What They're Saying About John McCain At The Florida GOP Debate
"John McCain is showing the feisty, maverick spirit he has always been known for. It was on clear display tonight. What a night!" -- CBN's David Brody
McCain Earns "Standing Ovation," With "The Best Line Of The Campaign So Far" -- "Thank God John McCain Is In This Race"
Watch John McCain's Line On Hillary Clinton's Woodstock Museum: "I Was Tied Up At The Time"
National Review's Kathryn Jean Lopez: "A Standing Ovation. McCain Is On. McCain Could Be The Comeback Man Yet." (Kathryn Jean Lopez, "McCain's Maturity," National Review's "The Corner" Blog, 10/21/07)
<!--[if !supportLists]-->· Lopez: "Wow! ... John McCain Is Mixing It Up Man. No Holds Barred. He Went To Orlando Tonight To FIGHT." (Kathryn Jean Lopez, "Wow!" National Review's "The Corner" Blog, 10/21/07)<!--[endif]-->
The American Spectator's Philip Klein: "McCain Brought Down The House By Referencing Hillary Wanting To Give Money For A Woodstock Museum -- 'I Was Tied Up At The Time.' Even His Opponents Applauded." "But McCain brought down the house by referencing Hillary wanting to give money for a Woodstock museum -- 'I was tied up at the time.' Even his opponents applauded." (Philip Klein, "Hitting Hillary," American Spectator Blog, 10/21/07)
<!--[if !supportLists]-->· Klein: "McCain Showed A Mixture Of Maturity, Experience And Good Humor ..." (Philip Klein, "Debate Wrap," American Spectator Blog, 10/21/07)<!--[endif]-->
National Review's Jim Geraghty: "Thank God John McCain Is In This Race." (Jim Geraghty, "Thank God John McCain Is In This Race," National Review's "Campaign Spot" Blog, 10/21/07)
Geraghty: McCain "Gets A Standing Ovation. Best Line Of The Campaign So Far." "'Hillary tried to get a million dollars for the Woodstock museum. I understand it was a major cultural and pharmaceutical event. I couldn't attend. I was tied up at the time.' It gets a standing ovation. Best line of the campaign so far." (Jim Geraghty, "Thank God John McCain Is In This Race," National Review's "Campaign Spot" Blog, 10/21/07)
ABC News' Bret Hovell: "The Republicans Have Been United About Hillary, But They Were Just United About McCain Too." "ABC's Bret Hovell picks up on the standing ovation McCain got for the 'tied up' line. It also earned him applause from his colleagues on the stage. Hovell: 'The Republicans have been united about Hillary, but they were just united about McCain too.'" (Rick Klein, "Live-Blogging During Tonight's GOP Debate," ABC News' "Political Radar" Blog, 10/21/07)
Time's Ana Marie Cox: "McCain Isn't Bringing It On, It Has Already Been Broughten." (Ana Marie Cox, "Liveblogging: The Orlando Oral Exam," Time's "Swampland" Blog, 10/21/07)
Cox: "McCain Had The Best Line ..." (Ana Marie Cox, "Liveblogging: The Orlando Oral Exam," Time's "Swampland" Blog, 10/21/07)
Politico's Jonathan Martin: "A Great Moment For McCain ... It May Be The Line Of The Night." "A Great Moment For McCain ... It may be the line of the night. McCain, on why he didn't attend Woodstock: 'I was tied up at the time.' Loud applause soon followed, McCain couldn't resist a smile, knowing he got off a gem, and the entire audience soon stood up to show their appreciation for the former POW." (Jonathan Martin, "A Great Moment For McCain," Politico, 10/21/07)
The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder: "John McCain -- The Only Standing Ovation Belonged To Him For His Classic Line About Hillary Clinton's Woodstock Museum Earmark ... Substantively, He Was Crisp And Detailed." "John McCain -- the only standing ovation belonged to him for his classic line about Hillary Clinton's Woodstock museum earmark: 'I'm sure it was an historical and pharmaceutical event... I was tied up at the time.' He tried hard -- at times too hard -- to rise above his opponents, talking just a little too slowly and softly at times. Substantively, he was crisp and detailed." (Marc Ambinder, "The Republican Debate: First Take," The Atlantic Blog, 10/21/07)
The Wall Street Journal's Susan Davis: It Was "McCain's Moment" At Tonight's Debate, "Earning ... The Longest Sustained Applause So Far And A Standing Ovation." "Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.) had a hit at tonight's debate in Florida, earning him the longest sustained applause so far and a standing ovation. Casting himself against Democratic frontrunner Sen. Hillary Clinton, McCain noted Clinton's support of a $1 million earmark for a museum celebrating 1960's music festival Woodstock -- which the Senate stripped out of a spending bill last week. A long-time opponent of earmarks, McCain deftly used the earmark to contrast himself against Clinton. 'Now my friends, I wasn't there. I'm sure it was a cultural and pharmaceutical event. I was tied up at the time,' he said to raucous applause. At the time of the famous 1969 music festival, McCain was a prisoner of war in Vietnam, from 1967-1973. 'But my friends, no one can be president of the United States that can support projects like these.'" (Susan Davis, "McCain's Moment," The Wall Street Journal Online, 10/21/07)
Power Line Blog's Scott Johnson: McCain Had "The Best Line Of The Campaign So Far." "McCain seemed to me to get in the best line of the campaign so far: 'In case you missed it, a few days ago Senator Clinton tried to spend one million dollars on the Woodstock concert museum. Now, my friends, I wasn't there. I'm sure it was a major cultural and pharmaceutical event. I was tied up at the time.' That line deserves an entry in Bartlett's." (Scott Johnson, "Best Line Of The Campaign So Far," Power Line Blog, 10/21/07)
