1) it WAS the happy hour debate, and the moderators were softer than Megyn Kelly and her cronies. Certainly there was no "gotcha" question for her---especially one right out of the gate---the way there was for Trump, and the only "let's you-and-him-fight" question she got was directed toward Trump---not on the stage.
2) She's an unknown, probably more than anyone there except Gilmore, with nowhere to go but up.
3) Her answers WERE cogent, often deep, and she was the only candidate (including Trump or Cruz) who showed an appreciation for Chinese/Russian e-warfare. Of course, that's here baliwick. I doubt she could talk real estate implications like The Donald or legal implications like Cruz.
4) As a woman, she's going to get some slack, especially since she isn't Sarah Palin. I think the drive-bys have to to some small (emphasize small) degree have to "be nice to the woman" for a while to make up for the Palin hit-job they did.
5) More than anyone but Trump, she has that wrestling move called the "reverse gotcha" in place. When they tried to pin her down on late-night talk shows about her web domain that a disgruntled employee took to bash her, she announced she had BOUGHT the web domains of the idiots asking her the questions. That is one of the most perfect Reverse Gotcha's in recent history.
6) Many in the GOPe know Bush is a loser and are desperate for a fall back. I think Rubio is their #1, Walker their #2, but I think they are grooming Carly to be #3.
She outcharmed the rest of the B-list debaters and the media is trying to hype her as overall debate winner
Sad desperate dishonest journalism
The establishment has seen her lose before and knows she is an easy take down
Talks good talk, never walked any walk to show she is capable of being the freaking US president