Breck Girl Stumped by "Moral Leader" Question

John Edwards did not have a particularly good night at the debate in South Carolina, but the lowlight of his evening was surely the moment when he was asked about his favorite moral leader. Here are a couple of review of that moment:

From a Republican strategist:

Edwards botched the moral leader question. I counted five solid seconds of silence. I don't know how you do that, how you can be that unprepared for a debate as a presidential candidate. Pretty uncomfortable. I know it was only five seconds, but it felt like a minute...

From Mickey Kaus:

Edwards kind of faded into the background. Crickets didn't chirp—they completed their entire life-cycle during the pause after Edwards was asked to name his 'moral leader.'"

From Jim Geraghty:

Edwards, asked moral leader, long pause said he couldn't pick one. Goes with his Lord, his wife, and his father.

When George Bush was asked in 2000 who his favorite philosopher was, he immediately answered "Jesus Christ, because he changed my heart". You could tell that was a genuine response as opposed to Edwards' fumbling for something that would appeal to the voters.