The 'Your Money, Your Vote' Republican Presidential Debate Post Game Analysis (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | The Republican presidential candidates met in yet another debate in Rochester, Michigan on Sept 9. The debate will be famous for two moments. But it was also memorable for how Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich shown in their own ways.

The two memorable moments may have revived Herman Cain's campaign in one case and sunk Rick Perry's in another.

When the panel asked Cain about the sexual harassment allegations, diverting for a moment from the economics format, the crowd was visibly displeased. Cain gave one of his forthright and firm denials, deploring how the imbroglio had distracted the campaign from the real issues of a bad economy. The crowd went wild and, no doubt, the home audience was impressed as well. Wisely, the panel returned to the economic issues at hand very quickly.

Rick Perry, when asked which government agencies he would abolish, had a brain freeze on stage, on national TV. He was able to name the departments of Commerce and Education for the first two, but his memory became derailed over the third department slated for destruction. It was a painful moment to watch and likely even more painful to experience. Perry's gaffe came on top of a number of bad debate performances and a questionable speech in New Hampshire. Later, Perry tweeted how he had "stepped in it" putting it mildly.

The third government agency was, of course, the Department of Energy.

As for the rest of the debate, Romney and Gingrich gave great performances.

Romney was smooth and confident, as always, giving substantive answers. He handled the health care question rather deftly, making one almost but not quite forget about Romneycare.

Gingrich was, as usual, the smartest guy in the room. If anyone can be the conservative alternative to Romney, it now appears to be Gingrich, whose command of the issues makes him a debater without peer. He even reverted to angry Gingrich for a moment when he snapped at one of the media questioners, which for a Republican audience was a good, helping of red meat.

Whatever one thinks of Gingrich as a person or of some of his positions, one could not help but anticipate his going up against Obama next year with relish. This is especially true if his demand for seven three hour Lincoln/Douglas debates is accepted.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20111111/pl_ac/10406275_the_your_money_your_vote_republican_presidential_debate_post_game_analysis

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