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The weirdest debate so far: feisty but surreal. If I had to game this one, I’d say Bachmann stayed alive, Perry began very strong but wobbled, Romney did fine, and Ron Paul shone the way only he can. But clearly the crowd loved Perry the most. God help us.
— Andrew Sullivan, writing in The Daily Beast about the Tea Party presidential debate in Tampa last night.
It’s not an a la carte menu.
— Obama adviser David Axelrod, telling ABC News that the White House is not negotiating changes to the President’s jobs bill.
If you’re saying I can be bought for $5,000, I’m offended.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) responding to Rep. Michele Bachmann’s suggestion that a campaign contribution was behind Perry’s support of a vaccine that could help protect against cervical cancer. Perry, whose actions as governor have been linked to many donations, apparently has a higher price tag.
Tonight the Republican candidates had their second presidential debate in less than a week, and I was excited as a kid in a candy store who spent three hours in that same candy store last Wednesday.
Stephen Colbert, commenting on yet another Republican debate during his show, The Colbert Report
Rumor: #CNNteaparty cameramen who find non-white or under 30 debate audience members get $300 bonus per shot.
Tweet posted by @ProgressFlorida during Sept. 12 Republican debate in Tampa
The message was: either accept my package as it is, or I will take it to the American people. I would say that that’s the wrong approach.
— House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), quoted by Politico, on President Obama’s jobs speech.
I am not interested in being drawn back into it by anybody.
— Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in an interview with CNN, noting there is a “below zero” chance that she will challenge President Obama in 2012 despite former Vice President Dick Cheney’s recent encouragement.
42%
Of Republicans say Rick Perry has the best chance of beating President Obama next year; 26% say Mitt Romney has the best chance of defeating the president.
One of the things that I learned very early on is not to worry about polls, because if I was worrying about polls, I wouldn’t be sitting here interviewing with you.
— President Obama, in an interview with NBC News.
