Matt Lewis writes: “The only memorable exchange I can recall from tonight was the spat between Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul.” In that exchange, the GOP was summarized. Mike Huckabee represented all the other eight candidates (including Thompson) and Ron Paul represented the non-interventionist position held by so many great man before.
Debates like tonight’s truly prove the substantial differences among the candidates. Ron Paul was probably at his best! He was firm, filled with conviction, passionate, committed, bold, and faithful to the principles of the Constitution. I must admit that watching Fox News is one of the most torturous activities that I have ever endured, nevertheless, to see Ron Paul’s exchange with Huckabee was priceless.
Texas Rep. Ron Paul stirred much of the excitement of the evening, repeating his anti-war stance and getting into a sparring match with Huckabee over whether it’s time for the United States to leave Iraq.
“Going into Iraq and Afghanistan and threatening Iran is the worst thing we can do for our national security. I am less safe, the American people are less safe for this. It’s the policy that is wrong,” Paul said, adding that he disagrees with war supporters who warn against leaving prematurely.
“The people who say there will be a bloodbath are the ones who said it will be a cakewalk or it will be a slam dunk, and that it will be paid for by oil. Why believe them?” he asked.
In response, Huckabee said that the United States agreed before the war started that if they break Iraq, it must buy it.
“Congressman, whether or not we should have gone to Iraq is a discussion the historians can have, but we’re there. We bought it because we broke it. We’ve got a responsibility to the honor of this country and to the honor of every man and woman who has served in Iraq and ever served in our military to not leave them with anything less than the honor that they deserve,” Huckabee said.
Paul then responded: “The American people didn’t go in. A few people advising this administration, a small number of people called the neoconservatives hijacked our foreign policy. They’re responsible, not the American people.”
Huckabee retorted that the United States is one nation. “We can’t be divided. We have to be one nation, under God. That means if we make a mistake, we make it as a single country: the United States of America, not the divided states of America,” he said.
“No, when we make a mistake when we make a mistake, it is the obligation of the people, through their representatives, to correct the mistake, not to continue the mistake,” Paul replied. a
Thank you Congressman for teaching us.
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- See: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,295883,00.html (back)
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