CNN GOP Debate: The grades are in...

A = Outstanding

B = Strong

C = Adequate

D = Feeble

F = Embarrassment

In alphabetical order...

Michele Bachmann B+

Herman Cain C+

Newt Gingrich C

Ron Paul C-

Tim Pawlenty B+

Mitt Romney B

Rick Santorum B-

Bonus evaluation:

John King F

In my estimation, it was a tie between Pawlenty and Bachmann.

Pawlenty was solid and persuasive. Thorough without being too wonkish. Clear and concise. The substance of most of his answers will likely be satisfactory to most GOP primary voters.

Michelle Bachmann gave powerful answers with rock-solid conservative appeal. She was unflinching, and she energized the audience like none of the others.

Addendum:

The other candidates...

Herman Cain struggled to capitalize on his strengths. He managed to dance around John King's pointed questions about Islam well enough. Cain did what he needed to do, but he didn't score any points in this debate.

Newt Gingrich did what Newt Gingrich does. He made a few very interesting, historically sophisticated statements, but he's too pedantic. He's perfect for the college classroom, but why would anyone pull the lever for Newt?

Setting aside the issues, Ron Paul is getting old. Paul would be 81 years old at the end of his first term as president. Maybe Paul simply had a bad day, but based on his performance tonight, I think most voters would conclude that Paul lacks the vigor for the big fight.

Rick Santorum did quite well actually. He certainly exceeded my expectations. But my expectations were pretty low. Santorum is a good debater, but his reputation is so radioactive, I'm not sure what he expects to gain from the run.

Mitt Romney did exactly what he needed to do. He stood there looking pretty and all front runner-y, effectively dodging important questions about his "Obamneycare" record. In New Hampshire, it's probably Mitt's to lose, so it's better safe than sparkly for Romney.

CNN's John King (the so-called moderator) was the clearly the night's loser. His grunting and groaning were a huge distraction. I suppose that was the point. He reminded me of Al Gore during the debates with George Bush -- except Al Gore had no obligation to be impartial or professional.

I would advise GOP candidates to stay away from CNN's John King, before and after the primaries. He's a hack.

Exit questions for those who watched the debates:

This or That: CNN or Fox News?

This or That: CNN or Comedy Central?

This or That: John King or Jon Stewart?

For those who didn't catch the debate, Left Coast Rebel has the video in its entirety.

ABC has astute analysis.

Just 32% of NBC's "Journalists" are Functionally Literate

I am Journalism (And so can you!)

Tea Party candidates ran in tough congressional races all across the country. Scores won. Others, like Sean Bielat, had the courage to run in districts that were apparently unwinnable. Good on those candidates. Win or lose, we appreciate their heroic efforts.

But what does it really say about the Tea Party movement that candidates like John Dennis, Van Tran, Stephen Broden, Bill Marcy, and Anna Little were unable to pull off the upset victories for which we were hoping? Was it weak tea?

That's NBC's conclusion:

For all the talk of the Tea Party's strength - and there will certainly be a significant number of their candidates in Congress - just 32% of all Tea Party candidates who ran for Congress won and 61.4% lost this election.

In settled Congressional races, NBC identified 122 Tea Party candidates, 40 of whom won on election day. There are some big problems with this analysis. First is the question of how these candidates were chosen to carry the "Tea Party" label:

Identifying Tea Party candidates is undoubtedly inexact. Our criteria, generally, was to include anyone who has either been backed by a Tea Party group or has identified themselves as a member of the Tea Party movement.

Undoubtedly inexact? No kidding! Especially when you're not even trying.

Even a cursory examination of NBC's Tea Party list raises concerns. When compiling their list of Tea Party winners, NBC excluded many Tea Party Republicans, e.g., Kristi Noem, Scott Tipton, John Runyan, Dennis Ross, Mo Brooks, Nan Hayworth, Alan Nunnelee, Steve Pearce, Scott Rigell, Lou Barletta, Daniel Webster, James Lankford, Chip Cravaak, Cory Gardner, Jeff Denham, Bill Huizenga, and Tim Huelskamp ... just to name a handful.

Why were these candidates excluded from the Tea Party winners list? Was it because they would have made the Tea Party look too good? In lieu of an explanation from the brainiacs at NBC, we can only speculate.

An examination of NBC's analysis of losers raises questions as well. If constituents mindlessly insist upon returning corrupt and idiotic incumbents like Eddie Bernice Johnson, Steve Cohen, Loretta Sanchez, Russ Carnahan, and Hank Johnson to Congress in perpetuity, is that an unflattering reflection of the strength of their Tea Party opponents, or is it a indictment of the voters who live in those districts?

