Here is something for Matt Yglesias to think about when he complains about having to sit through “a lot of nonsense from [a] pizza salesmen and Newt Gingrich” to get to the real meat, which is the choice between Rick Perry and Mitt Romney. These debates tend to be overcrowded, but the performance of the also-rans is still important. In 2004, John Edwards did well enough to force himself onto the ticket. And Howard Dean became the head of the Democratic National Committee. In 2008, Obama picked one debating partner to be his vice-presidential candidate, and then another to be his Secretary of State. It’s true that Rick Santorum will not be the next president of the United States, but he might be the next Secretary of Health & Human Services. Herman Cain could be the next U.S. Trade Representative. And, don’t forget that whoever comes in second place in Republican primaries tends to be the nominee the next time around (Reagan in 1980, Dole in 1996, McCain in 2008, and possibly Romney in 2012).
That said, I haven’t watched the last two Republican debates because I just don’t need the aggravation.