It's interesting how different people see different things. I thought tonight was a net win for Mitt Romney. I thought he did what he needed to do: He came out swinging against Newt Gingrich ("You were only mentioned once" in Ronald Reagan's diary), and generally looked strong. His weakest point was definitely the taxes question, but even there he recovered with the "I'm not going to apologize for being successful" line, which got a big applause.
On the other hand, I thought Gingrich seemed off. Maybe a little too much of his anger at that first question, about his ex-wife's allegations, was real. I dunno. I also felt like he was on the defensive more, especially against Rick Santorum, who really came on strong. I think he took some votes away from Gingrich tonight, and I think that, coupled with the "open marriage" thing being all over the news cycle tomorrow, is going to help Romney.
But the general consensus seems to be that Gingrich won and that Romney didn't fare so well. I guess I'll have to concede this to the people who know South Carolina best. But I still wouldn't be surprised to see Newt and Santorum split the Teavangelical vote and Romney eke out a win. In a way that would kind of disappoint me, though. I would kind of like to see Gingrich win in the Palmetto State just to keep it going. The more they tear each other apart, the better.
Anyway, on to the silliness! Below the fold are my real-time Twitter comments from the debate...
@JohnKingCNN What does a guy named KING know about electing a president, anyway?
Hey, what a surprise, the audience at the Republican debate is all old and white.
@JohnKing #CNNDebate Looking for any black people in the audience...
@JohnKing #CNNDebate One. There's one old black lady. Probably someone's housekeeper brought along for appearances.
@JohnKing #CNNDebate If the candidates go over their time they should have to take off an article of clothing.
@JohnKing #CNNDebate STRIP DEBATE!
@MittRomney should congratulate Santorum. It would make him look classy. He wouldn't be, but he'd look that way.
@RonPaul: "I'm the only veteran on the stage here." I guess the French and Indian War counts.
@JohnKing #CNNDebate Bet you never thought you'd see the day when @NewtGingrich was the voice of morality, did you?
If there's one guy who knows "despicable," it's @NewtGingrich.
@NewtGingrich: Why were your "personal friends" privy to the details of your marriage? That sounds pretty, you know, open.
@RickSantorum: "Look at what I've done in my private life." Like when you slept with a dead baby?
@RonPaul: Media "attacks" not based on "facts." Fact: Racist hate propaganda was written and distributed under your name.
Ohpleaseohpleaseohplease @RonPaul talk about the gold standard.
Here we go: @NewtGingrich and @MittRomney... GRUDGE MATCH.
@MittRomney is a lot like Alec Baldwin's character on #30Rock, except way, way less cool.
@RickSantorum: "The state of Iowa is being fined for not signing enough people up to Medicaid." I call bullshit.
So what's the story with @RickSantorum's hair? Is it a piece or what?
@MittRomney may never had served in the military, but he did his time. In a mansion in France.
@RonPaul needs someone to explain to him that cutting the budget in 1946 was easy. One VERY big line item was gone.
@JohnKing #CNNDebate Ask each of the candidates whether they would suck a veteran's cock if he asked.
@NewtGingrich: The economy took off in the fifties because all our competitors had been bombed to rubble.
@JohnKing #CNNDebate Even though that guy would CLEARLY benefit from "Obamacare." #stupidsoutherners
Someone set the @MittRomney bot to "presidential" tonight.
@NewtGingrich: The American people are frightened by a man with a giant bobble head on a baby's body.
@RickSantorum: Not sure I'd call Mass' healthcare plan a "failure." Everyone's covered and we have the best hospitals in the world.
@RickSantorum looks like he's about to lose his shit and attack Romney.
DON'T DO IT, RICK! HE'S A ROBOT!
If @RickSantorum ever comes to Massachusetts, it's ON.
Every time the camera pans to @RickSantorum he looks pissed.
@RonPaul could have gone for a smoke.
Did @RonPaul just seriously say there was no one without medical care in the 1960s? What country was HE living in?
@RonPaul talking is like being lectured by your grandpa, and you smile and look at your watch, just waiting to get the hell out of there.
I love how @NewtGingrich manipulated #CNN into asking him about his taxes so he could segue into attacking Romney on the issue.
Way to be manipulated, @JohnKing #CNNDebate.
I know I've said this before, but there's this sick part of me that wants to see what a @NewtGingrich presidency would look like.
@RickSantorum attacks @NewtGingrich's character. Great. Now I agree with Rick Santorum about something.
