The first debates after the Iowa caucuses were a crucible for the candidates, but they were also a test of the Gibson Doctrine. ABC’s anchor, Charles Gibson, began the evening with a policy statement: “The less of a moderator, the better.”

Last night, however, a little more moderator would have been for the best.

Charles Gibson’s low-key, avuncular style was a counterpoint to the aggressive cross-examinations of Tim Russert, of NBC’s “Meet the Press,” in the debates he moderated. But in the end, Mr. Gibson’s approach came off as passive-aggressive.

At certain moments, he loftily lectured the candidates. He scolded the Republicans for “intellectual dishonesty” about oil prices. He mocked Democrats who promised to change Washington, saying, “God love you all.”

But Mr. Gibson withdrew whenever the discussions grew heated. And by not intervening more forcefully early on in the Republican debate, he allowed much of their discussion to remain staid and uninformative  Representative Ron Paul, of all candidates, dominated the foreign policy debate.