Just watched the entire thing. My candidate-by candidate opinion piece:
Overall: None of the candidates lost or earned any supporters from this debate, IMHO...there were just too many of them. Since we had so many there, there just wasn’t opportunity either for anyone to screw up royally (save for lunatic Ron Paul, more about that later) or knock it out of the park, either. Decent, watchable debate, not a snoozefest, not a whooping fist-pumper either.
Fred Thompson: Fred did very well. Not a grand-slam but he delivered well and had his facts straight. He scored extra points for the well-placed jabs at the commentators/talking heads. He gave the most reasonable answers on China and the Middle East of anyone, realizing the threat without coming across as protectionist. Looked “fine” as in he looked like he always does. Good delivery, smiled, able to laugh at himself after Romney’s rather innocent dig at him at the end. Overall grade: A-
John McCain: Some said Fred looked “old, tired” blah blah...if anyone looked old and tired it was McCain. He had poor delivery, shifty answers, and just didn’t really do much of anything. Overall grade: C-
Duncan Hunter: Very good performance as well. Was impressive overall, I like that even with his disagreements he agreed to support the eventual nominee. Sounded a bit far-off and protectionist on certain things, but I still maintain he’s a brilliant man who’d make a good Secretary of Defense under Fred. :) Overall grade: B+
Tom Tancredo: Honestly, the Tanc rather impressed me, moreso than I imagined he would...even got a little dig in at himself about mentioning illegals so much, I chuckled at that. Didn’t have as much in the way of facts and figures as I’d expect, and was rather dull. Overall grade: B
Rudy Giuliani: Decent command of the facts, didn’t harp too much on 9/11 except when Ron Paul made his *ridiculous* statement about the US never being attacked by a foreign nation. Tried too hard to let it slip in that he has fought against the Clintons. Impressed me more than I’d have expected but that’s not saying much. Overall grade: B
Mitt Romney. Did extremely well in a delivery and fact-checking standpoint, but still too slick to be completely trusted. I thought he played well off of Fred Thompson, enough so that I’d consider him a great VP candidate, or a backup for my primary vote if something happens to Fred between now and then. Good humor, used his numbers well, looked good, but then again that’s what Mitt seems to do well. The package. Overall grade: A-
Ron Paul: The lunatic of the group. Couldn’t get off his “monetary system, military-industrial complex, leftist moonbat on defense” rant. Acted like an escapee from a mental institution. Overall grade: D+. Not an “F” strictly because he was entertaining.
Sam Brownback: Has learned a few things about economics since I last heard him talk. Delivery was so-so, seemed well-rounded, but overall not a standout. Overall grade: C+
Mike Huckabee: More impressive than I’ve seen him. Good tax ideas. Seems to have improved his game. Still a nanny-stater. Overall grade: B-
Fair analysis. I’d downgrade Senator Thompson and bump up Duncan Hunter a little, but that’s all.
Paul is running for a different audience, entirely. Huckabee has, for some reason, gained the traction that Hunter hasn’t. Strange.
Kinda disagree with your grades. I have been leaning towards Huck but he pretty much soured me with his union answer as well as the energy answer.
Winners: Fred stole the show,
Mitt, very strong pro America message,
Rudy as always very articulate and not afraid to mix it up with HilaryCare and nailed his Canada joke as well as the London argument
Held their own: McCain
Losers: Duncan, almost scary with his delivery although the words were good his intensity was not
Tancredo: ok we get the immigration problem, what else
Huck: Sounded too much like a Dem with all the gummit economics
Brownback: Needed to stand out and didn’t
Ron Pat Paulson: Bring in the Rubber Truck & straightjacket
Pray for W and Our Troops
you were waaay to kind to Ronpaul. “9/11 was just 19 thugs” who were unrelated to any group just floored me.
I think by the next debate Ronpaul, Huckabee, Tancredo, and Brownback should not be allowed on the stage.