A new Clemson University South Carolina poll has Romney at 17%, Thompson 15%, Huckabee 13%, Giuliani is at 9%. About 28% say they are still undecided.

In another poll, Romney maintains a 14-point lead in New Hampshire, and Fred Thompson is at a stunning 2%. Here are the numbers: Romney 34%, Giuliani 20%, McCain 13%, Paul 8%, Huckabee 7%, and Thompson 2%.

28% undecided????
After last night McCain is looking stronger in my book. It was nice to see him with some backbone. Now that Bush and Co. can't throw him under the bus anymore he might nut it up.

"After last night McCain is looking stronger in my book."

I did not see the debate.
Nice to hear that McCain crawled put of Bush's butt long enough to make an appearance.

Please nominate Romney. A Democratic win is thus assured.

Pretty please!

Romney is gonna blow nicely. Won't take too long. He gets the nod, then about two thirds of the way in, the dirt will come out, or he ends up with a gaffe that's un-spinnable.

I agree, Romney looked so obviously swarmy the way he answered the gays in the military question ("Do you still look forward to a time...?") that I'm sure he lost a lot of support from people watching the debate. I think even Dennis Kucinich would have a shot at him.

Andrew

That's funny, and it's true too!

I was impressed with Duncan Hunter, Ron Paul, but mostly Huckabee. I feel as though both Romney and Guilani did very poorly.

However the biggest stinker of the night was not any of the canidates but CNN for not doing their research well enough. I like CNN the best of all the television media outlets but this was a major letdown after learning in the post debate that the military guy was a plant or slipped through the producers crack (no pun intended).

However at the same time if the Hillary campaign put this gentleman up to it its also uncalled for.

Since the last Dem debate I went from a strong Obama supporter to undecided but now I am for the first time in my voting life torn between two canidates. Joe Biden and Ron Paul. I would have never thought that I would have ever been able to support a GOP canidate.

I can't stand the youtube format.

The only part that made me physically turn the channel was when Guiliani started talking about how he regularly reads the bible. Please. I don't know for sure if it was a lie, but it sure felt like one. I couldn't take it. I changed the channel.

Also, Guiliani looked unhealthy to me.

I hate Fred Thompson. I'm sick of the non-answers from Foghorn Leghorn.

Romney scares the living shit out of me when it comes to having hope for the future and expecting him to change anything.

Huckabee could do it.

Paul didn't offer anything new. But frankly, I'm ok with that. It's kind of funny to think back to how he was dismissed by fellow candidates not so long ago - now they fucking quote him. Assholes.

McCain does nothing for me. Never did. Can't help it. If I had a youtube question for anyone, it would be for McCain; " So you ran and lost before. What's different about you THIS time around? Why should I care? "

With all due respect Trixter, after all the pissing and moaning about Bush from you, voting for McCain would be like kicking yourself in the nuts. McCain is a carbon copy of Bush on a lot of policies.

Chickenjuggler unlike you I love the format of the Youtube debate. It skews a younger demographic and no matter what you can screen the questions and use the silly and stupid questions as marketing tools leading up to the debate to increase interest in people who wouldn't otherwise tune in.

I hope they do at least one more of the You Tube debates before this election cycle is all over. Maybe when it gets down to the final two with hopefully a third party added into the mix. It would be an even more effective debate. IMHO

"Huckabee could do it."

Hearing his forthright and plain answers to the questions posed to him, I sincerely hope and pray that we're fortunate to get Mr. Huckabee as our next president.

I respect him, especially on life, and he made a compelling argument regarding the death penalty. When asked how he could be pro-life and accept allowing the death penalty, he said what I've said...the unborn are innocent and only the most heinous crimes should be considered for the death penalty. He essentially said that the death penalty should be used sparingly, and as governor, it was the one decision he could not undo. He mentioned reading every word of every single page on the convicted murderers for the few death sentences he did not commute.

He's more left of center on some issues than I've been, but on immigration, both he and Mr. McCain were very persuasive about not penalizing little kids for the transgressions of their parents. As a former governor, he knows what it's like to be in an executive position. As a former pastor, he values innocent life, including kids of illegal aliens.

Mike Huckabee might soften me up enough to make me a centrist.

Herb

I have to agree with Herb, that Huckabee has the best chance to get the Republican nomination and if either Obama or Clinton get it, Huckabee will be the next president, even though I will still have to vote for the Democrat.

"..Huckabee has the best chance to get the Republican nomination..."

I HOPE he has the best chance. But we'll see when the fighting gets even tougher.

But even if Mr. Huckabee loses, whether in the primary or general election, at least I could feel good about voting for the guy. You guys on the left should feel good that Mike Huckabee is being attacked on his right flank for being too liberal!

Herb

I sincerely hope and pray that we're fortunate to get Mr. Huckabee as our next president.

