Iowa Debate

[Cincinnatus]

Vote.

[tmthforu94]

Ron Paul did the best at energizing his base and getting his message across. However, he said several things in the debate that will turn off the Republican electorate.

Michele Bachmann was clearly the loser of tonight's debate, as was Pawlenty. Huntsman was someone I think some of us were expecting to "seize the moment", but he fell way short. Another big loser was the Republican Party, as this debate I think fell way short of what many concerned voters were hoping for.

As to who won, two stick out for me - Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney. As someone said in the post-debate analysis, Newt is a terrible messenger, but had a great message. Mitt Romney didn't give great answers, had no zingers, and never pumped up the crowd. However, he will keep his frontrunner status after tonight, and as frontrunner, was able to sit back and watch other feuds go on, such as Pawlenty-Bachmann and Santorum-Paul.

I'd say Newt Gingrich, TBH, simply because I think he's the only candidate who will benefit from this debate.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Newt, actually. Romney did well enough to remain the frontrunner.

[xavier110]

Well, we know who lost -- Pawlenty and Huntsman.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Well, we know who lost -- Pawlenty and Huntsman.

I think Santorum lost. He came across so hypocritical.

[RI]

I enjoyed Santorum the most. He and Paul were highly entertaining. I was not at all impressed by Bachmann or Huntsman. Pawlenty was boring and inconsequential generally, though I liked him sorta kinda going after Bachmann and Romney. Gingrich did better than I thought he would.

[Lupo]

Like I said in the other thread, Gingrich did the most to help himself but Romney was the best overall.

[AUH2O Libertarian]

Gingrich and Paul did best, by far.

Santorum was just horrendous.

[Simfan34]

Taxes... They're all like a bunch of Levy Fidelixes, with taxes instead of monorails.

[California8429]

Gingrich overall, Paul pleased his base the most (mainly because his base is a VERY clear group of people) analysis in the other poll thread.

Romney will remain the frontrunner though. I'd very much like to see polling between now and the ames straw poll to see shifts nationally for just this major debate.

Romney's answers were as always vague, though he wasn't really attacked except on HC by T-Paw so he managed to neither win nor lose. And not lossing is just as good for him at this point.

[Zarn]

Gingrich, Paul, and Romney (although he seemed a little fake, but that's not fixable) did the best.

Bachmann and Pawlenty sunk.

Santorum is still a joke, just a slightly bigger one now.

[NVGonzalez]

If Bachmann loses support out of this debate then Perry will pick up most of that. Thus Perry