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Thought, including me, was one to be one of the main, governor romney's main liability in the the election, did he score points with that? >> absolutely. rick santorum's finalest moment in the campaign. he went after mitt romney there on health care and he went after gingrich in the same debate on character, and i thinks' scored direct hits there. but, back to dan's point whether or not newt is the flavor of the month. you look at the primary calendar, it certainly favors mitt romney going forward. >> florida is next? >> not just with florida, paul, with are there are a lot of independent vote...

Gone from one to two to three and that's not going to help him ultimately i think particularly with women voters. >> why is he rising despite at that? >> i think he's been helped by the fact that mitt romney has had an especially bad week and mitt romney found out he actually lost iowa and-- >> by all of 34 votes. >> okay, but he's also had self-inflicted wounds and you mentioned the tax issue in the opening. 's been very poorly prepared to answer questions he knew was coming and i think it's hurt mitt romney and helped newt gingrich. >> dorothy don't throw that legal pad at me when i say this...

How important is that? the eyes of the primary voters? >> being a good debaters is important and probably most republican agree that newt gingrich is the strongest debater although i have to say that rick santorum had a very good night on thursday night. there are many other factors involved. there's vision, there's record and as i mentioned before. temperament and judgment and it's the temperament and judgment criteria where newt has to persuade a lot of people he's up to the job. this is why the romney campaign brings out a former colleague of speaker gingrich's, they're erratic and they're ...

>> grand 0sty has never been a problem with newt gingrichen he handles it well. a month ago he's saying it's inevitable i'm going to win the election and i'm going to do it. i don't want a nominee i have to look at paper and worry about what he's going to say next. >> paul: that was rick santorum at the thursday night debate giving reservations about newt gingrich's electable and to be sure they all bring certain strengths and weaknesses to a general campaign and joining us is dan henninger and dorothy, wall street assistant editor james freeman. so, jason, you saw the grande 0sty charge, erra...

On the other hand, as you say, he takes it right to the opposition. >> well, you know, we have the thing in politics, fire in the belly. romney has is in terms of wanting to win, but stage presence, he doesn't have the fire that newt brings to it. i must say the fire in the debate. santorum, this guy standing at the end of the depate for months and months and unable to talk and now we found out what he's able to do and now what, he's pretty good. >> it could be too late. >> could be too wait unless he does well in south carolina. >> primary voters in thought that mitt romney is the best man to...