Overall, much better than the MSNBC Republican debate, where some really moronic questions were asked. I felt like we got to know the candidates better and the pacing was good.

Here are my impressions, and I’m not going to mince my words:

Rudy is the Security Demagogue. There are few words which will make my eyes narrow and tongue curl in disgust when I say them: demagogue is one of those words. I absolute despise demagogues. Rudy is a demagogue. Hey Rudy, just because you were in New York during 9/11 doesn’t mean you’ll know what to do as president to help us defend against more attacks. If we elect Rudy Giuliani, we will elect a tyrant. We will elect a man who will put an ID card in all our hands and will store all our private information in a giant database. Rudy constantly says that he will do anything to protect America, but he never mentions that he will protect the constitution with the same vigor. To be frank, after tonight, Rudy scares me. I will support almost anyone over Rudy (the exception of course is Hillary).

Tom Tancredo is a complete and utter moron. Anyone who thinks that the line about Jack Bauer was a good one is also a complete and utter moron. While McCain cites the Army Field Manual, Tom Tancredo cites a fictional character. Anyone who bases his security on fiction will have security of the same nature — namely, fiction! (Besides, if we’re going to have anyone fighting terrorists, it should be Chuck Norris.) To think that America will be protected from an attack by a legion of bad-ass motherfuckers is absolutely idiotic. We need good intelligence, and torture does not produce good intelligence. The false positive problem is overwhelming. I simply don’t understand how a terrorist would not leave a decoy bomb in these ticking time bomb scenarios. If these guys are tough enough to blow themselves up, I’m sure they’re tough enough to give out false information that will distract the good guys long enough for a bomb to blow up. Please, Tancredo, if you’re going to base our national security off a television show, or wishful thinking, then you don’t deserve to run. I’d rather listen to General Petraeus than Jack Bauer.

Huckabee hit every question out of the park. He was practically flawless tonight. He should be a top-tier candidate. Even though he does not support evolution, I’m willing to reconsider my support of him. I think he’d make an excellent Vice President. He also got the best laugh line of the night.

Thompson looked dour and uncomfortable — in fact, he looked downright unpresidential. Toss him.

Sam Brownback creeped me out. I can’t quite place why. It might just be a visceral feeling of a theocratic blob. It might also be the way he simply disregarded the UN.

Romney is slicker than a used car salesman. He’s an opportunist panderer. As soon as he wins the Republican nomination, his views will shift. This is not about “flip-flop”; this is about trust. I wouldn’t trust him with anything, let alone the highest office in the land.

Gilmore didn’t impress me as much as last time. I think that’s partly because Fox News used him in an incredibly dishonest fashion. They goaded him into criticizing his opponents on stage and then let all those opponents beat up on him. He looked bad because they made him look bad. However, he did have a good answer when it came to national security. He has experience in homeland security and talked about information sharing. He served in a national commission. He actually has national experience, unlike Mr. President of 9/11, Rudy. Point for Mr. Gilmore. I’m depressed that the average viewer will not get this.

Duncan Hunter hit trade hard, but I just can’t get excited about trade. I have tons of friends who get excited about this issue, but it’s not a sexy issue and I know it’s not a sexy issue. I had trouble paying attention to Hunter. I withhold judgment.

I’m not sure if Ron Paul screwed up, or if Fox News screwed Ron Paul. I know that the moderator distorted his response, but I think Ron Paul should’ve been more careful with what he was saying. Plus, he gave the demagogue the soundbite he needed. That’s all we’re going to hear. We’re going to hear Rudy, not Ron Paul. The news media will play it ad nauseum. I don’t think I can forgive Ron Paul for that. I do, however, applaud him for accurately describing “enhanced interrogation techniques” as Newspeak. First, it was “coercive interrogation,” now it’s “enhanced interrogation.” This is obviously obfuscation. It is obviously Orwellian. It is obviously torture.

John McCain was excellent — or at least he was excellent for anyone who thinks torture is wrong. Evidently, the Republican Party is now the torture party. Strange how their sanctity of life extends only towards unfeeling clumps of cells. How very Jesus of them. It is not worth protecting the body of America if she loses her soul. McCain hit Romney very hard after Romney took a shot at him. You may not like all of McCain’s positions, but at least you know what you’re getting.

Summary: McCain stood strong, despite criticism. Rudy scares me. Huckabee is a rock star.