David Brooks gave ABC News and moderators George “here’s another Xmas present fer ya, Hill” Stephanopolous and Charles “I’m allowed to make up facts about capital gains tax revenues” Gibson an “A” for their debate performance last night. Stunning.

I mean, can anyone imagine a general election debate this fall where John McCain is asked about his friendship with lobbyist Vicky Iselin, the alleged adulturous behavior that led to the failure of his first marriage, his embarrassing flip-flop of the legitimacy of Bob Jones University, his shifting position on the Martin Luther King holiday and, say, his view of wacko fundamentalist John Hagee–all in the same debate? More to the point, can you imagine such a debate being rewarded with a Brooksian “A” for moderator performance?

Methinks not.

–Tom Schaller

Thomas F. Schaller is an associate professor of political science at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and author of The Stronghold: How Republicans Captured Congress but Surrendered the White House.