[Cincinatus]

Chris Wallace is a typical Beltway media guy and full of Conventional Wisdom BS, but Newt went for the cheap laugh -- no Republican will ever get booed for bashing the media and Newt knows it. Newt looked foolish.

Moreover, in this particular case, Wallace's question was completely valid -- if Newt cannot keep a campaign organization together, what is the evidence that he can build a team to run the Executive Branch?

[nuconvert]

It wasn’t just his question to Newt.

His opening questions all had a personal jab to them. They were questions he would ask on his interview show....this wasn’t his show.

Wallace intentionally started an argument between Bachman & Pawlenty. What was the point of that?

[NC Angeleyes]

Totally agree with you comment. I did not see anything wrong with the question; however, Newt’s response was anything but professional. He may have had the right to make the statement, but the manner and tone leave a lot to be desired...especially if you are looking for a President.

[lonestar]

I thought it was a stupid question because Newt is not a new kid on the block and would have no trouble building a team.

Newt's problem is people don't like him very much. I get tired of him mentioning his third wife all the time!

He's in it to sell books, IMO.

[annieokie]

"""what is the evidence that he can build a team to run the Executive Branch?""""

Because then he would be "President". That's how.

[Sudetenland]

Newt gave the best performance of the entire night and he made Wallace look like the cheap pseudo-objective he is. Newt was right to call Chris Wallace down on his questions. Wallace was trying to stir up controversy and unfortunately he succeeded with Pawlenty and Bachmann.

When Wallace asked Pawlenty that first question, Pawlenty should have shoved it back in his face by saying something like,"I'm not here to attack my fellow Republicans, I am here to contrast myself to Obama and to lay out my own record of accomplishment. I will leave the dirt dishing to Democrats."

Pawlenty looked desperate and bad and unfortunately Bachmann allowed herself to be dragged into the dirt with him.

Newt clearly won that debate and once more proved himself to be the smartest person on the stage . . . too bad I don't trust him and can't support him. He needs to be part of our government, just not the President . . . maybe State or Defense.

[SaraJohnson]

I can barely tolerate political coverage anymore. The media are total half wits. All of them.

They think the process of learning about our candidates for president is a clever gottcha game that they orchestrate based on their incompetent, uninformed and petty world views. We see what their gaming got us last election and the condition of our corrupt political elite is a reflect of their political manipulation games.