Iowa Debate: Winners and Losers

Republican presidential candidates in Des Moines, Iowa, Sat. Dec. 10, 2011.

/ AP Photo/Eric Gay

ABC News, in conjunction with Yahoo! News and The Des Moines Register, sponsored a debate in Des Moines Saturday night, a little more than three weeks before the Iowa caucuses. Here's our take on the winners and losers from Saturday night.

WINNERS

Newt Gingrich

Newt Gingrich is now clearly the front-runner for the Republican nomination for president. Saturday's debate in Iowa was the first one since he has surged in the polls and Gingrich handled it with his usual aplomb. Many expected the debate to be a full-throated attack on the former House speaker, but shots were fired at both Gingrich and Mitt Romney, which helps Gingrich.

His recent surge stemmed in part because of impressive debate performances and he was clearly at ease on the stage Saturday. Many of his answers showed more depth than his rivals, especially his lengthy factual explanation of why he changed his position on a very important issue for voters: the individual mandate to buy health insurance. He also struck Mitt Romney hard in the early part of the debate, telling Romney that the reason he is also not a professional politician is because he lost a 1994 bid to unseat Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy. And, perhaps most significantly, the thrice-married Gingrich had as strong an answer on questions of infidelity as could be expected. He directly addressed the issue, acknowledging mistakes and said he is older and wiser now.

Ron Paul

Paul is making major traction in Iowa and was able to clearly articulate his conservative, libertarian views in Saturday night's debate. Paul was able to get more air time than he has gotten in recent debates. At the end of the debate, when all the candidates were asked to praise something about one of their rivals, Paul was most frequently mentioned, especially for the consistency of his positions and for his sustained criticism of the Federal Reserve. The Texas lawmaker, who is critical of government involvement in any aspect of the economy, especially housing, also slammed Gingrich for taking nearly $2 million from mortgage finance giant Freddie Mac.

Michele Bachmann

Bachmann also did quite well for herself Saturday night, and sought to go after both Gingrich and Romney by calling them "Newt Romney" in a sustained attack for what she called their similarities (Gingrich and Romney both took issue with the characterization). It may be too late for the Minnesota lawmaker. She has essentially bet her entire campaign on winning Iowa, but she has struggled to get out of the lower tier in opinion polls and Gingrich's surge makes it even harder for her to be a top-tier candidate. Saturday was the first debate since businessman Herman Cain dropped out of the race, and Bachmann sought to woo his former supporters but it appeared a bit too transparent and insincere. Not to mention that most of Cain's supporters have already moved on, many even before his officially ended his bid last week.

LOSERS

Mitt Romney

Romney has been strong in most of the debates until now, though this debate he may have lost for not winning. While most of his answers were adequate, Saturday's debate was about whether Gingrich could take the heat and Gingrich clearly won. On top of that, Romney challenged Texas Gov. Rick Perry to a $10,000 bet about what he said in his book about the Massachusetts health care plan and its connection to President Obama's signature legislative achievement. Romney may have won the spat with Perry (who didn't actually bite), but betting that kind of money may have backfired and perpetuated Romney's image as someone who does not have empathy with average voters because of his enormous wealth.

Rick Perry

Rick Perry has one of his strongest debate performances to date, but given his prior performances, that is not saying much. Still, Perry needed to deliver some knockout blows to either Romney or Gingrich or both and he didn't. With just 24 days to go before voters start making choices in Iowa, Perry needed more than a personal best. He needed a home run.

Rick Santorum

The Pennsylvania senator did not commit a faux pas the way Romney did, and Newt Gingrich even praised him at the end for his hawkish views on Iran, but Santorum needs to do more than not embarrass himself. Like the other second tier candidates, he needed to make himself seen as a viable candidate to replace one of the front-runners. And he didn't.

Jon Huntsman

The former Utah governor is so far behind in the polls that he was not even invited to the Iowa debate. Getting kicked offstage is not a way to win a debate -- or an election. If Gingrich clearly won, Huntsman clearly lost.

