Newt Gingrich's Stellar Debate Report Card“With not all that much to lose, Gingrich let ‘er rip tonight and had the
exuberant crowd...eating out of his hand. Gingrich proved again tonight that when he is on...he is the best debater in the field. His performance almost certainly solidified his place as the strongest alternative to former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney in the field."
--Chris Cillizza, Washington Post
“It was the kind of answer only Newt Gingrich could give. He was quick on his feet and reached for a philosophical depth not available to most politicians, equally pungent and inspiring."
--Rich Lowry, Fox News
“Newt Gingrich…was on fire…Gingrich repeatedly stated the conservative position better than anybody on the stage.”
--Charlotte Hays, National Review
“Tonight in South Carolina, Newt Gingrich began hitting them out of the park. Days to go in South Carolina, and Newt tonight has reverted to the Reaganesque form so many have admired throughout his career.”
--Jeffrey Lord, The American Spectator
"Grade: A- [Highest of the Night]
The main thing: After a slow start, he dominated the stage for the rest of the night. Solid with his GOP audience on almost every answer."
--Mark Halperin, TIME
"A-," (highest grade of the night.)
--Nate Silver, FiveThirtyEight
“Newt Gingrich: A. Gingrich had the best second half of any of the candidates, sharpening his attack on Romney over his Super PAC, and on Paul’s foreign policy.”
--Zeke Miller, Buzzfeed
“THE PROFESSOR'S GRADES: Newt A+ (easy,big win)”
--Larry Sabato, Fox News
“He was always one good debate performance away from getting back in this race and boy he had it tonight.”
--Dick Morris, Fox News
"...Most people felt Gingrich had answered the questions while Romney was thought to be dodging them."
--John Roberts, Fox News
"The former House speaker was on fire, earning a rare standing ovation from the ‘rambunctious crowd’…This is the Gingrich Republicans fell in love with, zingy and compellingly bombastic. If this was a fight to be ‘the most enticing alternative to Romney,’ Gingrich won.”
--Molly Ball, The Atlantic
“If conservatives feel they must rally around a single alternative to Romney who can forcefully take on Obama and argue unapologetically for conservative principles, Gingrich presented the best possible case at the right moment.”
--John Dickerson, The Slate
“The knowledgeable, rhetorically gifted Newt Gingrich conservatives love showed up at the Fox News/Wall Street Journal debate and shook the house.”
--Jamie Weinstein, The Daily Caller
“The former Speaker's fluency with policy and ability to dissect questions and make a big-picture conservative case against Obama made him the night's big winner.”
--Toby Harnden, The Daily Mail
“Gingrich had one of his best debates in a season of strong debate performances by the former House speaker. Once again, he was boosted by the debate hall crowd, which he managed to bring to a standing ovation ...”
--Maggie Haberman, Politico
“Gingrich…decisively won an exchange on Social Security and bested Mitt Romney in a head-to-head exchange on super PACs with what might have been the line of the night. If Romney cannot get a super PAC supporting him to listen, Gingrich argued, ‘makes you wonder how much influence he'd have if he were president.’”
--Stephen F. Hayes, The Weekly Standard