If you were able to sit through the entire Republican primary debate the other night, perhaps you deserve a medal.. The only thing missing from the silly demeanor of John McCain and quirky behaivor of the rest was a laugh track. One NATIONAL REVIEW observer compared McCain's acting to Jack Nicholson from Kubrick's version of THE SHINING..

His forceful line of following Osama Bin Laden to "gates of hell" somehow lost all credibility when moments later, as though he forgot cameras actually were filming him, he smiled and winked proud. The gates of hell are still waiting..

But until then, Peggy Noonan with her assessment:

"All the candidates save one, the obscure but intellectually serious Ron Paul, seemed to be trying to show they will not break with the Bush administration on the war, but that, at the same time, they each know a heck of a lot more than President Bush. There were criticisms of the administration's handling of Iraq, with the first and strongest coming from Mr. McCain. Mike Huckabee had the most spirited explanation. The administration listened to "civilians in silk ties" rather than generals "with mud and blood on their boots." On Iran, the candidates seemed in general to be indignant to the point of bellicosity. If we view the proceedings in vulgar and reductive Who Won, Who Lost terms, and let's, Mitt Romney won, Rudy Giuliani lost, and John McCain is still in. The moderator, Chris Matthews, seemed to think he was on "Hardball" and had to keep the pups, punks and rubes -- that would be the candidates -- in line. He cut them off -- "Congressman, that's time!" -- and occasionally hectored. One of the stars was the buzzing clock. It interrupted all thought. Mr. McCain seemed alert, and full of effort. Somehow he seemed both high-energy and creaky. He uncompromisingly supported fighting it out in Iraq. He also had the best line of the night. When Mitt Romney was tagged for saying catching Osama is not of pre-eminent importance -- "It's more than Osama bin Laden" -- Mr. McCain quickly pounced. "I'll follow him to the gates of hell." Go, baby. But there was something "Poignant Echoes of the Past" about his performance. He didn't make it new, but I think he made it more moving.

I can't agree. I didn't take this line seriously at all. I think McCain lost credibility during this exact moment.. As far as Guiliani, he spoke like more of a Mayor running for reelection than a contender going for the highest office in the land..

Noonan continues:

"Sam Brownback seems a very nice and sleepy fellow who means it on the social issues. Jim Gilmore, Duncan Hunter and Tommy Thompson all got sort of jumbled together, and seemed to merge into one, "The Guy You Don't Know and Don't Think You Have To." The disappointment was Tom Tancredo, who can be colorful and passionate on the stump, and not only on immigration, and who was expected by some to be the wildcard, the Mike Gravel of the GOP debate. He seemed hemmed in by the format, and looked as if he knew it, getting, halfway in, the disheartened look of a talk-show guest who just realized he left it in the green room."

Overall her assessment is pretty accurate.. A few moments of oddity: Romney asked what he didn't like about America and he was speechless, Tommy Thompson blaming a hearing aid issue for not hearing a question.. and once again, that "gates of hell" line..