I actually didn’t think anyone put in a really amazing performance. The debate didn’t have the energy of when Gingrich, Santorum and Romney were really going at it 4 years ago. No answer here came close to getting a standing ovation. Gingrich really made everyone step up their game last time and it doesn’t look like we’re going to see any of that energy this time.
Cruz - smooth, reliable, unflappable but lacking in passion
Huckabee - relaxed, confident but his canned gag lines were a little annoying
Walker - clear spoken, but a little stiff
Bush - seemed confident and at ease, but spinning hard to defend his conservative credentials
Rubio - not much more than Obama-style emotionalism, vague promises without much policy
Kasich - seemed unfocused and not well-defined in his views
Christie - went full “Peter King” in his assertion that we need to spy on everybody to find the bad guys
Trump - mumbled, stumbled and lost his cool, talked more about himself than about ideas
Paul - seemed like he might be on drugs
Carson - totally unpresidential, has no command of the issues
“Paul - seemed like he might be on drugs”.
Paul needed some drugs. Perhaps Xanax would have helped.
He and Bush need to go home.
I agree with the exception that I think Kasich and Bush both performed a bit better. I can’t remember if it was Rush or Back who pointed out that to a low information voter who isn’t familiar with Bush’s weaknesses on many issues, Bush probably looked very good.