The republicans had yet another debate in SC last night. As usual, I can’t stomach watching them, and if the coverage is to be believed, this was the right choice. The worst aspects about SC were on display last night. This was an audience that loves violence and anyone that thinks otherwise is a pussy. Case in point, from Sullivan’s live-blogging:
Ron Paul gives his worst answer yet on war. I’m afraid he’s doing very poorly in this debate. A little rattled, a little meandering, somewhat off his game. Sad. Then Gingrich does off on Pakistan. He’s having a good debate. He knows in his bones how to rouse a Southern audience. And the Andrew Jackson “Kill Them” line really is the mantra of the Southern right. Killing is what they truly believe in. And Paul is able to stand up to the mob.
Read the piece in its entirety for a good account of the evening. One of Sullivan’s readers, echoing a point that cannot be made enough about today’s religious right (emphasis mine):
I tuned in for only one minute, then had to turn it off immediately. This is all I saw, and it was enough for this recovering Evangelical: They cheered Newt for his simplistic rule of “killing America’s enemies,” and they booed Ron Paul for his rational and Christian-minded rule of doing to our enemies nothing worse than what we would want done to us. What a sick, sad thing for Christians to ignore Jesus’ most basic and essential teaching.
Last Sullivan line, I promise:
We also had a strong endorsement of child labor, largely for African-Americans. I suspect that Santorum helped himself tonight, as did Perry a mite. Gingrich also showed his ability to reach the Southern vote, and Romney tried to fake it. Gingrich’s diatribe about blacks getting paychecks rather than food stamps earned him a standing ovation.
I still have some strange feeling that Romney is in trouble in this state. I’d be a fool to analyze this debate or its impact in South Carolina. But Newt’s solid racial dog whistles and constant support for violence and hatred of “elites” may well help him a lot.
Notice Gingrich doubling down on his “black people love them some food stamps” line?
Why is Paul talking about an “inflation tax”? The inflation rate is what, 3 percent? He sounds like an ideologue, by which I mean someone who is not going to let reality interfere with what he believes. He says we shouldn’t have an income tax at all. Well … that’s a position. But we are not going to have no income tax in this country, and it makes Paul look flaky to assert this.
Emphasis mine. This is probably the biggest reason I will never support Ron Paul.
Jonathan Bernstein thinks Romney is running for president, while the not-Romney’s are running for Fox News Host:
If this debate had been held back in September or October, Perry might well be on his way to a big win in South Carolina. He is now, like Gingrich and (sometimes) Santorum, completely Ready For Prime Time — as a Fox News personality. As a debater who has to slip questions and sneak in attack lines? None of them are particularly good at it. And so there was nothing to slow Romney’s march to a comfortable win on Saturday in South Carolina — and with it a lock on the nomination. Maybe something will change that, but it certainly didn’t happen tonight.
Goddard notes that the only way to win is by not playing:
And finally, Jon Huntsman had a good debate.
Kevin Drum notes Perry’s rediculousness:
Rick Perry declaring that “South Carolina is at war with this federal government.” Maybe not the best imagery to invoke in a debate being held 50 miles down the road from Fort Sumter, my friend.
At war with the Federal Government? Wow. Just, wow. I’d like to point out that in FY 2010, South Carolina received 8.3 billion dollars from the federal government, out of a state budget of 21.1 billion dollars. Thats 40%. So… can we have it back, please? I’d also like to point out that SC tried that once, and they still haven’t quite recovered.
520 Chestnut 
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