Nothing new.  That’s a decent summary of last nights debate. Really well run with the emphasis on the candidates and issues of substance.   Consensus overwhelmingly, Rubio won again. As one  focus group member summed it up.  “Rubio showed passion, vision and leadership….especially military wise.”  Most feel Cruz was second with Carly Fiorina  But, keep in mind with Cruz, although he’s smart and gives convincing answers, he is unlikeable.  Most people vote on that and issues second.  He preaches…forces dramatics and Hillary would beat him as both Parties agree and Cruz is the most hated man in the Senate.  Arrogance second only to Trump.   Mark Halperin, Managing Editor for Bloomberg Politics, (consistently grader in Chief) graded it this way.  Rubio B+  Cruz B+  Bush, Carson, Fiorina, Paul and Trump all get a B.  Kasich a B-.  “All had good moments.  No one has a disastrous moment.”      Poll driven leaders, Trump and Carson were stagnant with Trump drawing loud boos twice.   “We don’t have to listen to that guy.” referring to Kasich.  “Why does she get to keep interrupting.” referring to Fiorina.      There’s an old saying “when you start standing still, you usually end up going backwards.”  That’s Carson and especially Trump who has his hard core of white Blue Collar male diehards.  Once again we heard…..”I built this great Company….”  at one point Trump said “Let Putin bomb the hell out of them.” referring to ISIS.  Problem is Putin is bombing the rebels in support of Syria’s maniac leader Assad.”   He was scorned on his idiotic notion of deporting eleven million illegals.  It’s impossible said Kasich.   O’Reilly,” The courts would never allow it. My opinion, Trump has maxed out his support.

Campaign Manager for Obama, David Axelrod says “take out Trump and Carson and Rubio walks away with it.”   Keep in mind these early voters in the Iowa Caucus and New Hampshire primary are unique in the sense they are more keenly aware of issues, less personality.  Dr. Carson being the exception.  But Carson showed he was clueless on breaking up the banks.  And, as Bill O’Reilly put it, “Carson faded into the background.”  Jeb Bush was better, but no knockout performance.  Look for his support now drifting to Rubio as the “Establishment Candidate..”

One major change during the debate, there was far less criticizing each other and turning their attention to Hillary.   She was bombarded.   “She represents the past.”  “We can’t take another four more years of Obama.”  At one point Dr. Carson said….”I don’t mind being vetted.” “Everyone should be and it should be truthful.  However Hillary Clinton tells Chelsea and one foreign leader the Bengazi raid was a deliberate by Al Qaeda and then tells the American people the incident was all due to a video, that’s a lie in my book.”

Said famed award winning columnist Charles Krauthammer of Rubio…”He’s amazing. He stole the night. There’s no subject he is not fluent and forceful upon.”  So all in all, not a night of excitement.  Brief flare ups.  May have bored many.  Having down to eight on the stage was a major help.   HOWEVER, if you saw the earlier debate with Christie, Huckabee, Jindal and Santorum, you would have seen vintage Christie who nailed Hilary again and again like nobody before.    Said The Weekly Standard’s Steve Hayes….”Christie won taking it to Hillary.”  Somehow the GOP head Reince Priebus needs to find a way to get Christie on the main stage   And a word of Fox News and their business network.  Superb.  It was candidates, not moderators, all night long.  But, don’t expect huge movement in the polls.   Iowa Caucus and New Hampshire primary voters still assessing and assessing and assessing.   And, that’s the way it should be.