Strategy: To convince people that he is a serious, informed, stable alternative to Gray Davis; to avoid mistakes and not directly engage Arnold so as not to risk a comparison in persuasiveness.

Performance: Was SO stable, at one point they seemed about to call out the paramedics.

Result: Had little new to share, didn't do much to convince me he could energize the state legislature, seemed to be happy to disappear into the background.

Strategy: To get into the game and get enough votes to make the Green Party something more than a temporary electoral blip like the Reform Party.

Performance: Toed the liberal line on every subject. Did a good job in presenting his knowledge of the issues. If I were a Lefty, I'd take another look.

Result: Started out at about three percent of the vote will likely end up with about the same. No one is likely to be trying to decide between Camejo and Schwarzenegger, so every vote he gets will come from Bustamante.

Strategy: To get under Arnold's skin and make news: The debate equivalent of the stalking maneuver she executed the day Arnold filed his papers.

Performance: Got under Arnold's skin and made news. As one friend said yesterday, "It's no wonder her ex-husband went over to the other team."

Result: If anyone took her seriously before, they won't any more. To the extent anyone votes for her, she is more likely to take votes from Bustamante.

Strategy: To demonstrate that, as the most knowledgeable person in the race, he deserves a shot while convincing his Conservative base to stay with him through election day.

Performance: Far and away the best on the issues. Never engaged Arnold; thereby not angering anyone. However, by playing exclusively to his base, he did nothing to reach out to Moderates.

Result: Probably sealed his fate as the third place finisher in this race. Political debates are not like college debates; they are not won or lost on logic or facts. Style points. Its all about style points.

Strategy: To show just enough "leg" to convince undecideds he knows enough - if not to run the state - at least not to be hoodwinked by the Sacramento crowd. Not to let Arianna get under his skin.

Performance: Yes on One; no on Two. He did demonstrate enough general knowledge to show he can manage the Governor's office; but he fell into Arianna's trap and the next-day coverage was all about the "Adam's Rib" nature of the exchanges.

Result: Will probably pick up enough endorsements (starting with Bill Simon) to build a bandwagon effect for the last two weeks.