The Official Des Moines Register/ABC News/Yahoo Iowa GOP Debate Thread

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I wonder if we'll see a different dynamic with only six candidates on stage. Will some viewers  assume that Huntsman's absence means he's withdrawn from the race?

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Is there a way to watch this on the internet? I have not had my cable set up yet...

Here's what should be a live feed once the debate is airing.

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Dear God, I'd forgotten how annoying Sawyer is.

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Romney's seven points seems like an implied dig at Perry's memory.

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Santorum really deserves more support than he has...

His high negatives & lack of support have always surprised me, too. And he has an interesting set of emphases that really contrast with what's offered by the other candidates.

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In the absence of Huntsman, Romney assumes the bad joke-making mantle.

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Romney is using Politico's attack lines! (And the moon base line is just as silly on the debate stage.)

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For Perry, attacking the unlikable frontrunner (Romney) rather than the likable frontrunner who is  better at debating (Gingrich), might be a very wise strategy.

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Mitt offering a 10K bet to Perry doesn't do well to make him a common man....

Yeah, I thought that was really stupid too, especially given that Romney's fortune is so much larger than Perry's, and that Perry likes to play up his origin as the "son of tenant farmers."

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Romney has had two terrible moments: "You lost to Teddy Kennedy," and "Let's make a bet"

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I believe these are the best moderators yet... they do not try to become part of the action or act like candidates

Sawyer talks too much.

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I liked Paul's response to this a lot, at least most of it.

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This is a very hard debate on Newt... he is doing the best he can but there is a target on his back from everyone

I think it's helped that most attacks have been directed at both him and Romney. He has been very good on the defensive; he can be a bit smarmy when he attacks.

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Am I wrong to read this as Romney's strongest (albeit still flawed) line of attack, so far?

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Wow, Perry with the biggest applause of the debate. Didn't see that coming.

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Is Rick Perry back? Of the three lower-tier candidates who are plausible Iowa winners, he's been having the best night by far.

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Is Rick Perry back? Of the three lower-tier candidates who are plausible Iowa winners, he's been having the best night by far.

Perry and Bachmann are the winners so far tonight.

The really interesting thing about Perry is that he is taking the initiative to get into the debate rather than hanging back and hoping the moderators don't call on him, which has (wisely) been his strategy so far.

Agreed on your analysis of Perry's performance, but (to me) Bachmann has seemed pretty irrelevant all night. Nothing to distinguish this from her previous lackluster performances. 

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WHAT? Rick Perry names Ron Paul!?! Is he making a play for his supporters?

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Yuck, Bachmann. I was happy to finally have a debate without Herman Cain's goofiness "plainspokeness," and "9-9-9"

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Reaction: Horrible debate for Mitt, Gingrich held his ground, Perry and Paul performed well, Bachmann and Santorum didn't break through.

Gingrich - A-
Perry - B+
Paul - B+
Bachmann - B-
Santorum - C+
Romney - C