National Review: "GREAT Line By McCain. Also, Showing Some Gravitas Relative To Most Everybody Else On The Stage." "'I would much rather lose a campaign than lose a war.' GREAT line by McCain. Also, showing some gravitas relative to most everybody else on the stage." ("McCain Showing More Signs Of Life," National Review's "The Corner" Blog, 10/21/07)
New Hampshire Green Mountain Politics Blog: McCain's Line Was The "The Moment Of The Night. John McCain Is An American Hero And The Candidate Most Qualified To Be President In 2008. Period. End Of Story." (Clacker, "I Was Tied Up At The Time," Green Mountain Politics Blog, 10/21/07)
Townhall's Matt Lewis: "Tonight, John McCain 'The Statesman' Showed Up." "Tonight, John McCain 'the Statesman' showed up. He was energetic enough to show his virility, yet calm enough to demonstrate gravitas. He did a terrific job of balancing humor with seriousness, and his classy brand of humor served to underscore his serious points." (Matt Lewis, "GOP Candidates Mix-It-Up," Townhall, 10/21/07)
Lewis: "It Feels Like John McCain Is 'On' Tonight." (Matt Lewis, "GOP Candidates Mix-It-Up," Townhall, 10/21/07)
Lewis: "John McCain Is Coming On Strong Tonight ..." "John McCain is coming on strong tonight, too. He seems to be finally making the case in a very eloquent way that his background qualifies him to be president." (Matt Lewis, "GOP Candidates Mix-It-Up," Townhall, 10/21/07)
NBC's Domenico Montanaro: "McCain Throwing It Out There ... Very Aggressive For Sure." (Domenico Montanaro, "McCain Throwing It Out There," NBC's First Read Blog, 10/21/07)
The American Spectator's Jennifer Rubin: "McCain Is On His Game." (Jennifer Rubin, "Debate 3," American Spectator Blog, 10/21/07)
Rubin: "McCain Is Just A Delight -- Funny (OK Hysterical) And A Real Grown Up." (Jennifer Rubin, "Another Break," American Spectator Blog, 10/21/07)
"Plain And Simple, McCain Won" Tonight's Debate, Showing "Feisty, Maverick Spirit He Has Always Been Known For ... What A Night!"
Ankle Biting Pundits' Bull Dog Pundit: "Plain And Simple, McCain Won. ... One Word Sums Up His Performance -- 'Presidential.'" "Plain and simple, McCain won. ... One word sums up his performance -- 'Presidential.' That doesn't mean I agree with him on everything, but the man seems to be ready for the job and understands its enormity. He was especially strong discussing the real problems of the health care system, and what would happen if the Democrats take it over. I especially liked how he diffused the issue of his problems with Jerry Falwell. And let's be honest -- if there's a foreign policy crisis - who else would you want in office?" (Bull Dog Pundit, "The GOP Debate -- The Best So Far," Ankle Biting Pundits Blog, 10/21/07)
National Review's Kathryn Jean Lopez: "Who Won? ... John McCain." (Kathryn Jean Lopez, "Who Won?" National Review's "The Corner" Blog, 10/21/07)
Lopez: "McCain Had A Great Night." (Kathryn Jean Lopez, "The Winner, Full Answer," National Review's "The Corner" Blog, 10/21/07)
CBN's David Brody: "John McCain Is Showing The Feisty, Maverick Spirit He Has Always Been Known For. It Was On Clear Display Tonight. What A Night!" "Then McCain got a rare standing ovation at the debate with this funny line that wrapped Hillary Clinton, wasteful spending and his time as a POW all in one. ... It was a masterful line. John McCain is showing the feisty, maverick spirit he has always been known for. It was on clear display tonight. What a night!" (David Brody, "Brody File Reaction To GOP Debate," CBN's Brody File Blog, 10/21/07)
Eye On '08's Soren Dayton: "McCain Wins The Debate ... Clearly Moved The Ball." "McCain Wins The Debate ... Well, McCain's lines dominated the narrative ... My hunch is that McCain wins. ... On a deeper level, McCain clearly moved the ball." (Soren Dayton, "McCain Wins The Debate," Eye On '08 Blog, 10/21/07)
Power Line Blog's Paul Mirengoff: "The Other Major Winner Was John McCain. McCain Brought The House Down When He Criticized Hillary Clinton For Supporting The Woodstock Memorial Museum." "The other major winner was John McCain. McCain brought the house down when he criticized Hillary Clinton for supporting the Woodstock memorial museum. McCain acknowledged that Woodstock must have been 'a cultural and pharmaceutical event,' but noted that he couldn't make it because he 'was tied up at the time.' McCain got off another great line when asked if President Bush had been naive when it came to Vladimir Putin. McCain said he didn't know about that, but when he (McCain) looked into Putin's eyes (he probably meant to say soul) he saw three letters, K-G-B. In addition to the one-liners, McCain gave sensible and concise answers on a range of issues." (Paul Mirengoff, "A Sleeping Giant Wakes Up," Power Line Blog, 10/21/07)
National Review's Kate O'Beirne: "Experience In Foreign Affairs Shows And McCain Just Showed It." (Kate O'Beirne, "Sober And Fluid," National Review's "The Corner" Blog, 10/21/07)
Orlando Sentinel's Scott Maxwell: "McCain Had A Good Night. He Sounded Confident And Classy ..." "McCain had a good night. He sounded confident and classy -- and like he knew what he was talking about on most every issue ... which is something that can't be said for everyone." (Scott Maxwell, "Winners And Losers," Orlando Sentinel Blog, 10/21/07)
