It was the Dampa in Tampa last night as the GOP presidential candidates convened for the first of two Florida bakeoffs this week.
And it was weak.
• If you picked “resigned in disgrace” for your drinking game, you were knee-walking by 9:15.
• Otherwise you were just-walking by 9:33 after Mitt Romney was done influence-paddling Newt Gingrich. The rest was simply marking time.
In other developments:
• Romney on his tax returns: It’s not me, it’s you.
• Overall, the debate was like driving the Pennsylvania Turnpike: Spasms of interest connected by long stretches of boredom.
• Drudge Insta-poll:
• Nuf Ced.
Campaign Outsider 
Memo to everyone south of the (NH) border: With each passing day your favorite son Willard (“My first name is Mitt”) is getting mighty testy. He should go chill out in the Caymans. Hopefully for the rest of 2012.
I’m still trying to figure out how the man who single-handedly poisoned American political discourse is any state’s – even SC’s – choice for ANYTHING.
I picked “Saul Alinsky.” Sober night. Even “socialist” would’ve left me dry.
The first 35 minutes of the debate were the best of the season, hands down. Brian Williams pushed Romney and Gingrich into each other a few times, and then they managed to moderate the debate all by themselves. And Williams admirably let them. They attacked and defended back-and-forth–but did so respectfully, letting each other give complete answers without interrupting or name-calling. Amazingly civil, even with their aggressive accusations and questioning of each other. Too bad the following hour was such a yawner.