SIMI VALLEY, Calif. - Much of the attention in the race for the Republican presidential nomination has narrowed to Arizona Sen. John McCain and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, apparently irking rivals former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Texas Rep. Ron Paul.
As McCain and Romney stressed their conservative credentials at a debate Wednesday night at the Ronald Reagan presidential library, Huckabee tried to get a word in — and Paul interjected, too, both with little success.
“There are a number of pieces of legislation where his views are out of the mainstream, at least in my view, of conservative Republican thought,” Romney said, chastizing McCain for his initial support for giving amnesty to illegal immigrants and opposing drilling for oil in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge.
McCain shot back that Romney raised taxes as governor and the state saw large manufacturing jobs disappear. “I’m proud of my conservative record. It’s one of reaching across the aisle to get things done for Americans,” McCain said.
When Huckabee was asked a different question, he tried to steer the conversation back to highlight his conservative credentials.
“You want to talk conservative credentials? Let me get in on that,” Huckabee said, and then described his opposition to abortion and gay rights. After McCain and Romney clashed bitterly over the Iraq war, Huckabee said: “I didn’t come here to umpire a ballgame between these two.”
“Governor Huckabee, we’re going to shower you with questions now,” moderator Janet Hook of the Los Angeles Times said.
It didn’t make much difference, and he was soon complaining he had not been showered with questions. “I’m going to make sure I get a little time here.”
Paul, who has not won any of the early primary contests but still has raised millions of dollars from supporters, was not able to detail his credentials. “I would like to take one minute, since I didn’t get a chance to answer this discussion on conservative versus liberal,” he said.
Moderator Anderson Cooper promised him he would have an opportunity later. But it never came.
Click here for more Reuters 2008 campaign coverage.
- Additional reporting by Claudia Parsons
- Photo credit: Reuters/Danny Moloshok
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Dear CNN,
I just blocked/terminated your channel on my TV so no one in my family can be exposed your pathetic biased views. I did the same with FOX a while back. You people are totally UN AMERICAN and DISGRACEFUL!
Who the Hell do you think you are dealing with here?? We are the people that allow you in our homes. Not anymore for this household.
What goes around comes around, and your day is coming, cause, the “BIG GUY” does see all.
Disappointed to say the least. How do you explain this to your children?
- Posted by GaryI watched the “debate” and I so wanted Dr. Paul and Mr. Huckabee to get up and walk off the stage. I will vote for Dr. Ron Paul and am doing everything I possibly can to spread his message.
- Posted by Shirley StarlingI did a word count on the transcript. Cooper spoke more than Paul…. a debate? I thought CNN was a bit better than fox - guess not. I now have no reason for cable television.
- Posted by AnonymousExcellent post Robert!
- Posted by ChristineTonight they are excluding another candidate Mike Gravel on the democratic debate and as a Ron Paul supporter I feel their pain. Only 7 states have have a chance to have their voices heard and the last I knew we had 50. This country was built upon free speech and that made it a great nation. Ron Paul is against regulating the internet Thank God they haven’t been able to do that yet or we truly would be in the dark.
If Ron Paul does not win the Republican Nomination, I will vote Democrat. I swear.
And also, from this point on, I refuse to watch CNN or Fox News.
- Posted by FelixCNN is a joke. Anderson Cooper is CIA.
- Posted by Andy WhiteDespite the recent/ previous/ permanent media slant to establishment ideas, Dr. Ron Paul manages to get the word out with consistant, calm common sense. I hope Americans throughout this nation come to realize the need for reflection on our actions of our government. The need to hold them accountable for deceiving the Country. For bankrupting the Country. The need for Peace.
- Posted by DreamwhileyousleepAnderson Cooper - You have failed the people again.Whay are you even considered a relative host to any debate.The news media is becoming the next late night comedy show!
- Posted by JimI was pretty dissapointed with this debate last night, from the start they said that there would be no time limits or green lights, etc. However once anyone other than mccain/romney started to speak londer than a minute they were cut off so anouther question could be asked of the favorites.
I don;t see the point of watching the debates anymore, it used to be a forum to here the opposing views of all the candidates and allowing the common person the ability to decide the most qualified among them. The only thing i have seen at this debate are the mainstream candidates that are always in the news anyway and frankly I am tired of listening to Mccain talk about how he is the best tax cutter, or bring up his POW experience, and romney talking about his experience in the private sector, how about explaining how you would actually cut spending or something? I’m sorry but the first two questions romney and mccain both spoke for like 5 minutes (seemed like 15) and then ron paul gets 30 seconds before getting cut off, and then during the comercial break the lady read emails wanting to know why he didn;t get equal time but she didn’t comment on them. why should i watch any more of these debates?
- Posted by chadI too, have noticed that Dr. Ron Paul has not been give air/T.V. equal time. It was all too evident in the Republican debates. The news media is controlling and guiding as to who is getting elected.
