Republican Debate

[Mickulz]

I have to say the very last statement Ron Paul said kind of surprised me. I would fully expect him to run as an independent if he does not get the Republican nod. But he says he won't. Anyone else surprised by this (Sean or Armor)?

[seanx]

....good question MicKulz, I've been wondering the same thing....I understand that he tried to run as independent last time and didn't get the support he was needing, however this election I'm observing a larger number of malcontents who are turning their backs on the two party system......is it me or are people more pissed than at any time in your life? I don't remember the 60s and growing up things seemed to go alright........but now stuff seems to be going sour......

I think this would be a dire mistake on his part if he does not go independent...............or would it REALLY matter anyway? I've seen the past two sketchy elections.......you've studied history: the time will come

[Mickulz]

I thought it was funny how almost all of them answered nothing. Oh well, I did not expect much more from them (or the Democrats on there past ones).

[freddyv]

in my opinion, ron paul didn't explicitly answer that question. he spun it such that he be viewed as a viable and legitimate candidate for the republican party (mentioning his fundraising accomplishments, etc.), but as far as I can tell the only person that actually said no was anderson cooper ("so I'll take that as a no").

other than that question, I think ron paul took the issues head on. he was articulate and well-spoken as usual, and consistent with his responses.

it was funny how the one guy kept calling anderson cooper "cooper." made it seem like he didn't know his name and didn't catch on when everyone else called him anderson. also their responses on the gays in the military thing seemed particularly ignorant to me.

[freddyv]

from foxnews.com

CNN Allows Clinton Backer to Question GOP Candidates in YouTube Debate

Thursday , November 29, 2007

CNN host acknowledged the participation of a retired Army colonel linked to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in a televised Republican debate Wednesday.

Keith Kerr of Santa Rosa, Calif., who revealed himself as gay, challenged the eight candidates via video message and on stage at the CNN/YouTube debate in Florida on the right of gays and lesbians to serve openly in the U.S. military.

The broadcast, however, failed to mention that Kerr, who served as a brigadier general in the reserves, is a member of a gay and lesbian steering committee for Democratic candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Clinton spokesman Phil Singer has denied that the campaign had any knowledge ahead of time that Kerr was going to participate in the debate, and Kerr said he did not inform the campaign of his plans.

It turns out Kerr wasn't the only Democratic supporter asking questions. One woman who identified herself as Journey from Texas, and who has a Web page in which she goes by the name Paperserenade asked the candidates about whether they would prosecute women and doctors if abortion were made illegal and the practice continued. After the debate, she posted a Web video wearing a John Edwards '08 T-shirt. In the posting, she said she was disappointed by the responses she got, particularly from Fred Thompson, though it's the answer she expected.

Another questioner, Leeann Anderson, asked about the danger of lead toys from China. Anderson, an activist on the issue, is reportedly an assistant to Leo Gerard, president of the United Steelworkers of America. The union endorsed Edwards earlier this month, and Anderson's question is posted on the steelworkers' YouTube page next to a picture of Edwards.

As for Kerr, he has been an activist against the military's don't-ask-don't-tell policy for years. He appeared on CNN twice in 2003 discussing his opposition to the policy that says service men and women will be dismissed from service for revealing their gay orientation. But as if reading from that policy Wednesday, Kerr told FOX News that CNN "never asked" him if he is a Clinton supporter so he "never told."

Kerr submitted the question for Republican candidates at the video debate "a couple months ago," and said last Saturday CNN called him and said they'd like him to come to the debate. He said the cable news network paid for his flight, his hotel and his transportation to and from the event.

According to the Clinton campaign, members of Clinton's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Steering Committee have endorsed Hillary Clinton for president in their individual capacity and work with the campaign on several areas including political outreach, communications, policy advice and counsel and fundraising.

The retired officer said his activities with the Clinton campaign are minimal. He receives e-mails from the campaign and has been invited to a fundraiser in San Francisco. He said he offered to pay "some token amount like 100 bucks" to attend the fundraiser, but as of yet has given no contribution.

"I have not done any work. Several friends asked me if I would allow my name to be listed and I agreed. She's been such a strong advocate for gay rights," he told CNN on Thursday.

He added that he had been a Log Cabin Republican for a long time and recently changed from Republican to independent in California. He said he had supported the GOP but "these guys are just partisanly homophobic."

