Presidential Debate.

"Tweety" Matthews is the host for the debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

He, other writers, and viewers ask the questions.

Just 22 percent is on the right track. Mayor G., how do we get back to Reagan's Morning in America?

G: I set policies for safety. Reagan led by optimism, didn't tear it down. Blathers about the shiny city on a hill. Immigration, brags about our great health care system. Hates socialized medicine. Never retreat from fighting terraism.

Iraq, what would you need as CIC?

McCain: We need a new strategy in Iraq. If we can bring about stability. Attacks Reid for saying we have lost the war. Talks about surrender, defeat, says "we must win in Iraq." Says on followup that Bush is getting the war back on track.

What do we need to do to win it?

Thompson: You must support the troops. We have to protect them. Iraq should be allowed to vote on whether we should remain there. Split oil reserves, talked about territories.

Hunter: Key to winning Iraq is to support Iraqi troops. Can start displacing American units. That's the right way to leave Iraq.

55 percent say victory not possible in Iraq. Response?

Romney: If we had a president who followed polls we wouldn't get anything done (paraphrase). He wants to get troops home but doesn't want to create a situation where American troops would have to come back.


Recent polls in Islamic world show sea of hostility toward the U.S. How do we win if every dead terraist is easily replaced?

Brownback: We need to partner with a number of moderate Islam regimes. Talks about Islamofascists. We have to be confrontational.

Do we have to reduce that temperature of hatred towards the U.S.?

Brownback: Talked about diplomatic stuff, but says we must confront. We can't be weak on this whatsoever.

Balance loyalty and accountability?

Huckabee: I would have fired Rumsfeld earlier. Not listening enough to generals. We now understand it was a mistake. We can't leave the middle east, it's important we finish the job and do it right rather than go back.

Do you think a cabinet shakeup would be good?

Gilmore: This has been going on for a long time. We didn't pay attention to the entire Middle East. We need to have an honest conversation with the public, this is going to take some time. A lot needs to be done. Pres. needs to bring public forward to make commitment to ME.

Why are you different on Iraq?

Paul: We should have a noninterventionist foreign policy. No nation building, etc. Declare war if you want to go to war, win it. Don't pretend the Iraqis were a national threat to us.

Iran:

McCain: Iran has state-sponsored terraism. Builds nuclear weapons. Talks about terraists involved in ME. Iran poses one of the greatest threats to the world. Bring greater pressures economic, diplomatic, etc. We have to work together. If Russians and Chinese not helpful, we need to put pressure on democracy in Iraq (Iran). We can't allow Iran to build nuclear weapons.

Question on Israel going after Iran or something:

Tancredo: If there are conditions, we will say yes. We have to come to the aid of Israel.

Giuliani: Nuclear weapons in the hands of extremists. I can't make any goddamned sense from his answer.

bin Laden and terra:

Gilmore: We need to go after him (assuming he is alive). We can't allow a situation that (basically the whole world) believes that the U.S. doesn't have its best interests at heart. We are in basically in the same shape we were in during the cold war.

Romney: Of course we'll get bin Laden and make him pay for the outrage he has caused. We shouldn't use the Democrats spin or whatever. There are other terraists out there, it's worldwide. It's more than Osama bin Laden.

Would you be comfortable with Tom Tancredo as head of the Immigration outfit?

McCain: No (laughter). We will track down bin Laden down and bring him to justice and follow him to the gates of hell.

Should we change our constitution to allow the likes of Arnold for running for president?

Overwhelming number of nos.

Regrets as mayor?

Giuliani: Some regrets. We reduced crime by 66 percent. Worked very hard to move hundreds of thousands of people out of welfare.

Whatt do you dislike most about America?

Romney: I love America. I am at a loss for words. Talks about platitudes. Family, God, optimism, Ronald Reagan, thank you Nancy.

Global Warming:

Thompson: We need to leave the earth in better shape than we found it. We need to be good caretakers.

Do you have a plan to solve organ shortage?

Tancredo: Gov. of U.S. shouldn't put forward of such a thing. We can look forward to things we can cure disease. Talked about cloning and calls it ridiculous.

Compassionate conservative:

Hunter: Yes, and let me talk about Iran. Iran has crossed the line. We should not get to the edge of the cliff on plutonium and uranium, and then he was cut off.

IRS--phase it out.

Paul: Immediately. Libertarian, crackpot blather. How this guy is taken seriously I'll never know.

Values:

Roe v. Wade wrongly decided?

Almost agree to get rid of it. Giuliani tries to weasel his way out of it. Gilmore still is pro-choice up to the first 18 weeks, but is proud of some pro-life stuff (waiting period, etc.)

Thompson: Leave abortion up to the states.

Romney: Weasels his way out of that issue. Tries to walk both sides of the fence, but I think he's falling off of it. Claims he is now pro-life. On followup, he tries to weasel his way out of the issue. Talks about cloning and tries to get out of the question.

