Perhaps Warming Up to Ron Paul

Tonight’s Republican Presidential debate in Ames was, of course, little more than glossy dinner theater wrapped in the flannel shawl of politics. Heck, it was run by Fox News. Nevertheless, it gave us some clue as to the intentions and character of our possible nominees.  Some of it came as a surprise.

In short, Ron Paul rocked the house. We’re talking Hendrix at Woodstock, folks. All the man needed was a bottle of Zippo fluid and a Fender Strat.

The most interesting dynamic was the running academic debate between him and Rick Santorum on constitutional limits. I disagree with Paul vehemently on his blanket hostility to the 14th Amendment, but I sure wouldn’t have to debate it with the guy in person. Though he comes across as a little nervy, Paul is capable of delivering complex concepts in layman’s terms, and doing so with real fire. The crowd responded to him, in approval and not, more vocally than they did for any of the other candidates.

All of which made Santorum’s dust-ups with Michelle Bachmann seem petty and disappointing. The two locked horns over who was the bigger “conservative.” I suppose it’s time for them to repay the Tea Party political capital.

They both signed on to the wretched Family Leader pledge, and as such, I have no use for either.  Amending the Constitution to assuage the moral strictures of a narrow voting block is something the founders would have found utterly repugnant, and it’s certainly not something on which we need to be wasting the country’s time or energy at this point.  It’s certainly not going to impress moderates.

(I did find it odd that Santorum criticized Iran as a country that “tramples on the rights of women, tramples on the rights of gays.”)

On the whole, Santorum didn’t seem to understand simple debate rules.  The reason we have the buzzer is to remind the candidate that his time is up, and that he should kindly shut up and let someone else speak.  He came across as strident and testy, and he generally didn’t handle himself well at all.  How’s this guy going to respond to real pressure?

Bachmann came across as vague and glassy-eyed, and I’m not sure why she left the stage at one point.  Tim Pawlenty needs to find a suit that fits.  He also needs to lay off the Moral Majority demagoguery.  This has always been the Republican party’s blind spot, and they need to mind it this time around.

Mitt Romney had a melodious voice and the hair of a freshly-groomed pony, but I really don’t remember anything of substance coming from him.  John Hunstman had the manner of a cornered animal the whole time, and I lost count of how many times he insisted he was “running on my record.”  I can research a candidate’s past; I need to know what he plans for the future.  He was insubstantial on that point.

I’m not sure why Mr. “We Won’t Have to Sit in the Back of Air Force One” Gingrich still considers himself relevant, but he doesn’t help himself by claiming that every third question is a “gotcha.”

Herman Cain was good.  Not quite Hendrix, but at least Frampton at Winterland.  He came across as more civilized, patient, and polished than anyone else on the stage.  “Poise” would be the word.  I don’t recall him dissembling at any point, nor did anything seem to catch him by surprise.

I don’t know if he’s electable, or if he should be.  His strengths may very well be squandered in the Oval Office, but any future President would be well advised to place this man high in his councils.  It’s also worth noting that Cain was the only person to finish his closing statement in the allotted time.

One of the most tempestuous exchanges regarded Iran.  Most candidates suggested aggressive sanctions.  Paul rejected the idea, pointing out that sanctions have almost always been a prelude to open warfare.  He suggested free trade as an effective diplomatic tool, to which Santorum remarked that Paul was “seeing the world as Barack Obama does.”  Wrong answer, Rick.  That’s another chip up the nose.

Paul wisely retorted that the Soviet Union held us at the brink of nuclear war for nearly 50 years, yet we still pursued diplomacy with them.  In the end, an expanded free market was one of the contributing factors to its dissolution.

Cain suggested that, by developing energy independence, we could remove one of Iran’s greatest bargaining chips.  Keeping our side of the street clean?  That’s a novel concept, though it might have been lost in the din of “look how conservative I am” chest-pounding.

Word of advice to all parties concerned:  we know the Obama administration has been a disaster.  You don’t need to keep reminding us.  Potshots at the guy may earn a few cheers from the rafters in a debate, but keep pushing, and the public will start noticing that the Republicans share some blame for many of of our current problems.

Of course, Rick Perry is the 800lb gorilla in the living room, and he hasn’t taken the stage yet.  He could change the whole dynamic, and he might just be our guy.

After all, the man sold millions of albums and brought joy to millions as the lead singer for Journey.  Nobody rocked the mullet like Rick Perry, and as he runs for the office of the leader of the free world, he deserves our undivided attention.