Five Things To Watch in Tonight's Debate

MANCHESTER, N.H.--With the first major Republican debate only hours away, the candidates have wrapped up their strategy sessions and are getting ready to take stage. At this point in the campaign, tonight is a chance for them to introduce themselves to voters--perhaps with a good one-liner--and try to avoid any missteps that will get replayed over and over.

But there are a few other things brewing under the surface that we could see tonight. So while we all wait for things to get started, here are the Top Five few things to be on the lookout for late on.

1. Will tonight's debate be like King of the Hill--that playground game you played in elementary school? With Mitt Romney firmly established as the presumptive frontrunner, the non-Romneys are going to have to start charging up the hill at some point to try to push him off. So far they're not running at him at full speed. If they don't make an effort tonight, Romney will be able to stay focused on taking shots at President Obama--and not get into a shoving match with the others. But there are some signals it could go the other way, which leads us to....

2. Will former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty be the first to charge up the hill? He gave Romney a little shove yesterday--and even went so far as to make up a new word, "Obamneycare," or something like that. Pawlenty's making the point that Romney's health care plan in Massachusetts paved the way for President Obama's. But will Pawlenty keep it up tonight? Or is he just going to talk trash in the cafeteria behind Romney's back and not slug it out on the playground?

3. Will Newt Gingrich be relegated to the kids' table? After calling the Republican plan to reform Medicare "right-wing social engineering," and then seeing his entire staff quit after he went off to the Greek Isles, Gingrich has become like that guest you invited to dinner--then realized you really wish he wasn't coming. Will he redeem himself with sparkling conversation (and manage to keep his campaign limping along) or will he be sent off to sit somewhere else?

4. Will Rick Santorum go after Michele Bachmann to stake a claim as the favorite of social conservatives? Or will he focus on Romney--much like Sam Brownback did in the 2008 election, when he ignored Mike Huckabee in the debates...at his peril? And speaking of Bachmann, will she play to the Tea Party or seek to expand her base (and further distinguish herself from Sarah Palin), with talk about economic theory (see Saturday's Wall Street Journal).

5. And finally, will Herman Cain wow people like he did in South Carolina, now that the stage is a little more crowded? Cain stood out in the last debate with his talk of competence and common sense. What kind of impact will he have tonight?

[American1111]

I find it no Coincidence that the president of the United States of America (try to respect that) Is going to address Congress. Especially after their break, although the focus is that the President was also on break and more so focusing on his leisure time rather than the time he spent traveling around the country listening to the real American people, trying to find out what they want, and then to come up with some sort of solution to their problems. Then He wants to address Congress with this information and try to create a solution, I find it to be a good thing. Do you know what congress did on their time off? Other than those who decided to bash the president and the solutions he has been trying to get congress to help solve. I don't. Maybe we should place blame on them. Maybe the President doesn't have to give a speech to congress, because it always seems like he has to talk to them like children that can't take care of house hold chores. They want candy for dinner and if they don't get it then the chores will not get done. A leader can only be successful if he can use praise and discipline as rewards and punishments for their behavior. But when you cannot punish bad behavior then the children will continue in their bad behavior. The only way to punish congress is to vote them out, Fire them. If the president has to interrupt their TV time again to Talk to congress in front of the world to try and get them to do the right thing, then so be it. At least he talked to the real people of the United States of America and is trying to do something to solve the problem.

[American1111]

The smoke and mirrors of the whole political front, is just that. Image for a public figure is all fine and well, but if that is what you're focused on and not paying attention to the sleight of hand then you're in bigger trouble then you think. The president has always said he would not place blame on Bush and the Republicans, and for the most part hasn't. But again if the republicans were as honest and true as they try to spin their own PR, then they would take the responsibility and admit to it and work towards fixing things along with the other Parties. The president has tried to facilitate this and has run into non-cooperation on a regular basis. Now I see this all the time and ask what they think they're doing this is not in the best interest of the country as a whole, but I see the sleight of hand. So, obvious that it is there interest to not cooperate, to discredit the president and other parties, to hold American people hostage, and to facilitate the economic gain of their Rich friends of $200,000.00 Or more, Proven to be true time and time again. So I wonder why anyone under $200,000.00 a year would be a republican, when it works against you. Clean out the senate and congress. Try to put people in that actually represent real Americans, hint it is not the Tea party either.

[American1111]

So, America forgets we govern ourselves. It seems that Americans would like to give up their rights and to be governed by only one person. This comes from everyone wants to blame only one person for the situation America is in. We all have a voice, which is why we have representatives Congress (state and federal), senate (state and federal), Governors, mayors, and Councilmen, so on. If Americans forget this then we should give up our rights as a democracy and become a dictatorship. If you find that your representatives are making decisions that are not of the people and for the privileged few, then you need to vote them out. Representatives are just that, they are to be of the people in their area. Listen to the people and hear their concerns and needs. Carry the message of the people, to meet with other representatives. Then to deliver that message to other representatives and to hear the concerns and needs of others in order to come to an agreed fare solution to the needs that benefits all. This basic form of government has seemed to of been lost and forgotten. Replace by Corruption and greed. American's do not exercise their rights to participate in their own right to govern themselves or vote.
P.S. this message is not to support or condemn any one political group, more so, as reminder of who is really in charge. Also for better or worse who's to blame. You have opinion, that is fine, but more so you have a right you should be exercising. Don't blame others for your own weakness. Stand up and take back your rights!

[noloyalisti]

A bunch of corporate slaves STILL defending the failed Reaganomics. Saying how the Democrats caused the Second Great Republicon Depression we are in now. And how we need to give EVEN MORE OF OUR MONEY over to the rich in their reverse Robin Hood conspiracy.