Quick Thoughts on 9/7 GOP Debate

Here's my takeaways from last night's Republican Presidential Candidate debate at the Reagan Library:

Michele Bachmann - on the way down. I like her a lot, and certainly the amount of time given to her during the debate reflects her falling star. While I think the $2/gallon gas price is attainable, she's foolhardy to promise it.

Herman Cain - I like his 9-9-9 plan. That's 9% personal income tax, 9% corporate income tax, 9% national sales tax as a complete redo of the entire tax code. It's really too bad Cain can't get more play.

Newt Gingrich - great job blasting the media. I think he knows he's not going to be the nominee. We do need him though as an educator for the electorate. He was as articulate as ever.

Jon Huntsman - as if I didn't know I'd never vote for him to be the nominee, last night just reemphasized that. Who picked that tie? He looked awful. The media will try, but he'll never get above 1%. If we needed a designated loser, he'd be perfect.

Ron Paul - same as Huntsman, he just confirmed why I'd never vote for him. Mark Levin is right; Ron Paul would like to have the Articles of Confederation back instead of the Constitution we have.

Rick Perry - grand slam home run with the response to the query on capital punishment. Disappointed at some of his waffles, particularly when global warming/climate change came up. I also think it's a grand slam to call Social Security for what it is: a Ponzi scheme and a fraud. Liked him before the debate, and don't see any reason yet to stop liking him.

Mitt Romney - no gaffes, surprised he came out as much on the attack against Rick Perry as he did. Don't think he'll be gaining any ground back. He's also done nothing to soften my one main gripe against him: he lost to McCain, King of the RINOs, four years ago.

Rick Santorum - it's not a social issues election, Rick. Your campaign to be Attorney General though looks to be on the rise.

Next out of the race will come from Bachmann, Huntsman, or Santorum. Huntsman is banking entirely on making a splash in New Hampshire, so he's more likely to stick around. Plus, I assume he's got a lot of the non-Romney establishment donors. Santorum is running out of cash, and Bachmann's donations are probably way down now that Perry is in.

It's still a Perry/Romney race.