The Cain-Gingrich Debate

[Geee]

Human Events:

On Saturday night, Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich sat down for what was billed as a “Lincoln-Douglas style debate,” hosted by the Texas Patriots PAC and covered by CSPAN. The candidates would be given ample time to respond in depth to questions about reform of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.

As it turned out, Cain and Gingrich had substantially fewer disagreements than Lincoln and Douglas did. In fact, they had only minor differences of opinion on how to go about implementing their reforms. Both were firmly in agreement on the importance of block-granting Medicaid funds to the states, abolishing ObamaCare in favor of market-based health care reforms, and providing a way for younger workers to opt out of Social Security and into privately owned accounts. Cain, of course, believes Social Security privatization will require his 999 Plan as a runway in order to achieve takeoff, as the 999 Plan does away with payroll taxes.

Neither candidate began a response with an express or implied cry of “You’re wrong!” or engage in the sort of verbal frenzy that ends with heated accusations about the sinister forces providing Mitt Romney with lawn care services. These two were so collegial that I couldn’t help thinking they’d look great on a ticket together. Cain had the most riotously funny line of the evening when, given an opportunity to ask a single question of his opponent, he thought for a moment and inquired: “If you were Vice President of the United States, what would you want the President to assign you to do first?”

There might not have been any strenuous disagreements between Cain and Gingrich, but there was a significant contrast in style. Gingrich was far better prepared with facts, policy specifics, and knowledge of political history. Cain actually took a mulligan when presented with a question about defined benefit contributions, asking Gingrich to go first while he put his own thoughts together.

Gingrich cheerfully obliged, continuing his policy of competing without trying to destroy the other GOP candidates. At the Reagan Dinner in Des Moines, Iowa last night, which Cain did not attend, Gingrich made a terrific statement: “I am here with very fine competitors, but no opponents. We only have one opponent, and that’s Barack Obama.” He conducted himself in a similar manner during his appearance with Cain in Texas.

Gingrich always rolls into a speech or debate with a couple of Big Ideas he wants to emphasize, plus a pile of more specific proposals he tosses out like Halloween candy. For example, in the midst of discussing health-care reform, he floated the idea that doctors could be given tax credit for providing properly-documented charity services, as a far more efficient method of ensuring health care for the poor than the current bureaucratic nightmare, and the even greater ObamaCare horrors to come.

[Valin]

Geee

 

Cain actually took a mulligan when presented with a question about defined benefit contributions, asking Gingrich to go first while he put his own thoughts together.

 

That actually impressed me. How many times have we seen a pol. answer a question without having thought it out? Then the next have to say I didn't say what you thought I said...here's what I really said.

 

Gingrich lapses a bit too easily into Professor Newt mode, which would have been less of a problem forty years ago, when voters had longer attention spans.

 

This is exactly one of the things I like about Newt. His assumption that we the great unwashed really do want to know/learn about this, if it is put in the right way.

 

Cain conducts himself precisely as one would expect, given his background. He’s a top-level manager who has put together a list of programs he believes will address major problems in a large organization.

 

Here we see the differences in style based on their background. One is a CEO and the other is a teacher. Newt is an idea guy...ie here's is what we need to do..A. B. C. Herman is a guy who can take those ideas and say here's how we can implement them.

They complement each other IMO.

 

 

The big winner? Anyone who watches this. Rewatch it here

[nickydog]

Yay! Thank you, Valin. I will come back to this later today.