Well, I voted hopefully last night, but, as I feared. The question asked by Silent Patriot, while in the top 3 questions, seems to have disappeared between the preliminary and final rounds.

Nice try though.

Should the President have power to imprison U.S. citizens without charging them with a crime and without providing them a judicial forum in which they can contest the accusations against them, as the Bush administration did to American Jose Padilla?

I stand corrected, if the question continues to get votes, they will ask the question of Ron Paul, Sen from Texas. But they will only ask Ron Paul. Since he is he front-runner.

Cowards at Politico.

A: Not these assholes.

There are "regal qualities that were not seen in South Carolina. This is the procession, this is the parade..."

“There is a hierarchical, there is, dare I say it, male, there’s an old-line quality to them that some voters, indeed a lot of voters, find reassuring.”

They could be talking about a pride of lions in a zoo or a troop of baboons in the monkey cage.

I only caught a moment of it, but Chris Matthews was asking them if they supported a constitutional amendment to allow the foreign-born to be President.

Really. 10 candidates, a limited time, and that's the burning issue he asks about.

Was asking the question while Der Governator was sitting right there some odd Matthewsian "gotcha", an attempt to see how much they'd do to get Arnold's endorsement, or what? Too weird.

Now we know why Politico was founded.

Now let's see who's really funding it.

I'm getting to be a decrepit middle-age white man myself and after seeing this debate I say enough is enough. Now I'm leaning toward Barack Obama or even Hillary Clinton if necessary.

Is this practice of giving candidates pop quizzes as though they are in seventh-grade ("What's the difference between Shiites and Sunnis? How many troops have been killed, and how many injured in Iraq") a new innovation in our great media, or is that something to which candidates have always been subjected? Maybe they can ask them to do multiplication tables at the next debate.

It's actually a good idea. We used to not have to do this - we could safely assume that anybody who had made it up the political tree was not an actual gibbering idiot. We've been proven wrong, and must know require that Republican candidates prove that they have the equivalent of a grade school education.

Advancing Democracy!

All the proof Mr. Greenwald needs as to the cheesy, patronizing, lazy and republican biased media is contained in that question by Chris Matthews regarding Clinton and whether it would be good for America if Bill Clinton were back in the White House.

Trying to unpack all the stupidity and creepiness of that question makes my head hurt. Note it manages to sneer at Hillary and dismiss her in the same breath. It assumes America is consumed with the question that may be a big deal in D.C. gossip parties, Bill Clinton's whereabouts, as opposed to some actual policy issue. It's totally trivial with regard to the actual race.

What a sad time for journalism.

The proper way to conduct a Republican presidential candidates' debate would be to begin with first having all candidates sing together the praises of Ronald of Olympus, on their knees, within the majestic span of the 100 foot nude statue's wide stance. Harvey Mansfield would firmly and manfully grasp each candidate on the shoulder, signaling each to rise.

Then, each candidate would have 10 minutes to speak on why they love Ronald Reagan more than each other. They will be judged on the passion in their voice, on the artfulness of their words, and, last but not least, in the majesty of poses struck.

In the moderated round, Chris Matthews would ask each candidate to suggest why he, Chris Matthews, should ever consider any of these candidates to be as manly, as attractive, as fierce, and as bold, as Reagan the Lesser, George W. Bush.

Finally the candidates would have 30 minutes to exchange questions and answers on the great land that will be Iraq in 100 years, and what great honor the Iraqis will build to George W. Bush in that century to come.

The closing ceremony would have the candidates joined by all the reporters and the audience in a solemn repeat of the phrases, "9/11", "Terrorism," "Global Islamic Jihad," "Patriotism," "Dead or Alive," and of course, "No Warrant Shall Restrain Our Bravery," accompanied by the wailing of women and the banging of timpani drums.

El Cid, what you described is exactly what I have had to listen to since 1980 down here in Texas. Despite the fact that I live in a very Democratic city -- Houston -- as a state, Texas has faired very badly wrt the Reagan Revolution.

I know you all are busy watching the debate -- but more comments with quotes would be appreciated :) This is the one time I wish I had cable.

Harvey Mansfield would firmly and manfully grasp each candidate on the shoulder, signaling each to rise.

I think you got the actually body part to be "manfully grasped" wrong. Any male who can repeat "manfullness" more than three times in a paragraph, and mean it seriously, isn't looking just to fondle shoulders.

Mansfield reminds me of the scene in "Good Will Hunting" where Matt Daemon goes to the psychologist and decides to lure him out of the closet.

Did they ask any questions about hair? Because they're really, really into hair over there at Politico.

Romney, about his own hair: “It’s a little long. … I’m going to get it cut before tomorrow’s debate.”

A small breeze blows out of the mountains and moves across the corral, gently disturbing the flowing mane of the horse and Reagan's own hair. (Simon)

Romney has chiseled-out-of-granite features, a full, dark head of hair going a distinguished gray at the temples, and a barrel chest. (Simon)

But the Yankees' Republican image is also about style -- in part from its traditions regarding players' appearance. "Steinbrenner doesn't let players have long hair," Cowlishaw said, citing Johnny Damon, the former Boston Red Sox player, who was forced to cut his hair when he joined the Yankees.

His long white hair is combed straight back. (Simon)

His campaign's as slick as Sinatra's hair.

Dressed in a dark suit, checkered shirt and plain blue tie, his mostly gray hair, which lately seems to be thinning in the back, was combed straight back.

The media was howling for Libby's head for months, while leaving unfettered every hair on the head of Richard Armitage...

Sampson, wearing a brown suit and thick, rimless glasses, his cropped hair shining with gel, sat alone before them.