The discussion centered largely on the debate performance of former Gov. Mitt Romney, R-Mass., who many of the show's guests agreed had commanded the debate. The politicos also talked about the responses from Gov. Rick Perry, R-Texas, and businessman Herman Cain.
After Rose's typical introduction, Hunt began the program by discussing the three candidates. While Cain showed himself to be a "really fascinating, compelling figure," Perry again displayed his weakness in debating, Hunt said. The contrast between the two candidates' performances was a central focus of the hour-long commentary.
The show's guests generally agreed that Perry's showing paled in comparison to Romney's proficient debating skills and Cain's ability to become the "center of attention," Lowry said. Perry's debate performance reiterated an unease in the national spotlight that many political analysts have discussed since his campaign launched this summer.
"The way [Perry is] performing, he certainly acted like he didn't want to go to Washington," Dowd said.
Tumulty, who served as one of the debate's moderators, said she was surprised by the candidates' failure to engage and connect with America's "populist anger," when answering questions.
"Romney was the only one to take this opportunity," Tumulty said.
While the analysts generally agreed that Romney performed the strongest at the debate and has emerged as the Republican Party frontrunner, Halperin addressed the reservations some Republicans may possess regarding the Romney candidacy. Not only is Romney an "establishment figure" known as more moderate and with a less hardline record than some other candidates, but he also supports government bailouts traits that are not highly esteemed by many of America's conservative voters, according to Halperin.
Regardless of some Tea Party members' unease with the former Massachusetts governor, Romney has proven himself to be a strong, reliable candidate who has yet to "slip up," Tumulty said.
"This guy doesn't make the same mistakes twice," she said.
Cain has distanced himself from the pack as more of a "heart candidate" rather than a "head candidate" like Romney, Dowd said. While strong leadership and executive experience are Romney's strengths, Cain often appears more genuine, he said.
Despite these strengths, however, Cain's understanding of economic issues may be somewhat limited, according to Balz.
The commentators also discussed the significance of the Iowa caucus and the first-in-the-nation New Hampshire primary in relation to Romney's campaign. If Romney wins both elections a feat that has never been accomplished by a Republican he will undoubtedly secure the nomination, Hunt said.
To ensure victory in Iowa, however, Tumulty said Romney will have to hope that the "anyone-but-Romney" vote is split among his more conservative competitors.
The speakers' discussion of the political candidates also tied into President Barack Obama's chance of winning the 2012 election. According to Dowd, Obama's best chance at re-election is to hope for a strong third party candidate who can funnel votes away from the Republican nominee.
Obama's current job approval rating has not risen above 42 percent over the last two months, and no president with an approval of less than 47 percent has ever been re-elected, Dowd said. Obama can win with his current 42 percent of the vote, but a strong third party candidate will have to emerge to detract votes from the Republican base.
Following the hour-long program, Rose discussed his own perspectives on the debate and Washington's current political climate in an interview with The Dartmouth. Rose's stance on the candidates was similar to those of his guests, as he said that Romney had not made any mistakes when addressing the issues, that Perry didn't insert himself into the discourse as expected and that Cain has proven to be "ebullient and dramatic."
"I thought, surprisingly, Perry was better than in the past, but did not seem to want to engage as much as I thought he would because he wanted to talk about energy," Rose said, adding that his performance was overall a "missed opportunity." The success of a candidate in the debate varied depending on "who had the most to gain coming in," Rose said.
Perry's lack of engagement disappointed Tumulty, who said in an interview with The Dartmouth that she had anticipated more of a dialogue regarding economic issues between Perry and Romney. Tumulty said she expected "fireworks" between the two that "never quite emerged."
While Cain's charisma helped him gain some points with his audience, there was one clear victor in the debate, Rose said.
"The biggest winner everybody seemed to agree was Governor Romney," Rose said. "He was smart and he recognized there were legitimate grievances."
Rose said his main concern in the debate and the overarching political sphere is that the country suffers from "dysfunction and the paralysis in government today," which no candidates fully addressed in their remarks.
At times, the debate's questions did not delve deeply enough into some current events that are of notable significance to the American economy, Rose said. The Occupy Wall Street protests, for example, were only briefly addressed during the debates.
"We could have done more on [the protest]," he said. "It's happening every day."
Although the debate focused solely on fiscal issues, Rose said he had hoped the candidates would spend more time addressing how economic issues generally impact American society. The debate's emphasis on the economy may have restricted the candidates, but economic issues are inseparable from many other topics, making it possible for candidates to discuss hot-button topics such as housing, health care and foreign policy.
"I think that in today's world, the economy and foreign policy are very linked," Rose said, citing China as a prime example of a nation whose international relations are closely tied to its economic strength.
Rose said his debate's round table setup which he called "the kind of kitchen table where families for generations have come together to talk and solve their problems" is a better format than the line of individual podiums traditionally used in political debates.
"I think it's better when they can see each other up close," Rose said.
This format also created a more intimate atmosphere that heightened the interactions between candidates, Tumulty said.
"They were thrown onto this table," she said. "They really had to deal with each other. In some ways, it made it harder to attack each other."
