Analysis of last night's debate mostly agreed that Rudy Giuliani helped himself by going after Ron Paul's assertion that September 11 was partially brought by "blowback" from U.S. foreign policy in the Mideast and most agreed that John McCain came out on top of Mitt Romney, especially after the two mixed it up over their position histories.
The two men have have a long "long-simmering feud" that was "brought to the surface" last night, The Politico's Jonathan Martin writes. "For months, McCain's campaign has been exasperated at what they view as Romney's conversions of convenience," and last night he hit back after Romney said the McCain-Kennedy immigration bill would do for that issue what McCain-Feingold did for campaign finance reform.
McCain shot back: "Well, I take and kept a consistent position on campaign finance reform. I have kept a consistent position on right to life. And I haven't changed my position in even-numbered years or have changed because of the different offices that I may be running for."
The other prominent exchange was Paul's comments about 9/11, "blowback" and him saying "we've been bombing Iraq for 10 years." After which Giuliani said, "That's an extraordinary statement, as someone who lived through the attack of September 11, that we invited the attack because we were attacking Iraq. I don't think I've ever heard that before, and I've heard some pretty absurd explanations for September 11th." Applause "rained down" from the 2,000 Republicans at the debate, Martin writes.
Later the candidates were asked how much interrogation they'd authorize in the hopes of stopping another terrorist attack as president. "The answers exposed clear differences among" the frontrunners," writes the New York Times' Adam Nagourney and Marc Santora. McCain said he wouldn't resort to torture, saying he and his Vietnam POW cellmates "underwent torture ourselves" and "It's not about the terrorists, it's about us. It's about what kind of country we are."
Giuliani said he'd back "every method" short of torture to extract life-saving information because "I don't want to see another 3,000 people dead in New York or any place else."
Romney said he wouldn't authorize but "enhanced interrogation techniques" and would double the detention center at Guantanamo Bay.
Slate's John Dickerson writes that Romney "didn't leave much of an impression" maybe because expectations were higher for him after the first debate. "He failed to make the easy link to his experience as a businessman and governor when asked about tax cuts and shrinking government." Romney didn't commit any errors but his "answers weren't terribly stirring."
New York Daily News' Michael Goodwin on the other hand thinks Romney had "another solid performance, and it's easy to see him gaining modest traction with each appearance. He's quick and smart and has made a good impression in both debates." But when Giuliani responded to Paul it was, "home run, debate over." But being pro-choice won't win him the nomination so the best he can do is "hope that it doesn't lose it for him. Last night he put on a clinic about how to maximize your strengths so that your negatives are diminished by comparison. He's still pro-choice, but he's tough and certain on terror, and that's his ticket."
The Weekly Standard's Fred Barnes agrees, writing that the response "trumped abortion and, for now at least, it's the issue that's likely to come to mind when reporters and commentators and Republican voters think about Giuliani."
National Review's Byron York interviewed Paul who said he didn't blame America for bringing 9/11 upon itself, but blamed "bad policy over 50 years that leads to anti-Americanism. That's little bit different from saying ‘blame America.' Don't put those words in my mouth."
NBC News political director Chuck Todd writes "Giuliani and McCain looked and acted like the frontrunners tonight. They got opportunities to look presidential and seized the moments. Romney, after a great first debate, turned in a very mediocre performance," partially because of tough questions. Huckabee turned in "another solid performance," but "why again can't he catch financial fire?"
Last but not least, the Greenville News' Ben Szobody watched the debate with some local Republicans who "laughed derisively" at McCain's anti-torture argument and "strongly refuted" Giuliani's claims that the federal government should stay out of abortion. Some "rolled their eyes when the Confederate flag came up" and most were receptive to Huckabee, Romney and Hunter.
Debate aside, there was big news on the Democratic side yesterday and Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama said they'd "support a symbolic vote to cut off funding for combat troops in Iraq within a year," reports the Washington Post's Shailagh Murray. Both campaigns said they will vote for the measure to send a message to President Bush to change course in Iraq.
Meanwhile the possible candidacy of Michael Bloomberg would make it more difficult for the Democratic nominee to win New York, Connecticut and New Jersey next year, according to anonymous friends of Bloomberg, reports the Washington Times' Ralph Hallow.
Fellow potential independent candidate, Sen. Chuck Hagel has drawn another potential GOP primary opponent in Nebraska: former Omaha mayor and former House member Hal Daub.
Get these and today's other elections stories at RCP's Politics and Elections page.
