Pure Horserace: An Invigorating Debate

GOP Voters Looking For Strong Candidates Were Last Night's Real Winners

(CBS)  It's too early to draw any grand conclusions but could it be that the biggest loser in last night's Republican debate in South Carolina was "none of the above?"

Republicans searching for an alternative or addition to the current field of 10 candidates were offered more variety and spunk than they may have seen from this current group previously. Most of them came prepared, were relatively quick on their feet and, above all, seemed determined to make the sale.

Rudy Giuliani may not ever satisfy the base of the GOP on abortion and other social issues but he reminded them of why he's in the race when he jumped all over Ron Paul's suggestion that U.S. policy contributed in some way to the 9/11 attacks. John McCain turned in a solid defense of his mostly conservative record, making the case that his lifetime of experience has prepared him to lead the nation in uncertain times and Mitt Romney continued his bid to restore the optimistic face of the party and claim the crown of CEO-in-chief.

Mike Huckabee preached a version of pragmatic problem-solving while Jim Gilmore and Sam Brownback reminded everyone that the GOP remains very much the conservative party. Tom Tancredo, Duncan Hunter, Tommy Thompson and even Paul offered a little something to appeal to some part of the party.

More than that, after months of despondency within the party, Republicans got a glimpse of 10 candidates who appear ready to fight to retain the White House. Gone, for the most part, was the hemming and hawing about changed positions and delicate issues. When Brownback was asked how he could tell a pregnant rape victim she could not have an abortion, he allowed it would be difficult but said he would do just that. When Gilmore was challenged to drop the generic attacks on his rivals and name names, he didn't hesitate to do so.

When these same 10 men gathered at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, they mostly followed that president's dictate not to speak ill of a fellow Republican. Last night they dropped the manners in favor of the sort of principled defense of ideals the former president was known for.

There has been a growing appetite for a new alternative and many reports indicate that Fred Thompson is very close to feeding that desire. But he's not in the race yet and that empty feeling could disappear just as quickly as it came on. If last night's debate didn't discourage Republicans from casting a wandering eye outside this current field, it's hard to imagine what would. — Vaughn Ververs, Columbia, S.C.


Putting His Acting Skills To Use: Fred Thompson wasn't present at last night's debate, but he was involved in verbal sparring yesterday with liberal filmmaker and activist Michael Moore.

The confrontation started brewing when Thompson, in a column posted on National Review Online, criticized Moore for visiting health clinics in Cuba as part of a documentary on the state of American health care. Thompson claimed that Moore was deceived by Fidel Castro and that Cubans, on average, have far worse health care than Americans.

On his Web site, Moore responded with an open letter to Thompson and accused him of hypocrisy — for being an aficionado of Cuban cigars, which are not allowed in the United States under a trade embargo, and for receiving campaign contributions from the health insurance industry. He also challenged Thompson to a debate.

Thompson then decided to do what he's most known for — acting. In a video posted online, Thompson is seen sitting in a chair, swiveling to face the camera, and chomping on a large cigar (country of origin unknown). He then tells Moore that he doesn't have time for a debate, but suggests the right place for Moore could be in a mental institution similar to one Castro allegedly sent a Cuban filmmaker to for making a documentary critical of the dictator.

In his letter to Thompson, Moore said a debate would allow the former senator to "appeal to the right wing of the Republican Party by continuing to attack" him. With the video, Thompson did just that and avoided a potentially embarrassing confrontation with Moore. Even without the debate, it looks like Thompson won this encounter. — David Miller


Illinois Home Cookin': Democrat Barack Obama got some great news on Tuesday, but it wasn't in the form of a new poll or a key endorsement. Instead, he saw the Illinois Senate pass a bill, supported by Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich, that would move the state's 2008 presidential primary to — you guessed it — Feb. 5, joining a cadre of other states, including large ones like New York and California.

But while the chief motivations for those states were to increase their influence on the nomination process, that's only a secondary concern for Illinois. Backers of the plan openly admit moving up the primary is an attempt to help out Obama, who represents the state in the Senate and once served in the state legislature.

An Obama victory in Illinois may now be a fait accompli, especially with so many other states demanding the candidates' time and attention. But the legislation also moves up the date of the Republican primary.

