Photo: Romney and Gingrich
No gaffs, no real big moments… probably no change in the polls… “Most cerebral…” said Fox newscaster Carl Cameron “Seems the candidates have hit their stride and displayed themselves as they will be in the White House. A lot of time spent attacking Obama and not each other” (finally) at the CBS News/National Journal Foreign Policy Debate on Saturday night There was a lot of agreement among the group, except when it came to foreign aid to Pakistan.
(h/t to the Blaze)
“If we re-elect Barack Obama, Iran will have a nuclear weapon. And if you elect Mitt Romney, Iran will not have a nuclear weapon,” predicted the former Massachusetts governor.
On waterboarding, Herman Cain and Rep. Michelle Bachmann both said they would reinstate the technique designed to simulate drowning. Cain went one step further, adding that he would leave it up to military leaders – rather than their civilian superiors – to decide what forms of interrogation amount to torture, which he said he opposes.
On Afghanistan, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman and Rep. Ron Paul of Texas both said it was time for U.S. troops to come home after a war of 10 years duration.
“There are a number of ways to be smart about Iran, and a few ways to be stupid. The administration skipped all the ways to be smart,” said former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
The tone was set at the outset, when the Republicans were asked if they would support a pre-emptive strike to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
Gingrich quickly agreed with Romney, saying that if all other steps failed, “you have to take whatever steps are necessary” to prevent the Islamic regime from gaining a nuclear weapon.
Former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania agreed. Noting that a mysterious computer virus had caused disruption inside Iran’s nuclear labs, and that Iranian scientists have been killed in recent months, he said, “I hope that the U.S. has been involved” in those and other covert actions.
Paul wanted no part of a military strike. “It’s not worthwhile to go to war,” he said. He added said that if America’s security is threatened the president must ask Congress for a formal declaration of war before taking military action.
Perry responded without answering the question. “This country can sanction the Iranian central bank right now and shut down that country’s economy, and that’s what the president needs to do,” he said.
The war in Afghanistan produced the same response as the question relating to Iran’s nuclear ambitions – unanimous criticism of the president, but differences among the Republicans seeking to take his place.
Huntsman, who served as Obama’s first ambassador to China, said it was time to withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan, a land where their boots first touched the soil a decade ago. “I say it’s time to come home. I say this nation has achieved its key objectives,” he said.
Romney and Perry said they would side with military commanders on the ground about when to withdraw troops. They criticized Obama for “telegraphing” the nation’s intentions.
Yet Romney backed a timetable of a complete withdrawal by the end of 2014, the same as Obama has cited.
Video Clip: Herman Cain says we are not sure Pakistan is a Friend or Foe
What jumped out to me while watching was the rude way Michelle Bachmann was treated. She as for 30-secs to give a rebuttal or make a point and the host never even acknowledged her. See the CBS email leaked below.
Michele Bachmann's plenty steamed about her treatment in last night's CBS News/National Journal debate between GOP presidential candidates. And she's got the evidence ...
If you missed the debate you can catch it below (Videos 1 – 7 )
South Carolina Republican 2012 Presidential Debate pt.1
November 12, 2011 CBS News
South Carolina Republican 2012 Presidential Debate pt.2
November 12, 2011 CBS News
South Carolina Republican 2012 Presidential Debate pt.3
November 12, 2011 CBS News
South Carolina Republican 2012 Presidential Debate pt.4
November 12, 2011 CBS News
South Carolina Republican 2012 Presidential Debate pt.5
November 12, 2011 CBS News
South Carolina Republican 2012 Presidential Debate pt.6
November 12, 2011 CBS News
South Carolina Republican 2012 Presidential Debate pt.7
November 12, 2011 CBS News
The latest soundings show Cain the current leader in that sweepstakes, although Gingrich has risen significantly in national polls in recent weeks as Perry has fallen back. And while the subject matter of defense and foreign policy didn’t readily lend itself to a discussion of the principal campaign controversies, the race has had plenty of them in the past two weeks.
Cain has stoutly denied any and all charges of sexual harassment – four women have leveled accusations – while Perry embarked on an apology tour after failing in a debate Wednesday night to remember the name of the third of three Cabinet-level departments he wants to abolish. In this clip, Rick Perry pokes fun at his Department of Energy gaffe:
Video Clip: Perry Pokes fun at his Dept. of Energy gaffe as DeMint and Graham look on from the audience.
When the cable stations host the debates they cover the whole thing… whether they are 75-mins, 90-mins or 2-hours and then often have follow-up coverage with the candidates. CBS covered the 1st hour and then you had to go online to see the rest if wanted to. Any network that bids on these debates needs to cover the whole thing or shouldn’t be given a debate. Fox the does the best job hands-down, so why don’t we go with the best?
Leaked CBS memo backs Bachmann 'snub' charge
WASHINGTON – Michele Bachmann's plenty steamed about her treatment in tonight's CBS News/National Journal debate between GOP presidential candidates.
Several times throughout the course of the 90-minute presentation, Rep. Bachmann, R-Minn., attempted to follow-up questions and answers by other candidates – just as the moderators of the debate suggested they would be allowed to do at their discretion.
But despite often vociferous attempts to weigh in, the moderators chose other candidates.
Now the Bachmann campaign is going public with evidence CBS News planned all along to snub her.
Keith Nahigian, Bachmann’s campaign manager posted on her Facebook page an email exchange between CBS News political director John Dickerson and correspondent Caroline Horn in which Dickerson suggested before the debate "she's not going to get many questions."
Nahigian commented that the memo represents "concrete evidence of what every conservative knows – the liberal mainstream media elites are manipulating the Republican debates by purposely suppressing our conservative message and limiting Michele’s questions."
Source: WND
Related:
Can Michele Bachmann's manifesto push her to 1st tier?
Cain draws a line on taking VP slot
Rally for impeachment gets air support
Bachmann: Obama’s Letting the ACLU ‘Run the CIA’
Republican presidential candidates Jon Huntsman, Michele Bachman, Ron Paul, Herman Cain, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry and Rick Santorum before the Republican presidential debate in South Carolina. Photograph: John Adkisson/Reuters
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