I spent the night at a Debate Watching Potluck Extraveganza, so called by the hostess who is leading a local New Hampshire push for the election of Barack Obama, and the mood was...decidedly quiet. Despite the abundant food, adequate watering, and comfortable seating, I found myself biting an imaginary wooden spoon as the candidates hem'd-and-haw'd through a number of uncomfortable questions put to them by the inimitable Brian Williams. Obama started two lengths back and never quite caught up with Hillary, God help us all, who was on cue, on message, and on time with every question that came her way. (Did she not look just a teensy bit like Elisabeth I with that huge faux-pearl necklace?)

In lack of any substantial message to debate, I thought I'd give a general run-down of my view of the evening:

Most hilarious: Mike Gravel

Bushiest eyebrows: Chris Dodd/Joe Biden (tie)

Highest handicap: John Edwards

Best dressed: Hillary Clinton

Most likely to hold prior mafia connections: Bill Richardson

Most even-shouldered: Barack Obama

Most seeming-surprised to be asked a question: Bill Richardson

Best George C. Scott sound-alike: Chris Dodd

Shortest tough guy on the block: Dennis Kucinich

Person, given only tonight's debate, I would most want to know: Mike Gravel

Person, given only tonight's debate, I would most want to play tennis with: John Edwards

Person, given only tonight's debate, I would most want to do shooters with (not the bang-bang kind): Bill Richardson

Most prescient quote: (I paraphrase) America is caught up in a military-industrial complex and we're too stupified to see it. Mike Gravel

Person who was, dammit, on message: Hillary Clinton

Person who was not, and could'a-should'a been: Barack Obama