CONGRATULATIONS, RONNIE!

The Republican presidential candidates’ debate on MSNBC Thursday was a - how do you say - Yawner! By tuning in I suppose I increased viewership of that pathetic network by a good 20 to 25 percent. I mean, well, C’mon…MSNBC's rival, Fox News, had considerably more viewers during their coverage of the debate than MSNBC had for the actual event!

We got to see ten - count ‘em - 10 candidates crowded onto one stage, not counting the three who still may enter, Fred Thompson, Newt Gingrich and Chuck Hagel. And who moderated this dog and pony show? Democratic operative-turned-“journalist,” Chris Matthews and Democratic pundit and hatemonger, Keith Olbermann. On April 25, Keith Olbermann compared Rudy Giuliani with Osama bin Laden for speaking with “the same nonchalance of the Madman” to argue Republicans would keep America safer from Terrorists. Then a few days later, this guy moderated a debate that Mayor Giuliani participated in! And the Democrats won’t debate on the Fox Network? This is the usual, but sadly accepted, double standard we’ve seen for….ever?

And these moderators asked some lame, I mean l-a-m-e questions. To wit:

Stupid questions – “What don’t you like about America?” “What does the government do well?” “Do you believe in evolution?” “What is the difference between a Sunni and a Shiite Muslim?” (I SHIITE YOU NOT!). “Do you trust the mainstream media?” “Do your personal religious beliefs influence your foreign policy?” “What is your most significant weakness?” To Sen. Brownback, “Do you find any faults In Mayor Giuliani?” “In light of the scandals plaguing the current administration and its allies involving corruption and cronyism, which mistakes have you learned not to repeat?” (Huh? This wouldn’t be commentary, would it?) “Will you work to protect women’s rights?” “Seriously, would it be good for America to have bill Clinton back in the white house?” “How will you be different from President W?” “How many have been killed or injured in Iraq?” To Rudy Giuliani, “Bradley Winter of New York would like to know if there's anything you learned, or regret, during your time as Mayor in your dealings with the African-American community.” (Again, HUH???) To Mike Huckabee, “Thousands of reputable scientists have concluded, with almost certainty, that human activity is responsible for the warming of the Earth. Do you believe global warming exists?” (Case closed, I guess!?...What happened to the thousands who disagreed?) Later, to Tom Tancredo, “Will you work to protect women's rights, as in fair wages and reproductive choice?” (Duuhh)

WHAT THE @$#*& ?!?!?

And the clear winner? Ronald Wilson Reagan! President Reagan was invoked 19 times by this crew during the debate. The only thing this gang accomplished was to not break President Reagan’s eleventh commandment, “Do No Harm to Fellow Republicans.”

One last note: Kathy Hilton (Paris’s mom), after her daughter’s sentencing, called the LA District Attorney “pathetic.” I really don’t make this stuff up!

JD.