National Pundits Agree: Paul Won Debate

Note that the common theme in assessing last night's debate is that Rand Paul appeared more intelligent than Jack Conway. Conway is not dim, by any means. The problem for Conway, as Paul helpfully suggested, is that Conway oversimplified the issues -- repeatedly. For example, when Conway insisted that Paul wanted to raise taxes by imposing a 23 percent national sales tax, Paul called Conway out for his intellectual dishonesty: Conway failed to mention that a national sales tax would replace the federal income tax.

Here's a summary of national reactions to the debate -- and note that much of it comes from Conway's favorite network, MSNBC:

MARK HALPERIN: "I Thought Rand Paul In That Debate Was Calm And Cool, Even When There Was A Heated Exchange. He Stayed Looking Senatorial." (MSNBC's Morning Joe, 10/26/10)

MIKA BRZEZINSKI: "Rand Paul Was The Clear Visual Winner Here... This Guy Looked Centered, Focused..." (MSNBC's Morning Joe, 10/26/10)

EUGENE ROBINSON: "Rand Paul Is The One Who Has Managed To Come Across Sounding The Most Reasonable, Smartest. You Know, That Was A Very Reasoned Performance In The Debate." (MSNBC's Morning Joe, 10/26/10)

JOE SCARBOUROUGH: "I'm not comparing Rand Paul to Ronald Reagan here, but he's got a similar dynamic... people saw him debating Jimmy Carter, he looked... quite effective. And he ran away with it." (MSNBC's Morning Joe, 10/26/10)

JOE SCARBOUROUGH: "I Suspect In Kentucky They're Thinking, That Guy Actually Looked More Senatorial Than Conway." (MSNBC's Morning Joe, 10/26/10)

PAT BUCHANNAN: "Makes Rand Paul Look Like A Very Intelligent Thoughtful Guy" "He looked like a tutor. He's very professorial he's giving instructions basically on a complex issue sales tax, income tax. And he's sitting there with what looks like sort of a wiseacre pupil who's throwing smart aleck cracks and comments. There's nothing that Conway did in this segment that makes him look good and there's an awful lot in there that makes Rand Paul look like a very intelligent thoughtful guy who's trying to get across a point to a pretty slow student." (MSNBC's Morning Joe, 10/26/10)