Here are the highlights and lowlights from Tuesday’s debate:

• Anderson Cooper took time out from quest to be the next Oprah Winfrey to host the debate.  Cooper is a liberal and it’s obvious he holds some disdain for the viewpoints of the GOP field, but he is one of the few liberal journalists who are able project a professional air through his biases.  He is a lot like Brian Williams in that respect.  Cooper was an adequate host and pretty much stayed away from the typical liberal funny business that tends to arise when they host events like this.

• In news that no one cares about, Jon Huntsman boycotted the debate.  He claims his boycott was in protest to Nevada’s “leapfrog” of the primary process.  However, rumor has it Huntsman was taking time out of the Presidential process to mourn the recent, tragic loss of Steve Jobs.  Jobs actually created the original Huntsman prototype in his makeshift garage lab back in 1974.  All production at the Huntsman assembly line has been halted until further notice.

• Michele Bachmann had a stellar night with her “sexy-librarian meets Isaac from Loveboat” terrycloth jacket.  As usual the tiny, tea party tactician exhibited an experienced understanding of the tax system and the lethal effects of over-regulation on the American economy.  She was one of the few candidates who actually called out Obama’s policies by name.  She looked strong and confident.  It was a good night for Mrs. Bachmann.

• Herman Cain put in another fine performance, although perhaps not his best.  His meteoric, almost bizarre rise to the top of the field now puts him in the position of having a higher standard to perform to.  He did not reach that standard in this debate.  However, the most interesting thing about Cain right now is his 9-9-9 plan.  There has been considerable debate over the merits of his plan – in the media and among conservatives specifically.  Anderson Cooper started the debate with a question about 9-9-9.  The candidates spent nearly 20 minutes grilling Cain about the plan.  It was mentioned dozens of times in the first hour of the debate.  It might not be the best plan in the world but everyone is talking about it.   Everyone.  Its classic, brilliant branding from the man who turned around Godfather’s Pizza.

• Rick Perry started out the debate with the energy of a man who had his first 5-hour Energy drink 20 minutes before the event began.  It was refreshing to see him so energized, but he quickly faded back into the Perry of Debates Past, stammering and struggling to form his thoughts and responses.

• Mitt looked as solid as ever.  As the media-proclaimed front runner he was the most obvious target for all the candidates.  At times Mitt was forced to chastise his opponents for talking over him.  His exchanges with Perry were particularly feisty.  Romney is an experienced campaigner.  He is nearly unflappable in debates, but a chink in the armor may have been revealed Tuesday night.  He did seem agitated at having to answer question after question regarding Romneycare.  His colleagues should note that pressing Romney continuously about the same issue seems to be the key to throwing him off his game.

• Newt is still super smart, but will Republicans vote for him?

• Ron Paul put in the typical Ron Paul performance.  His supporters were out in full force, as usual.  As a physician and man of faith, Paul is unparalleled in his rhetoric on healthcare reform and individual freedom.  He’s the type of man who can have every person in the audience nodding their heads and cheering when he talks about the need for every person to take responsibility for their own decisions in life, and not wasting tax dollars trying to prevent people from making bad decisions.  Then Paul starts talking foreign policy and makes it painfully obvious that he has very little understanding of the nuances of foreign relations. Republicans don’t like that.

• Rick Santorum probably had his best performance to date Tuesday night.  He was strong and pointed.  It is obvious Santorum is courting the family values vote.  He spoke about faith and the family as the bedrock of American society.  He was the only candidate who addressed the issue of eroding religious freedom in America.  Santorum is so far to the back of the pack it’s puzzling as to why he continues to push forward.  Could it be that Rick Santorum is actually running based on his own concerns, and not the polls? Gasp!

The GOP debate train rolls on with the next debate scheduled to be hosted in Michigan by CNBC, November 9th.  It remains to be seen whether or not Jon Hunstman will be finished charging his batteries and updating his software in time to participate.

