WHAT THEY'RE REALLY SAYING ABOUT GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY AT THE DEARBORN, MI GOP DEBATE – VOL. 2
CNBC’s Maria Bartiromo: “I think that Mitt Romney did very well.” (CNBC, “Your Money Your Vote,” 10/9/07)
CBN's David Brody: "Fred Thompson gave a somewhat generic answer to the first question about what he will do to 'ensure economy vibrancy in this country'. But then Romney followed with statistics, solutions, and a forward looking agenda. I mean, my goodness, he hit it out of the park." (David Brody, "The Republicans Debate In Dearborn: Reaction," CBN's The Brody File, www.cbn.com, Posted 10/9/07)
Brody: "It was Mitt Romney's night." (David Brody, "The Republicans Debate In Dearborn: Reaction," CBN's The Brody File, www.cbn.com, Posted 10/9/07)
Brody: "Mitt Romney was as sharp as he’s ever been tonight." (David Brody, "The Republicans Debate In Dearborn: Reaction," CBN's The Brody File, www.cbn.com, Posted 10/9/07)
Brody: "Now, as for Romney, man he’s a good debater." (David Brody, "The Republicans Debate In Dearborn: Reaction," CBN's The Brody File, www.cbn.com, Posted 10/9/07)
Brody: "[Romney] had it going. Very impressive indeed." (David Brody, "The Republicans Debate In Dearborn: Reaction," CBN's The Brody File, www.cbn.com, Posted 10/9/07)
Brody: "I must say Mitt Romney is truly a human power point presentation… And I say that in a very positive way." (David Brody, "The Republicans Debate In Dearborn: Reaction," CBN's The Brody File, www.cbn.com, Posted 10/9/07)
Detroit Free Press' Kathleen Gray And Joe Guy Collier: "Romney captured the early attention of the crowd, speaking to the woes of the auto industry and the recent taxes passed in Michigan to avoid a budget crisis. Romney, whose father was Michigan governor, said the president should have an 'open door' to the automakers." (Kathleen Gray and Joe Guy Collier, "Candidates Avoid Each Other, Turn On Sen. Clinton During Debate," Detroit Free Press Blog, http://www.freep.com/apps/, Posted 10/9/07)
The New Republic John Judis: "Of the frontrunners, Romney had the clearest and most forthright answers." (John Judis, "GOP Debate," The Plank On The New Republic, http://www.tnr.com, Posted 10/9/07)
The American Spectator's John Tabin: "On the first question, Thompson seemed like he was winging it, especially in contrast to Romney's answer immediately afterwards. Romney has obviously done the homework on Michigan-specific issues that Thompson hasn't. This is pretty much exactly what we've come to expect." (John Tabin, "Notes On The Debate, One Quarter In," The American Spectator Blog, http://www.spectator.org, Posted 10/9/07)
Townhall's Hugh Hewitt: "Romney's Michigan-specific references underscore the roll-out of his campaign. The former Massachusetts' governor drilled into the woeful state of the Wolverine State's economy, its crushing tax burden, and his roots as a son of Michigan. That's a shrewd dual use of the debate format --advancing his national image while supporting his plans to win in Michigan after the Iowa and New Hampshire contests." (Hugh Hewitt, "The Debate," Townhall, http://hughhewitt.townhall.com, Posted 10/9/07)
MSNBC's Norah O'Donnell: "Mitt Romney was very strong on fiscal issues…" (MSNBC's "Hardball," 10/9/07)
Right Wing News's John Hawkins: "Mitt slices Rudy on the line item veto… Mitt always sounds so smooth when he talks and he emotes well… Mitt sounds good smacking around Ahmadinejad." (John Hawkins, "Liveblogging The Debate," Right Wing News Blog, http://www.rightwingnews.com/, Posted 10/9/07)
Hawkins: "Mitt sounds optimistic -- which is the right way to approach it." (John Hawkins, “Liveblogging The Debate,” Right Wing News Blog, http://www.rightwingnews.com/, Posted 10/9/07)
Hawkins: “Mitt should be talking health care all the time. It's a hot issue, he has done something with it before, and nobody else is addressing it very effectively.” (John Hawkins, “Liveblogging The Debate," Right Wing News Blog, http://www.rightwingnews.com/, Posted 10/9/07)
Wlady At AmSpec Blog: “Good for Romney to chide others for focusing on gloom and doom. Double good for looking forward to debating Hillary on the economy, given his career spent inside it." (Wlady Pleszczynski, “American Dream,” The American Spectator Blog, http://www.spectator.org, Posted 10/9/07)
CNBC’s Morris Reid: “I thought if anyone stood out it is probably Romney because he is the strongest on this.” (CNBC, “Your Money Your Vote,” 10/9/07)
RedState's Erick Erickson: “Great on Romney taking on Michigan's government! Well freakin' done!” (Erick Erickson, “The Michigan Debate,” Redstate Blog, http://www.redstate.com/stories/elections/2008/the_michigan_debate#comment-537606, Posted 10/9/07)
Real Clear Politics' Tom Bevan: "[Romney] appeared relaxed, confident, and in his element, probably as a result of being more less on his home turf in a forum that played to his strength as a business exec." (Tom Bevan, "Snap Impressions From The Debate," Real Clear Politics Blog, http://time-blog.com/real_clear_politics/, Posted 10/9/07)
Bevan: "[Romney] got off to a fast start with a good line about it being unacceptable that Michigan in undergoing a 'one-state recession' and had a sharp exchange [sic] with Rudy over the line item veto." (Tom Bevan, "Snap Impressions From The Debate," Real Clear Politics Blog, http://time-blog.com/real_clear_politics/, Posted 10/9/07)
