Republican Debate in Tampa (LIVE BLOGGING sorta)

Back late from getting my boy and neighbor kid back from a band practice. I have it linked up live on the internet because my family would rather watch "Cake Boss" than Republicans yelling at each other.

I heard the newt explain that we should go to war against Iran because we didn't really want to go to war with Japan in 1941. I'm sorry, but this guy is the looniest historian ever.

I also heard the clip of the initial little tiff between Romney and Gingrich in which Romney explained that the newt's adds were wrong because they said he was thrown out of Congress by "liberals." Mitt correctly pointed out that Newt was challenged in his Speakership by his Republican House. He could have gone on to ask where any of his fellow House Republicans were in his current campaign because the answer is: there aren't any! Pretty much everybody who has ever worked with him in Congress is against him now. They learned by sad experience about his nature and disposition.

And all but Ron Paul want to go to war with Iran.

They're all for English only.

And now the newt is going after beet sugar. There goes the Nampa, Idaho vote. Even Mitt wants to get rid of sugar subsidies and let markets ruin every thing. And then he goes on to blame Obama for the W Bush Recession.

Now, a question for Santorum on the Terri Schiavo travesty. He defends it and three people applaud. And Gingrich goes to "murderers' row."

Romney panders to the "Space Coast" (I think that's an abbreviation for "Space Ghost, Coast to Coast." Yes, a truly great show.) "Obama has no vision blah, blah, blah." The newt wants to encourage the private sector into "very aggressive experimentation." He wants to go to the moon permanently (not a bad idea to send the newt there).

[OK, this is really weird but the MSNBC webcast shuts itself off every time they go to a commercial break.]

Now Mitt is talking about his conservative values as a dad of five boys. And he's worked in business. Then he became Governor of liberal Massachusetts and he cut taxes and did English immersion. The newt goes historical on supporting Goldwater and Reagan (the Romneys didn't so much). And he talks "big ideas, big solutions" [his explanations]. He wants to debate Obama.

Santorum points out that Romneycare was the basis for Obamacare and that the newt also supported the individual mandate. Neither one is a conservative. They're just like Obama. Paul says that we can't define what "conservative" means--small government and more freedom. "Role of government is to protect Liberty." (So I don't see why he doesn't like the Fourteenth Amendment.)

Mitt tries defend himself on health care reform. His was constitutional. He does not support a "federal" mandate. He will repeal Obamacare and turn it over to the states.

The newt doesn't want people to be "for him" but to be "with him." I guess that means riled up and crazy against all the things they hate.

Brian Williams asked Mitt when America was last great. He says it still is but the economy isn't working and he knows how to fix it. Goes through his seven points (you can check out his website).