Photo: Antoine Taveneaux

Overview

At 8pm on Tuesday October 18th, CNN and the Western Republican Leadership Conference hested the most recent in a line of GOP Presidential debates.

Many of the early front-runners have struggled in the most recent debates. Mitt Romney has seen his once-formidable lead become second pace to a rotating cadre of new blood. Rick Perry stumbled in the last two debates and Michele Bachmann never recovered from her Gaurdasil/autism claim. Herman Cain now enjoys front-runner status and seemed to hold up to the increased scrutiny in the debate on October 11th.

Tuesday night’s debate promised to focus on Herman Cain and Mitt Romney – the two front-runners. Herman Cain defended his 9-9-9 plan using fruit analogies and Romney fumbled on everything from illegal immigration to Romneycare.

This was by far the most argumentative and least informative debate of the season. CNN’s Anderson Cooper was out to get the candidates to wrestle – informing voters wasn’t in CNN’s interest.

Jon Huntsman chose to boycott the debate due to Nevada’s primary scheduling battle with New Hampshire. Huntsman will instead hold a campaign event Tuesday morning.

Participants

Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum

Video/Streaming

The debate was held at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada and aired on CNN.

Full Video of the Debate (from RCP):

The Debate in 100 seconds (TPM):

Cain and Romney in a fruit fight over 9-9-9:

Perry and Romney Spar on Illegal Immigration:

Ron Paul on Obamacare:

Santorum and Romney on Romneycare:

Herman Cain Negotiates With Terrrorists:
Wanting Cain to do well, this and the fruit exchange blew it. Listen as Herman Cain tells us that he wouldn’t negotiate with terrorists, except in certain cases. No negotiating with terrorists.. except?

and here’s the transcript:

Herman Cain, let me ask this to you. A few hours ago you were asked by Wolf Blitzer, if al Qaeda had an American soldier in captivity, and they demanded the release of everyone at Guantanamo Bay, would you release them? And you said, quote: “I can see myself authorizing that kind of a transfer. Can you explain?

HERMAN CAIN, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The rest of the statement was quite simply, you would have to consider the entire situation. But let me say this first, I would have a policy that we do not negotiate with terrorists. We have to lay that principle down first.

Now being that you have to look at each individual situation and consider all the facts. The point that I made about this particular situation is that I’m sure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had to consider a lot of things before he made that.

So on the surface, I don’t think we can say he did the right thing or not. A responsible decision-maker would have considered everything.

Bachmann on Obama’s Illegal Immigrant Family:

Ron Paul on the 9-9-9 Plan:

Other stuff:

CNN’s full transcript of the debate

Debate Poll:

[poll id="32"]

However, NY-09 was not the only Republican victory that night.  In Nevada, former state senator and Nevada Republican Party chairman Mark Amodei easily beat Democrat Kate Marshall in Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District.  The special election was called to fill the seat of former Congressman Dean Heller, who was forced to resign after admitting to an extramarital affair.  Amodei’s victory was not as surpising as his New York counterpart’s, as it seemed like it would just be a matter of one Republican handing over the reigns to another.  The real surprise was in the margin of that victory: Amodei defeated Marshall by more than 20 points.

Although the NY-09 race seemed to indicate a referendum on Obama’s policies, particularly regarding Israel, some pundits have warned against that particular opinion.  Many believe it was nothing more than a fatigued constituency that was simply weary of Weiner’s seedy sex(ish) scandal looking to distance themselves from the party he represented.  However, Amodei’s large victory debunks that point of view.  If that were the case, wouldn’t the NV electorate have at least indicated the same type of fatigue, considering the similar circumstances of that special election?

Whatever the case may be, the Obama administration is sure be paying close attention to these election results.  They may well be a precursor to the Presidential election in 2012.

Police have idetified the shooter as a 32 year old local man, but have not yet releasd his name. He reportedly shot a man on a motorcycle before entering the restaurant and opening fire once again. The gunman ended the spree with self inflicted shot and was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead hours later.

More details to follow as they become available.

Update- 3:00pm CST: It has been reported that the gunman has died.