Iowa Debate: More coverage from CBS News:

Perry jabs Gingrich over infidelity

Gingrich doubles down on controversial Palestinian comments

Gingrich, Romney take heat at GOP debate

Special report: Election 2012

40 Photos

On the trail in Iowa

[JayIndependant]

Who will I vote for? Here is what independents like me are going to do:
I live in PA, where I can't vote Republican until April.

If Ron Paul looks like he has a good chance come March, I am registering as a Republican to be able to vote for Paul.

If he doesn't have a chance, I will register Democrat to vote for Obama in November.

There is no chance I will vote for any of the other Republican candidates - they don't have our country in mind, just their next 4 years. Ron Paul is my first choice, and Obama my second - you see, independents aren't brainwashed into the checklist of beliefs of either party - we vote for who can move the country in a good direction. Are Paul and Obama different? Strikingly! But I'd rather have Paul, and Obama second, than Slippery Newt, Talking Head Romney, or any other wind-up dolls in the Republican race.

[packeryman]

I as all Independents I know cannot vote Republican. The party has been taken over by bible thumpers and tea baggers. We have watched their antics, creating the debacle in the House. They are obstructionist and their main purpose is to keep Obama from getting reelected and the public, the economy, and the unemployed be dammed. Independents will not vote for this kind of trash. We will support Ron Paul if he pulls out of the Republican party(the hierarchy will never let him become the nominee)and goes third party. We have to break up corporate control of these two parties.

[TheAlwaysSunnyinNewYork]

1 Candidate has never flip flopped on any of his positions. 1 Candidate predicted the financial crisis in 2005. 1 Candidate receives more donation from U.S. servicemen than the others. 1 Candidate actually has true conservative principles. Don't believe the media. See For yourself. Get more facts on the man at: http://www.antination.com/p/contenders.html

[noloyalisti]

Anything to do with this failed and obsolete party for the Top 1% is a loser for America. They are still arguing about their same failed ideology. I mean you can see the wreckage of the 8 year reign of terror of the Bush Crime Family all around our feet (and city halls and cities, and suburbs).

[mamasaid1]

The real losers are the American public. There are only two kinds of Republicans those who manipulate and those who are easy to manipulate. There is nothing in the GOP platform that would benefit anyone but the 1%.

[MADDAT52]

Gingrich and Bachmann!
A winning ticket.

[Kenny777_y]

ok bias main stream media, you need to get back to work. time to find some dirt, on RICK, RON ,NEWT,. you did a crackerjack job on HERMAN.

[starspangledbanner]

qyeteye is an ignoramus. If qyeteye actually knew the details of sound money and economics, like spending cuts, qyeteye the fool, wouldn't say the things that qyeteye says because only a zombie like person would say the things that qyeteye says. fool.

[sjj1222]

