Meanwhile, Rick Santorum cast himself as a conservative alternative to Gingrich, reveling in yesterday’s belated declaration of his Iowa caucus win and not shying from challenging frontrunner Mitt Romney - standing but two feet away on the debate stage - over the credibility of his philosophical credentials.
At the same time, Ron Paul was the recipient of energetic boosting from his followers, who booed the moderator when he was skipped over for debate answers and cheered when he outlined the libertarian views shared by many of the state’s social and fiscal conservatives.
Romney himself generated boos, but for a different reason: dancing around a question about whether and when he would release his tax returns, and for how many years.
After a tumultuous 24 hours, the questions were: Will a Romney victory still shine through? Will Gingrich win his first contest? Or Santorum his second?
Polls still show Paul too far back to win himself, although his supporters’ loyalty was evident last night.
Conservatives could extend the nomination battle by supporting an alternative to Romney, or the former Massachusetts governor could pretty much lock up the GOP nomination by winning a state where he faced strong doubters.
The most intense period of the debate came during its first 15 minutes, when King addressed the topic arguably on many viewers’ minds. He asked Gingrich about the allegations his second wife, Marianne, made to ABC News and The Washington Post about his interest in having a mutual relationship with her and his now-third wife, Callista, while he was having an affair with then-Callista Bisek during the 1990s.
“I think the destructive, vicious, negative nature of much of the news media makes it harder to govern this country, harder to attract decent people to run for public office,” a seething Gingrich said. “And I am appalled that you would begin a presidential debate on a topic like that.”
