THE DEBATE – AT 7:39 A.M. ET:  I realize that many readers may not have been with us as we live blogged the GOP debate last night.  Let me give you my impressions, and a review of what I've seen from others:

The format was bad, things went by much too quickly, and there were too many candidates on the platform.  However, we got some strong impressions.  If there was a "winner," it was Michele Bachman.  (She spells it with one "l".)  Michael Barone sums it up:

Michele Bachmann. The rap against her is that she is inspirational but sometimes make statements she cannot defend. I don’t think she did that in this debate. On the contrary, she was well prepared with specifics. She defended the tea parties as part of the three-legged stool of national security, cultural conservative and free market economic conservatives—the definition of the conservative movement pioneered by William F. Buckley many years ago. She managed to tell viewers that she was a tax lawyer and that she raised three children and provided homes for 23 foster children—I don’t care how cynical you are; that’s impressive. She deftly quoted then-Senator Barack Obama—a voice more eloquent than mine—on the debt limit. She said that as president she wouldn’t go into states and lobby against allowing same-sex marriages and she brushed aside as numerically insignificant the question—always raised by liberals like CNN moderator John King—about abortions in cases of rape and incest. She used her seat on the Intelligence Committee to make her point that there is no vital American interest in Libya and quoted Ryan Lizza’s New Yorker piece on how an Obama insider said he was “leading from behind.” An impressive performance.

And if there was a strong survivor, it was Mitt Romney.  As the assumed "frontrunner," he was the target, but the rest of the group went easy on him, and he answered questions with brief, substantive replies.  He may not have gained much, but he didn't lose anything.  Again, Barone:

Overall Romney showed a clear sense of command and directed well-aimed attacks at Barack Obama and his administration. He was well prepared for the format and did better than I thought.

The disappointment was Tim Pawlenty, former governor of Minnesota.  His job was to break out of the second tier, and make himself better known, but didn't do it.  As for the others, I just don't think they have a realistic chance at the nomination.

Important individuals were not there.  Governor Rick Perry of Texas wasn't there.  Neither was former Governor Jon Huntsman of Utah.  Perry would be an instant, serious contender if he gets in, but I must tell you that, the more I read about him, the more reluctant I am.  Yes, he has a great jobs record in Texas, but he tends to sound a bit on the fringe a times, and more local than national.  I don't know if he'll travel well.  He's speaking in New York today, and we should get a taste of Rick Perry without a Texas backdrop.  As for Huntsman, it's currently "Jon who?"  He served as Obama's ambassador to China, which won't sit well with the GOP base.  How can you serve a president and then run against his policies?

On balance, it was Mitt's and Michele's night last night.   I agree with Barone that Romney was better than we'd thought he would be.  Can Michele be taken as a serious candidate?  If she continues with the kind of solid performance she gave in the debate, yes. 

This is only the start.  More action ahead.

June 14, 2011