I didn’t think it was possible but I think Newt is more animated by contempt today than he was in the 90s.

Newt: Fannie and Freddie didn’t hire me to lobby but as an historian.

For up to the minute updates on the debate, video and more, check out TPMLivewire.

Best moment in the date so far: Cain responds to accusations. For every woman who says I harassed her, there are “thousands” who say I didn’t.

8:37 PM: The moderators seem to be the enemy is this debate, taking the earlier role played by executed prisoners and gay soldiers. But the questions from the moderators have been some of the most probing and interesting that I’ve seen in this cycle.

Okay, we’re here for the official “economy” debate hosted by CNBC.

8:04 PM: Not sure the ‘putting stuff in the caboose’ metaphor is one that works for Herman Cain at this point.

8:07 PM: Romney seems focused on shooting down the non-existent push for the US to create a new TARP program for Italian debt.

8:08 PM: How did they let Jim Cramer be involved in moderating a debate?

8:11 PM: I’m actually surprised how incoherent the candidates are in response to the situation in Italy.

8:13 PM: What Romney just said about the auto bailout really didn’t make sense. Too incoherent. It was a managed bankruptcy which is what Mitt wanted to do all along only it was a government bankruptcy which was awful. It’s like the threading the needle on health care reform.

8:21 PM: Cain: The American people deserve better than for you to answer this question … I think Cain just said that for every woman who says he harassed them there are thousands of women who say he didn’t harass them. Hmmm.

8:25 PM: There’s something odd and kind of off-kilter about this debate. And I’ve had a hard time putting my finger on it. And it’s funny because you’d think that in a time of terrible economic plight, the out of power party would go to town on economics. But I think what it is is that the candidates know that they need to be able to get their facts right on macro-economics. And they’re just not getting questions they feel they can dig into.

Today’s Campaign In 100 Seconds comes with a surgeon general’s warning: “May Induce Existential Despair.”

Herman Cain in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s.

The GOP presidential candidate reconvene for another debate tonight at 8 p.m. ET. We’ll be here, so stick around.

Ever notice how often Herman Cain lapses into the third person when talking about Herman Cain? Yeah, so did we. Watch.