Halperin Grades the New Hampshire Debate

Bachmann

Style: Appeared polished, serene and in-command. Smoothly used the names of audience questioners in her responses. Went for soundbite applause lines more often than her rivals, with a pretty high success rate, while still coming off more serious and credible than her usual caricature. Shed the wacky-eyed look she has evinced on cable news in the past.

Substance: Offered up more promises of repeal than ideas of her own. Seemed confused about 10th Amendment, saying she would let states make their own decisions about gay marriage, then stating that she supported a constitutional amendment defining marriage.

The worst point: Seemed gimmicky and process-focused when she ignored the first question to announce with a self-conscious flourish that she had just filed the paperwork to become an official candidate.

The best point: Used her status as a sitting member of Congress to brag on her forceful efforts to reverse Obama policies.

The main thing: Seems to have taken advice from her new blue-chip advisers about how to modulate her performance to expand her appeal beyond her current core supporters. Her overall presentation and rhetoric will play even better before partisan audiences in South Carolina and Iowa.

GRADE: B

Candidate grades are based on both performance and success in using the debate to improve their standing in the nomination contest.