ABC Debate

My boy Buckeyenewshawk is probably not watching the debate (with the Steelers on) so I'll fill in with some thoughts on the GOP debate:

• What was with Romney pushing the health care mandate? He was taking a reasonable position, but can't be a winner in this primary, can it?
• Yes, yes, we know. Mitt is a flip-flopper. Thanks, boys.
• The measuring contest on who can be tougher on illegals was kinda silly. Fred Thompson was generally pretty good but he was unnecessarily shrill here.
• It was nice to see my boy John above the fray somewhat -- he jumped on Mitt a couple of times but given the format, it must have been tempting to come at him more. I guess when you're the front-runner, you can play it safe.
  
• Thompson, as the not-front-runner, could have been a little more aggressive. It's one thing to say "flip-flopper!" or "amnesty!" and another thing to offer your own policy proposals and contrast them with others'.
• I still like McCain, but I thought Romney won the show. He showed mastery of the various issues in a way the other candidates didn't.