As I read it, the decision about the winners is as split as I have seen.  Everyone seems to have a different mix of winners and losers.

I wanted to react to several of Ross's quick reactions at Huffington.

1) Richardson.

Ross has him winning.  Ack.  He had a moment or 2, to be sure, but he got pummelled on troop withdrawal and it was an obvious beating that he brought upon himself.

Richardson stated early on that he wanted all the troops out before the end of the year. ("we have 6 months" he said even though it was only 5).  Later in the debate he challenged everyone else to debate his plan to get all the troops out before the end of the year.  Unfortunately for him, first Biden and then Clinton responded and they crushed his idea.  Can't do it, a brigade a month at top speed, no military officers think it is remotely possible, will put our troops in much more danger, will make the situation much worse.  Richardson's answer?  Yah...  nothing.

Outright loss when you play to the crowd with a plan they want desperately, challenge your opponents to criticize it, and then get crushed when they respond.  People love it when truth beats down pander.

2) Biden.

Ross has him just in front of Gravel.  Ack.  I agree that calling the wacko with the assault rifle mentally unstable was really poor judgement: no one wants Joe Biden deciding who is or is not mentally fit to own a gun. 

But nodding to Elizabeth Kucinich's hotness is not the party foul Ross thinks it is.  She is 31 years younger than idiotboy and so out of his league that it makes Kucinich seem even creepier.  If Kucinich and Thompson were the nominees, the wives would be THE whole election: 31 and 25 years younger respectively...  Those following this issue will note that Cindy McCain is only 20 years younger than John and Judith Guliani is a scant 10 years younger than Rudy. 

And each one of them is a formidable person in her own right.  If Joe Biden had pointed to Elizabeth Edwards as the best thing about John Edwards, that wouldn't have been thought of as a mark against Joe.  Because Elizabeth is 4 years older than John and he is, arguably, the looker in that marriage.  But because Joe pointed to a young and attractive Elizabeth Kucinich, he is suddenly making a blunder?  That happens only if one discounts the achievements and worth of hot young wives.  I don't do that ;)

Joe scored big several times.  Many folks have him winning or coming in 2nd behind Barack this time out.  He did it by being the guy who spoke the truth.  And the last minute faux pas about the redneck with his "baby" assault rifle wasn't enough of a stumble to change the scoring.

3) Edwards

The Washington Post guy has him winning and Ross has him in the upper middle.  I think he just lost.

I think a passably smarmy performance throughout the debate was derailed on the last question.

ROSS!!!  Edwards thought that the worst thing about Hillary was her hot pink ensemble.  Okay, that thing, it did hurt the eyes, but...  ROSS!!!  The guy who gets $1,000 haircuts and primps for 20 minutes in front of a mirror, who is known as a pretty-boy lightweight, chooses the last question of the night to CRITICIZE A WOMAN'S CHOICE OF OUTFIT.  instant loss and a giant beer can drops on your head.

4) Barack and Hillary

Frontrunners being frontrunners.  They did a good job.  He found an acceptable way to criticize her and she found an way to showcase his inexperience.  Both did a good job.

5) all of them

The "faith" questions were flubbed.  Call a scam a scam, you cowards.

Michael