@NewtGingrich: "In the seventies I had a SWEET Trans Am."
If you look closely you can see a vein in @NewtGingrich's head throbbing.
@NewtGingrich: "I have been a douchebag since the Bee Gees were on the charts."
And that, America, was @MittRomney on the attack. Sorry you had to see that.
I'm not sure criticizing @JimmyCarter in the Deep South is a great idea for @NewtGingrich.
@JohnKing #CNNDebate Did @RonPaul leave?
According to Celebrity Net Worth, @RonPaul is worth $4.9 million. So of course he's crying poor.
I've got to hand it to @MittRomney, he's been on tonight. Someone must have rebooted him.
@JohnKing #CNNDebate How can you ask about China when no one on that stage speaks Chinese? IF ONLY!
@RonPaul is worth $4.9 million. I'm not even worth $4.9 thousand.
Thanks, @RickSantorum. I wasn't aware @BarackObama was responsible for the end of American manufacturing. Ah, the boom years of 2006-7!
@RonPaul: "Burn the unions! BURN THEM!"
@NewtGingrich against censorship? Now, why do I find that hard to believe?
@JohnKing #CNNDebate Who would have guessed that in 2012 presidential candidates would still be talking about fighting pirates?
So none of the #Republican candidates support SOPA. That makes me kind of want to support it.
@RickSantorum's "anything goes on the internet" rant was a thinly veiled nod to the internet-hating evangelical crowd.
I know evangelicals hate the internet because I saw it in a @KirkCameron movie.
@JohnKing #CNNDebate What's the deal with the lady sitting behind @FredThompson? She looks like she's had a LOT of work done, if you get me.
@JohnKing #CNNDebate Now comes the part where they all vie to be toughest on the brown people.
@NewtGingrich: "I would make English the national language."
@MittRomney: "I would make English the national language, and Mormonism the national religion. Just kidding."
@JohnKing #CNNDebate So basically @NewtGingrich wants to reestablish the white Citizens' Councils of the South?
@RickSantorum: "I am the son of an immigrant. My father came here from Zarkon-7. Er, I mean Italy. ITALY."
If @RickSantorum was any more America-the-beautiful sappy he'd shit apple pie. I wouldn't eat it. Oh, who am I kidding? I'd eat it.
In @RonPaul's America, phone rings YOU!
Would we all get to wear snappy uniforms in @RonPaul's America?
I'm starting to think that @RonPaul is something #AynRand shat out.
@JohnKing #CNNDebate So @RonPaul wants to turn the United States into an armed garrison?
Sometimes I think maybe @MittRomney is gay. I bet he has a really nice closet.
@JohnKing #CNNDebate Interesting that @MittRomney used the term "Romneycare."
The thing that @MittRomney could say to absolutely prove he is pro-life is the one thing he does not want to say in SC: "I'm a Mormon!"
@MittRomney: "Of course I'm pro-life! I'm running in a #Republican primary, for Pete's sake!"
@JohnKing #CNNDebate Tell @RickSantorum to whisper into the mic again. It's hot.
@JohnKing #CNNDebate Tell all of them there's no such thing as "partial birth."
@RonPaul: When you were in training doctors still smoked and advised their patients to have a few drinks for their nerves.
@RonPaul: "All funds are fungible. And all blubs are flubdubbable."
@JohnKing #CNNDebate Do Mormons circumcise? I need to know if my president is a conehead or a roundhead.
@JohnKing #CNNDebate Ask them to prove their allegations against Obama.
@MittRomney did what he needed to do tonight. He looked strong. More important, @RickSantorum tore into Gingrich. Splits the whackjob vote.
Well, okay, it's a #Republican primary, so they're all whackjob votes. But the bigger whackjobs.
@RickSantorum: What makes you think you can win in the states you need to win? You couldn't even hold on to your own seat in #Pennsylvania.
I'd say @MittRomney is the net beneficiary of tonight. He was strong, Newt was off, and Santorum was strong, which only hurts Newt.
But of course, the real winner of the debate is the American people. #puke #gagme
#StarTrek fans should like @MittRomney. He's the closest thing we're ever going to get to having Mr. Data be president.
@AndersonCooper #CNNDebate Ask @NewtGingrich if he gets big ideas because he has a big head?
I just realized: I'll never have to Tweet about @RickPerry again. But sometimes I will, for old times' sake.