Why Mitt Romney Didn't Get Attacked In Saturday Night's Debate

ABC News

The assumption was that Saturday's ABC/WMUR debate was going to produce some serious fireworks.

After all, you have a front-runner who is quickly assuming the mantle of the "inevitable" nominee. If ever there was a time for his rivals to try and change the trajectory of this race, this was it.

Instead, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Jon Huntsman took only glancing blows at Romney, while Ron Paul battled with Santorum and Gingrich.

So, why was the conventional wisdom so wrong?

1) It's a lot easier to attack someone when you aren't standing three feet away from him. Rick Santorum was exactly where he said he's always wanted to be in this campaign. In the center of the stage and in the spotlight. But, he also discovered, as many others have before him, that with that new position on stage comes additional and unexpected pressures. Making an attack on the campaign trail is easy. Saying it to someone's face is hard.