WHAT THEY'RE SAYING, PART II:
JOHN MCCAIN AT REAGAN LIBRARY DEBATE
John McCain Was "Big Winner" Of Debate, Straight Talk Express "Has Fresh Plugs And New Tires And Looks To Be Running On Premium Ethanol"
Des Moines Register's David Yepsen: "John McCain was his old self in Thursday night's Republican presidential debate: Feisty, pointed and a straight-talker who wasn't afraid to tell Republican activists things they didn't want to hear. It made him the big winner of the night." (David Yepsen, Op-Ed, "Forceful McCain Talks His Way Straight To Top Of Field," Des Moines Register, 5/4/07
Yepsen: "Thursday night's debate indicated McCain's Straight Talk Express' has fresh plugs and new tires and looks to be running on premium ethanol." (David Yepsen, Op-Ed, "Forceful McCain Talks His Way Straight To Top Of Field," Des Moines Register, 5/4/07)
Yepsen: "McCain seemed to understand the limitations of the format and took advantage of it. His voice was forceful and his mannerisms aggressive. While Romney looked like the executive, McCain acted the part." (David Yepsen, Op-Ed, "Forceful McCain Talks His Way Straight To Top Of Field," Des Moines Register, 5/4/07)
The Washington Post's Howard Kurtz: "John McCain must have had an extra bowl of Wheaties. I've watched him in dozens of situations he's usually discursive and conversational and his delivery has never been punchier. He was tough on Iraq, on Iran, said he would follow Osama bin Laden to the gates of hell, and kept vowing to veto pork." (Howard Kurtz, "Showtime In Simi Valley," The Washington Post, 5/4/07)
London Times' Tim Reid: "John McCain last night capped a resurgent week for his presidential campaign with a forceful and combative performance in the first televised debate among the 10 Republican contenders. Mr McCain, who according to new polls has bounced back from a lackluster start and now leads his major rivals in the key early primary states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, appeared more sure footed than the current frontrunner, Rudy Giuliani. But Mr McCain is clearly gaining traction and has recaptured much of the straight talk' persona that marked his 2000 primary battle against Mr Bush." (Tim Reid, "McCain Makes Ground In Republican Face-Off," The [London] Times, 5/4/07)
National Journal's Marc Ambinder: "Several conservative bloggers gave McCain the victory. He was, in their eyes, the most credible candidate telling them what they wanted to hear (and even a little of what they didn't)." (National Journal's "On Call" Blog, nationaljournal.com, 5/4/07)
Eye On 08 Blog: "McCain won today. Of the big three, he moved forward." (Eye On 08 Blog, "Final Thoughts," www.eyeon08.com, 5/3/07)
The Weekly Standard's Fred Barnes: "McCain was forceful on the imperative of winning in Iraq with a new strategy now in place." (Fred Barnes, "The Big Ten," The Weekly Standard, 5/4/07)
John McCain's Performance Was "Impressive And Strong"
Former Governor Tom Ridge (R-PA): "I certainly think [McCain] turned in a very strong performance. I think there was a lot of energy, a lot of passion. His performance was impressive and strong. He kept on message, established his priorities, continued his courageous stand on lot of these very difficult and controversial issues. I think he did well." (MSNBC's "Post-Debate Analysis," 5/3/07)
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL): "He served over 20 years in the Navy, over 20 years in the Senate. He is a man of experience. He has battled all of these issues throughout his adult life. He knows in this issue of war and peace, he knows what war is like, and he knows the consequences of failure. That is why he wants to get the job done right in Iraq against these Islamic extremists which is the phrase that he used which I think gets at the core of the battle that we are engaged in. I think he did a good job. John McCain, consistent conservative but with passion." (MSNBC's "Tucker Carlson Live," 5/4/07)
