# Romney, Santorum, Gingrich, Paul, tomorrow night's CNN debate, and Super Tuesday
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-santorum-gingrich-paul-tomorrow-nights-cnn-debate-and-super-tuesday/613546
**Category:** Politics & Elections
**Created:** [February 21, 2012, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-santorum-gingrich-paul-tomorrow-nights-cnn-debate-and-super-tuesday/613546 "2012-02-21T18:45:27Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2012, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-santorum-gingrich-paul-tomorrow-nights-cnn-debate-and-super-tuesday/613546/1 "2012-02-21T18:45:27Z")
That pretty much sums it up.
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### Author:  [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2012, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-santorum-gingrich-paul-tomorrow-nights-cnn-debate-and-super-tuesday/613546/2 "2012-02-21T19:09:23Z")
I thought Romney was ducking more debates. Did I misread that, or did he change his mind?
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### Author:  [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2012, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-santorum-gingrich-paul-tomorrow-nights-cnn-debate-and-super-tuesday/613546/3 "2012-02-21T19:22:13Z")
Change his mind? What time is it?
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### Author:  [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2012, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-santorum-gingrich-paul-tomorrow-nights-cnn-debate-and-super-tuesday/613546/4 "2012-02-21T19:40:04Z")
> [@elucidator](#):
>
> what time is it?
8 PM. For what it’s worth, I’ll be watching it during my lunch hour. Should be entertaining. The question, though, is: Will tomorrow night’s debate have any impact on Super Tuesday? CNN seems to [think so](http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/21/politics/debates-recap/index.html):
> [@](#):
>
> But for many voters, it has been the debates – especially those that have preceded a primary or caucuses – that have become the deciding factor when they choose who they want as the GOP nominee. They have provided a window into each would-be nominee, and offered insights into how they act under pressure. According to exit polls, many voters make up their minds after watching a debate.
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### Author:  [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2012, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-santorum-gingrich-paul-tomorrow-nights-cnn-debate-and-super-tuesday/613546/5 "2012-02-21T20:04:31Z")
Michigan is tightening so this debate should be huge. Romney dropped out of the other debate which was cancelled but I think this one was always on. I think it’s the last debate before Super Tuesday.
Romney appears to be comfortable in Arizona so if he could pull Michigan out of the bag that would give him huge momentum for Super Tuesday. If Santorum wins, he gets the momentum. Georgia appears to be tightening also and if Newt loses there, he may get knocked out on Super Tuesday. Georgia appears to be a three-way tie so either Santorum or Romney could win with some momentum. If Santorum can win Michigan, Ohio and Georgia knocking out Newt in the process I think he will be a clear front-runner after Super Tuesday.
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### Author:  [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2012, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-santorum-gingrich-paul-tomorrow-nights-cnn-debate-and-super-tuesday/613546/6 "2012-02-21T22:46:08Z")
[Romney’s lead dropping in Arizona.](http://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/02/cnntime-poll-romney-holds-narrow-lead-in-arizona-115103.html)
I wonder if the tightening of the race will have an affect on AZ Republican turnout? This race was assumed to be Romney’s with the large Mormon population. Many non Mormon Republicans might like a chance to stop Romney as they don’t tend like the heavy Mormon influence in state politics.
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### Author:  [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2012, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-santorum-gingrich-paul-tomorrow-nights-cnn-debate-and-super-tuesday/613546/7 "2012-02-21T23:00:06Z")
> [@dalej42](#):
>
> [Romney’s lead dropping in Arizona.](http://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/02/cnntime-poll-romney-holds-narrow-lead-in-arizona-115103.html)
And tomorrow night’s debate will be in Phoenix, Arizona.
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2012, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-santorum-gingrich-paul-tomorrow-nights-cnn-debate-and-super-tuesday/613546/8 "2012-02-22T00:37:55Z")
Drinking game for every time Romney says “conservative”? 😃
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2012, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-santorum-gingrich-paul-tomorrow-nights-cnn-debate-and-super-tuesday/613546/9 "2012-02-22T00:54:59Z")
> [@Simplicio](#):
>
> I thought Romney was ducking more debates. Did I misread that, or did he change his mind?
He has no choice but to participate. With Santorum sitting on top now, Romney has to go at him hammer and tong instead of potshotting at Obama. Santorum must be discredited before he gains any more traction, or the convention will be a debacle. It probably will be, anyway.
