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Location: Washington, United States

Hi everyone, I'm Nick. I'm a 20 year-old college student in Washington state, looking to major in political science and minor in finance. I currently attend community college but am planning on transferring to the University of Washington.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

The Best Debate So Far

I think Mitt Romney helped himself out the most after this debate, with Giuliani and McCain following closely behind. Romney's answers on taxes, spending, the war, facing Hillary Clinton, and his faith were all top notch. After watching his performance, I feel much more comfortable in potentially voting for him than I have in the past.

Giuliani was solid again, as usual, but I'm not sure it will be enough to propel him to victory on the 29th. He didn't go on the attack, as many pundits thought he might, but instead remained positive and showcased his background and results. His answer about how he believes that he'll share the same fate as the NY Giants did against the Patriots last week was well received by the audience.

John McCain also had a solid night, but I don't believe he said or did anything that will significantly help or hurt him next Tuesday. Hist most memorable moment came when he praised Giulaini for being an "American hero" after Brian Williams read a scathing NY Times editorial about the former mayor. If Frank Luntz would have been charting the responses of a live focus group, his scores in that moment would have been off the charts. I also found McCain's response about Sylvester Stallone beating up Chuck Norris to be very funny. His weakest moments came when discussing the economy and also when he said that one of the biggest concerns of conservatives is global warming. I don't think that resonated with "the base" at all.
Mike Huckabee also did well, and gave some good answers, but he'll more than likely still come in fourth in Florida. His best chance to secure his spot as the frontrunner was in South Carolina, but obviously, it didn't happen for him. I think the time has come for him to start considering how much longer he can be a viable candidate for the nomination.

Overall, it was by far the best debate that I've seen since the race for the nomination began. The questions were solid, the answers were solid, and I believe that the viewers got the best glimpse so far into the ideals, the values, and the beliefs of each candidate. Floridans really do have a tough decision to make when they go to cast their ballots next Tuesday, and it will be interesting to see what happens.

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