On Debate Prep and Coffee Beans

So there's another foreign policy debate tonight.  This one is hosted by CNN, The Heritage Foundation and The American Enterprise Institute.  The timing of this one is interesting, I think, now with Newt in the lead.  He'll do well tonight which should solidify his presence at the top.  It likely won't help Cain's free fall any. 

Dashiell Bennett at The Atlantic Wire agrees this will likely be a good night for Newt:

Also, tonight's debate should play to one of Gingrich's strengths. The topic is national security, and no matter what you think of Gingrich's opinions on the matter, he's adamant about them and has been spouting on TV and in op-eds for decades. As the former Speaker of the House, he'll be the only one on the stage who can reasonably say he's played a role (such as it was) in matters of foreign policy. It will also make it harder to steer the conversations toward the stories that have dogged Gingrich the last few days, like his business dealings or his personal life. He just isn't going to make the kind of classic debate mistake that makes him stupid or uniformed. He is a history teacher, after all.

SIGIS will be live-blogging.  Why not?  I'm on holiday this week, I've been eating dark chocolate covered espresso beans for two days, the fridge is stocked chock full with Sam Adams Winter Lager, and I've got a head start on my Thanksgiving dinner prep.  Let's do it!

But first, do your debate prep.

The WSJ has six things to watch for in tonight's debate.  I'd add to the list:  Will Ron Paul get more than 89 seconds this time, and who is his time keeper?  Heh!  Seriously, expect the Super Committee Fail to be on everyone's mind and looming defense cuts (even though Rush Limbaugh insists nothing is getting cut).

Mark McKinnon at The Daily Beast has his predictions for each candidate.

Professor Jacobson is considering a live-blog tonight, too.

The Foundry frames tonight's debate:

Over the past weeks, Heritage has highlighted some of the central foreign policy and national security issues confronting America today: the threats to defense spending, a continually rising China, the war in Afghanistan and against terrorism, the failed attempt to “reset” relations with Russia, and the increasingly dangerous, hostile, and emboldened Iran. Each issue poses serious questions and choices for the man or woman who sits in the Oval Office.

Much more at the link.

And if you need something to get you fired up (besides dark chocolate covered espresso beans), read Donna Brazile's take:

Expect lots of bluster and loose talk at Tuesday's debate, the sort that brought us the Iraq war earlier this century while the search for Osama bin Laden was essentially called off. Then compare it to the pragmatic, effective approach of Obama and his list of accomplishments. It's clear who should be on the receiving end of the 3 a.m. phone call.

She just might need a good fisking before the day is out.

As for me, I'm ready to cull the heard a bit.  I'm sure Jon Huntsman knows a lot about foreign policy but franky, his chances of getting the nomination are nil.  Move along.

Live-blogging here at 8 p.m. ET, (7 p.m. SIGIS time).