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### Author:  [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2012, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-santorum-gingrich-paul-tomorrow-nights-cnn-debate-and-super-tuesday/613546/10 "2012-02-22T00:58:29Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#):
>
> Drinking game for every time Romney says “conservative”? 😃
I’ll take the safer route, and just take a drink every time someone playing your game passes out. I figure I’ll still get sufficiently smashed.
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2012, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-santorum-gingrich-paul-tomorrow-nights-cnn-debate-and-super-tuesday/613546/11 "2012-02-22T02:02:14Z")
> [@Balance](#):
>
> I’ll take the safer route, and just take a drink every time someone playing your game passes out. I figure I’ll still get sufficiently smashed.
OK, let’s make it where he has to use a modifier in front: “strict conservative” or “super-duper conservative” or something along those lines.
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### Author:  [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2012, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-santorum-gingrich-paul-tomorrow-nights-cnn-debate-and-super-tuesday/613546/12 "2012-02-22T17:46:02Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#):
>
> Drinking game for every time Romney says “conservative”? 😃
Better we should force Romney to play a drinking game . . .
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2012, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-santorum-gingrich-paul-tomorrow-nights-cnn-debate-and-super-tuesday/613546/13 "2012-02-22T17:50:51Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#):
>
> Better we should force Romney to play a drinking game . . .
Mormons don’t drink. Why do you want to wage war on religion?
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### Author:  [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2012, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-santorum-gingrich-paul-tomorrow-nights-cnn-debate-and-super-tuesday/613546/14 "2012-02-22T18:04:58Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#):
>
> Mormons don’t drink. Why do you want to wage war on religion?
Because you should never trust a man until you’ve seen him drunk. (And because religion is bad, m’kay?)
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### Author:  [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2012, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-santorum-gingrich-paul-tomorrow-nights-cnn-debate-and-super-tuesday/613546/15 "2012-02-22T18:56:40Z")
Interestingly, Santorum should be fasting today. Not that Catholic style fasting will leave him too weak to put up a fight, but he may be a little on the cranky side as a result.
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### Author:  [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2012, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-santorum-gingrich-paul-tomorrow-nights-cnn-debate-and-super-tuesday/613546/16 "2012-02-22T19:17:53Z")
> [@Lance\_Turbo](#):
>
> Interestingly, Santorum should be fasting today. Not that Catholic style fasting will leave him too weak to put up a fight, but he may be a little on the cranky side as a result.
Will he wear a big mark of schmutz on his forehead at the debate?
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### Author:  [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2012, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-santorum-gingrich-paul-tomorrow-nights-cnn-debate-and-super-tuesday/613546/17 "2012-02-22T19:21:40Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#):
>
> Will he wear a big mark of schmutz on his forehead at the debate?
I’m not gonna’ lie and say that I’m not a little curious.
Gingrich is also Catholic. It would be interesting if exactly one of them had ashes on his forehead.
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### Author:  [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2012, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-santorum-gingrich-paul-tomorrow-nights-cnn-debate-and-super-tuesday/613546/18 "2012-02-22T20:06:19Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#):
>
> Will he wear a big mark of schmutz on his forehead at the debate?
Frothy ash?
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### Author:  [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2012, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-santorum-gingrich-paul-tomorrow-nights-cnn-debate-and-super-tuesday/613546/19 "2012-02-22T20:09:35Z")
> [@Kozmik](#):
>
> And tomorrow night’s debate will be in Phoenix, Arizona.
That would be Mesa, Arizona. /nitpick
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2012, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-santorum-gingrich-paul-tomorrow-nights-cnn-debate-and-super-tuesday/613546/20 "2012-02-22T21:06:55Z")
I think the ash thing might be a Prisoner’s Dilemma. If _either_ of them has ash on their head, it’ll serve as a reminder to Protestants that Catholics and Protestants are different, so the overall optimum is probably for neither of them to wear ashes. On the other hand, though, if one wears ashes and the other doesn’t, the one who does will be able to make the other look not very devout, which will be a big negative among the electorate no matter what sect they’re not devout at.
Then again, though, the only competitor they have is even further removed from the Protestant mainstream, so maybe they’re not worried about wearing their Catholicism on their [del]sleeve[/del]forehead. And Santorum’s Catholicism is much more prominent than Gingrich’s, so the situation isn’t symmetric.
I think the most likely is probably Santorum with ash, Gingrich without, though any combination could end up having some interesting implications.
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