I don't think I watched the same debate as you did. Bachmann was horrible, her usual plethora of lies on which she was called out by Newt.. She looked like a desperate housewife in the midst of politicians and statesmen, and she fit in as much as the questioners. Santorum would deserve a second look in any campaign but for President of the United States. He is a fine man in every sense of the word. He is a splendid lawmaker. He is the poster boy of Conservativism. He will, however, not get past Iowa. Ron Paul will always have his base (always being a bit overblown, as the man is aging fast). He may come in second, even a surprisingly strong second, in Iowa and maybe elsewhere. Second does not win at the convention.

May I continue -- Happily, Mr. Gingrich fortuitously entered the race this year, as theretofore Mitt Romney would inevitably have been nominated. That would have led to a crushing defeat by BHO. I hope that Newt, having secured the nomination in a few months, will follow through on his pledge to get BHO in several debates and that he will show Obama to be the unceremonious loser that he is.

First of all, it's "reins," not "reigns." I should have quit reading after seeing that error, as it belies that I am reading anything worth my while. I finished the column, however, and it was manifest that my doubts were completely justified. It was the Tea Parties that gave us Michele Bachmann, a woman so convinced that she is Presidential material but who by any measure is not, and Rick Perry, who had another numbers problem in the debate last night. The Tea Parties gave my State the two worst losers in the history of the Republican Party. It is time that the GOP take back the REINS and give us competent leaders.

Had Newt been smart, he would have waited to take his tour of the Greek islands until he was elected President -- then the taxpayers would have paid for it, just like they are paying for Obama's multiple international jaunts!

I was one of those who couldn't miss but who was very out-of-place in the '60's. As to Romney and character, to me that is the very thing that he lacks most. He resembles an empty shell with no core, who has always wanted to be President of the United States and who will say and do whatever it takes to win that prize. His annoyance with Bret Baier disclosed his lack of patience and his lack of ability to deal with "the common man." He can shake all the hands he wants to and paint that inhuman smile on his face; but when it comes to those 3 am phonecalls, I wonder just how prepared he really is. When knowledge is at a premium and experience is absolutely necessary, I will support Gingrich. Cannot wait for the one-on-one debates!

About the Gipper reference -- Whenever I see it, I look for a story about George Gipp, a footballer who played for Notre Dame. That is the power of Hollywood and politics: they steal the identity of people for their own profit. Can we let the real Gipper rest in peace and call Mr. Reagan by his own name? He played a role in a movie, but his legacy is much greater than his filmography.

I'm wondering why Michele should demand apologies from NBC when she, perhaps, deliberately misstated Newt's position on illegal immigration. Without blinking, she has stated that Newt wants all illegal aliens to remain in this country. That is outright false -- if Michele does not comprehend that, she isn't qualified to be even a Representative; if she does understand but is saying something different, she is lying and should not be trusted in anything.

It is fun to label anything the ".....iest," but it really better be the ".....iest" or you are just asking for criticism. This bumper sticker is great at first glance; but, for reasons cited by others here, it may not even be logical. Obama is NOT stupid. He and his cronies have done and are doing exactly what needs to be done to bring about their vision developed over decades.

It gives me a good laugh, and then a shudder, when I hear pundits argue about "what was Obama thinking" about ideals the normal politician would always consider, such as the deficit, public opinion, and so forth. Obama does not worry for an instant about consequences that mystify mainstream America. Obama wants the power, and he now controls most of...

Tom is not the villain here. That role belongs to the leadership of the Colorado GOP, who for years have promoted candidates that have turned out to be less than stellar. A case in point is the current lineup in the Republican House race, in which two men are facing each other with failed resumes. Tom Tancredo had a decent proposal: both candidates agree that they would drop out of the race if they were to win the Primary if they polled behind the Dem candidate. Neither man would do so and time was running out for a decent candidate to mount a third-party campaign. The GOP Chairman refused to agree to back Tancredo even were the winner of the GOP Primary to withdraw. There simply is no other candidate in sight.

I agree with...