An Ohio study costing two million dollars has shown that touch screen voting can be manipulated by software. Who knows that there is not voting fraud going on now in the primaries and in the
national election?
Even in New Hampshire seals on boxes were broken open to insert paper ballots, according to those who research these voting matters. There are vidios of the boxes.
- Posted by Dr. RayI used to be a fan of Anderson Cooper 360 but there is no way in the world that I will watch him after last night’s debacle of a debate. I can’t even look at him. What a joke. Why invite 4 people when you were clearly set on only questioning 2. I wonder how he feels knowing how many people saw this sham of a debate? If he has any self awareness he should know what a low life he is.
- Posted by LeeI think we may be missing the point when it comes to the mainstream media. We focus on their ignoring of Ron Paul and their support of the “front runners”. The point that we need to highlight is their rejection of the message of the platform of the Ron Paul movement. The alphabet soup of news organizations in their neglect of Dr Paul show their obvious rejection of the very views that the revolution supports. They are rejecting the return of freedom for the American people, they reject the overthrowing of the yoke of the central banks, they reject the right of Americans to self determination in the face of globalism, they reject the right of the individual to competent non intrusive health care, they are rejecting the very rights given to Americans from every founding father and every fighting veteran that every laid their life liberty and sacred honor on the truths defined within our Constitution. They have forfeited their time honored duty to be the fourth estate within the balance of power that made this country great. They in their obvious attempt to define what is news and what isn’t make a conscious decision to not question the abuse of power of the branches of government and perform true investigative journalism and prefer instead to waste our time with what is happening to a lost fame damaged Britney Spears. In their unholy quest in pursuit of the love of money they have sacrificed their trust for corporate monetary gain. They have shown that they cannot be trusted and are nothing more than the propaganda arm of the global elite. How then do we fight this? WE do it by talking to our families, by talking to our neighbors, by talking to our co-workers, by talking to strangers. We do it by standing up and being heard. We do it by overcoming the apathy that has gripped political freedom in this country since Nov 22 1963. We have lived a lifetime passively accepting the loss of our freedoms. We must regain the courage to believe and insist on the freedoms that so many great Americans have given their last full measure of devotion to ensure. We are in a struggle with the MSM to deliver the truth we start by exposing them for what they are.
- Posted by RobertI really hope America; especially Americans wake up and realize that if they continue to support the same “Cheap Heat” politics, America will suffer greater than any one person could imagine.
A new voice for the people – Ron Paul; Ron Paul the next US President!
- Posted by ChadYou the mass media are the real enemies of freedom. How you conducted the “debate” was a disgrace. You censor what you don’t like. I went to Ron Paul’s website (www.ronpaul2008.com) and read up on him. I see why he is being mistreated by the mass media because he is the only honest and principled candidate. Ron Paul, you have my vote. Anyone who doubts the honesty of Dr. Paul, Google his name, read about him and bypass the mass media. We need to take our country back from forces of corruption.
- Posted by RichI didn’t like McCain before, but now after last night I can stand him. The goofy leers and the funny faces he made at the others, particularly when Ron Paul spoke were disgraceful. Mr McCain
- Posted by Tomyou “compassionate” war monger open borders globlist liberal, please get off the stage.
Ever one write in and complain to CNN about the unfair debate and the horrible job Anderson Cooper did in moderating it!!! Here is the link to file a complaint. http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form4. html?5
Tell them how you feel about Ron Paul and Mick Huckabee being completely ignored and how undemocratic it is.
Lets bombard CNN with complaints!!!
- Posted by NathanI just want to say no matter what happens, next novermber, I will be voting for Ron Paul. Even if it doesn’t count I will be writing his name in. I think we should all do it. How many of us know, that if there is another candidate there will be no change. Yes that include’s obama, sorry rock supporters. I refuse to vote for the lesser evil, my vote will be for Ron Paul.
- Posted by Bee-radNow, I’m not all that concerned about Ron Paul, because his views are way off the Republican base, and he appeals to alot of extremist, conspirary theorists, but I do have to say you could have atleast allowed him to finish his sentences. You were SOO rude CNN… to Ron Paul and Mike Huckabee it’s disgusting! You have made a VERY bad name for yourself that most of America will stop watching your broadcasts unless you change the way you do things!
- Posted by TriciaAs annoying as an NFL official can be, while interrupting the flow of a good game, we all still respect the importance of rules. Evidently, the same should hold true of a political debate as we can attest to in last night’s debate, a debate that was billed as having “no rules” and no clock. A “no rules” debate is just an elusive means for the media to “make the rules up as they go” so they can take the liberty to dictate their own political preferences, bias beliefs and ideological agenda on the American people.
Wow! The word propaganda comes to mind.
- Posted by MarkWhat I saw in the Republican debate was shameful for this country and a total disrespect for two candidates. Why did Anderson Cooper only directed questions to those two (McCain and Romney). CNN should do something about this, or do they support such actions?
- Posted by Gilbert