OPEN THREAD: CNN GOP Final Debate before Super Tuesday

Please join me in a few minutes for an open discussion while we watch the final GOP debate before next Tuesday, when 22 states vote.

I don't know about you, but I'm scared. Rudy's out, as is John Edwards. John McCain seems to be the presumptive GOP nominee, and the media is FULL of spinning about how McCain will not only unite the Republican Party, but gather independents, even away from Edwards voters. Are you anxious about a McCain- Dem nominee scenario?

Well, let's watch and see. There should be less pandering for this debate, since so many states are at stake.

Submitted by Morra Aarons Mele (view blog

) on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 18:52

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Code word alert: "Conservative" vs
"Republican"

Help me out here: did Romney et al get a memo to stress that while McCain is indeed a Republican, not a Conservative? Is this supposed to win Romney votes on Super Tuesday? I just heard Frank Luntz talking about this on NPR so my radar is up. Have I been missing something?

I mean, it's music to my ears.

Submitted by Morra Aarons Mele on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 17:14

I just caught it too

I heard it!

Politics & News Contributing Editor
Queen of Spain

Submitted by Erin Kotecki Vest on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 17:16

Did Romney Just say the Big Dig was a good
thing?

Did I really just hear that?

Morra-you live there...help me out...

Politics & News Contributing Editor
Queen of Spain

Submitted by Erin Kotecki Vest on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 17:34

Big Dig not popular here....Huckabee and
China

Cooper just asked him: Was the Big Dig good, by the way? And Romney said it was the biggest car wash in America.

Jeez, sometimes I adore Huckabee. I completely agree with him on the tax rebates and China.

The idea that we stimulate short term spending so the media can write a story about consumer spending is ridiculous.

Submitted by Morra Aarons Mele on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 17:37

I agree with him on the tax rebates too.

The problem is, it's kind of like "No Child Left Behind" - you can't say you are "for" leaving children behind. And, nobody struggling to pay their bills is going to want to hear that giving them money isn't a good idea.

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
CatherineBlogs, The Political Voices of Women, Care2 Election Blog

Submitted by Catherine Morgan on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 17:56

I missed the Big Dig thing.

I missed the Big Dig thing. Dawson is screaming about missing HIS shows.

Submitted by Dana J. Tuszke on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 17:52

This debate is really McCain

This debate is really McCain vs. Romney while Huckabee and Paul stand back and look cute...

Submitted by Dana J. Tuszke on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 17:53

Barack Obama the only

Barack Obama the only candidate that can really beat the GOP? I just heard that on CNN during the break...

Submitted by Dana J. Tuszke on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 17:53

Must be true then...

If CNN said it...it must be true. :)

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
CatherineBlogs, The Political Voices of Women, Care2 Election Blog

Submitted by Catherine Morgan on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 17:59

I guess only time will tell.

I guess only time will tell. :)

Submitted by Dana J. Tuszke on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 18:02

Ron Paul not given the same

Ron Paul not given the same opportunity to answer questions? One viewer thinks he's getting jipped.

Submitted by Dana J. Tuszke on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 17:56

I swear McCain is laughing

I swear McCain is laughing at Romney as he speaks about Iraq.

Submitted by Dana J. Tuszke on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 18:02

ARGH! GOP!!

The Big DIg? Why are not we not talking about the big settlement for the woman who died as a result of it caving in on her?

Reasons not to vote for McCain or Romney -- both said they would nominate Supreme Coutr justices like Roberts, Alito, Scalia and Thomas.

But as a Dem, I would rather have Clinton or Obama run against Romney before McCain.

Need I say more??

Submitted by PunditMom on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 18:16

Go Huckabee

That's the only time you'll ever hear me say that. ;) Just can't blame him...these other two don't shut up, and no one seemed to be stopping them. Think this is why the media get slammed for anointing front-runners?

Sometimes when I watch these things I get so depressed by the bickering that I don't know why it's even happening.