Following the debate, CNN anchor Anderson Cooper said in a broadcast statement that Kerr's political ties to Clinton were unknown to the network.

"We don't know if he is still on it," said Cooper. "We are trying to find out that information. Certainly, had we had that information we would have acknowledged that in using his question, if we had used it all."

During the debate, Kerr said he wanted to know why the GOP candidates think that "American men and women in uniform are not professional enough to serve with gays and lesbians."

Candidates Duncan Hunter, Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney and John McCain all answered the question. Hunter said it would be "bad for unit cohesion" for openly homosexual people to serve in the ranks. Huckabee said the the Uniform Code of Military Justice states that such "conduct could put at risk the morale." Romney said that in the midst of a war is not the time to change policy, and he would listen to recommendations from military leaders. McCain said he respects the general's service to the nation but believes the leaders in the field when they say the present policy is working.

[BT]

Ron Paul is forcing change within the belly of the beast and making the rest look like the fake conservatives that they are.

[Mickulz]

Ron Paul Answered It:

"Mark Strauss: Mark Strauss, Davenport, Iowa.

This question is for Ron Paul.

Mr. Paul, I think we both know that the Republican party is never going to give you the nomination. But I'm hoping that you're crazy like a fox like that and you're using this exposure to propel yourself into an independent run.

My question is for Ron Paul: Mr. Paul, are you going to let America down by not running as an independent?

Thank you.

Paul: Now that's what I call a tough question, because I have no intention of doing this.

I am a Republican. I have won 10 times as a Republican and we're doing quite well. We had 5,000 people show up at a rally in front of the Independence Hall with blacks and Hispanics and a cross-section of this country.

You know that we raised $4.3 million in one day?

(Applause)

Without spending one cent. We didn't even pay an individual to go out and they weren't professional fund-raisers. It came in here -- it was automatic.

We're struggling to figure out how to spend the money. This is country is in a revolution. They're sick and tired of what they're getting. And I happen to be lucky enough to be part of it."

Source: Official CNN transcript.

[JeffD5Buddy]

Thought all the questions from Liberal backers was kind of shitty. (There were more than just the retired colonel.) If it was the other way around (I believe there was one known Conservative that asked a question during the Dem debate... could be more but none I know of) and we found a bunch of Ron Paul backers or Mitt Romney backers that asked questions during the Democrat Debate... the media would of had a shit fit. Typical bias... I expected nothing less. Gays in the military? The Confederate Flag?.... since when are they "hot topics?" Would have liked them to get to the War and Taxes sooner then during the 2nd hour. I also think it was funny how the retired colonel stated his disapproval of the answers and the "Don't ask don't tell policy." If he has a problem with that, why didn't he just ask Hillary or Bill himself? All in all I thought they gave decent answers and didn't jerk around too much.... I like Ron Paul's idea of ditching the Dept. of Education too. I've heard this before, I think, but agree even more now.

[BT]

We have to understand why Ron Paul wants to abolish these departments. When you see something that says "Department of blah blah blah" you have to put the word "prevention" behind it to understand what they're really all about, such as the "Department of Education PREVENTION"..because the educational system in the country has gone drastically downhill with this Outcome Based Eduaction, and No Child left behind.

Keep the same concept in mind when you see Ron Paul vote against bills with nicey-nice sounding names like:

"The Clean Air Act" (gives corporations the right to spew even more sludge)
"The Patriot Act" ( there is nothing "patriotic" about violating our Constitutional rights)

[freddyv]

mickulz said:

Ron Paul Answered It:

Paul: Now that's what I call a tough question, because I have no intention of doing this.

it may just be semantics, but at the time that didn't sound like a definitive "no I will not be running as an independent" to me. not intending on doing something and not doing something are two different things entirely, in my opinion.

[Mickulz]

I agree Freddy, and if he does run as in independent, it means he is being wishy-washy like the other candidates. I see it as a no-win if he does now.

[seanx]

..he could always say he's running as a Conservative Independent and break away from the party and claim he doesn't like the direction it is going......but then that may bother his home constituency

[Mickulz]

Very interesting interview. I do not agree with the Rosa Parks answer he gives, but I can see where a strict "Constitutionalist" would have issue with it. The main reason I am posting this is the answer to the question that I think most people have: "If you don't get the nod, do you still run".

video.aol.com/video-detail/ron-paul-in-the-situation-room-w-wolf-blitzer-11-8-07/750108446