We Americans laugh at the people of India and Pakistan who choose party leaders on the strength of their last names, and then a significant number of us run out to vote for George W. Bush or Hilary Clinton. Benazir Bhutto may be as crooked as Hilary Clinton, but she spoke far better English and was a fine-looking woman, which makes her superior to every female I know in American politics. And, while on this low topic, what man would not follow a pretty air hostess like Sonia Gandhi? Good looks, charm, and an impressive demeanor have always played a part in human affairs, but here in America even our screen idols are monkey-faced women and epicene males. To restore the republic, we should have to undertake a massive program of disenfranchisement, beginning with people who work for or receive benefits from government, moving on to unmarried women, and finishing off with anyone who has seen three films starring Heath Ledger or Brad Pitt. ~Thomas Fleming

Ron Paul concludes the debate with an answer that might be rephrased as, “Come home, GOP!”

The New York Timeshas managed to help Giuliani more than anything he could have said in this debate.

Romney is in denial about anti-Mormonism.  He has Article VI memorised!  He gets into the Europe-bashing act again.  Will he mention France before it’s all over?

McCain said that he received a majority of Republicans in New Hampshire.  This seems to be inaccurate.

Did Giuliani just refer to Ron Paul as a “terrific candidate”?  He must be getting desperate.

Ron Paul asks McCain a fairly arcane question on a presidential financial advisory board.  This allows McCain to dissemble and ramble.

Giuliani refers to Bill Clinton’s “peace divided,” neglecting to mention that much of the “peace dividend” through reductions in defense spending was sought by then SecDef Dick Cheney and President George H.W. Bush.  This made sense, since we no longer needed a military that large.  It still makes sense.

Huckabee seems to have no idea that there would have to be a federal bureaucracy just like the IRS to calculate and provide the “prebates.”

I have been following the Jim Antle method of debate-watching, except that instead of an hour of watching the debate without drinking I kept it to about fifteen minutes.  I find this approach to be excellent.