Henderson: GOP debate neglected Florida's issues

Column

It would be refreshing if the front-running Republican candidates for president spent their final days before the Florida primary letting us in on a little secret.

I mean, we know Newt Gingrich thinks Mitt Romney would fire your mother if it would bring an extra half-percent to the bottom line. And we know Mitt thinks Newt is unelectable and ethically challenged (see Mac, Freddie). They have made those points over and over.

What voters don't know is what's in it for them if one of those two guys gets the nomination and wins in November. This campaign has been long on platitude, longer on trash talk, but lean on specifics.

A note to Ron Paul supporters: I'm not talking about your guy. He does shoot straight. You do know where he stands. He makes a lot of sense on some issues, not so much on others, and he doesn't spend much time tearing down the other candidates. That's refreshing, but he is not seriously campaigning in Florida, so we move on.

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It hit me the other night after the debate at the University of South Florida, which was 90 minutes of blah, blah and, furthermore, blah.

"It's kind of formulaic after 18, 19 debates," former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele said. "It was a little snoozer."

Romney went SEAL Team 6 on Gingrich. Gingrich counter-attacked. The sharpness of the attacks dominated the post-debate discussion, but what did anyone planning to vote on Tuesday learn in that exchange?

"I thought the first 30 minutes was a waste. How many times can we litigate Bain (Capital) and Freddie Mac?" Steele said.

"Really, what's the newness of that in terms of the guy or gal sitting home on their couch and watching this, particularly when they're trying to get answers to their job situation, their business and the things they're concerned about. I just thought we spent a lot of time on the stuff people just generally don't give a hootie about."

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The candidates could have addressed Florida-specific topics such as Social Security and Medicare. They did talk a little bit about the mortgage crisis but said nary a word about other issues that affect this state.

"Those type of debate answers are key, particularly in a state like Florida where that conversation means a lot to the voters," Steele said. "And it's not about just senior citizens, but the children who care for their parents, and for those who are about to enter in that age where they look for the system to provide back to them after they have paid in.

"This was a flat night as a debate. They took the audience out of it. Same questions. Same answers. No audience."

It would be nice for the candidates to make a case to vote for them instead of against the other guy. But as long as attack ads and 30-second caricatures work, the debates will continue to be more of what we've already seen.

They have another chance tonight in Jacksonville. I asked Steele whether he thought we might actually see some substance this time. He just laughed and said, "I don't know."