Mitt was very unimpressive on This Week...

[Wetzelbill]

He can't seem to ever actually answer a question. I can see how he would turn people off if they saw him all that much. I don't think he lost Iowa because of religion, or mostly because of it, I think he just comes off like a duplicitous sneak the more you hear him. He comes off utterly untrustworthy and manufactured.

Huckabee held up well. I can see the appeal, he does have to prove he can get more than Evangelicals to vote for him. His record is ugly, and there are some questions as to how he would hold up once a campaign gets rough, he really hasn't ran into tough waters yet. And he has had some breakdowns in Arkansas before, that sort of thing would kill him on a national stage. He knows next to nothing about foreign policy. Not sure how bad that hurts him though. He's not absolutely tied to Iraq like the others are, meaning Mitt and especially McCain. (Rudy too, if and when he comes into play) But all in all, compared to Romney, Huckabee stands up well.

Edwards was great. He rocked Stephanopoulos back on his heels when he said he wouldn't let trial lawyers have a spot into his administration. I don't think George knew what to do, it seemed like he was expecting to nail Edwards over and over on the trial lawyer thing. But he's awesome. I like Edwards a lot. Been handling himself very well lately. Will that be enough? Well, that's still a tough chore, Obama is a special guy too, but Edwards is a great candidate.

It seemed like George and the panel are still stuck on Hillary. They pivot everything off of her. It's like she, as their establishment favorite, is still the center of the wheel. But, it looks like it's a new day. She seems stale. She's almost like Nixon, running against both JFK (Obama) and RFK (Edwards). She's the cold virtue of "experience" a tough political fighter, who has to go against two charismatic "change" candidates, one who brings an infinite amount of hope, and the other who taps into working class themes and empathy. It's an interesting dynamic. I have to wonder if Hillary wasn't such an establishment favorite in the first place, would she have even ever been a force in the race at all? It doesn't seem like it. I don't think she can win this thing, but, you'll probably see her as the center of the pundit universe until she bows out.

[Eurobabe]

1. Romney is a compulsive flip-flopper

I hope someone, anyone on the right pounds his ass on Tuesday.

[Rene]

10. I think Huck is insane. Everything that's gone on in the PRESS has

led me to get off the fence. I'm supporting Hillary - whole-heartedly. I think Obama and Edwards would both have absolutely chaotic administrations for 4 years.
They have never influenced any so-called 'change' in their lives/political careers to date.....it's just baseless talk.

[ananda]

2. Huckabee trips me out.

I almost hope he's the Reep candidate
just for the entertainment value.

[Wetzelbill]

4. he's a compelling guy

I like how the Repub establishment is freaking out over him. He's like Frankenstein. They've spent decades cultivating the Religious Nut vote, pretending to be populists and denigrating "elites" so now that they got a Baptist preacher from a hick town in Arkansas who rails against Wall Street they are all in a panic. It's wild. :) Now they're back to hoping McCain is the new hope. Talk about disarray.

[BlueManDude]

3. He's never been impressive. He looks impressive but that's about it.

[Wetzelbill]

5. well, Mitt has an impressive business background

he's a smart guy etc. He's slick and can come off well, he didn't become governor of Mass for nothing. But he's gotten so mixed up in his ambition and lies that he can't even keep track of which lies that he's lied about and when. It's laughable, now that he's reeling anyway. All year I've been looking at this guy wondering what kind of shot such a blatant liar could have at the WH. Bush's initial lies in 2000 were much more subtle, Mitt, he doesn't even bat an eyelash when he busts out a major whopper. He's still in it though, but the Iowa loss was a major blow.

[Raven]

8. Romney was a terrible governor. He got elected because he had a pretty

face and because Massachusetts voters like to put a Republican in the State House and watch the fun as the State Legislature is almost entirely made up of Democrats. Romney presided over some of the worst spending overruns of the Big Dig...he has no foreign policy experience...he's an empty suit.

[Wetzelbill]

9. oh no doubt he was a terrible governor

but the guy was able to get people to vote for him. He has certain things going for him, like you mentioned looks, for example. He would be much more dangerous if he could keep his lies straight and didn't look like such a sneak all the time. As of now though, he still has money, and he should be able to take McCain in NH. He does have a shot, even with those negative. Empty suit. No foreign policy experience. Sounds like Bush, and look where he's been for seven years.

[BlueManDude]

11. Mass politics is not always as it seems

Just because everyone's a Democrat doesn't mean everyone's liberal/progessive. We had a succession of GOP govs who ran against the Dem Speaker of the House Tom Finnerean (who is a conservative) with his wink and nod support.

It was a weird dynamic.

[book_worm]

6. All along Willard had been my favorite to be GOP nominee because I have always

felt he would be the easiest to beat. A slick, brainless Ken doll.

[sallyseven]

7. Duplicitous sneak is the right

word for willard.

[Thrill]

12. I think if its Huckbee vs. Obama we'll actually

have a campaign thats not as ugly as their use to being. During the debate last night he was the only one who didn't attack Obama when asked about him

[TwilightGardener]

13. Huckabee is a nasty man. Did you forget the innocent "Jesus and the Devil

are brothers" question about Mormons, and the unveiling of the negative ad that he wasn't going to run? He's the dirtiest fighter of them all.