Mitt Romney: Because he’s the true front-runner, Romney didn’t have to win last night’s debate in order to win last night’s debate. But he won in both senses. Throughout the night, Romney gave compelling, conservative, and well-crafted answers. And oddly (perhaps because of Herman Cain’s troubles and Rick Perry’s massive gaffe), Romney didn’t have to play much defense Wednesday night. Just as his poll numbers continue to crawl upwards, Romney’s public speaking and his debating are improving over the course of the primary.
If you were to rank the eight candidates on stage in terms of rhetorical skill, knowledge of the issues, and the conservative appeal of their arguments, Romney would be tops or near the top in all three categories, Wednesday night more than ever. When the moderator asked Romney a dumb question about Cain’s character, Romney handled it with grace that endeared him to the base. The man has serious issues with the primary electorate, but it’s easy to forget that during the debates — especially when his rivals fail to attack him.
