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"I know it’s become common practice to repeat the MSM line but Rick Perry has delivered some good comments (and some clunkers) in the debates"

It's not MSM spin. Perry has delivered some real clunkers in the debate. He talked about cutting three departments and then couldn't remember the third one he wanted to cut. It just seems that he did not have a well thought out plan. While it disappoints me, it's not a deal breaker. However, by the time I get to vote in the primaries, it's all over except the crying. I don't really have a say in picking our candidate.

I cringe because I know that his debate performances will be affecting a lot of people in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Caroline and Florida. We can't have the kind of gaffes he's had when he debates Obama. It just can't happen!!! He performed better in this last debate. I will be watching him intently in what will most likely be the last debate this Thursday before actual voting begins.

I think Perry performs better in debates when he's been lower in the polls (as in recently)..

If you think about most of the debate structures, they single out the "front-runners" with the more controversial topics, give them first shot at answering the questions, while the others have time to reflect, collect, and prepare for a response that may be unique to the others or bring out additional things to think about.

I think this is a big reason why Gingrich shined in the early debates when he was a second-tier candidate, and it helped him to appear more likeable and less "mean" to the other candidates.

Romney has pretty much been a top-tier candidate since the beginning, and has thus been involved in ALL of the spats and difficult questions as a first responder. Overall, that hasn't helped him. He's a good debater and has handled the questions effectively for the most part, but he's still been exposed to the scrutiny he wouldn't have if he was lower in the pecking order.

I also think this is one reason Bachmann had a good debate the other night.