CNN Youtube Debate falls short, Ron Paul the elephant in the room

USA Daily: The CNN/Youtube Republican debate held in St Petersburg Florida fell short.

CNN’s host Anderson Cooper directed most of the questions to Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney and he continuously allowed Romney and Giuliani to speak longer than the time allotted to them. It was most noticeable that Ron Paul was given the least amount of time to speak of any of the candidates.

The extra time did not help Romney or Giuliani both of whom did not do to well explaining their poor records on illegal immigration. Romney and Giuliani also looked a little silly repeating the same slogans from previous debates.

Romney also looked bad dodging questions on homosexuals in the military and the policy of water boarding saying he’d seek advice from experts on those issues to help him formulate his policy as president.

John McCain did not do much better on the issue of illegal immigration being booed by the audience when he claimed that he did not propose amnesty for illegal aliens. McCain was also booed when he said he opposed the Fair Tax.

Answering a question from a You/Tube video Ron Paul said, “There is a move toward a North American Union and our national sovereignty is under threat”. Surprisingly no other candidate was asked to weigh in on this well documented issue that is a threat to U.S. representative government.

Responding to McCain’s now somewhat redundant phrase “We went to Washington to change Washington but Washington changed us”. Ron Paul said, “Washington did not change me” to loud applause.

McCain was also booed when he attacked Paul on his opposition to the war. Paul pointed out that he raised more money from the military than anyone else.

Later in the debate Ron Paul said “The best commitment we can make to the Iraqi people is to give them their country back. It’s time to take care of America first.” Ron Paul also said “We are taxed to blow up the bridges overseas, taxed to rebuild those bridges and our bridges are falling down.” Shortly afterward Paul’s YouTube commercial aired showing a large crowd at an event.
Paul then said, “This country is sick and tired of what they are getting. We are in the middle of a revolution and I’m happy to be part of it.”

Paul pointed out that he had 5,000 people of all races turned out for his rally outside Independence Hall in Philadelphia. CNN claimed after the debate that it was only 2000 people however several news wires reported that the crowd was between 3000-5000 people.

The audience at the debate appeared to be divided on the war in Iraq as both boos and cheers accompanied pro war and anti war statements. "