Michelle Malkin tells you pretty much all you need to know about the MSNBC televised GOP Presidential debate held last night at the Reagan Library in California.
But since she doesn't believe in picking winners and losers, I'll add my two cents in that regard.
Winner-Michelle Bachmann. Hands down the best of the bunch last night. I say that not because I am in her corner, though I would definitely have zero problem voting for her, its just a fact. I found it instructive, and you might as well, that the post-debate analysts on MSNBC all to a person shrugged off her appearance and declared she was on the way to being a third tier candidate, and for that matter probably on the way out.
Yet, Bachmann was the only one of the night who had absolutely no missteps, made no mistakes, suffered not from foot in mouth distress, and yet who nevertheless did not back down in any way, shape, form or fashion from her core values and beliefs. She was stern, intense, solid, and serious, and somehow managed to convey this, along with a grasp of facts and knowledge, without coming across as humorless or fanatical. She also thankfully avoided the stump speech applause lines. She has shown signs of adaptability and growth, fine qualities for a presidential candidate.
No wonder the left-wing bozos from PMSNBC want her gone.
Mitt Romney-A fairly close second to Michelle, but not by a razor thin margin. He didn't stumble, didn't hurt himself, but at the same time his answers were predictable. He may have even helped himself to a degree with the conservative base of the party regarding RomneyCare, and his heartfelt beliefs in small limited government, but he still has some ground to cover, even though he did deliver a believable explanation as to why Democrat infested Massachusetts is quite different from Texas.
Newt Gingrich-Third place, not that it matters. But he served as the traffic cop of the night, belittling the attempts by Brian Williams and the Politico representative to turn the night into the Romney-Perry Show, as well as their obvious efforts to set the entire field at each others throats.
Steve Perry-Came in a disappointing fourth, in my opinion. He seemed ill at ease, and at times one got the impression he was trying very hard to control his anger. However, I must admit his response to Brian Williams attempt to portray him as heartless because of his support of the death penalty was top-notch.
In fact, Perry got the biggest applause of the night before he ever answered Williams' question as to "how do you sleep at night" (over Texas' death penalty record). When Williams expounded on the record, the crowd burst into applause, to Williams' chagrin. Perry seemed to seethe as he relayed his answer, pretty much to the effect that he and most Americans were fine with the death penalty. As he gave examples of those who deserved the ultimate punishment, his eyes seemed to bore into Williams with laser-like intensity.
Cain I would have to put at fifth, basically because he seemed rushed and hurried what very little time he had the floor. His answers were good, but he seemed frustrated at the lack of opportunity to expound further. His lack of patience is certainly understandable, but it still didn't help him.
Santorum, sixth place, likewise gave some good answers, but they were unlikely to be convincing ones.
Ron Paul comes in at seventh based primarily on his worth as comic relief. He did get in a good dig at Perry over the Gardasil debacle. Otherwise, it was the usual Ron Paul stand-up routine. Unbelievable, he decried the Mexican border fence for a reason I doubt anyone else might have ever considered. It might not be meant to keep Mexicans out so much as it might be meant to keep all of us in.
Because we might want to run off to______?
But by far the prize for overall boob of the night would have to go to last place finisher Jon Huntsman, the former Utah Governor and Ambassador to China who insists he is a solid conservative, despite the fact that he supports gay civil unions and is an unabashed believer in anthropogenic Global Climate Change.
He tried to sidestep attempts by the nights leftist moderators to identify who on the stage was in his opinion the biggest among the various right-wing loons, but the left's favorite Republican was put off his game. He said that in order for Republicans to win, they had to have somebody who would say they believe in what the majority of Americans supposedly believe, someone who could reach out to Democrats and Independents as well as Republicans. Yes, he actually said that. Apparently, you should either believe the way Huntsman believes, or if you do not, you should say you do anyway. Or maybe you should just shut up about it. In effect, he's the first candidate I've ever seen who's campaign commercials might seriously and legitimately begin, or end, with "I'm Jon Huntsman, and I approve this message. Because I'm going to tell you exactly what you want to hear."
Perhaps the biggest news of the night? The leftist hacks of MSNBC were so disgusted by his performance they declared his candidacy over in practically the same breath they doomed Bachmann's to the dustbin of irrelevancy.
But let's be crystal clear about one thing. This was not really a debate. This was a leftist media show trial.
