A small observation: I think Newt has adjusted well to his nominal frontrunner status. In the context of a GOP primary debate tonight he’s been cool, dramatic in his own way but not over-the-top. He’s ratcheted back the angry retorts, which appear to have been key to his jump into the lead. But I think he’s done it in a way that may make him more palatable to a broader primary electorate without losing him what brought him to this point.

I still can’t believe that Newt has any real chance to be the nominee. But I think he’s done well for himself tonight.

One of the more entertaining moments of the debate: Willlard Mitt Romney insists his first name is “Mitt”.

Quite apart from the content, the questioners tonight are like a flashback from the previous decade.

We’re following every last development in the debate at TPMLivewire.

8:17 PM: Newt is so in his element tonight. He’s feeling his wheaties, able to get off his blunt comments and snark against a rival and managing a pretty good retort all in the process.

8:26 PM: That was weird. I think Herman Cain just said that he’d profile Muslims from the Arab world and South Asia but he says he’ll let the professionals tell him that it’s the Arabs and Pakistanis who need to be profiled.

Here’s what Cain said …

I believe we can do a whole lot better with TSA, and I call it targeted identification … Targeted identification. If you take a look at the people who have tried to kill us, it would be easy to figure out exactly what that identification profile looks like. But I want to make sure that i get to the patriot act

…

I happen to believe if you allow our intelligence agencies to do their job, they can come up with an approach … Wolf, what I’m saying is let’s ask the professionals to give us an approach of how we can increase the identification of people that might be a danger to civilians as well as a danger to this nation.

8:02 PM: So far I’m loving the Minority Reportish candidate bio interface and the Nukish debate intro. Reminding me of earlier epic debate intros from this season.

8:06 PM: Why is Wolf intro’ing these guys like the guy from Let’s Make a Deal?

8:07 PM: Who thought the singer looked like a genetically reengineered Rick Perry.

8:09 PM: Is Wolf on crack?

8:11 PM: Wait, that’s not Mitt’s name. Mitt’s first name is “Willard.”

A quick reminder that the GOP presidential candidates convene tonight in DC for a debate focused on national security (and foreign policy? or are we just doing the saber-rattling thing?). We’ve got you covered here from start to finish. Debate starts at 8 p.m. ET.

Benjy Sarlin tackles Mitt Romney’s totally deceptive new campaign ad in today’s Campaign In 100 Seconds.

Joe Lieberman demands that Google implement a system on its Blogger platform for users to flag “terrorist content.”

Reviewers at Amazon descend in mockery on the brand of pepper spray used on those students at UC Davis: “Accept no substitutes when casually repressing students … Whenever I need to breezily inflict discipline on unruly citizens.”