The first fall GOP debate has ended. That's one less debate now to watch. Cheers all around. Now for the post-game talk. Pretty bland stuff. It doesn't look like there were any clear winners or losers.

One thing we can take away is New Hampshire GOPers are odd ducks and completely out of touch with the majority of Republicans across the rest of the country. An informal poll by Fox afterwards showed everyone thinking McCain won tonight's debate!

Giuliani, Romney and McCain had steady but not very memorable performances. I can't see this debate changing any of their prospects.

Huckabee continues to impress and will gain stature.

Paul is a bit of a concern. He obviously was the butt of many a joke for his whacky stance on foreign policy and his belief that two oceans are enough for an isolationist America to protect herself. When he finally bows out of the nomination process it will be interesting to see if he goes the third party route.

Hunter looked tired and repeated most of the same talking points he brought up in prior debates. With Thompson coming into the race and Huckabee picking up steam one would imagine there is no longer any room or need for his consistent conservatism to keep three front runners from shifting too far left. Another trouble is that he occupies the same issues as Tancredo on the immigration front. Hunter always seemed to me to be the best and most reasonable voice but Tancredo looks like he'll last longer. If immigration is your issue and you're not with Fred pick one or the other.

Brownback is Huckabee's political doppelganger on most issues. Those conservatives who don't buy into the Thompson hype should pick one or the other.

Can't wait for Leno.
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The latest installment of the hit reality show "Who wants to be in a Presidential Debate?" is about to begin.

The obvious storylines are Fred Thompson entering the race and appearing on Leno tonight - and skipping the debate. The former Tennessee senator and "Law and Order" actor's entry into the race hurts the chances of Romney and McCain. Both politicians need the conservative support which Thompson will soak up. Romney is in best shape to shrug off this setback so the real question is can McCain gain any momentum?

Also look to Huckabee to have a good performance. His showing in the useless Ames Straw Poll has given him a morale boost. But the Arkansas governor has made a good showing of himself in all of these shows.

The Mariners are beating the Yankees 2-1 in the fifth inning. The game has obvious playoff ramifications since the M's are trailing New York by two games in the Wild Card race. Skipper John McLaren just got all up in the face of the first base umpire over a bad call at first with Ichiro getting out on a close ground ball.

Brit Hume is moderating the debate for Fox with Wendell Goler and Chris Wallace doing duty as the question panel which seems to be the favorite format for these dog and pony shows. With Hume leading the show, the questions should be a bit more professional and geared to what Republican primary voters will actually care about.

Washburn got out of a jam with a runner on third base and only one out including a clutch ground-out against Yankee captain Derek Jeter. Score 2-1.

The soup of the day by political "experts" has been Thompson's snubbing of New Hampshire primary voters by skipping this debate in order to glad-hand Jay Leno. The campaign has tried to mollify those who care by airing his first campaign commercial during the debate.

This is of course overblown. If New Hampshire primary voters are really going to care about this they need to get over themselves and stop acting like the fat chick in the bar who face checks every other woman you try to talk with.

For those who don't know it, Thompson's strategy has been to appear presidential by placing himself above the common fray of political arm wrestling The debates to this date have been a circus seal show with candidates happy to bark and perform for the likes of Wolf Blitzer and Chris Mathews.

Speak of the devil. Thompson's first advertisement just appeared on Bill O'Reilly at 5:55 PST. Nothing groundbreaking but pretty good. The main thrust is to go to www.Imwithfred.com to watch his official announcement. Oh, and it's painful to have to watch a phony ponce like O'Reilly even for the ten minutes before the debate.

Blast! A-Rod just jacked a ball over the left field fence. 2-2 tie.

Huckabee quipped that he was scheduled to be on Leno but gave it up to be in New Hampshire.
Ron Paul said it dilutes the pro-war vote because he's the only anti-war Republican which is apparently a GOP tradition. (Bizarre)
McCain: Maybe we're up past his bedtime.
Romney: Why the hurry? Why not take some more time off? He's going to bring entertainment, vigor and ideas.
Giuliani: "He did a pretty good job of playing my part on 'Law and Order'". Not a time to elect someone who needs "on-the-job-training" as an executive.

Immigration

Romney, Giuliani and McCain got beat up over immigration by Wallace which is a vulnerable issue with all three candidates. Huckabee is portraying himself as a compassionate conservative on the issue stating that he's in favor of border security but is dismayed at the "hateful rhetoric" by some Republicans who care about the issue.

Huckabee's response was probably a veiled reference at Tom Tancredo who took his fellow candidates to task for ignoring the issue. As a note, illegal immigration and border security is going to be one of the biggest issues in 2008 and any candidate who ignores this does so at their peril.

Giuliani asked not just for a physical fence but a technological fence, whatever that is. McCain tried to defend his comprehensive immigration bill which died un-mourned by bringing up green card holders who were in the U.S. military. Kind of the equivalent of avoiding a question by saying "Look at that! Behind you!" and then running away. Romney blamed sanctuary cities and mentioned New York specifically. Wonder who he had in mind?

The wheels have fallen off the M's game and the bullpen. Normally Sherill is nails in tight situations. Yankees are up 6-2.

Gun Control

This is completely ridiculous. Goler is asking the silliest questions about whether college students and airplane passengers should be allowed to be armed. This is one of those middle school debate questions which is meant to scare people. The issue is whether the federal government should be wasting its time by banning bayonet lugs and collapsible stocks or whether it should focus on actual measures to catch and incarcerate criminals.

Pay-Rod just put the game out of reach with a homerun. 9-2 Yanks in the seventh and the punishment just keeps coming. Mariners will have to reach the post-season the hard way.

Gay marriage.

Brownback thinks there should be a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.

Iraq

McCain "appeared" a bit testy with Romney and his qualification that the surge in Iraq "appeared" to be working. He was adamant that it IS working.

Thank you Ron Paul for giving us the most heated part of the evening. The former Libertarian is unconcerned at the prospect of a bloodbath in Iraq if U.S. troops pullout prematurely. He must think it's the 1930s and Lindbergh is still in office with his isolationist Pat Buchanan-like stance on foreign policy. He blames the fact that we had troops in Saudi Arabia as one of the reasons stated for the 9-11 attacks. (Howls) Wallace asked the congressman if the U.S. should take our marching orders from Al Qaeda?

Mike Huckabee has just had his stock rise by going nose-to-nose against Paul putting the smackdown on the former Libertarian. He spoke to the key issue that Republicans are facing. Whether to do what is right in Iraq or do what is politically expedient. "Even if we lose elections we should not lose our honor."

Tancredo reminded the audience that the United States was not attacked for having troops in Saudi Arabia but because the U.S. is at war against radical Islam.

Romney: Said there is a global conflict of radical jihad across the world which it is important to be successful against. Said to go to his campaign website to see his ideas about a global strategy against jihad.

With the exception of Paul; every man up on stage "appears" to have adequate views on foreign policy, Iraq and the war against radical Islam. It's refreshing to have a debate not about whether radical Islam should be combatted but what is the best way to do so.

Yankees 10, Mariners 2. Seattle is three games back in the wild card race and their late-season slide continues.

Taxes

McCain and Giuliani quite rightly defended not taking a silly pledge not to raise taxes. Both candidates said they are tax cutters and rested on past laurels. Romney has taken the pledge. I guess this makes him more conservative than the other two and he also said that he cut citizen's taxes.

Huckabee talked up the Fair Tax.

Paul wants to eliminate the IRS, CIA, Homeland Security, cut taxes, cut spending, cut the FBI and pretty much every federal program and budgetary item. I'm sure this will thrill Paul's Democrat supporters.