TODAY's Talker: Tonight's GOP Debate for President

I will watch. Depending on how the "gentlemen" conduct themselves, I may watch the whole thing.

I missed the Dem debate, but did a fair amount of reading about it after the fact.

It probably is waaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy too early for the average voter--it seems most people decide in the weeks and days before an election. But it will be a great chance for us to see where these guys may be heading.

They will have to distance them selves from Bush if they're to have any chance of winning the election. This country definitely will not elect someone to carry on the Bush agenda--no matter what we may think of it.

Like most Americans, I'll be paying particular attention to how they answer on the war & healthcare.

Clark,

Are you saying that the controllers (masters) of the corporate media and/or that same media collectively control who gets elected?

If yes, how then did GW Bush become President twice in a row?

I'll be there with bells on! Don't think I'll keep from getting nauseated though! Gotta see what ammunition they pull outta their hats. Anyone taking bets? My guess is FEAR, FEAR and another dose of "how wonderfully strong the American economy is," coupled with "Mission Accomplished," and "those evil Dems are cutting our troops off of funding!" Any takers!

I've been thinking about the debate some more, and what I'll be listening for. I wrote this article:

Is the war in Iraq truly the central issue of the 2008 presidential election?
May 03, 2007 06:24 PM EDT
© 2007 by Gary S.
Average Rating: 10/10 (1 vote)
Tags: news, politics

By asking if the war in Iraq is the central issue of the 2008 presidential election, I mean, should it be the one of the main deciding factors for me & my vote?

If months and months of polls are correct, most Americans are tired of this war and want it to end ASAP. I know I want it to end ASAP.

Additionally, I believe that as soon as President Bush is gone, the Dems will still hold Congress and--even if a Republican sits in the Whitehouse--the end of the US military trying to hold Iraq together will happen as quickly as possible.

I'm fairly sure that the majority of both Republicans and Democrats in Congress are eager to get our troops out of Iraq, to stop the loss of American lives and to stop spending money there like it was free. (So they can spend it somewhere else like it was free! ;-)

You can only pull out of a place like Iraq so fast. Whether it's a Republican or a Democartic pullout, the pullout timeline differnce may be one of only a few weeks or months.

Yes. I'm assuming that we're done ASAP in Iraq in the post-Bush era, no matter who "runs" DC.

If this were any other situation in my life and I were listing the "why I shoulds" and "why I shouldn'ts", I'd take all of the "inevitable either way" factors off the table and make my decision based on the true differences.

Is the war in Iraq truly the central issue of the 2008 presidential election?

Not for me.

I watched, and thought the following: 1) Romney did very well, and 2) McCain exceeded expectations

How can you stand it. The election is over a year and a half away. Does any one really think the world will be in the same state then as it is now. All these people Dems and Repubs alike are going to have to play the flip flop game with the press if they have to adapt thier positions due to any significant changes in the next 18 months.

Press to Rebuplicans---- How would you feel if Hillary wins the White House? Give me a break. They should send that guy down to Guantanimo because that type of interragation really is torture! Send the press back to journalism school and have them learn how to ask a relevant question.

I watched also and saw a few points of distinction between the 10: dividing Iraq into states, abortion, taxes.

I look forward to the extended conversations tomorrow.

I did not catch it, but will likely watch it online when I get a chance. While I will not vote Republican in the primary, I still want to here what the party will have to offer in 2008. Will it be more of the same?

My candidate, Chuck Hagel, hasn't announced yet. Was Ron Paul in the debate?

Newt said something that I think has some merit with any of these debates. These candidates are saying what they will do in Jan '09 when it's May '08. If the world situation changes in six months, a year are they then allowed to change their minds? Or do they have to stick with what they said today. Will the media allow them to change?

Felix,

Yep. Ron Paul was in the debate.

Gotta love his defense of the Constitution :-)

Thanks, Gary, for the info. I agree on Ron.

Ron Paul was the winner. And probably the only one who has read the constitution.

I didn't watch it but I've heard about it since from the news. I tend to pay more attention when the field is narrowed down more