While it didn't have as many fireworks and teeth-chattering exchanges as the three GOP debates in September, the Republican forum last night at Dartmouth College may have strengthened the hand of the top tier in that party's race for the White House.
Once again, Mitt Romney seemed more than ready on the issues in this debate, even as he was hit with the most flak from his fellow competitors in one of these events this year.
Even though there were shots as well at Herman Cain, it was another night for him to shine, as Cain enjoyed much more attention that he was able to get back in the last GOP debate in New Hampshire in June.
Cain spent most of the night touting his 9-9-9 economic plan, while his competitors spent some of their time knocking it.
While Mitt Romney nicely rapped it as too simplistic, Michele Bachmann came out with guns blazing, saying Cain's plan would "wreck the U.S. economy."
"Mr. Cain's plan has a worthwhile intention, but 9-9-9 would cause more problems for the U.S. economy and job-creation than it would solve," Bachmann said in a statement emailed to reporters during the debate.
Cain also took some flak for his time working at the Federal Reserve, as the Georgia businessman said he would look for a Federal Reserve chief who was in the mold of Alan Greenspan.
Sitting between Romney and Rick Perry, Cain returned repeatedly to his 9-9-9 plan, though it seemed to get giggles from the crowd the more he mentioned it later in the debate.
As for Perry, the debate was not a disaster, but it didn't seem to be a performance that would light up the morning newspaper either, as Romney again showed off his debate skills, honed from almost four solid years on the campaign trail.
Looking at the rest of the field, there were good moments, but nothing magical that might give them new momentum. Newt Gingrich once more got a lot of positive responses on the internet from his responses, while Ron Paul jabbed at Cain about the 9-9-9 plan and Cain's time working for the Federal Reserve.
Jon Huntsman tried to tweak Perry by bringing up the issue of Romney's religion in a back-handed way, but it was received mainly with silence from the debate crowd.
Maybe the oddest moment came when the candidates were allowed to ask questions of each other, a prospect that had many wondering what kind of fireworks would be produced.
In the end, the answer was very little.
Michele Bachmann had the first question, which she asked of Rick Perry, slapping him for backing Al Gore for President in the 1980s and going after Perry's record as Governor of Texas.
Perry parried that effectively, and when his turn came, he aimed a question at Romney about health care reform - Romney seemed ready and turned it into a walking advertisement.
When Romney got the chance to ask a question, he threw a softball at Bachmann and asked her to describe her economic plans.
It was a head-shaking moment, which immediately raised the question of what Romney was trying to achieve.
Was he looking to keep the focus off of Perry and Cain, not wanting to give them any chance to hit him with a one-liner that they had waiting?
Was it an effort to try to bolster Bachmann at the expense of Perry and/or Cain?
Everyone gets a week to figure out what's next, as the Republicans meet again in Las Vegas next Tuesday night.
"I think I am officially suffering from debate fatigue," tweeted GOP political strategist Ralph Reed during the debate.
We'll see what next week brings in the Nevada desert.
