Republican debate

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I watched it all. Overall impressions:

 

1. Loaded questions. Perry: Texas executes more than any other state. How do you sleep at night knowing you might execute an innocent? Santorum: You claim Catholicism guides your political life. How do you reconcile caring for the poor with the Republican Party? Perry: We've established your state has the worst schools in the country. How do you reconcile cutting the education budget? Etc. Also, lotsa questions intended to start fights. Huntsman: Your political advisor said the Rep Party is full of cranks and the other candidates are crazies. Who on this stage do you think is crazy? Other than some predictable friction, the candidates were generally restrained.

 

2. Almost no questions that had anything to do with the Obama Administration.

 

3. Stacked format. Candidates were Perry and Romney in the center, trailing out by poll standing. Distribution of questions reflected that (eg 20 to Perry, 5 to Santorum), the exception being Huntsman on the far end, who got as many as Paul/Bachman at 10. They made it a 2-person show.

 

4. Most patronizing moment: the MSNBC questioners, who otherwise posed all the questions, chose to introduce some guy from Telemundo to ask the 10 immigration questions. If this were not enough, on introducing him the host said "Hi, how are you my friend?" Weird.

 

Individually (based on performance, not my ideological preferences):

 

Romney; I think he did very well again, made no mistakes, had a few moments of passion.

 

Perry: Came off ok in the first debate, not as smooth as the rest, but ready to take on every candidate. Shaky in the latter half discussing the bigger issues.

 

Gingrich: Made the most of his 5 questions, absurd as they were (In the forward to Perry's book you called him a fine economist. How do you respond?) He is hands-down the best debater.

 

Huntsman: Came off better than I expected, polished and more forcefull than previously. But other than the previously-mentioned question was served nothing but softballs.

 

Bachman: Was ok, but largely ignored by the questioners. Fading fast.

 

Santorum: Solid performance again. Of all the candidates, he does the most to stay relevant despite being ignored.

 

Cain: Solid performance, but now completely invisible. Ignored by the panel.

 

Paul: As usual, what starts as reasonably-given answers devolved into off-putting rants. Oddest moment: insisting that he could get the price of gas down to a dime. How? By going back to the gold/silver standards, a silver dime would be worth about 3 bucks...