Sorry Herb, but this just WON'T ever happen. Just like Hillary won't ever happen unless YOU Evangelical EXTREME RIGHT bible thumpers keep it up.

I respect God's Word, Trixter.

I'm sorry you have such a problem with it.

Herb

When people find out Huckabee doesn't believe in evolution, that will hurt him. Not to mention, a majority of voters believe in a woman's right to choose, and Huckabee doesn't and has stated it's his intention to take that right away from women therefore turning the US into a 3rd world country. These two issues will be used against him, along with his party affiliation, and he will lose to whom ever is the Democratic nominee if he should be nominated, which I still think is doubtful anyway.

I agree Mr. Giuliani & Mr. Romney will be formidable.

But I'm a fan of David, not Goliath.

Herb

Herb, I respect your stand on abortion, or better said as a woman's right to choose, even though I disagree with it. But, I'm afraid that this issue is no longer the big one nationally for most people. That time has past. EXCEPT, if a candidate pushes the issue, and promotes revoking that right, that will be a deal killer for most folks. So I'm not sure Mr. Huckabee has that much of a chance. Even though he seems reasonable to me on many other things.

I have to agree that the one or two issue oriented candidates are not being taken seriously or will slowly fade away. What worked 8 years ago like gay marriage and abortion, are taking the back seat with so many other issues. Even typically evangelical conservative voters are seeing the war, domestic healthcare, the economy and environment as equally important if not more important.

I think the GOP is being seen as "old" fashioned or just plain old in their thinking.

I think that is why they keep beating the drum of “fear” because it’s all they have to hold on to.

The issues, in order of importance, will be:

1. Iraq (and foreign policy in general)
2. The economy
3. Healthcare

I think the Democrats hold an edge in all 3 categories.

If there's a recession by mid-2008 as many now predict, you can bet the economy will trump Iraq.

Andrew

You may be right Andrew. The GOP policy of "deficits don't matter" is coming to an end. Homeowners now see that deficits DO matter, and it won't be long until our global partners start to feel the same way about the US fiscal policies, and when that happens, look out.

I respect God's Word, Trixter.

I'm sorry you have such a problem with it.

And I don't???? Shows how much you read here.

Totally agreed. IMHO, immigration is gonna be pretty high up there too.

I'm concerned about moves to combine canada and latin america with the US, thus further diluting our national identity, and with that goes a lot of stuff. At the least it's gonna continue to apply strong downward wage pressure on us. Don't think there is a happy ending to that.

Yeah, the Bush mantra of pouring more borrowed money into the economy to make up for the piss-poor weak dollar is about to bite the Republicans in the arse. McCain has staunchly supported making Bush's tax cuts permanent, and his version of the trickle-down economy just ain't cutting it.

Perhaps Huckabee will end up being the 1992 Bill Clinton? From the same state, coming out of nowhere, very polished and well spoken, a likable guy ... and taking over for a Bush.

Huckabee, along with Ron Paul, are the most interesting of the GOP field right now. Could be sleepers indeed!

He's my guy for the primary. He's also got a sense of humour.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1129/p20s01-uspo.html

Herb

Paul has some good ideas and that, but he's ... squirrelly. Reminds me too much of Ross Perot. He IS someone that is going to shoot himself in the foot I feel, I don't know if he has a mute button.

I feel as though Ron Paul is going to surprise everyone and finally the media will be forced to give his campaign more airtime than they have already. CNN for example acts as if he doesn't exist.

Ron Paul has ZERO chance.

I did not mean to insinuate that he would win the nomination or the presidency I just feel as though he has more support and will get more votes than people expect.

The HUCKster and Paul have ZERO chance. Unless The HUCKster can start lying and blowing smoke up everyone's collective asses. Worked for DUHbya and Slick Willy. If you tell the truth you don't get a ticket to the show.

Carl Bernstein was on CNN yesterday right after the Hillary press conference saying that both Rudy's and Hillary's Iowa campaigns were falling apart at the seams. If he is correct it could be very interesting to watch it all unfold or implode.

Of course, winning Iowa isn't necessarily a requirement for winning the nomination. Lots of future nominees did not win Iowa. No one will win a single delegate in Iowa - it's just a caucus. New Hampshire is the first primary and more important.

I don't think Rudy was even running a campaign in Iowa til recently, was he? I'm guessing Huckabee gets 2nd place in Iowa and suddenly becomes a first tier candidate. Romney loses even if he wins Iowa; since it's already expected that he'll win Iowa he needs to win BIG to "win" there.

For the Democrats, Iowa looks like a horse race. Then again, we are basing this only on polling which could be way off. I have no doubt though that all the major campaigns are going all out now to win there, and an observer of any of the campaigns might think the campaign is in chaos. A friend of mine is just getting back from a week in Iowa canvassing for Obama - I'm anxious to chat with him.

Andrew