1. This was by far the most worthless debate of the year. The CNBC crew should be ashamed of themselves. Especially that guy who was raising his voice whose eyes kept bugging out. Just because you make cartoon noises doesn’t mean you are asking an effective question. Say what you want about the FOX NEWS folks, but, during debates, they do a good job. The FOX questioners know center-right politics and policy well enough to find the seams in the policy proposals and worldviews of the Republican contenders and they ask thoughtful (as distinct from “tough” questions.) The CNBC crew just asked questions that elicited boilerplate answers. They also provided little opportunity for spirited and policy-based disagreement between the candidates. So that left the audience learning almost nothing of value and pretty much all of the candidates looking good. Well almost all . . .
2. Is Rick Perry suffering from some undisclosed condition?
3. Cain, Gingrich and Santorum (in that order) were the best performers of the non-Romney candidates. I hate to say that but it is the truth. Not one of the questioners had the sense to ask Cain any informed or difficult questions about 9-9-9. The other candidates weren’t served up much of a chance to go after Cain either. Cain came across as charming most of the time.
Update: Cain’s Princess Nancy crack would have been obnoxious at any time for a presidential contender, but it was extra unfortunate given the last few weeks.
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