Breathless with anticipation for tonight's debate? We are too.

The debates are so informative, so unique, so important to our political process, that we can't even wait for them to start. So the hell with liveblogging. We're pre-blogging this one.

8:00 p.m.: Anderson Cooper is looking great. He used to seem cold. Then he cried during Katrina. Now he seems serious yet approachable, human. Plus, his eyes are very piercing.

8:06 p.m.: First question to Rudy, and it's a toughie: a housewife from Kansas asks, "Do you have any thoughts on 9/11?" Apparently, he does. Rudy answers: "We're at war, and we have to win the war on terror. 9/11 is part of the war on terror. Now Iraq is the central front in the war on terror."

8:09 p.m.: Anderson cuts him off, tells him he's out of time.

Rudy tells Anderson he demands to finish.

Anderson says, okay, finish.

Rudy finishes: "9/11."

8:15 p.m.: Next question to Mitt Romney. It's from a YouTube user dressed in a bear suit riding a merry-go-round: "Are you optimistic about the future of America, and has being a successful businessman helped you prepare for being president?"

8:16 p.m.: Romney is very optimistic about the future of America.

8:21 p.m.: Anderson takes a question for John McCain. It's from a sock puppet dressed up as Abraham Lincoln: "Has being a straight-talker helped prepare you to be president?"

8:22 p.m.: McCain answers: "Being a straight-talker has helped prepare me to be president. Some people don't like bold solutions and courageous leadership, but I say to those people: I am not going to lie, I am going to be bold and courageous. That is straight talk."

8:26 p.m.: Anderson says he has to finish because he's out of time.

McCain says that he is...

Anderson repeats that McCain must finish.

McCain finishes with "finished."

Anderson says it's good that he finished because he's out of time.

McCain says, "Thanks for the straight talk, Anderson." Everybody laughs. Great line. That's why the media loves McCain. Love him or hate him, you've got to love him.

8:40 p.m.: Next question to Ron Paul. It's from a dog with audio put over the video to make it seem like the dog is talking. The question is: "Woof. Iraq?" Ron Paul is against the war. He has a high voice.

8:58 p.m.: Next up is Mike Huckabee. It's from a girl dancing to "Got It From My Mama" in her bedroom. Her question: "Is faith a part of your life?"

8:59 p.m.: Huckabee: "As a person of faith, faith is big part of my life. I have faith that people of faith can lead people of all faiths, even when those faiths are different faiths." Huckabee seems nice.

9:01 p.m.: Next question is for Tom Tancredo. It's from the snowman! Everybody claps. There was a lot of speculation about whether the snowman would come back, and it did come back. Great moment. When the applause dies down, the question is: "As a snowman, I was wondering if you wanted to keep our borders secure?"

9:02 p.m.: Tancredo answers: "Mexicans, illegals, America, English, borders, 9/11, Mexicans."

9:13 p.m.: Next question is to Duncan Hunter from a guy who has painted his butt to make it look like a face. When he clinches his butt, it makes it look like the butt is talking. Can't remember what the question was.

9:20 p.m.: Time for the lightning round. Anderson says he's going to say an issue and the candidates have one second to raise their hands.

9:23 p.m.: First issue: "Iraq." All hands go up. When McCain sees that Paul's hand is up, he puts his down. Then Paul puts his hand down, then McCain puts his up. Romney puts his hand halfway down.

"Economy." All hands go up, but instead of being straight up, Rudy's hand is kind of sideways. Great answer. I think he won this one.

"Security." All hands go up. Tancredo puts up both hands.

"The future." All hands go up. Plus big smiles. This one was a draw.

9:59 p.m.: Anderson closes: "Well, we didn't arrive at an agreement here tonight, but if there's one thing we can agree on, it's that we've raised a lot of questions." He's right about that. Can't wait for the next debate.

As far as winners go, it's between Giuliani and Romney. McCain is hanging in there and Huckabee is surging.

Anderson Cooper has piercing eyes.