What they’re saying about Tuesday night’s debate:
On television:
Fox News Channel’s Bret Baier: “Governor Romney perhaps struggled to put distance between his policy and President Obama’s policy.”
Republican campaign consultant Steve Schmidt on MSNBC: “Mitt Romney came across as reasonable, thoughtful, serious, presidential, not somebody who’s going to rashly start another war in the Middle East.”
Gloria Borger, CNN chief political analyst: “If there was a word cloud over Mitt Romney’s head tonight, it would have been “Peace.”
Fox News Channel’s Pat Buchanan: “Overall Mitt Romney did everything he needed to do. There were, clearly, areas in there where the president beat Romney, clearly, [but] overall it was an even debate. You have to say Romney was the winner. He accomplished what he came to do.”
David Gergen, CNN senior political analyst: “On debate points I think he (Obama) was the winner … But I think Mitt Romney did something extremely important to his campaign tonight. He passed the commander in chief test.”
CNN contributor Van Jones: “I think Obama made important points for people in Ohio when he said, ‘if we listened to you, sir, we would be buying cars from China rather than selling cars to China.’ ”
On Twitter:
Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza, @thefix: “Here’s the truth: The differences between Romney and Obama on foreign policy are more tonal than policy-specific.”
GQ contributing editor Marc Ambinder, @marcambinder: “Romney wants to let the Arab world fight terrorism on its own, but would leave more troops in Iraq.”
University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato, @LarrySabato: “Obama is clearly going for a win. He needs it. A tie will do for Romney. We’ll see.”
NBC political reporter Chuck Todd @chucktodd: “First time Romney has said he would have made same decision on Mubarak that Obama did. Romney stopped short of that w/me in Aug. interview.”
Slate political reporter Davie Weigel, @daveweigel: “Our debt makes us weaker. I will not cut our military budget. Repeat that enough times, and it works.”
Actor Alec Baldwin, @ABFalecbaldwin: “Say what you will, Obama nailed Osama. If Bush had gotten him, he would have carried the corpse up the aisle during the State of the Union.”
MSNBC’s Luke Russert, @LukeRussert: “#Obama OBL answer making distinction #Romney would have asked Pakistan 4 permission prob strongest answer he’s had in any debate.”
CNN’s Eric Weisbrod, @EricWeisbrod, “#horsesandbayonets is still trending number 3 worldwide on Twitter. #CNNDebate”
GQ’s Ana Marie Cox, @anamariecox: “Not surprising Romney favors the use of drones. No joke. Just sad reality that these guys both love extra-judicial assassinations. Woo.”
News releases:
Washington Post news alert: “President Obama seemed to use the authority of his office to put Republican challenger Mitt Romney on his heels in their final presidential debate Monday night, telling Romney he didn’t understand foreign-policy problems as well as he does.”
National Jewish Democratic Council: “President Obama’s statements of unequivocal support for Israel tonight — including his commitment to stand by Israel if it is attacked by Iran — is just the latest demonstration of this President’s rock-solid commitment to the Jewish state and its security.
CBS News instant poll: “53% say Obama won, 23% say Romney. (24% say tie.)”