Brownback: Could support somebody who didn't agree with him on this issue. We are a "big tent" party. Talks about "life" is one of the big issues of the day.

Federal funding and abortions:

Giuliani: Tries to argue his way out of it. Supports the Hyde Amendment on abortion.

Can you restore that unity of purpose Ronnie did?

McCain: He wants to be president of the U.S. to defeat enemies and help allies. Prepared to take on biggest challenge of our time and that's radical Islamism. He knows about the military and what it should and shouldn't do. Knows what Congress does. Talks about different things, but he wants to president of a proud, powerful nation.

Hunter: John not the only one with a defense background. Talks about his experience in the House about the armed services committee. Strong national defense is what he'd pursue.

Huckabee: We need a morning in America. We are a great nation because we are great. Hits the pro-life silliness. We save people's lives because we are pro-life, not like those shitty Islamofascists.

Paul: You lose liberty if you get the nasty government involved in everything. Talks about military aggressiveness. Hits the refrain about us not being the world's policeman.

Homosexuality and whether employers can fire them.

Thompson: Up to individual business.

Abortion rights and Catholic bishops:

Romney: They can do whatever they want. Believes in separation of church and state. Yapping about Islamofascists.

Huckabee: When somebody says that their faith doesn't affect my decision-making, there's something wrong. Their faith should influence their decisions. Faith helps explain who we are.

Romney: We are a people of faith, but not people of a particular church.

Brownback: Blathers about faith being run out of public life. Panders to the religious right. We have "In God We Trust," etc.

Future of GOP. Arnold has downplayed GOP issues:

Hunter: We need to win elections the right way. Talks about building the border fence. We had murders, massive illegal aliens, brags about the fence he helped bring about. Believes hispanic community wants that border law. One way to bring down crime requires having an enforceable border.

Is Karl Rove your friend? Will he stick around the White House?

Gilmore: It isn't a matter of Karl Rove. What's important is the philosophy and values of what makes us Republicans. Talks boilerplate issues. In other words, he sidesteps the issue.

Couldn't catch Tancrero's answer.

Goddamn it, I am losing track. The questioning is a mess.

Neither party has a monopoly on virtue, by a man who should know what he is talking about--Giuliani.

Thompson: I'm a reliable conservative. I am from a blue state and won four consecutive times. Started welfare reform. Believes he has crossover appeal.

Abramoff, Cunningham, Foley, etc., etc. What's with the party and corruption?

Brownback: Claims Democrats are doing the same thing. Lawbreakers should go to jail, which means we won't have Republicans left. We need to rebuild families, too many kids born out of wedlock, too much Don Imus talk, too much everything. We need to set an example and rebuild our culture.

Tancredo or whatever the hell his name is: Blathers about Ronald Reagan. What's important is you believe in the shit you are spewing.

First responders:

McCain: Special interests ruled over public interests. We lost our way in 2006 and spending went apeshit. He notes somebody told him he objected to drunken sailors being slurred. Bitches about pork barrel spending.

Budget and deficits. What would you cut?

McCain: Line-item veto, though unconstitutional. Some cuts in defense needed. Let's stop pork barrel spending. Each program must justify its existence each year.

How would you rate Bush's grade on Iraq War?

Huckabee: Too soon. War not over yet.

Pro-life and strict constructionist judges:

Romney: Proud of his record as governor in this regard. Partial birth, waiting periods, etc. Digs at McCain-Feingold.

Nuanced position on abortion:

Giuliani: Difficult issue of conscience. Encouraged adoptions. I would respect woman's right to make a different choice. Supports PBA ban, Hyde amendment.

Racism and what can president do:

Thompson: President needs to get out there and unite the country. That's what made Ronnie so great. President has to be in the forefront in this.

Nominee and why?

Tancredo: All good men, but there are issues that haven't been addressed and separate us. Immigration and immigration reform, no more platitudes or weasel words. I think I'm the candidate.

McCain: We have been working very hard with a comprehensive solution. The status quo is not working. Important and compelling issue of national security.

Inconvenient truth:

Hunter: Hasn't seen it. Global warming is important and we need to work together to reduce energy dependence.

Cite an example of a decision in crisis:

Paul: I made a lot of decisions when in medicine. Can't think of any one event that affected a lot of people. Talked about war in Iraq.

Mothers and prison:

Gilmore: Insist on obedience to the law. Let judges and juries decide. Talks about 9/11 on the crisis issue.

Embryonic stem-cell research:

Romney: Altered nuclear transfer supported. Deep concern about disease. Will not create new embryos through cloning, etc.

Brownback: No. Adult stem cells is the way to go.

Gilmore: Can't.

Huckabee: No.

Hunter: No.

Thompson: Neither yes or no.

McCain: We need to fund this.

Paul: No. Market should decide it.

Giuliani: As long as we aren't destroying human life. Support Senator Coleman's bills.

Tancredo: No, I think.

Health care plan:

Romney: Loves his plan despite the fact he doesn't tout it much.