Unable to break a glass jaw

[ProSense]

Unable to break a glass jaw

By Steve Benen

Remember the stuff I said yesterday about the heated confrontations we could expect in the Republican debate in New Hampshire? Well, forget it. The GOP field is led by a weak frontrunner with a glass jaw, but his rivals are neither willing nor able to take an effective swing.

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And yet, Romney, whose good fortune is “starting to seem supernatural,” walked away unscathed. His Republican rivals are so awful, they make Romney look like the best debater since Cicero, not because he’s particularly extraordinary, but because the rest of the field is an articulate blob.

Put it this way: if one had to pick one subject that dominated the debate last night, what would it be? Romney’s Obama-like health care law? Romney’s atrocious record on job creation? Romney’s integrity-free flip-flopping? No, it was Herman Cain’s deeply silly “9-9-9” tax plan. Romney not only lucked out with pathetic challengers, he also lucks out by the topics of conversation.

And what of Rick Perry’s big comeback opportunity? The Texas governor conceded after the event, “Debates are not my strong suit.” That’s an understatement — his best moments came when he was able to say nothing for long stretches of time. A few days ago, Perry’s aides assured the political world he’d be better prepped, more relaxed, and better focused, but even his supporters should realize at this point that the guy just isn’t ready for prime-time.

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On edit: Republicans have a choice: which Mitt

[BlueJazz]

1. It reminded me of going to a Junk Yard and trying to pick out the best 1976 Yugo.

(for those too young, Yugo was the ONLY car ever, that Consumer reports qualified as "A piece of trash") :)

[tanyev]

2. "his best moments came when he was able to say nothing for long stretches of time"

:rofl:

[WI_DEM]

3. It's true. Perry is an empty suit.

[Ikonoklast]

4. Marcus Tullius Cicero was also a big flip-flopper.

Hell, he was probably one of the greatest flip-floppers of all time, he changed his opinions to suit the prevailing political winds quicker than most people change their socks.


And, a child born to wealth and privilege.


He and Mittens have a great deal in common.

[flpoljunkie]

5. Benen really captured Romney in his last paragraph...

And as hard as it is to believe, it’s very like the Republican presidential nomination will go to a French-speaking Mormon vulture capitalist named Willard, who used to support abortion rights, gay rights, gun control, “amnesty” for undocumented immigrants, and combating climate change, and who distanced himself from Reagan, attended Planned Parenthood fundraisers, and helped create the blueprint for the Affordable Care Act.

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_10/unable_to_break_a_glass_jaw032757.php

[Enrique]

6. the moderation seemed bad

I can't put my finger on what they did wrong, but they just didn't seem to be there, they didn't add anything.