FOX "News" Hosts GOP Debate in Iowa

I'd go for a Snow White reference, but Bachmann is the short one.
Image from source, MSNBC.

So, who won? I'd say FOX "News," who really did a pretty good job. And yes, that surprises me a lot. Not that everyone thought so. Newt Gingrich pointedly criticized the hosts for asking what he called "gotcha" questions. Except that they weren't really gotchas, they were just things that Gingrich didn't want to answer.

But Newt actually had a fairly good night. Though his posturing and strutting was fairly transparent, he at least made a showing. I mean, who knew he was still in this thing? Rick Santorum struggled to get noticed, at one point going into an almost Tourette's Syndrome spew of social issue talking points: Gay marriage! Abortion! Polygamy! Ron Paul got in a few crowd pleasers, but he always brings his own (easy to please) crowd. 


Herman Cain got in a good joke, but it was one easily turned back on himself. Mitt Romney didn't hurt or particularly help himself, as far as I could tell, so he holds even. Jon Huntsman came across as occasionally too RINO for this crowd (and too right-wing for any Obama defectors).  And that just leaves the big showdown of the night:


The Minnesota Twins. Michele Bachmann (in rather unflattering lighting) and T-Paw himself, Tim Pawlenty faced off. Pawlenty--stung by an earlier wimpy performance--tried to be all scrappy. He tore into Bachmann's record, and though he didn't hold back, still seemed rather flaccid. Bachmann was ready for him, and gave it back with steely determination. I still think she's batshit crazy, and has her history and civics all chopped up like a Sarah Palin word salad. But she's good in this venue.


So, I'd declare Bachmann the winner, at least on style points. I think she'd get at best a D- grade on her facts, and policy positions. Plus, she's got an extremely minority opinion, saying that the debt ceiling shouldn't have been raised, and that she's been proven right about that. Also, though T-Paw was kind of a wimpy fighter, he did point out for everybody exactly where to hit her. So it might be a hollow win.


[Excerpt]


GOP race crowded, uncertain following debate 

If you like clean, predictable campaign story lines, the 2012 Republican contest isn’t going to be for you. . .


Read more at: MSNBC