New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is desperate to do well enough in Iowa and New Hampshire to justify his continued candidacy. Unfortunately, for his presidential hopes Christie’s desperation showed way too much in last night’s GOP debate.

Christie seemed off his game from the get go. Drawing the third question, his answer about recent global events was okay, but not inspiring and certainly wouldn’t convert anyone into a Christie supporter. A bit later, moderator Neil Cavuto asked Sen Rubio about the “fairly nasty” exchange of words between him and Christie. In his answer, Rubio went after Christie for donating to Planned Parenthood and supporting Common Core, gun control and the appointment of Sonia Sotomayor.

Chris Christie wrote a check to Planned Parenthood. All I’m saying is our next president has to be someone that undoes the damage Barack Obama has done to this country. It can not be someone that agrees with his agenda. Unfortunately, Governor Christie has endorsed many of the ideas that Barack Obama supports, whether it is Common Core or gun control or the appointment of Sonia Sotomayor or the donation he made to Planned Parenthood. Our next president, and our Republican nominee can not be someone who supports those positions.

Christie denied it all:

So let’s set the facts straight. First of all, I didn’t support Sonia Sotomayor. Secondly, I never wrote a check to Planned Parenthood. Third, if you look at my record as governor of New Jersey, I have vetoed a 50-caliber rifle ban. I have vetoed a reduction this clip size. I vetoed a statewide I.D. system for gun owners and I pardoned, six out-of-state folks who came through our state and were arrested for owning a gun legally in another state so they never have to face charges. And on Common Core, Common Core has been eliminated in New Jersey.

Christie’s denials don’t ring true.

In July 2009 Christie stated, “I support her [Sonia Sotomayor] appointment to the Supreme Court and urge the Senate to keep politics out of the process and confirm her nomination.”

Christie’s Planned Parenthood denial is at odds with a Sept. 30, 1994, Newark Star-Ledger story that quoted Christie as saying, “I support Planned Parenthood privately with my personal contribution, and that should be the goal of any such agency, to find private donations.” But Christie denies that report as well.

That 50-caliber rifle ban Christie vetoed was originally his proposal.

As to Common Core, the Associated Press fact check found that Common Core has not been eliminated in New Jersey. “A panel Christie put together recommended a series of changes to state standards this week, but only recommended changes to 232 out of 1,427 standards in math and English. The panel also proposed renaming the standards the New Jersey Student Learning Standards. A separate Christie panel recommended the state continue using a Common Core-aligned test — and require it for graduation by 2021.

“Christie, even though he had the night’s best Twitter moment, never seemed to recover from Rubio’s shellacking.

Christie is not alone. Gov. Kasich, former Gov. Jeb Bush as well as Doctor Carson, are similarly desperate and had lackluster performances in the debate. We all know that even though seven candidates were on the prime time stage last night, we now have a three-man race for the Republican nomination. What we want and need is a debate with just Cruz, Rubio and Trump. Now that would be something.