9:23 PM: So far, Mitt’s rushed and off his game. Newt’s response right now is quite good. All started off with that obvious but stinging line on the loss to Teddy Kennedy.
9:25 PM: Still hard for me to get a read on this debate. Newt’s defense is heavily aided by the clownish nature of his opponents. I’ve never been taken with this idea that Newt’s some kind of genius. I think he’s more pretentious than genius, though some people seem to confuse the two things. But look, he’s a smart guy. He’s a clever guy. And in most cases he can just dance around these folks without breaking a sweat — even when he’s pretty much wrong on the facts.
9:33 PM: Mitt taking some rare joy here watching Perry’s inept and ineffectual attack … the good ‘ole days.
9:36 PM: Not sure if you want to be Mr. Middle Class you offer up $10,000 bet. Bet your vacation house? Third house? Fine, yacht?
9:15 PM: Diane Sawyer talks a really long time to answer a question. Eeessh.
9:16 PM: At least this was a good question, albeit talking quite a while to ask.
9:17 PM: Romney opens with new line: Payroll tax cut is a band-aid but I’m for it.
9:19 PM: That was a very weird exchange on the payroll tax issue. They put the question foursquare to the candidates. But somehow I came out not really knowing what anyone had said.
9:03 PM: Okay, that was kind of a weird opening. But whatever. Let’s do this thing.
9:04 PM: I think Newt just said that the Clinton economic plan was basically like Ronald Reagan’s.
9:09 PM: Feel like Perry’s becoming a sort of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern type figure in this debate play. Comic relief, vaguely ridiculous, sort of sinister but not much.
9:11 PM: Michele Bachmann think the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) is a government agency? Wow.