If you missed the debate among the Republican candidates for president in Ames, Iowa two days before today’s straw poll in the Hawkeye state, here you go. I had trouble finding the whole thing on Fox News’ home page. So, thanks, YouTube! The debate has been called entertaining, informative and combative. It is all that — and much better than the farce put on by CNN several weeks ago. The debate, hosted by Fox News, also puts the lie to the meme that the cable network does the bidding of the GOP. The questions were challenging — the kind of challenges on policy that Obama has still never faced by the tired “old media.”
My take: Bachmann did well — especially with the “submission” question; Romney looked like an Obama-beater (he’d destroy the president in debates); Gingrich was his egg-head best; Santorum was great on substance, but ignored by the questioners, so he didn’t make enough of an impact; and Pawlenty is fading farther and farther into the background. Oh … and Cain proved he’s great on issues, but is getting weaker; and Ron Paul was … well … Ron Paul.