First-in-the-South Republican Primary Debate Begins With Shared Views on Iraq
Tuesday , May 15, 2007
WASHINGTON — Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani won the strongest applause of Tuesday night's first-in-the-South Republican primary when he lashed out at Texas Rep. Ron Paul for suggesting that the United States' non-interventionist policy invited the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
"They attack us because we've been over there. We've been bombing Iraq for 10 years. We've been in the Middle East — I think (Ronald) Reagan was right. We don't understand the irrationality of Middle Eastern politics. Right now, we're building an embassy in Iraq that is bigger than the Vatican. We're building 14 permanent bases. What would we say here if China was doing this in our country or in the Gulf of Mexico? We would be objecting," Paul said in explaining his opposition to going to war in Iraq.
"They are delighted that we're over there because Usama bin Laden has said 'I'm glad you're over on our sand because we can target you so much easier.' They have already now since that time they've killed 3,400 of our men and I don't think it was necessary," Paul continued
"That's really an extraordinary statement," (Extraordinary because Paul is the only candidate with the guts to say it!~ED) Giuliani said, interrupting FOX News panelist Wendell Goler. "That's really an extraordinary statement, as someone who lived through the attack of Sept. 11, that we invited the attack because we were attacking Iraq. I don't think I have ever heard that before and I have heard some pretty absurd explanations for Sept. 11. I would ask the congressman withdraw that comment and tell us that he didn't really mean that."
Paul did not (Because he's not a flip-flopping pansy like you Rudy!) , eliciting a flurry of candidates seeking to get their 30 seconds to rebut him. (Only a moron would debate the fact that US intervention in the middle east has stirred up a hornets nest since the 50's. Our un apologetic support of Israel has made us a target and that is what courageous Ron Paul was attempting to state.)
Finally, Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo managed to get in his two cents, when he responded to a question saying that reducing U.S. dependence on petroleum would not only help with global warming, but is a national security issue.
"My dear friend Ron here, I dearly love and really respect, but I'll tell you, I just have to disagree with you, Ron, about the issue of whether or not — whether Israel existed or didn't, whether or not we were in Iraq or not, they would be trying to kill us, because it is a dictate of their religion, at least a part of it. And we have to defend ourselves," he said.
The debate had some feisty moments as the Republican primary candidates sought to distinguish themselves in a crowded field. Tancredo took another shot at fellow GOP candidates when he said he is surprised at the number of conversions toward his tough position on illegal immigration.
"I trust those conversions when they happen on the road to Damascus and not on the road to Des Moines," Tancredo said.
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee also was able to slip in a criticism of Congress, saying it has "spent money like John Edwards at a beauty shop," a slam on the Democratic presidential candidate who earned unwanted attention for spending $400 of campaign money on a haircut.
It was a one-up to McCain, who said he has spoken with sailors who take offense at being accused of ever being so drunk as to spend the way Congress does.
Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore tried to win some attention by saying that he would call out other so-called conservatives for taking non-conservative positions.
Prodded to name names, Gilmore referred to "Rudy McRomney," combining the names of Arizona Sen. John McCain, Giuliani and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Gilmore cited Giuliani's position on abortion rights, Huckabee's decision to raise taxes in Arkansas and Romney's requiring universal health care while governor of Massachusetts.
"First of all, I think Rudy McRomney wouldn't make a bad ticket and I like the order," Giuliani said.
"It's a form of flattery to be attacked but I wish my name would get in the moniker. ... I could use the bump," Huckabee said, adding that he doesn't apologize for getting 94 tax decreases while being a Republican governor in a Democratic state.
In the 90-minute debate, answers were limited to one minute and the candidates spoke quickly to try to make their points, win their argument and avoid the dreaded bell that rung when their time was up.
All the candidates at Tuesday night's debate shared one common agenda — they wanted to get out of the question-and-answer session unscathed and hopefully in a better position than when they started.
Much of the attacks were on frontrunner McCain. The Arizona senator was hit for his positions on immigration, campaign finance and government spending, among other items.
"My fear is that McCain-Kennedy would do to immigration what McCain-Feingold has done to campaign finance and money in politics, and that's bad," Romney said.
Tuesday , May 15, 2007
WASHINGTON — Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani won the strongest applause of Tuesday night's first-in-the-South Republican primary when he lashed out at Texas Rep. Ron Paul for suggesting that the United States' non-interventionist policy invited the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
"They attack us because we've been over there. We've been bombing Iraq for 10 years. We've been in the Middle East — I think (Ronald) Reagan was right. We don't understand the irrationality of Middle Eastern politics. Right now, we're building an embassy in Iraq that is bigger than the Vatican. We're building 14 permanent bases. What would we say here if China was doing this in our country or in the Gulf of Mexico? We would be objecting," Paul said in explaining his opposition to going to war in Iraq.
