BREAKING NEWS: Rep. Debates on CNN

McCain just took a swipe at Romney pointing out that the newspapers in Romney's own state supported McCain over Romney....Romney had just gotten done take a swipe at McCain's record in the senate.

Ron Paul? I can't make out half of what he says.....I don't think he can either.
(quates are as close as I can get to an actual quote)
McCain: "Judge me by the company I keep"
Romney: "My predicessor in office is supporting you" "During my term in office we added jobs", "We raised fees $240million, because we didn't want to raise taxes" (Ginger's note: Fees are taxes just under a different name....its the difference between a tomato and a roma);

Huckabee: about Rush Limbaugh "I love Rush, he's a great voice for conservative values in America"; "I created the 'Tax Me More' Fund" (he must have stole this from Jesse Ventura who set up a simular fund for building a Twins' Stadium)

Romney: "Fees should be adjusted from time to time, if you have one that hasn't been raised for years should be adjusted for inflation"; passed legislation to cut state insurance to those without insurance--everyone;

Question about CA implimenting tougher restrictions for enviromental:

McCain: made joke about being in physical danger if he didn't agree; he applauds the governor of CA for standing up for greening his state; He believes in erring on the side of caution when it comes to enviroment/global warming; disagrees with the Bush administration on their stance on Global warming--he wants tougher stance; will not agree to any global agreement on emissions without having India and China sign as well. Wants nuclear power

Romney: agrees that each state has the right to set their own enviromental code; wants nuclear power; but believes setting caps on personal use would set a new tax on usage; thinks setting strong standards would send more businesses over sea

Huckabee: believes Arnold should go ahead and do it; the other states will get the businesses that he will chase out of CA;

Paul: arnold should do what he wants; property rights need to be emphasize (what the hell does that mean?)

What is the best way to stimulate the nation's economy?

Huckabee: Rebates are going to go to buy imports from China; he thinks we have a crumbling inferstructure and setting up widening roads will make jobs (?); Used the 35W & I95 problems to prove his point;

Romney: road project isn't going to stimulate the economy in the time frame the nation wants; money needs to be out there now (he doesn't seem to realize that the money won't be in people's hands until June)

Paul: cut spending is the best way to free up market (huh?);

Economy: Foreclosures up 75%, plans to help people with bad credit so they can keep their homes?

McCain: don't lend money to people who can't pay it back; need to look at how this mess happened in the first place so it doesn't happen again; mortgage should be 1 page; adjust the mortgages to better terms for those who thought the terms of their mortgage was different than it actually was (hello, its called reading your contract!); doesn't believe that recession is inevitable;

Tax cuts perminancy: did you vote against them because they were scewed to the wealthy or because they didn't come with spending cuts?

McCain: disagreed when spending got out of control, and tax cuts with out spending restraints; if we had done what he wanted to do, not only would they have had the restraints but they would have been able to make more cuts today; mentioned Reagan again.

Romney: mentioned Reagan; wants to get rates down; fed spending 60% for intitlements, 20% for military...but they won't touch the intitlements that will soon be 70% of the budget; wants to touch benefits of 20-40yr olds.

Illegal immigration: give citizenship only to those who came into the country legally?

Huckabee: border fence only way to stop illegal immigration; supreme court already answered this question; people who are here that they need to "go to the back of the line" before they can get citizenship;

Romney: (about deporting within 90 days); those who have come illegally-no amnesty; send home immediately unless they have kids in school...then they can stay until kids are out of school; free to get in line to get citizenship in fixed period of time;
(reporter asked this in response to statement he made on road, Romney did not remember making the statement)

Why is he flip=flopping on McCain's stance on ilegal immigration?

McCain: doesn't need to make statement because his original proposal will never come to a vote on the senate floor. Believes in prosectuting employers who hire illegals (by the sounds, even if they were fooled into thinking they were legal); secure the borders first; would not say if he would vote on his bill--just keot saying it would not be voted on.

Question from Reagan diary: Huckabee, was Sandra Day OConnor the right person for the job

Huckabee: not going to say that Reagan was wrong at the Reagan Library (where they are doing the debate); I am pro-life and value every human being, would make the decision

Paul: I wouldn't have appointed her, would have looked for a more strict constitutionalist.

McCain: proud of her as a fellow Arizonan; (named conservative judges)

Romney: Favor Scalia, Thomas, (named more judges)