Watching The Debate This Evening...

I think this is the first one that I have actually watched, perhaps because I actually have the time.

Romney gave a really effective defense of free market capitalism with respect to the housing bubble and letting Wall Street firms go under in 2008.  Later, however, he argued for smart regulation as opposed to more regulation of financial institutions.  He is not my favorite, by any means, but he comes across well, if a bit vague, and I think he can kick Obama in debates.

Santorum's defense of free markets and pointing out how the Democrats worked hard at keeping the housing bubble going was very impressive.  He is clearly capable of thinking on his feet, and he did a very credible job.  Perhaps he is not quite as effective a speaker as Romney, and I still think he would have a much harder time defeating Obama, but I would love to see him debate that buffoon.

Gingrich did a nice job--but watching his try to deflect questions about his Freddie Mac "consulting" work tells me that he is lying.  He's good at deflecting attention, but I do not trust him.  I think he would do anything to get elected.  Like Romney and Santorum, I really sense a person who fully understands the complexity of the world in which we live. 

One interesting, almost sad part as when Gingrich responded to a question about sugar subsidies with essentially an admission that agricultural interests are too big for the national government to do the right thing: free markets.

Ron Paul spoke well on economic terms, but when he said that we have "blockaded" Iran, I was disappointed that no one questioned on this.  Sanctions are not a blockade.  How do you blockade a country on a continent, without all the surrounding countries participating?  When Ron Paul spoke about the housing bubble, he did a good job, although perhaps not as good as Santorum.  Paul had to turn it back to the Federal Reserve, of course.

I am tempted to support Santorum in the caucuses later this month, not because I think he is going to win the nomination, but because Gingrich is just too sleazy, and it is pretty clear that Romney will be the nominee.  I won't be thrilled, but I do think he is going to walk all over Obama in any debates.