Free Republic

Texas Governor Rick Perry lost his cool, lost respect, and lost some supporters in Las Vegas. He might have also lost a prime opportunity to shape his image and get back on top in the race for the GOP nomination.

Whew. Can you have a debate in which nobody wins? The seven Republican presidential candidates on the stage during the GOP debate in Las Vegas Tuesday slapped, swatted, slashed, jabbed, picked, and poked at each other for two hours. As might be expected, most of the emerged bloodier and more ragged than when they walked in. But then, these things are contests—largely political sporting events. So if a winner must be crowned, make it Rick Perry, who showed some fire in his willingness to go toe-to-toe with Mitt Romney, whose aura of inevitability waxed and waned during the debate. Perry...

Ted Kennedy scrubbed an ad against Mitt Romney in 1994 detailing how many jobs were lost when Romney headed an arbitrage fund that bought ailing companies, fired a ton of employees to clean up the P&L statement, and flipped them. These kinds of ads are really effective because the people who lost their jobs are real people. More, that Romney's Bain Capital was some sort of anonymous group of money men, it was easier for Romney to fire real people. This type of ad is even more effective in this very down economy, when most every voter is worried about...

Greetings Friends, Neighbors and Fellow Citizens! Come one, come all and give your summary of the debate tonight. Looking forward to the commentary and I bid you all good evening. My analysis: Romney- dishonest and irritating as usual. Will not support. Cain- like a lot; but he means on the job training. No amateur hour. Perry- genuine. He stepped up tonight finally. Executive experience. I support Santorum- Don't think there's much chance there Michelle- Shrill, whiney. Five years in congress is not enough experience Gingrich- Excellent. Can support. Ron Paul- has got to go. Flat a**ed crazy.

Although Texas Gov. Rick Perry survived last week’s debate at Dartmouth College, he must do better than simply surviving in the upcoming debates, starting with Tuesday night’s in Las Vegas. Perry’s reported third-quarter haul of $17 million is impressive, but his poll numbers are in free fall and his organization isn’t even remotely comparable to that of the GOP front-runner, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Such poll hemorrhaging can only hinder future fundraising and organizational efforts in key early states. Enticing local activists or new donors to climb aboard what appears to be a sinking ship is a pretty tough...