"They are delighted that we're over there because Usama bin Laden has said 'I'm glad you're over on our sand because we can target you so much easier.' They have already now since that time they've killed 3,400 of our men and I don't think it was necessary," Paul continued
"That's really an extraordinary statement," (Extraordinary because Paul is the only candidate with the guts to say it!~ED) Giuliani said, interrupting FOX News panelist Wendell Goler. "That's really an extraordinary statement, as someone who lived through the attack of Sept. 11, that we invited the attack because we were attacking Iraq. I don't think I have ever heard that before and I have heard some pretty absurd explanations for Sept. 11. I would ask the congressman withdraw that comment and tell us that he didn't really mean that."
Paul did not (Because he's not a flip-flopping pansy like you Rudy!) , eliciting a flurry of candidates seeking to get their 30 seconds to rebut him. (Only a moron would debate the fact that US intervention in the middle east has stirred up a hornets nest since the 50's. Our un apologetic support of Israel has made us a target and that is what courageous Ron Paul was attempting to state.)
Finally, Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo managed to get in his two cents, when he responded to a question saying that reducing U.S. dependence on petroleum would not only help with global warming, but is a national security issue.
"My dear friend Ron here, I dearly love and really respect, but I'll tell you, I just have to disagree with you, Ron, about the issue of whether or not — whether Israel existed or didn't, whether or not we were in Iraq or not, they would be trying to kill us, because it is a dictate of their religion, at least a part of it. And we have to defend ourselves," he said.
The debate had some feisty moments as the Republican primary candidates sought to distinguish themselves in a crowded field. Tancredo took another shot at fellow GOP candidates when he said he is surprised at the number of conversions toward his tough position on illegal immigration.
"I trust those conversions when they happen on the road to Damascus and not on the road to Des Moines," Tancredo said.
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee also was able to slip in a criticism of Congress, saying it has "spent money like John Edwards at a beauty shop," a slam on the Democratic presidential candidate who earned unwanted attention for spending $400 of campaign money on a haircut.
It was a one-up to McCain, who said he has spoken with sailors who take offense at being accused of ever being so drunk as to spend the way Congress does.
Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore tried to win some attention by saying that he would call out other so-called conservatives for taking non-conservative positions.
Prodded to name names, Gilmore referred to "Rudy McRomney," combining the names of Arizona Sen. John McCain, Giuliani and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Gilmore cited Giuliani's position on abortion rights, Huckabee's decision to raise taxes in Arkansas and Romney's requiring universal health care while governor of Massachusetts.
"First of all, I think Rudy McRomney wouldn't make a bad ticket and I like the order," Giuliani said.
"It's a form of flattery to be attacked but I wish my name would get in the moniker. ... I could use the bump," Huckabee said, adding that he doesn't apologize for getting 94 tax decreases while being a Republican governor in a Democratic state.
In the 90-minute debate, answers were limited to one minute and the candidates spoke quickly to try to make their points, win their argument and avoid the dreaded bell that rung when their time was up.
All the candidates at Tuesday night's debate shared one common agenda — they wanted to get out of the question-and-answer session unscathed and hopefully in a better position than when they started.
Much of the attacks were on frontrunner McCain. The Arizona senator was hit for his positions on immigration, campaign finance and government spending, among other items.
"My fear is that McCain-Kennedy would do to immigration what McCain-Feingold has done to campaign finance and money in politics, and that's bad," Romney said.
The candidates were also asked about a hypothetical scenario -- suicide bombings at three shopping centers near major U.S. cities. With hundreds dead and thousands injured, a fourth attack is averted when the attackers are captured off the Florida coast and taken to Guantanamo Bay to be questioned. U.S. intelligence believes another, larger attack is planned and could come at any time. How aggressively should the detainees be interrogated about the where the next attack might be?
First to answer was McCain, a former POW in Vietnam who opposes the use of torture.
"We could never gain as much we would gain from that torture as we lose in world opinion. We do not torture people," McCain said. "It's not about the terrorists, it's about us. It's about what kind of country we are. And a fact: The more physical pain you inflict on someone, the more they're going to tell you what they think you want to know."
"In the hypothetical that you gave me, which assumes that we know that there's going to be another attack and these people know about it, I would tell the people who had to do the interrogation to use every method they could think of. Shouldn't be torture, but every method they can think of," Giuliani said, adding that that could include waterboarding. "I've seen what can happen when you make a mistake about this, and I don't want to see another 3,000 people dead in New York or anyplace else."
"You said the person is going to be in Guantanamo. I'm glad they're at Guantanamo. I don't want them on our soil. I want them in Guantanamo where they don't get the access to lawyers they get when they're on our soil. I don't want them in our prisons. I want them there. Some people have said we ought to close Guantanamo. My view is, we ought to double Guantanamo," Romney said.
"Let me just say, this would take a one-minute conversation with the secretary of defense," said California Rep. Duncan Hunter. "I would call him up or call him in, I would say to SecDef, in terms of getting information that would save American lives even if it involves very high-pressure techniques, one sentence: 'Get the information.'"
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