Last night's debate, and Fred en espanol

For the first time, the candidates actually got to debate each others' points. The WaPo says, Attacks Sharpen Among Party's Principal Rivals. Fred Thompson's running as a conservative, and he's not keeping quiet about it:

Former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney were quickly put on the defensive, fending off criticism leveled by former senator Fred D. Thompson (Tenn.), who questioned their conservative credentials.

While the debate played on TV I was keeping an eye on Carlos Curbelo's liveblogging in Spanish at the Fred Thompson site.

As I mentioned last night, I was skeptical over the bilingual experiment. The Democrat instant-translation effort at Univision was ghastly not only because of the pandering but also because the translation was awful. Carlos did an excellent job translating but also bringing out Fred's points at the same time as the other candidates.

While the average Spanish-speaking voter probably won't need the liveblogging because they already know English, the liveblogging in Spanish apprears to be a useful tool to inform newly arrived residents to the US on the campaign's positions. Currently, as Florida residents are well aware, there's a significant influx of new (legal) residents coming in from Venezuela and other South American countries. The Thompson campaign has an innovative approach, and it's starting to show.

John McCain got a Standing O:


Fox News did a woefully inadecuate job of allotting time to the candidates. Ed Morrissey noticed, too. I wish the media would pay more attention to Duncan Hunter, who is well informed on national security, immigration and the role of government.

But at least we finally got a debate.

Meanwhile, while the debate was on, our boys (and girls) in Iraq were busy smashing a big Iranian backed militia base in Sadr City

Memeorandum, however, only sees the debate through the Hillary prism.
Theo Spark has this:



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Presidential style

For $12, a guy can get his hair cut at the Great Clips at the Princeton Shopping Center. OK, make that $15 including tip.

For $15, they wash and cut your hair, comb it, and you come out looking like the good Calvin.

For $1250, "I try to make the man handsome, strong, more mature and these are the things, as an expert, that's what we do."

Woody, writing at GM Roper's blog, has more on the populist Adonis
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Continuing on a theme of politics as a beauty contest,

Another Reason Why Hillary Won't Run Well (via Larwyn, who's hot)
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You know that the left is feeling threatened, when they have already started trying to tear down Fred Thompson. And he isn't even in the race yet....

Analysis: Potential US presidential candidate Fred Thompson's strength is his style

They describe Thompson as having a laid-back, guy-next-door nature that puts people at ease and makes anyone feel comfortable around him. At the same time, they say he has a commanding presence with his imposing 6-foot-5 (1.95-meter) frame, his unmistakable deep voice and his straight-talking way.

That's the kind of style I like. (On the hair department, I'm sure Fred's not spending $1250 to coif whatever little hair he's got.)

The AP's out on left field (all puns intended) when they say Fred lacks substance. more on that some other time. But it's not surprising that AP would say that.

After all, they're still saying it about Ronald Reagan.

Update, Saturday 7/7/7
Does Susan Saulny qualify as a trophy reporter?
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Another Republican candidate with great style is Duncan Hunter. Solid, manly looks with impeccable suits that don't look too overstyled.
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Across the world, Wretchard, who also has great style, posts about Sarko's sport
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Update
To those who emailed asking,




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