As much as the debate hosts tried to pit Republican against Republican (something Newt Gingrich pointed out again, just as in the last debate), the candidates held the course in turning every question into an attack on President Obama's leadership abilities – particularly his management of the recession.
Surely the debate won't have the audience of an NFL opener, but will the continuous criticisms of Obama – and the media coverage that follows – affect how the American public feels about the president?