Mitt Romney is one step closer to the finish line.
After a raucous debate in Myrtle Beach, S. C., the front-runner emerged with some bruises but his dignity and, more important, his status intact.
Continue ReadingAllen on Romney's tough week
Below are POLITICO?s eight takeaways from the Fox News/Wall Street Journal debate.
1) Mitt Romney is in for a hard week
You could count on one hand the number of poor debates Romney has had out of the myriad debates he has taken part in.
Last night was one of them. While there were flashes of the confident Romney ? he pivoted on a question about his flip-flops into talking about President Barack Obama, an imperfect segue but one that worked for him ? Romney was under siege from almost the beginning of the debate. Among the questions he faced: Bain Capital, his record as Massachusetts governor, whether he would release his tax returns, and the super PAC negative ad blitz that?s being waged on TV.
One of his toughest moments came over the tax returns, when he hemmed and hawed about the tradition from past campaigns of releasing them in April, suggesting he may ? or may not ? do it then.
It was hardly a trick question, or even a surprise ? several rivals had telegraphed hits on it throughout the day before the debate ? but Romney still seemed uncertain in his response.
The only moment tougher than that? Rick Santorum?s rope-a-dope over an ad being aired by the pro-Romney super PAC Restore Our Future, which he used to engage Romney in a lengthy debate about whether felons who?ve served their time should have the right to vote.
The fact that Santorum was hitting Romney from the left was largely ignored ? he led Romney right into an opposition-research trap based on the former governor?s record in office and rattled him.
As a bonus, Romney?s famous ?varmint? hunt episode came up at the end.
Romney did manage to recover for some better moments, but overall it was not his best night ? and it served as a reminder that he has thin skin when attacked. The good news for him? There?s only one debate left before South Carolina votes Saturday, when he could come close to wrapping up the nomination in a state that is hardly favorable terrain for his candidacy.
2) Newt Gingrich got his groove back
For one night, anyway. But it?s unlikely ? though not impossible ? that it will lift him high enough to stop Romney.
Gingrich had one of his best debates in a season of strong debate performances by the former House speaker.
Once again, he was boosted by the debate hall crowd, which he managed to bring to a standing ovation as he doubled down on his comments that poor children should be hired for part-time work in failing schools in their neighborhoods.
He lectured debate moderator Juan Williams on President Obama?s record, denounced ?elites? and ?liberals? who don?t want to help lift up poor people into finding good jobs. He seemed sure of himself as he pushed back on Romney over super PAC ads.
It didn?t begin that way for Gingrich, whose voice seemed to trouble him at the outset, and who was playing defense early on about why he?d abandoned his positivity pledge.
But, as he has often done, he found a way to bring the crowd to his side, and he fed off it.
3) Gingrich and Rick Santorum can?t resist attacking one another
They also, somewhat inexplicably, can?t seem to sustain an attack on Romney in these debates.
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