All eyes are on the GOP hopefuls taking the stage tonight in Iowa ahead of Saturday's Ames Straw Poll.
The NBC political team will be live-tweeting the debate, offering minute-by-minute updates and analysis.
Tweets from Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro and Carrie Dann – as well as other NBC producers and correspondents – will appear in this space ahead of the 9 p.m. EDT debate.
**UPDATE** The event has ended. Check back here in the morning for First Thoughts!


I'm tweetless.
If only someone would slap the sh!t out of the Wasilla Hillbilly - my world would retrun to it's axis....
Anyone who has ever followed me for any amount of time - KNOWS I hate violence but I will also make an exception!
I know I'm not the only one who feels this way...
Sarah is no better then the NJNB's & JS1's of the world...
Pure HATE can only carry them so far...
From Republican to Republican.
Amennnnnnnnnn
eye2eye-3869672
From Republican to Republican.
And from lie to lie
So Bachmann used the lightbulb bill as one of her main accomplishments?
And she still can't see the light Chuck; unless it's a photo op.
But what Romney didn't have to answer: How Bain and Romney made money even when those workers were laid off/displaced
That's strange Mark. All Romney had to say was...Corporations are the people who put money in your pocket and take you out for lunch.
Romney is red hot.
He had a great moment in response to the hecklers in Iowa; and so far he looks great in this debate..
Rick Perry better hurry up and get in the race...
lol
Bob, I think you have lost some of your numbers.
Not watching. Seen and heard this circus before. Very cruel to animals/humans and danger parading as talent/politicians with a vision.
YAWN.
This is as about exciting as watching water boil.
Much more exciting, though, than reading the blathering Obama poodles who post lame leftist talking points on First Read.
No one makes you stay here.
The chutzpah of these clowns......what a circus. Really, this is embarassing.
wow, Twiiter has unleashed Chuck and Dom. I've never seen them comment so honestly.
"Submission" means respect, says Bachmann in response to question about relationship with husband
Wow, Carrie Bachmann should have said that's why I submitted to allowing my husband taking Medicare payments for our clinic.
Commenting "Honestly" = showing bias .
"Domenico: "Going on an hour since we talked about economy/jobs. No plans, no specifics.Why? Likely no one has solution-and most on stage don't disagree" about 1 minute ago· reply · retweet · favorite
"Likely no one has solution?"
Well, it is self evident the President has no solution!! And had no plans or specifics in the debt ceiling debates.
Bob, this thread is all about your side tonight. Seriously, I would like to here what your impressions are of the candidates.
Get ready. The Ron Paul folks will be all over this thread in under 10 minutes...
What a snooze ! Not one of them was presidential ...i dont even like Paul but he seemed the most sane !
Say it.......That was my conclusion too and I dont like Paul either, he's affable enough and he made some points I agree with but only because he's the best of a bad lot.
Ron Paul lives in his own world. I do like him, however.
I was surprised by Herman Cain, I thought he was very sharp (I didn't see the whole debate, God knows he may have said something awful earlier)
One thing that strikes me about Republicans, none of them seem to has a vision beyond keeping taxes low. JFK signalled the development of space exploration, LBJ moved civil rights forward, Clinton developed America's international engagement, and Gore articulated environmental goals. Obama is brimming over with idealism, he has vision. What is the Republican vision? Staus quo,
I was expecting something..., anything...., (Whispering; what the hell happened?)
Not one of them was presidential ..i can see anyone of them working at a high school, walking around throwing sawdust on vomit !
I see them as the people you call for an estimate on replacing your vinyl siding.
pawlenty would have earned higher marks with a specific criticism to bachman like you claim to be against government programs but yet you have made 300,000 grand off farm subsidies and how much have you made off these 23 foster kids for years? Or just how much has your husband made off medicaid with this counseling business? He came close but didn't strike blood.
ron paul comes across as a grandfather but don't believe it. he wants to end social security and medicare. His very words on c-span last presidential cycle. just when I thought romney had a chance he proved he's just another rich tool that doesn't understand middle America. huntsman and pawlenty scored some points
what is this a time warp....the principals of the republican party have no relevance in 2011. deregulation come on i've lockede my $50.00 bike since my was stolen when i was young.....have we learned nothing by the not to distance past....the enrons adephila, etc. etc. etc, and the subprime mess that as the old saying goes you can steal more money with a briefcase than a gun....trust ,,,sure in every avenue but were moneys involved.....cut taxes ok 38% with a growing economy and surplus clinton,,,,, 35% under bush and defcient....spending yes is wrong investing is a word republicains never use because they don't understand or don't want to admit what they want defense is spending we receive no divedend from it.....education infrasture is investing healthcare is investing which in turn makes us a more viable country........i only have one question deregulation really,,,,low taxes what rate,,,,and if you want low rate tell me your cuts because you're going to have to cut the meat because there's no fat left....if you don't have a plan you're just bitching....go on the record get rid of what food safety, sec,,,,social security medicare....
be careful what you wish for. rick perr was a dem until 1990 when he saw Texas was headed to being a one party state. dems are really irrelavant in this state(54-46) perry headed the 1988 Texans for al gore campaign. if he is the nominee,I see the dems playing perry's prayer meeting as ads 24-7 if they are smart. this plays well in the south but it doesn't play well in the rest of the nation.
the states that prayer as a subsitute for policy are southern states that don't matter their not in play....and the perry plays poorly overall in the states that matter.....he's pat robertson......not a contender
isn't just like the hard core conservatives who preach personal responsiblity to once again ask god to fix another mess we've gotten are self into.. God gave us a brain why don't we use it instead of bothering him does he have enough to do......
paw left the state he ran with a 5 billion dollar defi. then left...is that a fiscal conservative...kinda like bush put a couple wars and senior presc drug plan on the old credit card.....and left...a mess. don't come on this site and preach your fiscal conservative cred. when you voted for bush twice.....no cred...man no cred....
and how do you vote against obama care then vote for romney....duh.....or vote newt because of his strong christian values... bachman....nut ball she's done nothing if not worst by undermining the country with her rant;s....
and how do you vote against obama care then vote for romney....duh.....or vote newt because of his strong christian values... bachman....nut ball she's done nothing if not worst by undermining the country with her rant;s....
nice slight of hand republicans we got this bugdet crisis from one the bush tax cuts 38 to 35 4 trillion over 10 years. two wars both coming to an end...three the senior presi drug give away to drug company's four the lack of regulation on the banks ...and raising the defense budget from 300 billion a year to 900 billion a year....if i get a flat tire i don't change spark plugs,,,,these are the things that caused bushes 3.9 trillion dollar defc and by fixing them we go ago way to fixing the problem....why are we talking cuts in medicare or social security....see the problem fix it...tell me people if we elimate these problems we wouldn't fix the defic....without all this rangeling
marc, you were born to Tweet!