Quick—who won the second Republican candidate debate of 2008?
Exactly. (And don’t pretend you rattled off something immediately.)
As then, so now. I caught a little last night and a little more this morning, and there’s not really much significant going on in this most recent debate. This is safe treading, and no one’s going to risk any significant image damage this early. (Well, except for the non-negligible baseline risk that Newt will hurt himself.) Romney’s “everyone on this stage would be a better president than Obama” was one of the lines of the night, and it sums up perfectly where we are in figuring out the GOP side of 2012.
Some aspects of the format were rather silly. Steyn noted with typical wit how full of false dilemma the questions were. Perhaps you know it as the fallacy of the excluded middle:
“Are you in favor of seizing private property in New Hampshire for a Hydro Québec power line or are you in favor of continued oil dependency on psychotic dictators?” – Mark Steyn
To his credit, Newt picked up on it too and mentioned it. I had a little fun with it here and elsewhere. I think we can expect a lot of it from the Democrats and the mainstream media (but I repeat myself) this cycle. (Recall that we’re not even halfway through 2011, and we’ve already had an ad showing a Republican pushing a grandmother off a cliff.)
It seems to be popularly concluded this morning that Michele Bachmann did well, and I agree. She’s enjoying a bit of an introductory bask right now, but I suspect the other candidates would do well not to underestimate her as this thing accelerates. I don’t think Herman Cain has hurt himself yet, but he needs a shot of policy wonk in a hurry. He’s remaining a bit more exclusively platitudinous than he should, in my view. I didn’t really have any significant takeaways for Pawlenty or Santorum.
It’s so early. People who are interested in this sort of thing will find this the sort of thing they’re interested in, basically. Just political nerds are watching so far.
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Guess I’m a political nerd, then, because I watched the whole thing.
Bachmann acquitted herself well, and her very presence in the field will force the others to show us their true colors on some economic and social issues. I’m not convinced she can win, though.
I was disappointed to see Pawlenty back down from teeing off on “ObamneyCare”. I think that was his moment, and he let it pass. If he wants to be taken seriously he has to do something to differentiate himself from Romney.
Ron Paul didn’t put me off as much as usually does. That was refreshing. Newt is always good for a one-liner or two, but not much else. I can’t take Santorum seriously for some reason, and I haven’t connected with Cain, either.
Oh well, it’s early.
Jenny, of course. My intention was one of inclusion, not name-calling. I’m a political nerd too. 🙂
Glad y’all are paying attention so that I don’t have to! I’ll really start caring later.
I… I didn’t watch. (hangs head)
Honestly, this far out I can’t see what good it can do. Debate around the primaries, when it will really matter. Then I’ll be interested and all full of p*ss and vinegar with my own opinion at the matter.
Maybe it will weed out the really weak candidates – and there’s a lot of weakness in that field.
A lot of weakness, indeed. I’m tired of Romney getting “frontrunner” attached to him. I fear he reelects Obama.
Which is the whole point, I fear. Courtesy of the mainstream media. You’re welcome.