TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2015       

Real E-Mails from Real Subscribers

Republican presidential candidates vying for their party’s 2016 Presidential nomination stuck to a tight script on Monday night at the Voters First Forum at the Institute of Politics at St. Anselm College during the first field-wide forum of the race, hedging their answers and sidestepping tough questions. —Whistleblower New Hampshire Bureau Chief Marvin Manchester

Do you think their performances provide a hint of what to expect during the primary’s first official debate we’re sponsoring on Thursday night in Cleveland?  —Fox News and Facebook

All the candidates tried to play up their strengths as leaders, while also trying to position themselves as best able to take on Hillary Clinton and undermine the policies of Obama. —Moderator Jack Heath, WGIR AM in Manchester, New Hampshire

Even though I’m unlikely to appear on stage during Fox’s primetime debate, I got the most laughs during the pretty tame two-hour forum when I argued I’d be best knew how to fight “Clinton-speak”, like when I said compared President Bill Clinton’s promise that he never had sex with Monica Lewinsky to DemocRAT frontrunner Hillary Clinton’s promises that she would explain her position on the Keystone XL pipeline if elected president. —Senator Lindsey Graham

Since I’m seeking the support of oil billionaires Charles and David Koch, I sidestepped a question about whether he believed in climate change, saying instead that I support balancing the economy with the environment. —Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker,

I offered a nuanced answer when asked if I would send troops to Syria to fight ISIS, saying I would take the advice of the military very seriously, we need a strategy first,” Bush said. “We need special forces. But the idea of boots on the ground; I’m not sure that’s necessary.” —Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush

I claimed Texas created one-third of the jobs in the United States while I was governor, and I’d be best prepared to protect the border. —Former Texas Governor Rick Perry

I argued that I was best positioned to handle the nation’s fiscal woes, saying it’s about record and accomplishment. I was there. I spent 10 years of my life balancing the budget. When people balance their budget, so should the government. —Ohio Governor John Kasich, who was House Budget Chairman the last time the federal government sported a surplus.

I called the War on Drugs a “failure” and argued that my compassionate policies as governor proved successful. I said, “This is a disease, the War on Drugs, has been a failure, well-intentioned, but a failure. Nonviolent offenders should have sentences reduced and more treatment must be made available, in face of the growing heroin epidemic.” —New Jersey Governor Chris Christie

I said that Hillary “lied” about Benghazi and her emails and that it spoke to the “very core of her character and the eventual GOP nominee must be ready to throw every punch at her. —Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina

I would seek term limits, to curb the “permanent political class” in Washington. I’d pay them every time they stay outside D.C., rather than in D.C.  —Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, a Former House member

I defended my push to limit government data collection, criticizing their mishandling of information on attacks like the Boston Marathon bombing. I think we can catch terrorists if we get more information on terrorists … The information we’re capturing indiscriminately on all Americans hasn’t captured any terrorist. —Kentucky Senator Rand Paul

I said I was being attacked by the “Washington Cartel” for criticizing them. (The cartel) is career politicians in both parties who get in bed with lobbyists, they get in bed with special interests and they grow and grow government. —Texas Senator Ted Cruz

How did you like the way I tried to address Conservative criticism lobbed my way for attempting to pass bipartisan immigration reform in 2013? —Florida Senator Marco Rubio

Absolutely over-taxed payers should not fund Planned Parenthood. These recent videos show the atrocity … and the level of depravity we have sunk into as a nation. —Dr. Ben Carson

Any of the candidates on the stage tonight would be better than anything the DemocRATS have to offer. —Former New York Governor George Pataki

Sorry we missed the forum. —Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee and former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore

Would anybody be shocked if I wasn’t included in the top tier of Thursday’s debate? —Former Senator Rick Santorum

So now that you’ve heard from these guys, do you understand why I get ten times the TV coverage as the rest of them combined? —Donald Trump