Just askin'.

In scrutinizing NBC's method for identifying Tea Party candidates, bear in mind that as a matter of formal policy, many tea party groups don't endorse candidates, period. Also remember that there are strong defenders of the Tea Party agenda whose political careers predate the birth of the Tea Party (e.g. Jim DeMint, Mike Pence and Steve King). Do those members of Congress count as Tea Party winners? NBC left them out. Inexplicably, Michele Bachmann was included in NBC's list of Tea Party victors, but the rest of the congressional Tea Party Caucus was left out.

So there are big problems with the numerator and the denominator in NBC's Tea Party equation. Unfortunately, not very surprising...

A special "shout out" to Alexandra Moe for writing this Tea Party hit piece. Are you stupid, or are you a liberal activist? Either way, you're no literate journalist.

Update: Surprise! The New York Times uses the same fuzzy math.

Cross-Posted at Left Coast Rebel

Discussion at Memeorandum

Ten Buck Fridays: Another Week, Another Winner

This time last week, I had no idea I would be sending cash to Minnesota...

Congratulations to Michele Bachmann for winning this week's Ten Buck Fridays. In a ten-way race, Bachmann ran away with 42% of the vote.

Bachmann is certainly a worthy conservative candidate who faces a tough fight in the fall. Liberals love to loathe Michele Bachmann, and they're ready to invest large quantities of cash to beat her in November.

So please, if you can afford to give Michele Bachman a little cash this week, send an Alexander Hamilton to Bachmann for Congress. (And if you're not participating in the current recession, perhaps you'd like to send a Jackson, or even a Benjamin.)

Thanks again to all the great conservatives who have jumped on board to support TBF this week. It's been fun firing up the old Google machine to find dozens of new TBF enthusiasts. Check in with Polemicon for the unabridged list of TBF supporters, and let him know if any names are missing.

And please continue submitting nominations for next week's poll. Several names have already been submitted, but there's plenty of room for more. On Sunday, the top 10 nominees will identified, and the TBF cycle will move on!

Eighteen weeks until the ultimate tea party on November 2, 2010...make every week count!

(Don't forget to "label" your donation!)

Updates:

Reaganite Republican takes note! (Ten-Buck Fridays ROCK... and Twenty's Twice as Nice!)

Adrienne's Corner: Ten Buck Friday - A Great Idea!

Robot: And The Winner Is…

Old Line Elephant: We rally to support Representative Bachmann

The Conservative Lady: It's up to us to support good, conservative leaders and Michele Bachmann is one of the best.

TCUnation: The results are in!

Left Coast Rebel: ...the 21st Century Minutemen

Hack Wilson: Ten Buck Fridays: Round 2

TCOTS: "Hey Bob, What is Ten Buck Fridays?"

Proof Positive: Support today's TBF winner!

Lonely Conservative: You can count me in!

just a conservative girl: Did you know that [Bachmann] has taken in 23 foster children throughout her marriage?

Action for Liberty: Michele is an extremely effective conservative.

Polemicon: TBF...It's really awesome!

Nice Deb supports TBF!

ResistNet

TCUnation

Team Sarah

Smart Girl Politics

FreedomWorks

More

Ten Buck Fridays explained

Maggie's Notebook: Send your bucks to Bachmann!

Polemicon: A list of TBF supporters

TBF has EXPLODED this week. Head on over to Conscientiously Conservative to visit the blogger who created the concept and began pounding away at this idea several weeks ago.

The unabridged list of TBF supporters

Is Obama Selling Judgeships for Health Care Votes?

Is Obama trading judgeships for votes on his health care bill? Michele Bachmann is asking tough questions:

Video: h/t RightScoop

Background information from the Weekly Standard:

Tonight, Barack Obama will host ten House Democrats who voted against the health care bill in November at the White House; he's obviously trying to persuade them to switch their votes to yes. One of the ten is Jim Matheson of Utah. The White House just sent out a press release announcing that today President Obama nominated Matheson's brother Scott M. Matheson, Jr. to the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.

“Scott Matheson is a distinguished candidate for the Tenth Circuit court,” President Obama said. “Both his legal and academic credentials are impressive and his commitment to judicial integrity is unwavering. I am honored to nominate this lifelong Utahn to the federal bench.

...Scott Matheson appears to have the credentials to be a judge, but was his nomination used to buy off his brother's vote?

This certainly looks suspicious, but I don't know. Maybe this was just the coincidence of the day!

Discussion

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Obama voter to Obama: You are driving cynicism to new heights.

Malkin: Incorrigibly corrupt or incorrigibly stupid. Take your pick.