In this morning's GOP presidential debate, NBC moderator David Gregory asked Texas Governor Rick Perry a question about electability. Governor Perry took it a step further and laid out the three big questions primary voters should be asking themselves: "Who is it that can beat Obama? Who is it that can invigorate the tea party? Who is it that can take the message of smaller outsider government that's truly going to change that place?"

Read more »

Two GOP presidential debates in New Hampshire this weekend will most likely have very little to do with the results of Tuesday's New Hampshire primary. With the latest poll showing former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney with a whopping 40% of support in the Granite State, the real show will be how the three remaining conservatives in the race perform.

Read more »

Early in last night's Republican presidential debate, Texas Governor Rick Perry said he hoped to be the "Tim Tebow of the Iowa caucuses." That pop culture shorthand for an underestimated person of strong faith who comes from behind with no time to spare and snatches victory from the jaws of almost certain defeat was definitely corny, brilliantly memorable and possibly a glimpse into the very near future.

Read more »

Tonight's GOP presidential debate in Sioux City, Iowa is technically the 13th time most of the candidates will appear on stage to discuss the issues and defend their records. But this final debate before the first in the nation caucuses is not only the last; it's the one that probably matters most. The latest poll of likely Iowa Caucus participants shows that former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is holding a tiny lead over his nearest competitor, but he's been at or near that position throughout the seemingly endless string of debates while the anti-Romney crowd has migrated to a different challenger each month. Tonight's performances could determine whether that crowd of mostly conservative Iowans will finally settle on one of the other contenders or settle for Governor Romney.

Read more »

After so many debates, interviews and speeches; Republican caucus goers and primary voters already know where the candidates stand on the issues. With just a few weeks before the first states make their decision, events like last night's debate in Iowa are more about pressure than policy. How do these would-be presidents handle the kind of stress that comes with the job they're trying to land? Will they whither under the onslaught of their political foes, the media, foreign adversaries and the relentless daily demands of the office?

Read more »