Third GOP Debate Results

I just finished watching the 3rd GOP Debate results (which I was able to download from CNN's streaming media server) and was a bit disappointed. It seems that the mainstream media (or MSM, for those in-the-know) is content with focusing on Rudy McRomney for the most part. The questions were focused their way, providing them with the most opportunities to speak. It seems that a truly balanced debate would ask questions and allow each of the candidates to provide their responses in a regulated amount of time, instead of asking a question that only two or three candidates were allowed a response, especially when that focus was on the mainstream candidates.

In spite of that, I think Ron Paul presented himself very well in the questions that he was answered. And as I recall, he was the only candidate to receive audience applause after every single response that he presented.

My initial opinion after watching the debate was that Ron Paul (my favorite candidate) didn't have the opportunity, or didn't create the opportunity, that he had in the previous debates. He didn't seem to stand out. And as one of the second tier candidates (that is, one of the lesser-known candidates among the general population), he really needs to make himself notices.

I thought his performance was only mediocre. And while I don't think performance in a debate is any guage at how well he'll do as President (I still believe that he's by far the best candidate and would make the best President that we've seen in the last 100 years), I think performance is important for someone that the general population responds by name to as, "Who?"

After viewing the debate, I headed over to CNN's website to view their "Scorecard" to see how well Ron Paul did against the other candidates. The sites generally have polls that they've conducted that allow people to provide their votes on who they think won the competition.

And to my surprise, it appears that I completely misjudged Dr. Paul's performance, as CNN viewers thought he did very well.

Then it occurred to me; I've been listening to Ron Paul's message of freedom for so long that I must be desensitized to its impact. To most people, the idea of a federal government that follows its oath to uphold the Constitution must be so profound.

As I have no idea how long CNN will make their poll results available on their site, I've decided to capture the images of their graphs. These images are as of about 1:50am Eastern Time, almost five hours after the debate (which means that most of the votes that will be cast have already been cast).

"1) Who do you think won the debate?" This, I believe, is the overall most important questions.

"2) Who seemed to know most about the issues?"

"3) Who had the best one-liner or comeback?"

"5) Whose performance was most surprising?"

"6) Whose campaign got the biggest boost from the debate?"

"7) Who was the snappiest dresser?" (I have to agree with this one, I think Mitt Romney was dressed pretty well).

You may have noticed that I left out question number four. That's because this is a question that you don't want to receive votes on. The questions is "Who had the most disappointing performance at the debate?" That honor went to Rudy Giuliani.
CommentsAdd Comment

Posted by: Michael
06/08/2007 1:51pm

Those results are astounding!
Posted by: nobody
07/21/2007 6:12am

Those results are astounding. So astounding that I wondered if someone on a Ron Paul message board told everyone else on the message board, "Hey go vote for Ron" before anyone else noticed the poll even existed.

The pics of the poll above had about 6000 voters total, this one has about 80,000, with Ron still doing astoundingly well in the poll.

<Those results are astounding. So astounding that I wondered if someone on a Ron Paul message board told everyone else on the message board, "Hey go vote for Ron" before anyone else noticed the poll even existed.>

I thought the same thing. But I'm a fairly active Ron Paul supporter.. I voted for him in this poll right after watching the debate, and I read all sorts of Ron Paul news and message boards daily; but I don't recall seeing any direction from anyone to vote in this poll.

I think one of the main reasons Ron Paul does so well online is because he's hugely popular online, his message is primarily being spread online, and therefore his supporters are generally more tech-savvy.

<The pics of the poll above had about 6000 voters total,>

I copied it from CNN's website several hours after the debate took place, thinking that CNN would take it down shortly after seeing a large response in Ron Paul's favor (as many in the mainstream media have).

<this one has about 80,000, with Ron still doing astoundingly well in the poll.>