Romney is the winner in Kansas, if not D.C.

Among Red State Republicans, Romney is the favorite after the first debate

Kevork Djansezian / AP

Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney at the first Republican presidential primary debate.

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COMMENTARY

By Joe Scarborough

Host, ‘Morning Joe'

msnbc.com

updated 6:21 p.m. ET May 4, 2007

Joe Scarborough
Host, ‘Morning Joe'
• Profile

America is not purple. It is very red and it is very blue.

For those of us who have been arguing that there is little difference between Republicans and Democrats, last night was a reminder of the stark differences that still divide our country. The GOP contenders were so much more conservative in tone and content than last week’s Democratic pack that we should all expect another divisive general election.

Republicans were so much more hawkish on matters of war and peace. Last week, Hillary Clinton got praised from pundits for promising “retaliation” against any power that nukes two American cities. Last night, John McCain promised to follow Osama bin Laden to the “gates of Hell” while Mitt Romney simply said, “He will die.”

That’s a far cry from Obama’s promise to face terrorist attacks by focusing on first responders and studying the lessons of Hurricane relief.

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Republicans also struck a tougher tone against illegal immigrants, abortion and foreign types running for president. The Democratic field all defended the practice of partial birth abortion, while Republicans were overwhelmingly pro-life. That may be why Rudy Giuliani’s worst moment for Republican voters was when he said overturning Roe v. Wade would be “okay.”

Okay? Good Lord, man. Get yourself a pithy two minute abortion answer and repeat it in front of the mirror a hundred times.

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Last night’s debate also showed a huge gulf between the reporters who cover such events and Republican voters who follow campaigns. I hope it is not a shock to anyone that most journalists covering D.C. politics relate to Democratic world views much more than those held by Republicans. My peers do a great job of putting their biases in check (myself included, I hope) but many are tone deaf when figuring out why Republican primary voters would embrace a guy like Mitt Romney who is now pro-life, pro-family and pro-everything-that-evangelical-voters-could-want-him-to-be.

CONTINUED : What's the matter with Kansas? Nothing

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