Cooper: Media GOP Debate's Biggest Loser

Ten of the top tier candidates sparred on the issues and with each other in the 2016 Republican presidential debate Wednesday night in Boulder, Colo., but the "mainstream media" may have been the biggest loser.

The host CNBC business network moderators, who seemingly would have been primed for a statesmanlike - maybe even wonkish - discussion on economic policy, lost control of the debate in the first few minutes and made things worse with nonsubstantive, accusatory and "gotcha" questions.

Here's one view on where the debate left the 10 candidates:

MOVING FORWARD

' Chris Christie: The New Jersey governor, often looking directly into the camera instead of at the moderators or another candidate, led the 10 in attacking Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, favorably comparing any of the candidates on the stage to her and making the case for Republicans against the present Obama administration. His best line may have come when, after a question on whether a form of fantasy football was gambling, he said: "Wait a second. We have $19 trillion in debt, we have people out of work, we have ISIS and al-Qaeda attacking us. And we're talking about fantasy football? Can we stop?"

' Ted Cruz: The Texas senator drew the loudest audience applause when he parried a question on whether he was a problem solver if he opposed the recent tentative budget agreement. "The questions that have been asked so far in this debate illustrate why the American people don't trust the media," he said. "This is not a cage match." He also compared the GOP debate with one earlier in the month in which Democrats were asked "fawning questions." "Let me be clear," he said, hitting the nail on the head, "the men and women on this stage have more ideas, more experience, more common sense than every participant in the Democratic debate."

' John Kasich: The Ohio governor, whose support has been tepid, appeared to be the man who must be heard. Interrupting, insisting on time to speak and talking about whatever he wanted regardless of the question, he constantly reminded watchers how he had turned his state around but also pooh-poohed the tax plans of outsiders Donald Trump and Dr. Ben Carson, promoted his own and called for a constitutional amendment to balance the federal budget.

' Marco Rubio: The Florida senator had several of the night's best moments. In one that he must have been expecting, he answered former Gov. Jeb Bush's shot on his recent poor voting record in the Senate by telling his onetime mentor that "someone's convinced you that attacking me is going to help you" and then declaring he was not running against anyone on the stage but for the future of America. He also scored by bringing in bits of his personal story - parents who came from Cuba and the college loan he had to pay off - as well as getting in a thrust at the media: "The Democrats have the ultimate super PACs: They're called the mainstream media."

STAYING IN PLACE

' Ben Carson: The former pediatric neurosurgeon remained calm and collected even as he attempted to explain his "tithe" economic plan, his replacement for Medicare, his changed of mind about oil subsidies and his relationship with Mannatech, a nutritional supplement company. But he did speak for many conservatives when, in answering a question as to whether he was hypocritical about sitting on a gay marriage-supportive board, he said he believes "the Constitution protects everybody" and that "marriage is between one man and one woman." As such, he said, "I can be perfectly fair to gay community. We are not each other's enemy."

' Carly Fiorina: The former Hewlett Packard executive, who was the previous debate's darling, didn't make the same impression but was solid nonetheless. She again deftly explained her corporate dismissal and mentioned she now had support from the man who fired her, railed how crony capitalism is crushing small businesses, mentioned what a disaster the Obama administration has been for women and suggested Washington needs "a real leader who understand how to get things done."

MOVING BACKWARD

' Jeb Bush: The former Florida governor, with concerns swirling about his low poll numbers, tried to get in a word wherever possible on his specific plans for the economy, Social Security and Medicare. But he looked foolish with his attack on Rubio and never seemed to connect with a number of answers.

' Mike Huckabee: The former Arkansas governor scored humor points in noting he was wearing a Trump tie and in comparing Wednesday's escaped balloon ("bag of gas") to the overall government. He also attempted to be the panel's Social Security savior and said the country wouldn't have a health care crisis if it could help cure Alzheimer's disease, cancer, diabetes and heart disease. But he appeared to have little impact.

' Rand Paul: The Kentucky senator got little time but used what he had to burnish his anti-establishment credentials in announcing he'd oppose the just-completed budget deal and didn't think things would change with Rep. Paul Ryan as speaker of the House. He also said the "private market" does better on large medical issues but curiously added that Medicare problems were "our grandparents' fault for having so many damn kids."

' Donald Trump: The television host and businessman, no longer the nomination front-runner in some polls, didn't capture the lion's share of face time as he did in previous debates. Although he finished with a statement about the country not wanting to "win anymore," mentioning the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, the battle against the Islamic State and the recently negotiated Iran deal, all of which will play to his supporters, he fell flat with ridiculous statements that he never forgives people who deceive him, that he'd get Mexico to pay for a wall across the U.S. southern border, that he used the bankruptcy laws to his benefit, that only he was funding his campaign and that gun-free zones were "target practice for sickos."