There was one decided "big loser" in last night's Republican debate... Fox News.. when you plan to ask inflammatory questions, you should have an empty chamber so the audience yahoos are not on "center stage".

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I watched but 20 minutes or so of the debate before and wondered whether Rubio was applying or the role for Pee Wee Herman documentary,.. all he has up repertoire.

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From the "suspicions confirmed" department - Online story: "Rubio has continually attacked Trump over the past week — calling him, for example, a "con artist" trying to "scam" voters." -- Hmmm.. considering that Trump is the only one of the candidates that has met a payroll with his money rather than "other people's money", it's more like all the candidates except Trump could be considered "con artist".. it's like Rubio is rehearsing for his shot at the Pee Wee Herman role... "I know you are, but what am I?"

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Romney and friends have painted themselves into a corner. Once Rubio has eliminated himself, the RNC will only have Trump or Cruz to support..and will have to hope either will accept the endorsement.

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Some "expert spinmeister" suggested that Romney was "keeping his foot in the door" if the convention became "brokered". Huh? "foot in the door"? It was more like sticking his foot in his mouth and gnawing it off!

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The RNC gang doesn't realize what's to gain with standing strong against China et al on trade issues. What the RNC doesn't grasp is if import prices rise because of tariffs, the manufacturers will find it cheaper to make their goods here while providing good jobs for Americans.

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You know, the last time the RNC and and Establishment candidates ganged up on a Washington, D.C. outsider it was Reagan.

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I find it interesting that Romney would praise Reagan. The Republican Party did its best to stomp Reagan because Reagan was not in step with RINO policies..good grief the Republicans supported Gerald Ford!

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What the hell was Romney thinking .. no .."feeling".. He excoriated Trump, yet had no one he would throw his weight behind. His saying to vote for Rubio in FL, Kasich in Ohio, and for whomever..whether it is Rubio, Cruz, Kasich, or a fencepost turtle if it will hurt Trump just despicable. The truth is, Romney endorsing Cruz or Rubio, or Kasich would not help any of them.

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I tell you what, after two failed shots at the presidency, what right does Romney have to talk down to Trump? Romney praised Trump's 2012 endorsement, and now wants to bite him. If Clint Eastwood does another "empty chair" debate, the "empty chair" will have Romney's name on it.

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If Romney had gone after NERO-bamageddon like he did Trump (only factually correct), Romney would be running as the incumbent seeking re-election.

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Trump just "trumped" Romney.... basically he ignored Romney, but picked him apart a piece at a time. Romney is toast.

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Tell you what, Romney's failure to actually endorse a specific candidate to support should have sent a shudder up Cruz's backbone, and Cruz should state he will fully support Trump if Trump gets the lion's share of delegates.

Tell you what, also, is that Rubio was the second biggest loser of Romney's tirade.. If the RNC's "point" was to promote Rubio, Romney should have endorsed Rubio..

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Now that our military doesn't have GITMO to send captured terrorists , what's Obama's Plan B.... "catch and release"? Personally, I like another option.. take no prisoners!

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Republican Foreign Policy "Experts" Say Trump unfit for president. .. Good grief, Hillary has nothing she can point to that she accomplished as Secretary of State, and these Foreign Policy Experts have less successes to point to than even Hillary.

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Online story: "The key former State Department aide who helped set up and maintain former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s controversial email server has struck a deal with federal authorities in exchange for his cooperation in the investigation, and some are speculating this could be one of the last dominoes to fall in the lead-up to a Clinton indictment." -- This is huge.. "immunity" is dealt with very precisely and only by a judge that sees the value of the information BEFORE immunity is granted.

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Online headline: "Trump: Romney was begging so much, I could've said: 'Mitt, drop to your knees...'" -- Did you have thoughts of Romney getting on his knees to beg? I did, but apparently the only thing that crossed Fox anchors/reporters' minds was an image of Monica and Slick Willie.

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I wonder if Vanity Fair, presenter of Bruce Jenner as the "Woman of the Year", has thought about the repercussions in store for next year... if you were a real woman, would you want to follow and be compared  Bruce?

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Online story: "Fox News Channel is staying put in Detroit. Just a few days after airing Thursday's GOP debate, the network will host Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders for a Town Hall in the Michigan city. * The Town Hall will not include Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton. " -- Do you blame her? The only question she'd be asked is "what did the guy given immunity know, and when did he know it?". Hmm..

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LIV's L-E "soundoff": " I have experienced the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War, and all that has followed. Never have I had as much fear for the future of my country as Trump has made me feel." -- Hmmm.. what we see here is a Democrat who has lost his/her "free Kool-AID" supply and reality has set in.. What/he/she meant is that "Never have I had as much fear for the future of my country as Trump has made me SEE."

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Non-Christian liberal LIV's L-E "soundoff": " Columbus is finally creeping toward a positive cuisine direction offering unique eateries, but they must be open Sundays to flourish. Close Monday." -- Hmmm... must be a Bernie supporter.. and feels the Sunday meals will be free. Oh.. I guess Chick-fil-A can't be successful since it isn't open on Sundays nor does it serve alcohol.

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L-E headline: "Romney, McCain: Trump a danger for America’s future" -- In retrospect, we really have to be glad that neither McCain nor Romney won.. the reality of them having won would be that there is no difference between them and Obama, Bernie or Hillary as well.

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L-E headline/story: "JOBLESS RATE DIPS TO 5.4 PERCENT *  State has added more than 119,000 jobs over the past year; rate hasn’t been this low since February 2008  * With that, the state’s labor chief reported the jobless rate for Georgia in January was 5.4 percent, down from 5.5 percent in Decemberand compared to 6.3 percent in January a year ago" -- Word to the wise.. never accept at politicians evaluation of the unemployment figures for January.. The post seasonal jobs have not all been eliminated when polls are taken.

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With "pab" stories about awards of excellence given to Carver High School last week, I sent a FOIA request to the MCSD's Spokesperson for the names of S.T.A.R. students representing Carver for this and last school year. I haven't heard back.. haven't even received an acknowledgement for that matter, so I've sent this e-mail request to Ms Fuller and copied the MCSB:

Ms. Fuller,
Last week I requested via the FOIA (Freedom o Information Act) for the names of the S.T.A.R. students representing Carver High School for the 2014-15 and 2015-16 school years.. I haven't heard back.. If there is a privacy issue (why since the names are published in the L-E), then confirmation and documentation that Carver did indeed have a student in the S.T.A.R. student/teacher selected.

Thanks,

Hal Kirven

Will let you know if this gets a response.