Quotables from last night's Republican primary debate

Debate? What debate?

With snarky comments by me 

Romney: "High-income people are doing just fine in this economy. They'll do fine whether you're president or I am."

Me: You bet they will.

Obama: "You know, I suspect that, on Social Security, we've got a somewhat similar position."

Me: Did you really say that?

Obama: "For -- so if you're -- if you're 54 or 55, you might want to listen 'cause this -- this will affect you."

Me:  OK [putting fingers in my ears] I won't listen to this part.

Lehrer:  "All right. Can we -- can the two of you agree that the voters have a choice -- a clear choice between the two..."
Romney: "Absolutely."
Lehrer: "... of you on Medicare?"
Romney: "Absolutely."
Obama: "Absolutely."

Me:  WTF? What choice?

Obama: "The reason we have been in such a enormous economic crisis was prompted by reckless behavior across the board. Now, it wasn't just on Wall Street."

Me: Yeah, don't forget those greedy teachers and other money-grubbing public employees.

Romney, I mean, Obama: "Look, the genius of America is the free enterprise system and freedom and the fact that people can go out there and start a business, work on an idea, make their own decisions."

Me: Sorry for the mix-up

Obama: "We use something called Race to the Top. Wasn't a top-down approach, Governor. What we've said is to states, we'll give you more money if you initiate reforms."

Me: And that's not top-down because...?

Obama: "But what I've also said is let's hire another 100,000 math and science teachers to make sure we maintain our technological lead and our people are skilled and able to succeed." 

Me: You mean, hire back, don't you? 300,000 teachers out of work under Race To The Top? And why only math and science teachers? Can't you get us in the race for global supremacy in the arts, music, literacy and social justice?

Romney: "So I reject the idea that I don't believe in great teachers or more teachers. Every school district, every state should make that decision on their own."

Me: With banjo on my knee -- Oh, I wish I was in the land of cotton...

Obama, I mean, Romney: "And I -- and I agree with Secretary Arne Duncan, he's -- some ideas he's put forward on Race to the Top, not all of them, but some of them I agree with and -- and congratulate him for pursuing that."

Me: Speechless. Eyeballs twirling.

Obama: "Through our Race to the Top program, we've worked with Republican and Democratic governors to initiate major reforms, and they're having an impact right now."

Me: Nice. Kind of a bipartisan pillaging.

Romney: "Mr. President, Mr. President, you're entitled as the president to your own airplane and to your own house, but not to your own facts. All right, I'm not going to cut education funding."

Me: Finally, a zinger!

Obama: "Well, first of all, I think Governor Romney's going to have a busy first day [in the White House], because he's also going to repeal Obamacare, which will not be very popular among Democrats as you're sitting down with them."

Me: Prophetic? Maybe you should run against him.