GOP Presidential Candidates to Square-Off in High Stakes Fox News Debate in Iowa – Preview 12/15/11

Watch Live Video of the Debate 9:00-11:00 PM ET

There’s a lot on the line in tonight’s Fox News GOP Presidential Debate in Iowa as the candidates square-off in the final debate before voting begins in the January 3, 2012 Iowa Caucuses. The debate begins at 9:00 PM ET on the Fox News Channel. The impression left by each candidate from this debate could become frozen in the minds of voters as we head into the Christmas / New Year’s Holiday season. A huge mistake, and a candidate could be done-for, with virtually no time or opportunity to recover.

But by the same token, a candidate that has a break-out performance could rocket up in the closing two weeks of the campaign. It is a given that the gang-tackle attacks on Newt Gingrich will continue tonight by Michele Bachmann, Mitt Romney, and others. The attacks are working, as Gingrich has started to decline in polls in Iowa and nationally. Romney seems to be the beneficiary of the attacks.

It will be interesting to see if there is an attempt to go after Ron Paul on his Foreign Policy positions, considering he has surged near the top of the polls in Iowa. Thus far, the focus of attacks has been on Gingrich, but as some voters drift away from him, there could be an attempt to keep them from moving to Ron Paul.

Look for Mitt Romney to use Newt Gingrich’s huge mistake against him, in criticizing Romney for his work at Bain Capital, as if it was immoral for Romney to act in the best interests of his business. Gingrich’s attack did sound like something you would hear from the Left in attacking Romney. Romney will use this to paint Gingrich as a big government guy and try to get to the Right of him in doing so.

FOX NEWS – Chris Stirewalt: It’s been 32 weeks since the first Republican presidential debate. Since then, a changing cast of contenders has faced off a dozen times across the country with millions watching at home.

Of the original combatants from that May 5 meeting in Greenville, S.C., only two, Ron Paul and Rick Santorum, remain. There have been four lead changes in national polls, two candidates drop out, four candidates join the field and billions of pixels poured out by reporters and pundits trying to make sense of it all.

Tonight, that all culminates here on the western edge of Iowa with the 13th showdown — the last chance for candidates to make their cases before voters start the process of picking a presidential nominee. Even in a cycle that has been shaped by televised debates like no other, the stakes for the candidates this evening are enormous.

Here’s what’s on the line for the six men and one woman vying for the chance to confront Barack Obama. . . . . Read More

NOTE: Rick Perry has been moving back up slowly in the polls. He is running a lot of ads in Iowa. If he can have a strong performance tonight (big question mark!!!), I think Perry still has a shot to get into the top three in Iowa. Rick Santorum has shown some slight movement in the polls, and is getting a lot more buzz. He has spent an enormous amount of time in Iowa. Look for him to try and have a real breakthrough night in this debate.