Fox News Sarah Palin joined her BFF, Greta Van Susteren, to discuss the performance of the GOP candidates at the Western Republican Presidential Debate on CNN Wednesday. I found the night very entertaining because the candidates were yelling and interrupting each other. Even the usual weird reactions by the live audience was good fun to behold. Bachmann was yelling "Anderrrrssssoooon!" across the stage so he would call on her to join in the discussion. Newt, who tried to play the adult in all the previous debates, started yelling at Romney when Mittens said that he got the individual mandate idea from Newt. Gingrich immediately began screaming at him, calling him a liar.
ROMNEY: Actually, Newt, we got the idea of an individual mandate from you.
GINGRICH: That's not true. You got it from the Heritage Foundation.
ROMNEY: Yes, we got it from you, and you got it from the Heritage Foundation and from you.
GINGRICH: Wait a second. What you just said is not true. You did not get that from me. You got it from the Heritage Foundation.
ROMNEY: And you never supported them?
GINGRICH: I agree with them, but I'm just saying, what you said to this audience just now plain wasn't true.
(CROSSTALK)
ROMNEY: OK. Let me ask, have you supported in the past an individual mandate?
GINGRICH: I absolutely did with the Heritage Foundation against Hillarycare.
ROMNEY: You did support an individual mandate?
ROMNEY: Oh, OK. That's what I'm saying. We got the idea from you and the Heritage Foundation.
GINGRICH: OK. A little broader.
ROMNEY: OK.
Well, who's lying now? Gingrich made no sense at all. I guess he's trying to say, "I did it to stop Hillary or something."
Most of the night was like that. Perry attacked Romney for hiring illegals to do his lawn; Ron Paul played the crazy uncle, spouting off nonsensical solutions; Santorum played to the religious right and Bachmann was there to attack Obama and dress up as a Napolean-wannabe.
Enter Palin and her post-debate analysis. Clearly, she is not happy with her Fox bosses these days and started by saying:
Palin: I was looking for candidates to show us what their plan is, not just verbalize this idea that they have a plan…I didn't get a lot of that...Americans in general are looking eventually here that top candidate to start rising to the top so we can start concentrating on preparing the GOP candidate to face Obama in the debates in the general election and we didn’t get that out of this debate to be honest with you, Greta. I think Americans would agree with me...
She pumped up Newtie and gave him the win, but then came back to the point that the candidates were fighting on stage just like her children were at home.
Palin: Let me confess too that, we're four hours behind you guys in time zones so when the debates started, a couple of minutes into the debate, my kids started walking through the door after school and after playdates and they're kinda griping and bickering amongst each other and then the debate in my other ear the candidates are up there bickering and fighting amongst each other and I honestly for a minute or two didn't know which group should I be listening to and which group was making more sense. Thankfully, the candidates calmed down
She's enjoying not being in the race so she can take potshots at the candidates with whom she may have resentments, but on the whole, she was right about what she heard. Romney is the hands-down favorite and preferred candidate for the grand poohbahs of the GOP, but it's surprising that Mittens can't take a firm hold of the field. It shows the hatred the conservative base has towards him.
Update: A new NBC poll came out today and Herman Cain leads in S.C.
In South Carolina (Download poll PDF), Cain gets the support of 30 percent of likely GOP primary voters — determined by past participation, interest and chance of vote — and Romney gets 26 percent. They’re followed by Texas Gov. Rick Perry at 9 percent, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at 6 percent and Reps. Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul at 5 percent each; 15 percent of likely primary voters are undecided.
Among a broader pool of Republicans in South Carolina, Cain is at 28 percent and Romney is at 27 percent.
Romney still can't pull away from the field.
In Florida (Download poll PDF), Cain is at 32 percent among likely voters, Romney at 31 percent, Perry at 8 percent and Paul and Gingrich are at 6 percent; 11 percent say they are undecided.
Among a broader range of Florida Republicans, Romney is at 30 percent and Cain is at 29 percent.
Newt Gingrich still lags way behind no matter how he tries to appear to be the intellectual leader of the presidential hopefuls. I guess the base isn't buying his Fox News schtick anymore. Time to drop out Newt, but Billo will keep a seat warm for you.
