Raise Your Hand If Your Think Fred Won the Debate

Lest you think that yesterday's entry was mere spin from a partisan spin doctor, the political pundits agree that Fred won yesterday's debate in Iowa. If we had a show of hands among the punditocracy, they would all be raising their hands to signify that Fred kicked butt.

According to the Weekly Standard, voice of the thoughtful conservative: "The winner was Fred Thompson. Fred came to play. . . . Fred had his best day of the campaign. He was serious, thoughtful and authoritative. It was a wonderful day for him."

Local writer, David Yespen of the influential Des Moines Register wrote, "Fred Thompson did himself the most good in Wednesday's debate among presidential candidates in Iowa."

Not one but three journalists at the American Spectator called the debate for Fred (Phillip Klein, Jennifer Rubin and John Tabin). Mr. Klein was very complimentary:

"Fred Thompson was the only candidate who stood out . . . . He demonstrated conviction, showed that he was able to stand up for his convictions, that he was a man who valued substance, a leader rather than a follower . . . In short, today Thompson was everything that conservatives hoped they'd be getting when he announced his candidacy . . . Thompson stands to be the major beneficiary of any Huckabee fall."

Jim Garaughty of National Review Online really understands our candidate: "This guy looks like he could eat most of the rest of the field for lunch."

And in trash talk terms, Marc Hemingway wrote, "it's like Thompson came to the debate in Des Moines today to do two things: Kick butt and chew gum. And it appears that he's all out of gum."

In all, twelve commenatators that we can find so far have declared Fred the winner. This will be remembered as the moment the tide turned in Iowa and in the entire race. It will be remembered as the debate where Fred acted like a president, one who does not answer a request for a show of hands from a reporter. Take heart, Thompson supporters, Fred is still the man.