For anyone that missed it, GOP presidential candidates Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich had themselves a little as touted, and definitely not my description of what I watched, a "Lincoln-Douglas style debate".

It would more rightfully be described as a little love-fest where the two of them spent an hour and a half discussing their vision for America if the country would be unfortunate enough to actually see either of them elected and telling myths about how conservative economic policies are somehow going to pull us out of the mess they caused in the first place.

You can watch the entire event if you've got the stomach for it at C-SPAN's site here.

If you're not so inclined to give away an hour and a half of your life as I did, there's the short segment above where Gingrich compares Obama to Bernie Madoff with this bit of flame throwing while praising St. Ronnie Ray Gun.

GINGRICH: Compare Reagan's ability to talk to the American people, make sense, and have the American people move the Congress, with the current president. This president is about as candid and accurate as Bernie Madoff in what he tells the American people.

Sorry Newt, but I'll still take at face value anything our current president says to the public as having some basis in truth with some educated skepticism when it's warranted and deserved before anything that comes out of your mouth. And comparing President Obama to Madoff is nothing but flame throwing to satisfy your right-wing base that likes it when you call the "Kenyan usurper" nasty names because that same base still can't quite reconcile that a man who is half black got elected to the White House.

Herman Cain also pulled what amounted to close to another ‘Ubeki-beki-beki-stan-stan’ moment when asked about his opinion on Medicare and whether we ought to have a defined benefit plan or premium support. Cain punted and said Newt should go first on that question.

I hate to break it to Cain, but saying I pass and let the other guy answer first isn't going to exactly endear the public to the idea that you know what the hell you're talking about when it comes to issues that matter a great deal to seniors in the United States.

FDL's TBogg summed this up better than I ever could -- Adultery Off Limits At Cain-Gingrich Steel Cage Adulterers-Only Deathmatch:

Representatives for both Herman “The Sperminator” Cain and Newt “Eatin’ Ain’t Cheatin‘” Gingrich camps have negotiated a “no blows below the belt” rule for their Texas TeaParty blatherfest: The two-man debate between GOP presidential candidates Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich had one off-limit topic – the decade-old sexual harassment allegations that have dogged Cain’s campaign. Tea party organizers of Saturday night’s event in Texas said that matter, which consumed the GOP race this past week, was off the table. That would seem to be welcome news to Cain as he tries to refocus on issues such as the future of Social Security and Medicare – expected points of discussion with Gingrich. Well that’s pretty lame; like making the teams in the Super Bowl play flag football. And for those of you wondering why Mitt Romney wasn’t invited, it is technically not adultery when you cheat on your wife with one of your other wives. Sorry. Them’s the rules…

As TBogg reminded us, if the Republican base is silly enough to embrace Gingrich as their flavor of the week and someone we should take seriously in the polls if that happens, he's going to have this to contend with.

The Long March of Newt Gingrich: