MSNBC held a Republican Presidential debate tonight. No kidding. Did anyone watch? The five remaining Republican candidates did little attacking, so it was boring compared to the Democratic debate on CNN the other night. This debate was like a Church service and the Democratic debate was more like watching Ultimate Fighters go after each other in the octagon.

Here are my observations:

Mike Huckabee: I like Mike. I like his passion for his faith and he seems more ‘blue collar” than the other contenders. He is lacking funds and this may end his participation. Huckabee has a bright future, but probably not as President in 2009. He is always strong in debates.

Rudy Giuliani: Rudy, what could have been? Rudy may have made a tactical mistake in waiting for Florida to play. His campaign manager will probably never work in that capacity again. He may do better in Florida since many folks already voted before McCain hit his stride. A first or a close second in Florida keeps him alive. Rudy probably finished third in this debate.

Mitt Romney: Romney bothers me, but I don’t know exactly why. Maybe it’s because he is worth about $250 million and I am not. He seems to want to buy the Presidency, but he would not disclose how much its cost the Romney family when asked. He talked more than the others, according to MSNBC, so he received more “ink” from me in this post. He may be too smooth or just too slick. I’ve read about his flip flops and his moving far to the left back when he took on Sen. Kennedy. He seems to have a weak stance on the 2^nd Amendment. He supported gun control in the past, like he has abortion, and gay marriage. He has changed his stances to better line up with Conservatives. His comments a few months ago about his sons serving their country by campaigning comparing that to military personnel serving stuck a big negative with me. Heck, he even talked about private accounts for Social Security – which scares senior citizens…and loses their votes. His answers seemed rehearsed. Romney finished second or third in my book.

John McCain: He seemed strongest to me in this debate. He seems to have found his stride. I just feel we would be safer with McCain. I think he would cut the out of control spending. He appeals to independents which would help in November, and in some polls he’s the only Republican who can beat Obama and Clinton in head to head match-ups. But, he’s been there for many years and the system is broken. Isn’t he to blame, too?

Ron Paul: Yes, I agree with Congressman Paul that the Republican Party has lost a lot of folks over the last few years. The big tent is buttoned up to many folks who cannot afford to be players. Congressman Paul always hits on the same issues: The Constitution, liberty, lower taxes, personal freedom, etc., which is not too bad to concentrate on these days.