A somewhat longer assessment of the debate:
- Bachmann. Her candidacy is now effectively over. Her soft anyone-but-Romney support went elsewhere once Perry got into the race; her soft anyone-but-Perry support is now possibly lining up behind Romney; and her hard we-like-Bachmann core will not put her over the top.
- Cain. Did very well. Had the best crowd response of the night (his cancer story). Still not going to be the nominee.
- Gingrich. Also did very well. Still not going to be the nominee.
- Huntsman. Apparently people have been telling him to lay off of the Democratic party thing. Also not going to be the nominee.
- Johnson. Crazy eyes in the beginning, best line at the end. Need I say it?
- Paul. …Well, he didn’t make me yell at the computer screen. This time.
- Perry. It’s fair to say that he lost the debate last night. Perry needs to learn how to debate*, and he needs to nap before these things. Lots of people are wincing at last night’s performance; luckily for him, Perry can give a speech and he’s good at working a crowd. His immigration stance is going to hurt him in the primaries, though.
- Romney. It’s fair to say that he won the debate last night. The problem is that people in the grassroots just don’t really like him all that much.
- Santorum. When a serving member of the US military asks you a question, Mister Santorum, you will in the future preface your response with sincere thanks for that man’s service. Particularly if he happens to be fighting in a war that you support. And I do not care if you have a problem with that man’s choice in adult sexual partners. Are we absolutely, perfectly, completely clear about that, Mister Santorum?
As for the debate itself: it was… well, if it had stopped after the first hour it would have been a great debate. Insert my usual complaints about too many people on the stage; add one about the time. This dragged by the end.
Moe Lane
PS: On the bright side, at least we don’t have to run Barack Obama as a candidate next year.
*Believe me, I’d be happy to help with that.
The good news for Perry is that most likely almost nobody actually saw the debate, as it’s far too early for anyone but wonks to care. I didn’t bother tuning in, I knew that the blog-o-sphere would take care of watching it for me and report on anything important.
As for Perry’s immigration stance, reading, his actual stance doesn’t bother me that much – I mean, taken in view of the fact that he’s basically a Southern Democrat from 25 years ago, it’s exactly the stance I’d expect him to take. However, if the comments I’ve read he said are accurate, he comes dangerously close to crossing the line beyond which he loses my support. Disagree with the Republican base in general on an issue? Fine. We’re a big enough tent for that. Demagogue said base using the language of the opposition? We’ve got a problem, and even so if it’s on an issue that I might actually agree with him. That’s why I can support Snowe, Collins, Brown, for example, and actively oppose Graham, McCain.
Having said all that, if Perry’s the nominee, even if he does end up crossing that line repeatedly, I’ll probably still have to hold my nose and vote, as the last four years have shown the cost of not doing so to be very, very high.
Nice sum-up. Amazing how disappointing RickPerry was.
Too bad HermanCain does so well but it summarily dismissed. Is it possible that Herman “still won’t be the nominee” less than RonPaul “still won’t be the nominee”.
As for Romney not being liked by grassroots, I’d agree. Just don’t know if there are enough of us to find someone else.
MichelleBachmann’s apparent toughness is compelling, but she’s had at least 5 bad gaffes since her campaign started. Does she not wait a moment to think over what she’s getting ready to say, no fact-checker, no within realm-of-common-sense checker? Unfortunately, this propensity is a fatal flaw for her. Dems would have easy time of Palin-izing her.
Santorum comes across as a real jerk sometimes and even looks like he’s searching for and contriving disagreement to get noticed. Otherwise has some allure.
NewtGingrich should hang on through 2020 simply as a chaperone.
Come on HermanCain! Save us! Get some traction!
I’m sorely disappointed in Gov Perry; I know almost nothing about him (I live in New York), but I like having Presidents who can be =perceived= to be Wild West Cowboys by the rest of the world: it keeps our enemies nervous & scared, and I want them to be scared.
No one anticipates Romney ever being the cowboy in a crisis. Not to say he couldn’t do a good or great job, but optics, as they say now, are important. Our enemies feared Reagan because he talked a great fight and was utterly convincing, and because peace-through-strength is obviously logical.
I still think Romney’s too cold-blooded for my taste. I want Herman Cain for President, Gingrich for Vice. Ron Paul for Bernacke’s job, Romney for Tax-Cheat Timmy’s job. Bolton for Ambassador to the UN.