In the continuing, swirling debate over who won Monday night's GOP debate (it's surreal this is still going, right?) this much has been established:
1) Pundits and political insiders generally think Mitt Romney or Michele Bachmann won. (Romney, it's said, won by looking presidential and not getting attacked. He won by being in the lead, and now expanding his lead in polls. Bachmann, it's argued, won by exceeding expectations and adding excitement to the race.)
2) The audience (judging by applause) thought Ron Paul won. (Now, Ron Paul's supporters tend to be louder and more enthusiastic than other candidates', so that statement should be qualified some.)
3) Comedian Jon Stewart (jokingly) thought Bachmann won, based on her raising 28 children and the debate's opening "baby-off," in which candidates boasted about their number of offspring.
But now another comedian has weighed in, although he did it more seriously than Stewart. HBO show host Bill Maher says he, like the New Hampshire audience, believes Ron Paul emerged as the best candidate.
Speaking to CNN's Anderson Cooper, Maher said if he had to choose a Republican to vote for, it would be the congressman from Texas.
"I'd vote for Ron Paul, if I had to pick," he said. "I mean, Ron Paul is at least not a panderer. He's sincere. He's got the right ideas about getting our troops home. You know, I like Ron Paul. I think that he is a cut from a different cloth than the rest of those people who are, of course, selling their souls to the corporate interests that back them and have just horrible society-killing ideas about America and either don't know what's real or don't care."