[George W. Bush]

While he conducts a behind-the-scenes courtship of conservative leaders and builds grassroots networks to help him ramp up quickly for early primaries, he has carefully avoided being linked to the uninspiring gaggle of other GOP candidates. More importantly, if he wins the party's nod, he's less likely to limp into the general-election campaign burdened by labels like "pro-Bush conservative," which someone like, say, Mitt Romney might. His relative dearth of time on the trail makes it harder for Democrats to label him, in some ways, and easier for him to chart a course for the middle.

This is why I say Fred is shrewd. This is what he gains by staying out. And the current debates and campaign actually make the candidates look smaller.

[The Pack Knight]

This is why I say Fred is shrewd. This is what he gains by staying out. And the current debates and campaign actually make the candidates look smaller.

If the candidates were smart, they'd get together and demand a format change for the rest of the debates. The debates are just serving as a platform for leftist reporters to make the entire GOP field look like a sideshow.

I don't know that Newt's "Lincoln-Douglas" approach would work, but surely 10 men who think they have what it takes to lead the free world can come up with something better than this.