It should be a wide open contest. None of the GOP contenders has an obvious connection to the state — other than a fondness for their party's first president and longtime Illinois resident, Abraham Lincoln. — David Miller


Mark Your Calendars: Today the Democratic National Committee released its list of sanctioned debates. Forgive us for engaging in self-promotion, but we're going to start at the end of the calendar with the Dec. 10 debate in Los Angeles. CBS News is a co-sponsor of the debate, and Evening News anchor Katie Couric will serve as the event's moderator.

The other debates will be held June 23 in Charleston, S.C. (carried by CNN); Aug. 19 in Des Moines, Iowa (ABC); Sept. 26 in Hanover, N.H. (MSNBC); Oct. 30 in Philadelphia (MSNBC); and Nov. 15 in Las Vegas (CNN).

Of course, more debates than those listed above are possible, though they won't carry the DNC's seal of approval. — David Miller


Surveying The Landscape: Today marks the debut of a new feature on CBSNews.com — Poll Positions, a new column by CBS News' director of surveys, Kathleen Frankovic.

Poll Positions will be posted every Wednesday on our site. In it, Kathleen will discuss the latest surveys — including those done by CBS News and other organizations — along with the techniques used by pollsters and the potential problems such surveys present.

To read the first installment of Poll Positions, click here.


Editor's Note: Pure Horserace is a daily update of political news as interpreted by the political observers at CBSNews.com. Click here to sign up for the e-mail version.

[okielogic]

"Pure Horserace"?
All The hoopla of late is more like "Pure Horse Manure". Indeed, the evidence is clear. THERE IS NO CANDIDATE; on either side of the "ether".
If there were a "candidate" at all, he/she would likely be found somewhere in the ether.
And so begins what would like to become "the longest run to the presidency ever". A torture better labeled "the longest run of bias, lies and bull", among other things.
The great news is it's not likely to go on much longer. By all reports, it is evident that destruction is, dare it be said "eminent". Aside from that fact, a society with any brand of foundation, can not endure long beyond the depravity and division we see not only in our three Branches, but also in our roots(the nation as a whole).

What reports? Well, if you haven't heard there's a 3rd World War on the brew. The "Birth of The Nuclear Baby" shows to be due for June 12, 2007. And All this according to....
OkieLogic.com

[zootallures2]

Ron Paul was absolutely right. Why should other nations have to suffer and the common hard working US citizens have to pay the price for the greed of the rich? I for one don't need you in the least bit. You are nothing but a burden to me and no doubt the entire world. Jewliani is more of the same rich worshiping satanic trash who should be in fresh kills land fill instead of hard working US citizens.

[keeblers69]

Here is what CBS left out - Go Ron Paul

Have you ever read about the reasons they attacked us? They attack us because we've been over there. We've been bombing Iraq for 10 years," he said.

Asked by a moderator if he was suggesting the United States invited the attacks, Paul said: "I'm suggesting we listen to the people who attacked us and the reason they did it. And they are delighted that we're over there because Osama bin Laden has said: I am glad you're over on our sand because we can target you so much easier."

An irate Giuliani interrupted and asked for a chance to respond.

"That's an extraordinary statement, as someone who lived through the attack of September 11, that we invited the attack because we were attacking Iraq," said Giuliani, who leads national polls in the Republican race.

"I don't think I've ever heard that before, and I've heard some pretty absurd explanations for September 11th," Giuliani said to wild applause, asking Paul to withdraw the comment.

But Paul, who frequently strays far outside the Republican mainstream, would not back down.

He said the Central Intelligence Agency was right to teach about "blow-back" and the United States cannot "do what we want around the world" without inciting hatred and a response.

Please CBS report the whole story next time.

[texntn]

Well, you covered Mr. Giuliani's statement, but you didn't show Dr. Paul's side. Instead you put words in his mouth. That's not journalism. That's propaganda.

Show the full story, and let the people decide who is accurate, and who believes in a myth. This is why you are no longer relevant and are the laughing stock of those of us who are intelligent enough to find the facts ourselves and make our own conclusions. Stop force-feeding us political junk-food, and we might have a little more respect for you.

Is Goebbels still running your news department?

[klmnoah]

Ron Paul was the most honest, upfront out of all of them. He read the 9/11 commisson. As we can see Mr. Mayor did not due he did get what Ron Paul was stating when Paul was mentioning the cause of the hatred towards Americans also mentioned in the 9/11 commission report. Even the media ignores Ron Paul, where is the honesty in the media.