My thoughts on this debate (ABC News, Yahoo! 10 DEC 11)

[realtonygoodwin]

My thoughts on the debate, not so much concerned with their policies, but how they helped or hurt their campaigns:

Gingrich: Did well, no major gaffes. Had a great line saying Romney would have been a career politician if he beat Kennedy. Was able to deflect pretty much every attack against him. Still the front-runner.

Romney: Did as poorly as he has at any debate so far, but not terrible. Worst mistake was his $10k bet offer to Perry. Could make him look out of touch. Should remain in second place for now, nationally.

Paul: Spoke better than I have seen him do in a while. It was refreshing to hear several candidates acknowledge going his direction. Also, you can't argue against his consistency. Still, didn't do much to expand his base of support.

Bachmann: Was on the attack against "Newt Romney" which is necessary and accurate, but could come across as a bit desperate. I think bringing up Herman Cain so often was a mistake as well.

Perry: Didn't move the dial much in either direction for his campaign. At least he didn't hurt himself as he has so much in the past debates.

Santorum: Nearly an afterthought. Not sure why he is still trying to compete, but gets points for trying.


Overall, this shouldn't shift the momentum of the race very much (unfortunately for us).

 

[wgadget]

I disagree. Gingrich has selfish, arrogant vibes that turn people off. Ron exuded true sincerity. And it is sincerity and consistency that America longs for at this point in our history.

 

[milo10]

I think we saw a different debate.

Ron - Amazing!
Gingrich - Terrible
Romney - Not good.
Perry - Very good.
Bachmann - Very good except bringing up Cain 2x. Stupid.
Santorum - Good.

 

[Aratus]

^this^ + ^this^ + ^this^

 

[justatrey]

We must not have been watching the same debate!

 

[Muttley]

I concur with the majority, not just because I'm a fanboy. This was his best debate thus far IMO we're going to see a mid to late week bump in the polls because of it.

 

[realtonygoodwin]

Well, let's see how the poll's look in a week or two I guess then...we will see who is more accurate.

 

[nobody's_hero]

Yeah what was up with Bachmann bringing up Cain? Someone in her campaign staff should inform her that Herman suspended his campaign.

 

[Steppenwolf6]

My thoughts on the debate, not so much concerned with their policies, but how they helped or hurt their campaigns:

Gingrich: Did well, no major gaffes. Had a great line saying Romney would have been a career politician if he beat Kennedy. Was able to deflect pretty much every attack against him. Still the front-runner.

Romney: Did as poorly as he has at any debate so far, but not terrible. Worst mistake was his $10k bet offer to Perry. Could make him look out of touch. Should remain in second place for now, nationally.

Paul: Spoke better than I have seen him do in a while. It was refreshing to hear several candidates acknowledge going his direction. Also, you can't argue against his consistency. Still, didn't do much to expand his base of support.

Bachmann: Was on the attack against "Newt Romney" which is necessary and accurate, but could come across as a bit desperate. I think bringing up Herman Cain so often was a mistake as well.

Perry: Didn't move the dial much in either direction for his campaign. At least he didn't hurt himself as he has so much in the past debates.

Santorum: Nearly an afterthought. Not sure why he is still trying to compete, but gets points for trying.


Overall, this shouldn't shift the momentum of the race very much (unfortunately for us).

OK ,may be nothing glamorous to expand his base of 10% one day from the other like that..but he did very well what he IS doing to expand his base AND he is ,as we speak ,expanding his base just by being himself ,all the polls tell us.

I say that an honest poll would show him going up,even if slowly ,in a few days.

 

[InTradePro]

Ron - Good
Gingrich - Poor but spinned by msm to make good.
Romney - Poor
Perry - Average (Good for him)
Bachmann - Poor (although made Gingrich and Romney look poor) but does nothing for herself. Desperate with the Cain stuff.
Santorum - Good

 

[Steppenwolf6]

I think we saw a different debate.

Ron - Amazing!
Gingrich - Terrible
Romney - Not good.
Perry - Very good.
Bachmann - Very good except bringing up Cain 2x. Stupid.
Santorum - Good.

Yes,Perry did surprisingly well and not only for acknowledging Ron Paul,which was pretty amazing in itself.

Bachmann a disaster in the end ,a really tasteless and small minded panderer..
I don't think anybody likes that ,really weak.

 

[InTradePro]

Ron - Good
Gingrich - Poor but spinned by msm to make good.
Romney - Poor
Perry - Average (Good for him)
Bachmann - Poor (although made Gingrich and Romney look poor) but does nothing for herself. Desperate with the Cain stuff.
Santorum - Good

 

[sailingaway]

I think for people actually watching, Gingrich is in trouble from the 'taxpayer bailout' and Freddie Mac stuff.

 

[WD-NY]

I think for people actually watching, Gingrich is in trouble from the 'taxpayer bailout' and Freddie Mac stuff.

I thought the marital infidelity question was devastating. None of the other candidates even had to mention Newt. Everyone of their answers was a big body blow to Newt.

How any voter can listen to the answers given and still think Newt is worthy of their vote/support is beyond me.

 

[Justinfrom1776]

I thought Ron's performance was absolutely epic tonight.. I wish he would have gotten more time to talk and I wish that he'd throw some red meat out there for these Teaocons and slam the administration over Fast and Furious or Solyndra, they'd eat that shit up... I thought the line of the night was Ron's when he said " If you embark on instituting a society where government protects you from yourself, you're in big trouble." It also drew the loudest applause I thought.. After he said that, I looked at my wife and told her I thought I was getting the Chris Matthews chill going up my leg.

 

[mwkaufman]

In the debate I think Gingrich took a lot of hits. He'll get credit for deflecting and limiting the damage, but I do think he was hurt quite a bit. I thought Romney didn't make a very compelling argument for Romneycare, and the offering to make a bet isn't going to help him when the media gets to talk about it.

Rick Perry seemed loose and carefree. I think he made Romney look bad in the same way Paul made Perry look bad with comments on his taxes. Shrugging off the rebuttal, and not going hard for his argument like he did in the early debates where he got burned. Ron Paul did a good job attacking Gingrich, and he and Perry both stand to gain from those who had their faith shaken in Romney or Gingrich.

 

[Paul or not at all]

Wrong on Santorum, Fox is pimping him right now. You will hear "I fought and won" will be all you hear this week.

 

[rockandrollsouls]

I am typically very harsh on Ron's debate performance. I can say with certainty this was his best, by far. I feel as if Newt was skewered, and I do believe the media is spinning this.

 

[UtahApocalypse]

I must say I am sorry for the Op's constipation..... that can be the only reason he missed the half of the debate where everyone knocked Newt around. Newt by far was the biggest loser of all.

 

[kusok]

I thought:

Winner - Run Pol
Found his way out of stupid questions beautifully and steered those questions in a relevant important direction. Opened (at least should) many eyes with simple logic that people no longer see these days.

Losers - Santorum
I have no idea WTF he is saying even thou I understand every word, he just talks irrelevantly about irrelevant things

Perry - see Santorum
Romney - see Perry
Newt - snake
Bachmann - she is completely insane, but I find her to be cute (yes, this scares me too)