Did the debate tonight hurt or help Ron Paul?

[Daveforliberty]

No one in America (except hard core Paulites and political addicts) watched the debate. Americans will get information on this debate from the press. So far the reporting on Ron Paul is generally positive, pointing out that he is different from the others. The written reports of what transpired read pretty well. This is what America will see, and it will help RP.

 

[texasbelle]

I totally think it helped him. Sure the neo-cons wont change their minds but we obviously won the debate. I was very disappointed in Mike Huckabee saying that Honor is important. Tell that to the parents whose son is serving in IRAQ now. That honor is more important than our American soldiers. How dare the hannitized sheeple call us UNPATRIOTIC!!!

 

[singapore_sling]

Im gonna have to say it helped him because the way Hannity and friends intensified their attacks just shows that even they are realizing we are a major threat.

 

[quickmike]

Best debate by Ron HANDS DOWN!!!! Im not bullshitting either. He stood up for himself better, spoke clearly, and didnt take any shit from Hannity, and did it with a smile on his face and a coolness that actually made me laugh.

If Huckabee thinks preserving honor is more important than winning the presidency, thats fine, and actually thats true................ but he represents neither republicans winning or honor.......... id say that makes him 0 for 2 on both counts

Ron is about honor AND winning the presidency.

edit - Oh, and forums.com needs to get rid of the seagate hard drive............ seriously. LOL

 

[noxagol]

Too all the calls of being unpatriotic, I remind them of a great man who once said "Dissent is the greatest form of loyalty" and that this man trumps anyone today. When they ask who that is, I let them know, Benjamin Franklin.

 

[Ron Paul Fan]

Helped a great deal. Huckabee vs. Paul will be replayed from this debate and it was the first real confrontation/debate between two candidates. Dr. Paul did a very good job standing up for what he beleives in while Huckabee tried to argue that we should all be united. I wish Dr. Paul would have mentioned something about not just following blindly and disenting when there is bad policy taking place being what is patriotic. But I loved his line about why should we believe what the pro war advocates are saying when they've been wrong all along? Great line and great debate performance.

 

[texasbelle]

I wish Paul would have mentioned that he has the most contributions from Military donors!!

 

[Cowlesy]

It's inevitable that if we all keep up the good fight Ron Paul will indeed by the next President of the United States.

 

[Mister Grieves]

Ron Paul went supernova tonight.

This will help things immensely.

 

[noxagol]

Yeah, Ron was on freaking fire. Someone lit a fire up his ass or something tonight. I was greatly impressed and inspired by his performance.

 

[themanhere]

I voted that it hurt Paul. The constant laughing at him by Rudy and the last question talking about getting rid of the FBI really hurt. I wanted to jump at the TV and punch someone.

The Huck exchange was great but that last question really killed it for me

I agree i felt the same way. BUT I THINK IT DID AS MUCH GOOD! I knew right from the start what was going on. I swear i knew Fox news would set it up so mccain or rudy would get the most time to talk and be praised. Then slam Ron with some bias questions.


What kind of debate moderator attacks the speaker???? I wish Ron Paul would've put that chris wallace in his place.

But i think he did clear the air and we might of picked up some more democrats!

 

[Dary]

Ron Paul Rocks.

 

[devil21]

Ron is all over the media right now. This debate HELPED! I was discouraged at first but everyone is talking about RP and Huckabee going at it and that is NEVER a bad thing.

EDIT: the fire came from Fox snubbing Ron early on. You could see he was getting more and more pissed when the other guys would spout Ron's views as their own, knowing Fox would try to minimalize Ron's time. So Ron took the bull by the horns.

 

[MsDoodahs]

I loved his line about why should we believe what the pro war advocates are saying when they've been wrong all along? Great line and great debate performance.

Agree - loved when he said that!

 

[paulitics]

Ok, I hate to say this but I like the Ron Paul of the first couple of debates where he was more composed. Im glad Im in the minority here, but I'm concerned about the passive viewers who are just now tuning into this primary. Gravel did not resonate for too long with the voters because he was too angry and seemed unstable, even though he had more integrity than all of them put together, and had a better message.

I also think the question on eliminating the CIA and FBI with background chuckles hurt him too.

 

[themanhere]

Ok, I hate to say this but I like the Ron Paul of the first couple of debates where he was more composed. Im glad Im in the minority here, but I'm concerned about the passive viewers who are just now tuning into this primary. Gravel did not resonate for too long with the voters because he was too angry and seemed unstable, even though he had more integrity than all of them put together, and had a better message.

I also think the question on eliminating the CIA and FBI with background chuckles hurt him too.

The chuckles came from Rudy the orange man that used too much spray tan.

 

[1000-points-of-fright]

Here's my take.

1) RP certainly did not come out on top.
2) He did stand his ground very well given that most of his questions were loaded to make him look bad to "mainstream Republicans" from the get go. Eliminating the FBI and CIA, Chris Wallace's cheap shot about taking our marching orders from Al-Qaeda, etc.
3) It was exposure, not good or bad, just exposure. As long as it gets more people to research, who cares if it's cuz they wanna see what this whack job is all about.

I think Huckabee did really well. Maybe he even won if there are ever any winners in these thing. McCain's performance was a surprise. Definitely his best so far.

As for Paul winning the text and online polls, we need to change the spin on this. We can't convince them that the polls reflect his true popularity. Hell, I don't even believe most of them. But what they really reveal that nobody is excited enough about the other candidates to vote in every online poll they can find.

I hope some disgruntled Fox employee can leak B-roll footage of Rudy laughing every time they asked Ron Paul a question. That really pissed me off.

 

[SteveB-NY]

Overall it helped however I wish when Huckabee was speaking of honor Ron had not spoken about the GOP losing elections.
And he handled Chris Wallace perfectly. Angry but composed and I loved we get our marching orders from the Constitution.
Rudy's smirk will come back to haunt him.

 

[Dan Coble]

I don't know about you guys, but I love this guy! He made the most RATIONAL and PASSIONATE arguments in the entire debate, the other Candidates were all posing and trying to give that Miss South Carolina-type answer....They were all so transparent and superficial, and call me biased, but Ron is the most HONEST and RATIONAL man on that stage.

Hannity and Colmes can kiss my large human backside, especially Hannity, but can we really blame them for their ignorance? They have been fully indoctrinated and just don't KNOW any better, but Ron held his own, I have tremendous respect for this man, doing what I myself attempted to do in 2000. I pray to God, Buddha, Santa, the Easter Bunny and WHOMEVER ELSE I need to pray to, that Ron becomes our next President, and that he is able to accomplish a FRACTION of what he seeks to do.

He has stood up for we Veterans for a long time, He's a great American, one of the few left.

 

[ghemminger]

Supernova was used - i aggree - HE BLEW UP your website...lol