Missed the debate but here’s my .0002 cents after reading
comments:
1. Romney remains in a strong position because of establishment support and the fawning connivance of the media (which will promptly dump him in the general). However, he continues to fail to excite the GOP base. Given the threat he poses, the other candidates should have focused on him rather than on Perry.
2. Perry’s initial momentum has apparently stalled after his lackluster debate performance. It seems a lot of people who have put their hopes in him have been at least somewhat disappointed.
3. Bachman is fading; her increasingly shrill attacks (both during the debate and in anti-Perry ads) come across as intemperate desperation.
4. Gingrich has the smarts and is a great communicator, but his negatives preclude him as a viable candidate.
5. Santorum is ideologically pure, but has not gained significant traction. The remaining candidates are likewise insignificant at this point.
The Wild Card in all this is Palin. I would like to see her throw her hat in the ring to see how she would stack up against the others.