Among the write-ups of last night’s GOP debate is an entry from Politico that is notable because it is just so… Politico-y.
The article is framed as “six takeaways” from the debate, and the first five take stock of the horse race for different candidates: Perry floundering, Cain buoyed, Romney coasting, Newt rising, Huntsman “inching up.”
Then, after 1,500 words of this, the piece ends with the last, and briefest, takeaway:
The candidates are still fine-tuning their messages on the issue of the day
The debate was all about the economy, but the candidates are mostly still keeping it sparse when it comes to answers on how they would deal with issues like the European debt crisis.
Most of the hopefuls protest mightily the lighter fare they are asked about at debates, noting that there are serious issues facing the nation that they should be debating. Yet given the chance to go deeper, they almost exclusively stuck to their sound bites and slogans.
It’s a interesting point! Maybe one that you might even, you know, write an article about.
Greg Marx is an associate editor at CJR. Follow him on Twitter @gregamarx.