I’m not doing debate critiques this cycle, because I’m in the bosom of Cruzland. But I want to make a few points regardless. (Plus, I do a blizzard of tweets, during a debate. I figure those don’t really count.)

1) In the summer of 2012, everyone was talking about Mitt Romney’s running-mate: Who would it be? We had nothing else to talk about for several weeks, or months (I forget). I asked a very smart political journalist, “Whom do you think Mitt should pick?” He said, “I would pick Christie.” I was surprised. No one else was saying that. I asked, “Why?” My friend said, “Because he’s a bruiser. The Obama machine is absolutely ruthless. Destructive. And Romney could use a bruiser at his side.”

I thought of that last night, when Christie was doing his demolition job on Marco. Holy-moly. I believe he would unleash that against Hillary (though it’s harder to do with a woman) (though I don’t often think of Hillary as a woman; rather, I think of her as another leftist).

2) When Marco repeated himself — those same lines, over and over — I thought of Dan Quayle in ’88. His debate against Bentsen. Whenever he got stuck, he went back to “three things,” or “three issues,” or “three challenges.” I believe some started to laugh.

Quayle redeemed himself four years later, v. Gore. In fact, that was one of his selling points in 2000, when he ran for president (a bit): I can’t wait to be on the debate stage again with Gore.

3) Marco was magnificent on abortion. Noble. I can talk that way, in my columns and whatnot, but a candidate, running for president? Holy-moly. I am dizzy with admiration.

I admire Christie for his stance against abortion — it’s a brave stance, an extraordinary stance, in Jersey politics. But his riposte to Marco, concerning exceptions, was morally confused.

4) Marco pronounced err “ur.” I was dizzy with admiration (to borrow a phrase). In an earlier debate, I twitted Jeb — actually, tweeted — because he said “air.” I said something like, “Jeb! You went to Andover! None of your teachers said ‘air,’ for sure! Is this just the pronunciation equivalent of Moynihan’s old ‘boob bait for Bubbas’?” Marco went to South Miami High. And lo …

Go South Miami! (And there are about four of us ur-ing types left in the country.)

5) On the subject of Jeb: The populist Right says he’s the last gasp of the old WASP Establishment, those dastardly people in the yacht clubs who are conspiring to do the little guy down. Then the populist Right says he’s not really an American at all — rather, some kind of new-fangled Mexican American, bent on browning the country, making every town a Tijuana.

I think this Right should decide: What should its slam of Bush be? Reminds me of the Left on SDI (or “Star Wars,” as they called it): They couldn’t figure out whether they opposed it because it would work or because it wouldn’t work. We conservatives said, “Decide!”

5.5) “Establishment” is the epithet de nos jours. (I wrote an essay about it in late 2013: “The E-Word.”) But as Mona Charen pointed out in a recent podcast of ours, the “Establishment” left us a pretty damn good country. And it has taken Alinsky types to weaken it, severely — to transform it fundamentally, or try to.

The most recent Democratic nominee was an Alinsky guy, and the next one is set to be an Alinsky gal. Think of it!

Another thing: You know who was “establishment”? The Founders. The Framers. They tended to go to the best schools, and they knew Latin and Greek — some of them knew Hebrew. (Neocons!) They called all the shots. They wrote the charter. Boy, would we have hated them.

(Speaking of yacht clubs, WFB spent his fair share of time in them — more than his fair share. I spent some time in them with him. Was wonderful.)

6) Who won last night’s debate? I am biased, of course, but I thought Ted was tops. Informed, measured, sympathetic, subtle, bold, and presidential.

He did not get the “What’s conservatism?” question. Wish he had. He did not get a chance to talk about eminent domain. Ted on legal questions, and the intersection of the law and politics? Fughetaboutit. He knows those things stone cold. Ditto economics. And other subjects. How about North Korea policy, right? Ted was all over it, in detail. And the Donald …

Anyway, I enjoy these debates, usually. My fingers itch to critique, but they will stop. Now.