Debate presents crucial GOP test

The debate was on MSNBC at 6 pm and livestreamed on [url=http://www.msnbc.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;]www.msnbc.com[/url].

Romney, Perry Spar Over Jobs Record in Debate

The two titans of the Republican presidential contest hammered each other over job creation Wednesday night, as Rick Perry got his first chance to articulate his campaign message on the national debate stage.

The Texas governor sparred early and often with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, whom he has overtaken as front-runner since joining the race a month ago. With Perry trying to defend that position and Romney trying to reclaim it, the two came armed with zingers to take each other down a peg.

"Michael Dukakis created jobs three times faster than you did, Mitt,” Perry quipped, in a stinging reference to the former Massachusetts governor who lost the presidential election to George H.W. Bush.

Romney immediately shot back that “George Bush and his predecessors created jobs at a faster rate than you did.”

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/09 ... z1XK49x19y

After watching it, I thought Huntsman and Gingrich did the best. But Gingrich, while smart, has the huge personal issues and Huntsman isn't a front runner. I liked Huntsman, but don't know enough about him.

Perry did not impress me that much. He avoided and diverted far to many questions. Then again, that's what front runner's do. But the other candidates chopped him down pretty well.

Among those that have a chance to beat Obama, I think Mitt Romney did the best, and he played it pretty safe making no mistakes.

Huntsman is still my guy thoughI have little hope that hewill make it far.

I liked Huntsman too. I just can't get around his anti-abortion stance.

I loved his response on $2 a gallon gas that Bachman promised.

http://bcove.me/nauz2rp9

It's hilarious when House Speaker Newt Gingrich can win applause by angrily denouncing a moderator’s effort to draw distinctions among candidates (Mr. Speaker, you do realize this was a…you know…debate…).

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/09 ... z1XMhENOPO

IMO the debate was totally questions that the Left prepared, almost as if the Liberals on this board had asked them.

I caught the last 45 minutes of the debates. I got bored by the constant liberal questions from the moderators. Huntsman and Paul both looked like idiots. Cain did well. Perry did well on the death penalty question but the applause seemed a bit weird.

I agree with Nmysys, williams never asked questions about obamacare, reduction of military personal in Iraq..seems to me it was a left leaning questions and that's all...I would like to see rush host and ask questions when the dems have their presidential debates!

WayneLeeH wrote: I liked Huntsman too. I just can't get around his anti-abortion stance.

I loved his response on $2 a gallon gas that Bachman promised.

http://bcove.me/nauz2rp9

It's hilarious when House Speaker Newt Gingrich can win applause by angrily denouncing a moderator’s effort to draw distinctions among candidates (Mr. Speaker, you do realize this was a…you know…debate…).

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/09 ... z1XMhENOPO

Huntsman has a principled pro-life stance, that's what I like. He wouldn't be proud of executung an innocent man, or any man for that matter.

Amazing how the Lefties like so much about a Conservative candidate, or should I say scary?

Nmysys wrote: Amazing how the Lefties like so much about a Conservative candidate, or should I say scary?

I'mnot a freKing lefty Nymysys and I am sick to death of your abusive labeling. Every conservative that doesn't agree with your extremist, insurgent xviewpoint is not a lefty, they are simply reasonable human beings. Your sort is the American equivalent of the Taliban and it is tearing our country apart as well as dwlivering candidates that are every bit as incapable and clueless as Barack Obama. I do't honestly know if Perry would be better than Obama is or Bush waz. Sweet God in heaven, it's time one of the parties grow up and start acting like responsible adults and stop spewing driveling venom.

So far as Herman Cain goes, did his "nine, nine, nine" plan sound good to you? He's calling for a flat 9% income tax and a 9% national sales tax (plus a flat 9% business tax). Do you really want both an income tax and a sales tax?

Right now, the middle 20% of earners pay an effective federal income tax of about 6% (after deductions, exemptions, and credits). So Cain wants to increase that by about 50% plus add a 9% sales tax. He also gets rid of the Social Security and Medicare payroll taxes, but I can't find any economic study that says the 9% sales tax would cover both. Anyway, that appears to be a huge tax increase for the mid and lower income people, and a huge tax cut for the higher income people who currenlty pay and effective federal income tax of about 18% (29% for all federal taxes including payroll).

http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/57xx/doc5746/08-13-EffectiveFedTaxRates.pdf

In regards to the questions asked, yes there were some pointed questions, but that's what I like in a debate. I want to see how the candidates handle tough questions, and as i mentioned, Perry tended to avoid them. And I'd welcome conservative news people asking Democrats tough questions as well.