the night and he's a candidate many analysts are saying > emerged as a loser. > That candidate? Congressman Ron Paul of Texas. > An analysis of audience reaction shows Paul was applauded twice as much as > any other candidate on stage. > Throughout the two-hour debate, Paul was applauded 11 times. Romney, > Bachmann, and former Minnesota Gov.Tim Pawlentywere each applauded five > times. Former House speakerNewt Gingrichand businessman Herman Cain were each > applauded four times. Former Pa.Senator Rick Santorumwas applauded the least > amount of times: Three. > After a slow start, Paul earned applause throughout the debate, on a variety > of issues, including his opposition to "government assistance to private > enterprise," his belief that people should be able to "opt out" of Medicare, > his views on the separation of church and state, and his opposition to the > United States' various wars. > "I'd bring them home as quickly impossible," he said of U.S. troops. "I'd > quit bombing Yemen andPakistan." > Romney scored with the audience for his opposition of "too big too fail" > economic policies, for his comments about scaling down the war in Afghanistan > and for his attacks onObama. Bachmann earned applause when she announced her > candidacy for president and when she called Obama "a one-term president." > Pawlenty scored applause with his comments about right-to-work legislation > and when he praised the Christian faith. Cain was cheered for his comments > regarding government bailouts, his statement regarding the strength of > theGOPfield and his opposition to Sharia law. Gingrich also pleased the crowd > on this issue and for his comments on securing the border. > In terms of other audience reaction, Romney earned the most laughs: Twice his > comments brought the crowd to laughter (though one was a slip-up about the > Taliban). Paul, Santorum, Gingrich, and Pawlenty each earned laughter from > the crowd on one occasion. > I thought each candidate had his moments. Gingrich gave the best intro; Cain > overall was the best orator; Santorum was the most combative on the > president's economic policies; Romney was the most presidential; Paul the > most principled; Bachmann perhaps the most exciting; and Pawlenty perhaps the > nicest (he refused to criticize Romney to his face). Even Santorum showed he > can have a sense of humor. > What's strange, though, is how uniformly pundits' opinions have been in favor > of Romney and Bachmann -- and how different their reaction is to that of the > audience in New Hampshire. (A poll of so-called "GOP Insiders" revealed party > establishment minds believe Paul finished last. View that pollhere.) > Now, I realize Paul's supporters tend to be louder and more enthusiastic than > other candidates' and the amount of applause is hardly a scientific way to > judge a debate. But to not even consider as a potential debate winner the > person who was applauded more than twice as much as any other candidate > strikes me as strange. > Maybe it shows a vast separation between the media and the beliefs of > grassroots GOP activists? Maybe it shows that Paul's supporters are simply > more enthusiastic, though not larger in number? I don't know. > What I do know is this: People don't cheer things they don't support. They > don't laugh at jokes that aren't funny. They don't cry during movies that > aren't sad. > Paul's large advantage in applause shows that a number of Republicans want > smaller government, less foreign wars, no financial bailouts and freedom in > their personal lives. He may not be the favorite in the GOP race, but the > pundits could at least acknowledge the vocal and growing support within the > Republican party on these > issues.http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/bthesite/the-ridiculous-report-blog/bal-who-won-the-gop-debate-the-audience-thought-ron-paul-did-20110614,0,419922.story?track=rss -- Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more.