The circus.....goes on, and on, and on. More than ever, as I look at the sorry set of Republican "rivals" on the other side, I am THANKFUL to have Barack Obama as President, and as a viable candidate for re-election. Mr. Obama: your heart, your values, and your basic decency are all in the right place. BUT...your hands are tied. Unfortunately they were tied by us, the electorate.....when we failed to provide you with a Congress that you can work with. Instead, you are saddled with a filibuster-everything-but-don't-tax-the-1%-do-nothing Congress that battles you at every turn, while the people SUFFER. God, they don't EVEN let you pass your own appointments! It's not Tea-publican gridlock -it's Tea-publican sabotage. Heck, it's Tea-publican treason....while the 99% BLEEDS. It's destructive. It's un-American. It's un-acceptable. And it's WRONG. And then they try to pin the blame on Mr. Obama! These people have no shame...or else its been purchased by those who can afford to do so. Struggling in her final years, Grandma gets her meager Social Security check, and they DARE call it "socialism". Give me a break! (and Grandma too!!) Thankfully, with Occupy Wall Street, America has found its voice: a voice that reminds us that PEOPLE --ordinary down-to-earth working people-- really DO matter. NOT "corporations are people" people , but R-E-A-L people! REAL people who are working two and three jobs just to keep up, REAL people who play by the rules but struggle just to survive or retire with some dignity, REAL people looking for work, and REAL people that will graduate or come back from war and find no work, REAL people who deserve a piece of the pie, but are pushed away from the table.....while the rich become richer and more powerful at our expense, and democracy goes to the highest bidder. Tea-publicans clamour for even MORE tax-breaks for the 1%, and insist on even MORE corporate-loopholes....while "job-creators" send our jobs overseas.... and try to buy every politician in sight. They praise "trickle-down economics", but their trickle-down voodoo just leaves most of us out in the cold, wet and shivering, and no better off. We've had enough.. and WE'RE FED UP! INSTEAD of talking about L-E-S-S government, instead of L-E-S-S taxes on the 1%, instead of M-O-R-E corporate welfare, instead of M-O-R-E painful cuts to those who can LEAST afford it.....INSTEAD of all that bull, we demand a government that WORKS, a government that works FOR ALL OF US, not just for a favored few....NOT just for the rich! It's a voice that comes up from the grassroots, and lifts us up in turn: Because it insists that this land IS our land...and we WANT IT BACK! It's a voice that will help us re-elect the President AND give him a more progressive people-oriented Congress -a Congress that will work WITH Mr. Obama and FOR the 99%! Mr. Obama: I wish you well ....because you STILL give us hope!

[SciverBryan]

They all seem to be awful. Campaign strategy like this is terrible.

Mitt Romney is counting on his campaigns money making capability to crush Newt Gingrich. Who ever has the most marbles wins.

Newt without money for terrible GOP TV ads just isn't going to make the cut.

When you look at the Republican Presidential contenders you see the same old myth personified waxing nostalgic over Ronald Reagan and his glory days.

Myth in GOP Politics 101: Republicans are mislead by cleaver advertising that the GOP is the same old party with values like being Conservative, and Thrifty and Fiscally Responsible. The are in fact reprehensible cons.

They love to quote Reagan as if it is a formula to give credence. It is as if it was written in the Bible. Reagan lied to this country and got the CIA to distribute drugs to make money for his military campaign. Do you remember it was called the Iran Contra Affair. He didn't reduce our deficit. He tripled it.

Then came George H. W. Bush Republican President who doubled our countrys national debt again.

Oh, then there was W. George W. Bush. He doubled the national debt again. In short the GOP is short sheeting America. They will not resolve our problems and will add insult to injury if Mitt Romney is President.



Myth in GOP Politics 101: Republicans are mislead by cleaver advertising that the GOP is the same old party with values like being Conservative, and Thrifty and Fiscally Responsible. The are in fact reprehensible cons.

They love to quote Reagan as if it is a formula to give credence. It is as if it was written in the Bible. Reagan lied to this country and got the CIA to distribute drugs to make money for his military campaign. Do you remember it was called the Iran Contra Affair. He didn't reduce our deficit. He tripled it.

Then came George H. W. Bush Republican President who doubled our countrys national debt again.

Oh, then there was W. George W. Bush. He doubled the national debt again.

In short the GOP is short sheeting America. They will not resolve our problems and will add insult to injury if Mitt Romney is President.

[dan_webster]

Gingrich declared the winner?? Because he didn't melt in a pile of brown sugar? He was thoroughly TRASHED from all sides:
Taking Freddie Mac's bribe to rip off the taxpayers for about $40 Bil or so;
Supporting the TARP bailouts and taking the taxpayers for another $700 Bil;
Supporting the individual mandate-how may times did that get hammered home?;
Violating the Constitution by so doing;
and Opening his intemperate mouth to jump in the middle of the palestinian / Israeli contretemps.
Goodbye, eye of Newt.

[cloopy]

newts been trashed by all sides since first being declared frontrunner,all the slinging wont matter,as trump said,newts a surging rocket