GOP Debate More of Same; Perry Takes a Beating, Bachmann Becomes Non-Issue

COMMENTARY | The GOP debate in Orlando, Fla., Thursday showed more of the same from Republican candidates, with Mitt Romney showing cool composure while pointing out disconnects in some of Rick Perry's previous statements and the policy opinions he is trying to project during the campaign. As the campaign progresses, all the candidates are going on the defensive in response to the media's criticism over some slightly outrageous comments. The debate was sponsored jointly by FOX News and Google, both of which had logos displayed prominently on the bright blue backdrop.

Perry's sordid comments about Social Security being unconstitutional were once again a target for Romney's apparent campaign strategy of making the Texas governor look unpolished. It is unlikely Perry knew he would be running for president over a year ago when he penned his infamous book, but the printed version of Perry's radical views that may have appealed to right-wing pundits is the perfect, easily citable ammunition for political opponents. If Perry cannot prove he is capable of explaining or disagreeing with some of his statements, he will be a liability for the GOP in a general election; most Republican Party leaders know this.

An earlier snafu from Michele Bachmann in which she claimed that the HPV vaccine causes mental retardation is causing her similar problems. Bachmann brushes off questions like she never said anything remotely close to what she's accused of, but a quick search of YouTube will prove that, while misconstrued, her comments were probably aimed at attacking Perry and nothing more.

She has already claimed the title of the "new Sarah Palin," an association that is as detrimental as any other possible comparison to a past GOP hopeful. Hillary Clinton will always look like the most viable female president as long as the GOP keeps the more intelligent and opinionated of the fairer sex behind the scenes.

Interestingly enough, poll results on KYFO's website, an AM radio station that features right-wing slant, is currently showing Ron Paul as the proposed winner with 36.06 percent of respondents in favor. Romney comes in a close second with 30.91 percent saying they thought he won the debate and Rick Perry way back in third with 9.26 percent of the vote. Bachmann was dead last with 2.33 percent of the vote.

The biggest straightforward criticism of Paul is in response to his comments that a fence along the U.S. and Mexican border could one day be used to keep Americans in. Instead of reversing his opinion, Paul masterfully changed the associated risk to currency smuggling out of the country.

At this point anyone who watched one of the initial debates or sparingly followed news coverage knows about all the debate-worthy issues and the slip-ups that are used time and time again to discredit the unlucky candidates who let their mouths outrun their brains. In Iowa the characters were new, the stories were fresh and the time for a Republican candidate to emerge was never more appropriate.

In Orlando the faces aren't fresh, the stories are old, and thanks to the negative campaigning the majority of candidates look like nut jobs who spout off at the mouth more often than Bill O'Reilly.

One bright spot was the introduction of New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson. While he may not be a likely candidate come November, his one-liners directed at Democrats are a refreshing change from more political cannibalism on the part of the Republicans. At one point Johnson said, "My next-door neighbor's two dogs have created more shovel-ready jobs than this current administration." It left me wondering what Fido and Lassie can do for our mounting debt.