100 Miles of Nowhere on Saturday – Info here.

So, I watched the big debate last night.  I thought that it was well executed – the moderators did a good job (nothing ruins a debate faster than lousy mods) and the stage was well-laid out.  (The Reagan library is really great looking but I’m thinking it’s about time we quit building these monuments – enough already.  The plane is kinda overkill.)

In reference to the performance of the different candidates, I thought that it was relatively predictable.  Romney and Perry hashed it out between them and everyone else threw rocks from the perimeter.  At the end of the day, everyone but Perry and Romney faded.  Bachman and Huntsman tried to interject themselves several times but ultimately couldn’t wedge in.  The rest were not even really of note.

On the “big two” I would say this: Romney still seems plastic-y to me.  I get the feeling that he’s really got no code.  Many times leaders have to face problems where the best solution for the problem isn’t very popular.  Sometimes you have to swallow hard and implement the tough solution.  I don’t think Mr. Romney would have the fortitude to do that.  The guy has been running for office for about 4 years and just doesn’t connect with me.  Who’s brilliant idea was it to realease a 59 point plan?  Really?  Only 59 points?  Why not 70 or 80?  Who is going to read that ridiculous thing?  5 points, Mitt, 5.

Gov. Perry did not perform, in my view, as expected.  I thought that he would really dominate the stage and that just didn’t happen.  I didn’t expect him to bully or bluster but I did expect that he would have more of a presence.  When someone owns the stage, they just own it.  That wasn’t there.  It was his first outing so maybe it’s to do with that.  I do believe his rhetoric was really wild.  It’s one thing for a candidate for office to wave his arms and screech about how the system is broken but this guy’s running for president and his choice of words about Social Security – “ponzi scheme” “monstrous lie” – were not useful.  As we have seen, serious problems require serious minds – not wild rhetoric.  Wild rhetoric in public policy is too often used as a substitute for actual solutions (this is where Bachman loses me) and it scares people.  People are already scared stiff and things are going to hell.  Knock it off and start presenting yourself as a serious candidate.

I think it’s early to draw solid conclusions but, as a republican, I didn’t see much to like.  The goal, after all, is to defeat Mr. Obama.  To do that, we’ll need someone who has some credibility in the middle of the political spectrum.  I didn’t see a credible candidate who can draw from the middle last night.  Paging Mr. Christie, Paging Mr. Christie…..