Daily Kos: Abbreviated Pundit Round-up: Grow a backbone edition

Visual source: Newseum Greg Sargent: Dems could revert to type and "cave" at any moment. But why the current firm line? It goes to the heart of the Dems' new <a href="http://www.custompersonalityjerseys.com"><strong>wholesal e jerseys</strong></a> calculus after getting shellacked so badly — and giving up so many concessions — in the debt ceiling fight. My read: Dems think the debt ceiling battle has successfully established them as the reasonable party that's seeking true balance on fiscal issues, having agreed to so many GOP demands on the spending cut front. Dems also believe the debt ceiling fight established public perceptions of the GOP's pursuit of endless spending cuts as being fundamentally ideological in nature, and not motivated by a desire to craft sensible policy. Dems also believe — or hope — this impression was solidified by the House GOP's initial failure to pass a funding bill when conservatives decided it didn't cut spending enough. The House GOP finally passed a bill after John Boehner strongly rebuked conservatives, telling them that if they didn't get on board, he would have to move to the left to get Dem support, and Dems hope Boehner's anger will be seen as a sign that he's lost control of his caucus's ideological wing. Dave Leonhardt: A single debate, months away from any voting, can easily be exaggerated. Its apparent effect may not last for more than a few days. And Mr. Perry continues to have enormous strengths — a down-home style and conservative record that has helped him serve more than a decade as governor of Texas — while many Republicans still view Mr. Romney warily. But the worrisome aspect of the debate for Mr. Perry is that it may play on fears that some Republicans already have about his ability to thrive in a long, grueling presidential campaign. During the party's much discussed search for candidates this year, Mr. Perry was rarely mentioned as a top-tier possibility until several other Republicans — including Gov. Mitch Daniels of Indiana, Gov. Haley Barbour of Mississippi and Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin — decided not to run. Dan Balz: Rick Perry's loyalists warned from the very outset of his campaign for president that he was not a natural or skilled debater. After three GOP debates in 16 days, the Texas governor has proven them correct. Debates will not determine the outcome of the contest for the Republican nomination. If debates were all that mattered, President Obama likely would not have become the Democratic nominee in 2008. But if some Perry supporters hoped that he could put distance between himself and his rivals and quickly stamp himself as the clear favorite to win the nomination, the debates have done the opposite. His performances have put obstacles in his path and have raised questions about his preparation to be president. He 's right. After all, the debates with McCain were good for John McCain. (Oh, he meant Hillary? Never mind.) Gail Collins: It was impossible to watch this week's Republican debate without realizing that Rick Perry is not presidential timber, or even presidential polyurethane. I still think it will be Romney. So do these people: &nbsp; And check out a month ago (Aug 16), when Perry was 37.7 to Romney's 31.6. But then Perry opened his mouth on national television, and it's been downhill since. Politico: Rick Perry remains the favorite to win Florida's Presidency 5 straw poll here today, though his Thursday night debate performance clearly hurt him. A surprisingly large number of the nearly 3,500 delegates were undecided before the debate, and Friday it was easy to find people shifting to Romney or at least reconsidering Perry. Herald-Tribune (FL): While incomes declined and poverty increased among children, young adults and the middle-aged, one group of Floridians has actually seen a modest improvement since the Great Recession: seniors. People age 65 and older experienced an income boost statewide and the number of seniors living in poverty remained near pre-recession levels in 2010, according to Census figures released this week. The numbers point to a stronger safety net for seniors, with personal savings, pensions, Social Security and Medicare <a href="http://www.custompersonalityjerseys.com/custompersonalityjerseysnflcustomjerseys-c-1187_1188.html"><strong>custom NFL jerseys</strong></a> buffeting the overall senior population from the economic troubles that hit other age groups. Joe Nocera: If Brian Harrison and W. G. Stover, the two Solyndra executives who took the Fifth Amendment at a Congressional hearing on Friday, ever spend a day in jail, I'll stand on my head in Times Square. It's not going to happen, for one simple reason: neither they, nor anyone else connected with Solyndra, have done anything remotely criminal. The company's recent bankruptcy — which the Republicans are now rabidly "investigating" because Solyndra had the misfortune to receive a 535 million federally guaranteed loan from the Obama administration — was largely brought on by a stunning collapse in the price of solar panels over the past year or so.