My assessment of the debate

[realtonygoodwin]

Here is my assessment of how each candidate did.

Mitt Romney: did fine. I like his state's rights answer on healthcare. For his campaign: B+. He doesn't hurt himself, and maintains his lead. Me personally: B-

Santorum: Seemed like Pawlenty SNL impersonator. Got more passionate as it went on, and wasn't afraid to stand alone. Bad on policy except abortion. Campaign: C. Me: F+

Jon Huntsman: first chance to introduce himself to many, and he didn't do very well. Gets a few points for sticking with some of his unpopular positions. Campaign: D. Me: D

Pawlenty: fun to watch, but reeked of desperation going after Bachmann. Campaign:C-. Me: D+

Bachmann: Did pretty well, but not as good as last time. Nice rhetoric mostly. Gracious in submission question. Campaign: B. Me: C

Gingrich: did well, seemed professorial. May have helped his dying campaign. Campaign: A-. Me: B

Paul: better than before, still somewhat ramble prone. Schooled Santorum on foreign policy and history, but I doubt he expanded his appeal a whole lot. Campaign: C. Me:A

Cain: lacks substance, and experience. Had a couple good lines. Campaign: C-. Me: C-


So overall rankings:

How much they helped their campaign:

1. Gingrich
2. Romney
3. Bachmann
4. Paul
5. Santorum
6. Cain
7. Pawlenty
8. Huntsman

How well they appealed to me:

1. Paul
2. Gingrich
3. Romney
4. Bachmann
5. Cain
6. Pawlenty
7. Huntsman
8. Santorum

[Article V]

Here's my perspective (without my preferences -- which are Paul, Paul, only Ron Paul):

Who helped their campaign most (considering where they were before the debate)

1. Gingrich (strong performance, grasp of complex issues, spoke with an everyman tongue)
2. Santorum (he revived his campaign for niche religious social conservatives)
3. Romney (stayed above the fray, brushed off attacks before they could connect)
4. Perry (avoided tarnishing his GOP-redeemer brand)
5. Paul (great insight and passion, rambling answers confuse people more than empower them)
6. Bachmann (GOP Icarus: flew too high previously, and this time got too in-the-mud with Pawlenty, now she's wounded but not mortally)
7. Pawlenty (desperate, wounded himself in wounding Bachmann, failed to lock horns with Romney)
8. Huntsman (started strong, then lost all sense of personality, he's the other vanilla)
9. Cain (likeable but not a stand-out, he's the businessman w/o Romney credentials)

Debates help distinguish, but they're not everything. Ames straw-poll should allow Bachmann to kick Pawlenty permanently beneath her.

[realtonygoodwin]

Fair analysis