Here is a collection of reactions and comments from a wide array of pundits about last night’s Republican debate at Oakland University.
First, Ezra Klein of The Washington Post who astutely points out that the candidates canned, irrelevant responses to the European debt crisis was almost entirely overlooked while Rick Perry’s gaffe became the big story.
“The big news out of last night’s GOP debate was that a candidate who won’t win couldn’t remember the third thing on a list of things he wouldn’t be able to do even if he did win,” Klein said. “But the more important story is what the candidates who might win had to say about the crises they might actually face.”
Chris Cillizza, also from WaPo, listed winners and losers and may rile up some local Republicans with his comments.
“WINNERS — Mitt Romney: Steady, steady, steady. The former Massachusetts governor was on friendly territory tonight with an economic-themed debate set in the state where he was born. The crowd was very much on his side — cheering virtually anything he said. And Romney was on his game too; his answer on housing versus jobs was that of a confident frontrunner. Romney, again, looked like the person on stage most ready to carry the Republican standard next year against President Obama. Plus, the utter debate collapse of Texas Gov. Rick Perry — the only other candidate with a demonstrated ability to raise tens of millions of dollars — will likely push some on-the-fence major donors Romney’s way.
“LOSERS — Debate crowd: We are generally pro-audience participation in debates. But, the debate crowd tonight saved (Herman) Cain from providing any real answer on the serious allegations against him and saved (Newt) Gingrich from answering a totally legitimate follow-up question from (Maria) Bartiromo asking him to explain his claim that the media was responsible for the current problems with the economy. With so many debates — and the candidates saying the same things SO often — there are only a few moments in each gathering where the potential exists for real news to be made. And the debate audience drowned out at least two of them tonight.”
Over at Politico, Mike Allen, the aggregator extraordinaire, provides a batch of responses, mostly focusing on just how awful Perry’s “moment” was.
Michael Barone: called it the “worst moment in a debate” since 1960. Professor Larry Sabato labeled it “most devastating moment of any modern primary debate.”
Here is Allen’s nomination for top Tweet of the night, from Pat Gavin, a Politico colleague, and political sage James Oliphant: “@pwgavin: Fortunately for the Perry household, there are only *two* children whose names need to be remembered. … @jamesoliphant: Is Tim Pawlenty sliding down a fire pole anywhere and jumping into a car?”
National Review’s Rich Lowry: “No one touched Romney… He again showed the right political instinct to want to address the struggles of the middle class, although his tax plan doesn’t do it. His China-bashing will probably play well in the Midwest, although it’s foolhardy on the merits.”
Time, “Grading the Michigan Mash-Up,” by Mark Halperin: Romney turned a “question about his biggest vulnerability — character and consistency — into an attack on Obama that drew a strong crowd reaction, delivering a well-rehearsed line in a natural way. … (Gingrich’s) near-constant display of irritability with the moderators risks puncturing his ‘I’m-the-seasoned-statesman/adult-in-this-thing’ comeback effort. … (Huntsman) leaves this debate, along with Gingrich, as a potential threat to the frontrunner.”
At the Daily Beast Lois Romano saw Michele Bachmann again failing to make a lasting impression.
“The Minnesota congresswoman once again failed to break through in the GOP debate.
“Bachmann did little tonight to resurrect her drifting campaign, delivering a passable performance with the same tired sound bites. And she’s running out of time.
“She recycled her new favorite attack line, accusing President Obama of taking direction from ‘Gen. Axelrod in Chicago,’ referring to political adviser David Axelrod. Someone should tell the congresswoman that most Americans have no idea what she’s talking about.”
Kim Geiger of the LA Times noted that Cain’s reference to Nancy Pelosi as “Princess Nancy” seemed to please his campaign staff, but they later walked back the remark after receiving flak from various circles.
“Moments after Cain uttered the comment,” Geiger wrote, “this popped up on the candidate’s official Twitter page, THEHermanCain: “The answer to Health Care: HR3000, the bill killed by ‘Princess Nancy’ in committee.
“The bill Cain was referring to was introduced in the summer of 2009, when Pelosi was speaker, by Georgia Republican Tom Price.
“’We didn’t hear about it in the previous — the previous Congress, because ‘Princess Nancy’ sent it to committee and it stayed there, it never came out,’ Cain said at the CNBC debate.
“Meanwhile, the rest of the politically minded Twitter universe was remarking on Cain’s poor timing, if not his choice of words.
“Former George W. Bush spokeswoman Dana Perino: ‘Ay yi yi, former Speaker Pelosi called a princess in the debate? Not fair. We may disagree on policy, but she earned the Speaker title.’
“NBC’s Andrea Mitchell: ‘@thehermancain dismisses former speaker as ‘Princess Nancy’ for burying GOP health care bill.. wonder if this is the week to do that?’
“The Daily Beast’s Andrew Sullivan: ‘Someone with so many allegations of sexual harassment might not want to belittle a former speaker as ‘Princess Nancy.’
“In an interview after the debate, Cain told CNBC: ‘That was a statement that I probably should not have made, but I was trying to make a point.’
“Lucky for him, the comment will most certainly be overshadowed by Rick Perry’s failure to recall what three federal agencies he proposes to eliminate.
“Cain’s thoughts on that? ‘The American people can be very forgiving.’”
