The debate

Perhaps more on the debate this evening, but here are initial impressions:

1. Fox News did a great job with the debate -- the best of the year. Democrats shouldn't run away from a debate involving these guys. Or maybe they should.

2. Fred Thompson needs to get into the race. He should be watching the minor candidates, since each of them has highlighted a point or two where the weaknesses of the current major candidates is painfully obvious.

3. Tancredo, Brownback, Gilmore, Tommy Thompson -- get a bus ticket home and stay there, maybe you'll get cabinet positions.

4. Ron Paul -- in no way qualified to be President, but he should stay in just to keep reminding Republicans of our non-interventionist heritage, no matter how much flack you get from Guiliani or a blowhard like Sean Hannity (what a ridiculous post-debate interview).

5. Romney is toast

6. Guiliani actually has a chance of being able to galvanize the GOP base -- not much of one, but more than the zero chance that MH has given him in the past

7. McCain -- just don't know, just don't know...

8. On paper, Mike Huckabee should be in the thick of things, and may have moved up a little last night with his priceless John Edwards comment -- but it's too late

9. Hunter -- no chance, of course, but he is the real deal.