Laurie
LaurieWrites

Submitted by lauriewrites on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 18:16

I was just telling my

I was just telling my husband how annoyed I am that McCain and Romney are getting all the questions directed to them, and Huckabee and Paul are just sitting there in wait. I can't stand how the media is focusing on creating a McCain/Romney fighting match.

Submitted by Dana J. Tuszke on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 18:29

Live-blog of the debate

Ana Marie Cox at Time

http://time-blog.com/swampland/

Politics & News Contributing Editor
Queen of Spain

Submitted by Erin Kotecki Vest on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 18:36

Real-time reaction

Was fascinating to watch - I was watching the whole thing in bed on my laptop - the real-timers love Huckabee - he got up near 90 at times.

Jill
Writes Like She Talks

Submitted by Jill Miller Zimon on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 18:52

What is Real Time?

embarassed to admit...

Submitted by Morra Aarons Mele on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 18:53

It's that screen with hash marks and the
redline going up & down

I don't know exactly where the people are who are hooked up, but they hook up people to a meter of some type and they generate this indicator line in red that's superimposed over the debate as it's happening so you can see how people react to what the candidates are saying.

Jill
Writes Like She Talks

Submitted by Jill Miller Zimon on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 18:55

One example

When Ron Paul said the "VEE hick uhl" the line plummeted, but when Huckabee would talk in glowy all-embracing terms about the strengths of the country, it would go up, up, up.

Jill
Writes Like She Talks

Submitted by Jill Miller Zimon on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 18:56

I loved that he said "VEE-hick-ul"

Or however you spell it. But that's how my grandfather said it. ;)

Laurie
LaurieWrites

Submitted by lauriewrites on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 19:01

I thought it was very real!

So I was really surprised the line went down when he said it. Yet, when Huckabee speaks naturally, he did really well on that measure. Oh well!

Jill
Writes Like She Talks

Submitted by Jill Miller Zimon on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 19:04

Dial meters

Hey Morra,

This is an advertising testing tool and widely used to test political advertising. (I seem to vaguely remember they show it in The War Room). A group of people are given dials and the turn them up and down depending on how much they like what they see and hear. The output lines are superimposed over the visuals so you can get an idea of how things are tracking. I watched one of the debates streaming with the tracking lines over it and it was fascinating.

I saw recently that now they are hooking people up to brain sensors and interestingly the brains sometimes say something other than what people verbalize or show on the dials.

PopConsumer
Beyond Help

Submitted by Maria Niles on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 19:08

Thank you!

I obviously had the very low-tech vision in my mind - not knowing how it really works. :)

My eight year old was loving watching it for a couple of minutes before he went to bed!

Jill
Writes Like She Talks

Submitted by Jill Miller Zimon on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 19:28

You're welcome

I would love to read your interpretation of debate reaction vs. media spin.

PopConsumer
Beyond Help

Submitted by Maria Niles on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 19:32

I wonder

What if we could have those dial meters for the media to see as they try to feed us certain lines and slants? In Ohio, we have speed readers machines (again, low tech here - I'm not sure what they are really called!) that picks up your speed as you approach and flashes in big huge numbers how fast you're driving compared to the posted speed limit.

What if the talking heads had something that showed them that we were all tsk tsking them at a certain point for pursuing a certain line of questioning or explanation?

I don't know if it would matter, but it would be interesting!

I don't know, Maria - to me, the media, in general, seems so darn set on what we're supposed to focusing on. And as a more or less real person, I just haven't been buying it - and I know a lot of people who don't buy it either. I think the debate reactions show that we're not buying. I just don't get why the media is so resistant to do better.

What do you think? Or is that too general?

Jill
Writes Like She Talks

Submitted by Jill Miller Zimon on Thu, 01/31/2008 - 05:50

McCain, Schwarzengger, Giuliani

Seems like McCain is looking pretty good. I respect the guy: he was on the balls of his behind and he did stick to his guns, at least more than other candidates have.

But lordy, he's a scary prospect for the Dems. What do you think about a media boycott til the Election, so as to avoid "Hillary is unelectable against McCain" spin?

Submitted by Morra Aarons Mele on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 18:52