Rewind: ABC’s August 5, 2007 GOP debate

Here’s the video from ABC’s debate at Drake University one Sunday morning in August of 2007 featuring the Republican candidates of yesteryear.  Here’s the story from Adam Nagourney & Michael Cooper of The New York Times. The quick take-away from that debate: Romney dominated. aggressively inserting himself in nearly every topic raised.   Here’s the Radio Iowa story from yours truly, with this bit at the beginning about Mr. R:

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney ridiculed Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s recent statements about foreign policy. “I had to laugh at what I saw Barack Obama do. I mean in one week, he went from saying he’s going to sit down — you know — for tea with our enemies, but then he’s going to bomb our allies,” Romney said.

The crowd and some of the other candidates began to laugh. “He’s gone from Jane Fonda to Dr. Strangelove in one week,” Romney added. Near the beginning of the 90-minute-long debate, Texas Congressman Ron Paul drew cheers — and a few boos — from the invited crowd when he repeated his call for getting out of Iraq.

“We ought to just come home. The number one reason: it’s in our national self-interest…think of our defenses now and how run down they are,” Paul said.

Romney also sternly rebuffed a parry from Sam Brownback. (Yes, Virginia, Sam Brownback ran for president, but dropped out soon after this August, 2007 debate because of his disappointing third-place finish in the 2007 Iowa Straw Poll.) 

The stage and venue at Drake University for that 2007 event are the same one being used for tonight’s debate-fest, however the temperature tonight is a few dozen degrees cooler.