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So, I watched the Presidential debate last night. Now, I'd sooner vote for Bozo the Clown than any of the candidates on display, so you know my biases, but here are my thoughts:
1) All the candidates had the same economic plan - another tax cut and more deregulation. I can do no better than to quote Megan McArdle, who said "But this is not an economic plan, except insofar as a six year old plans to deal with the terrors of first grade by riding off into the sunset on a purple unicorn."
2) I thought Newt Gingrich looked good in the debate, but that's expected, since he's a good debater. The question will be his ground organization. I also think he said two reasonable things (on the Ryan plan and immigration) that will get him burned at the stake by Republican primary voters.
3) Herman Cain looked okay, if a bit vague. I think Michelle Bachmann will, however, eat his lunch for him. She's got Palin's enthusiasm and political ideology with (at least tonight) an ability to think on her feet.
4) Santorum and Pawlenty appear to be wasting their time. Pawlenty especially missed the boat on his "Obamneycare" quip. Ron Paul did his usual crazy old uncle routine.
5) If Obama thinks he needs political cover to pull out of Afghanistan, he got a bushel-basket-full last night. The only guy who showed any enthusiasm for foreign military adventurism, Pawlenty, got the fisheye from the crowd. Everybody else was singing from the "bring'em home now" hymnbook, some admittedly louder than others.
Right now, I'd say the race is between Bachmann and Romney. If I had to bet, I'd bet on Bachmann. She has less political baggage than Romney. His chief claim to fame is electability, and the GOP went down that road in 2008 with McCain. I see no stomach for that now, and with a woman and a black guy, the electability argument can cut both ways.
1) All the candidates had the same economic plan - another tax cut and more deregulation. I can do no better than to quote Megan McArdle, who said "But this is not an economic plan, except insofar as a six year old plans to deal with the terrors of first grade by riding off into the sunset on a purple unicorn."
2) I thought Newt Gingrich looked good in the debate, but that's expected, since he's a good debater. The question will be his ground organization. I also think he said two reasonable things (on the Ryan plan and immigration) that will get him burned at the stake by Republican primary voters.
3) Herman Cain looked okay, if a bit vague. I think Michelle Bachmann will, however, eat his lunch for him. She's got Palin's enthusiasm and political ideology with (at least tonight) an ability to think on her feet.
4) Santorum and Pawlenty appear to be wasting their time. Pawlenty especially missed the boat on his "Obamneycare" quip. Ron Paul did his usual crazy old uncle routine.
5) If Obama thinks he needs political cover to pull out of Afghanistan, he got a bushel-basket-full last night. The only guy who showed any enthusiasm for foreign military adventurism, Pawlenty, got the fisheye from the crowd. Everybody else was singing from the "bring'em home now" hymnbook, some admittedly louder than others.
Right now, I'd say the race is between Bachmann and Romney. If I had to bet, I'd bet on Bachmann. She has less political baggage than Romney. His chief claim to fame is electability, and the GOP went down that road in 2008 with McCain. I see no stomach for that now, and with a woman and a black guy, the electability argument can cut both ways.
