The Last Word

Ron Paul gets the last word in the debate.

Why can't anyone get the name of Oakland's mascot right?  It's Golden Grizzlies, not just Grizzlies.

All told, not that much elucidation.  Here's my take on their performances (in stage order, from left to right):

Santorum:  He does well on every question.  They just won't ask him enough of them.  If he was in the middle of the stage and got 10 questions, the dynamics of this race would change instantly.

Bachmann:  Can't seem to find her voice.  She's got the facts and her instincts are good, but she needs polish.  Example:  "The Chinese army is the number one employer of the world," when she really means, "The Chinese army is the largest employer in the world."

Gingrich:  Helped himself tonight, although he needs to stop looking for opportunities to pick fights with the moderators.  He is the most knowledgeable, and he will be more formidable if he can stay in the race long enough to be one of the last 2 or 3 or 4 standing.

Romney:  Had the most questions, handled them well, no major gaffes.  Another plus night for Mitt.

Cain:  He did okay, but he is starting to sound like a broken record.  He relates everything to his 9-9-9 plan and doesn't stretch out beyond it.  We may look back at this night as the night when Cain's candidacy began to recede.

Perry:  Thanks for playing, Governor, we have some lovely parting gifts for you.  We could overlook an uneven performance if it varies within a fairly high range.  Perry fluctuated significantly; at times he was good and seemed to hit his stride, only to falter again.  Then, that enormous gaffe when he couldn't remember the name of the third agency he wanted to get rid of.  For him to recover now would be nothing short of miraculous.

Paul -- The usual stuff.  I don't really see him gaining any traction.

Huntsman -- A thoroughly mediocre performance.  And again, what's with the one raised eyebrow all the time?  He alsways looks half-suprised.

Winners tonight:  Romney, Gingrich

No significant damage:  Santorum, Bachmann, Cain, Paul.

Time to pack it in:  Perry, Huntsman.

My final unofficial question count:

Santorum:  4
Bachmann:  6
Gingrich:  7
Romney:  14
Cain:  8
Perry:  7
Paul:  5
Huntsman:  6