DEBATE WINNER: BRIAN WILLIAMS

Thursday's debate between eight Democrats running for president was a brisk affair, a 90-minute whirl of political preening and occasional thoughtfulness.

If you didn't watch the debate on MSNBC, read the transcript and come to your own decisions on winners and losers.

NBC News anchor Brian Williams kept the trains running on time and kept the focus off him and on the candidates. Nice job.

Our fave rave moments:

•Mike Gravel (Gruh-VELL), a former U.S. Senator from Alaska, embodied the curmudgeon's spirit by attacking the competition as scary:

"It's like going into the Senate, you know the first time you get there you're all excited -- 'My God, how did I ever get here?' And then, about six months later, you say, 'How the hell did the rest of them get here?' And I got to tell you, after standing up with them, some of these people frighten me! They frighten me!"

Moderator Brian Williams asked Gravel for specifics. Gravel said the "top tier" candidates -- Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John Edwards. Joe Biden raised his hand to be included, and Gravel let him have it:

"Oh, Joe, I'll include you too. You have a certain arrogance."

•Hillary Clinton sounded most like a president. Barack Obama sounded most like a president of a local high school student council.

•John Edwards, aka Sen. McDreamy, was unexpectedly bland.

•Bill Richardson, the governor of New Mexico, won the "have a beer with this guy" award.

•In running for president, Dennis Kucinich is seeking an impossible dream. Then again, he's married to this woman, Elizabeth. Sometimes impossible dreams do come true.

Other reaction: Dave Catanese has his rundown on the KY3 Political Notebook. And Missouri Politics views the debate this way.