RealDealPolitics.com

Sponsors:  CNN and the Western Republican Leadership Conference

Location:  Sands Expo Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV

Moderator:  Anderson Cooper (90)

Participants:  Gov Mitt Romney, Gov Rick Perry, CEO Herman Cain, Sen Rick Santorum, Rep Newt Gingrich, Rep Ron Paul, Rep Michele Bachmann (Gov Huntsman boycotted due to date changes.)

The debate began with Anderson Cooper’s open-ended invitation for everyone to attack Hermann Cain, an offer they all took him up on.  Then it proceeded with quarreling and attacking, mostly involving Romney and Perry, and ended with Newt disapproving of the constant squabbling during the debate.

 

The following is a list of topics to choose from in this article. Underlined comments in the section represent best answers given.

Ranking the Debaters and Summary

Taxes and Cain’s 999 Plan

Obamacare Alternatives and How to Implement Them

How to Secure the Mexican Border

Opening a National Nuclear Depository at Yucca Mountain

Nevada Devastated by Real Estate Bubble

The “Occupy Wall Street” Idiots

Should a Candidate be Judged on Religion

Proposed Defense Budget Cut of $500 Billion

Foreign Aid: Should it Continue?

Who Can Beat Obama in the Presidential Election?

Conclusion

 

Ranking the Debaters

This is how the candidates performed and their best answers or quotes.  Note, these are not a ranking of the candidates themselves, just how they performed in the debate.

Rank	Candidate	Notes	Comment or Quote
1	Newt Gingrich, Former Speaker of the House	Smartest person on stage, best debater, with most sense and knowledge	“The idea that we have a bunch of historically illiterate politicians, who have no sophistication about national security trying to make a numerical decision about the size of our defense budget, tells you everything you need to know about the bankruptcy of the current power to lead in this country, in both parties… to say I’m gonna put the security of the US against some arbitrary budget number, is suicidally stupid.” “Maximizing bickering is probably not the best road to the White House.”

2

Ron Paul, House Rep from Texas

Hard to argue with his limited government common sense policies.  Had best responses in several categories, see right column

“Too much government is the problem… whenever government gets involved in something, the prices go up.”Paul wants to remove the incentives for illegal aliens to be here, and to stop the group mentality of giving to one group (race) of people and removing benefits from another, and also that we should worry more about securing our own border than the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.Paul questioned the right of 49 other states to punish one state by dumping their garbage in it. The private companies should solve it, and energy shouldn’t be subsidized. “Foreign aid is where you take money from poor people in this country and give it to rich people in other countries, where they use it to build weapons of war.”

3	Mitt Romney, former Mass Governor	Co-smartest person, wealth of knowledge on issues.  Too much bickering with Perry	Romney said that Nevada should be able to say no if they don’t want the nuclear storage at Yucca, and the energy companies should give them a good deal to change their mind.  States could have competing bids if Nevada doesn’t want it.Romney pointed out that we’re borrowing money from China and handing it over to other countries.
4	Rick Santorum, former Penn Senator	Also very sharp, with great specific knowledge on issues, but too much bickering.	Santorum said the voters should pay attention to the candidate’s values and what their faith teaches them about how to live their lives.Santorum said that less than half the people in a recent Pew poll could even name one of the GOP candidates.  He stated his track record as winning twice in the swing-state of Pennsylvania, against Democrat incumbents, as an unabashed conservative.
5	Michele Bachman, House Rep from Minn	Smart and interesting, but gave too many specifics on what’s wrong, with no specifics on how to fix	Bachmann said you can’t give congress a new tax because they won’t get rid of the old one and they’ll raise the rate on it, whatever it may be. Her plan, which was not specified, calls for abolishing the income tax and flattening it for all Americans, but everyone should pay something.Bachmann’s take was a bit different, as she believes it already costs $118 billion per year for our government to take care of illegal immigrants, robbing each American household of about $1000 per year.
6	Hermann Cain, former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza	Didn’t have time to adequately defend and explain his economic plan, seemed discouraged after initial attack.	Cain had few allies, but defended his plan, said the math is available on his web site, and told the other candidates they were trying to mix apples and oranges, as in national and state sales taxes.  He emphasized removing the 10 million word tax plan with something simple that would create jobs.Cain said that Wall St didn’t put in place failed economic policies or destroy the economy, and they’re taking out their frustration in the wrong place. They should be going to the White House.
7	Rick Perry, current Governor of Texas	Another bad night, got too involved personally with Romney, and anger was showing	Perry said we need an administration that doesn’t block our ability to harvest our own energy, so we can create jobs and have energy independence.Perry stated that we could build a fence, but it would take 15 years and $30 billion, but in the meantime we need boots on the ground.  A wiser expenditure would be to build fences in places where it makes sense, and use predator drones to monitor the entire border and give real time information to soldiers on the ground.

 

Details of the debate are listed below by category.  Best answers are underlined.

 

Taxes and Cain’s 999 Plan

Bachmann said you can’t give congress a new tax because they won’t get rid of the old one and they’ll raise the rate on it, whatever it may be. Her plan, which was not specified, calls for abolishing the income tax and flattening it for all Americans, however, everyone should pay, even if it’s just one dollar, just for the benefit of living here. Obama’s plan is destroying the economy.

Others such as Perry and Romney told Cain his plan “wouldn’t fly” because people would have to pay a national and state sales tax, in fact doubling purchase tax in some states.  They also claimed it was a “regressive tax” that would increase burden on middle class, raise rates, and not account for family support.

Cain had few allies, but defended his plan, said the math is available on his web site, and told the other candidates they were trying to mix apples and oranges, as in national and state sales taxes.  He emphasized removing the 10 million word tax plan with something simple that would create jobs.

The other candidates sounded kind of slow, by pretending they did not realize there’s a difference between the two, but they claimed to not understand it.  Newt defended the plan as bold, but said it would take several years to think it through.

The next invitation Cooper issued was for Perry and Romney to attack each other since Perry had previously called Romney a failure as governor.

Perry said we need an administration that doesn’t block our ability to harvest our own energy, so we can create jobs and have energy independence, to which Romney agreed.  Romney defended Romneycare from various attacks, as not being the basis for Obamacare.

Newt pointed out a Boston Herald report that the state is fining small businesses $3000 each, because their $750 per month health care plan is inadequate to the bureaucrats in Boston.  He said it was a faulty plan because it was designed in a top-down, big government fashion.  It also would not have worked in other states that didn’t have such an expensive federal Medicaid donation.

 

Obamacare Alternatives and How to Implement Them

All candidates agreed that Obamacare needs to be repealed, and offered solutions where patients and doctors could make decisions rather than the government.

Rep. Paul summarized the mutual feelings best: “Too much government is the problem… whenever government gets involved in something, the prices go up.”

At this point, Perry suddenly turned to Romney and brought up the same accusation from 4 years ago, that Romney had hired illegal aliens to work on his property (which McCain had, with the same certainty, accused of Romney, along with having a pink house, both of which Romney had denied.)

Romney, first laughed off the comment, then after being repeatedly interrupted by Perry in his defense of this, proceeded to lecture Perry on the rules of debate, told Perry he might be testy after some tough debates, and that if Perry wants to be president, he should learn to let other people speak. Perry received some boos during his interruptions.

 

How to Secure the Mexican Border

In the next question, Cooper stated that Cain had said at one point he would build an electrified fence on the Mexican border, but later said it was a joke, then again said he meant it. Cooper asked him to clarify.

Cain responded that we should secure the entire border with a fence, and use technology and boots on the ground to monitor it.  He also wants to improve the existing path to citizenship and enforce current immigration laws.

When asked if he would build a fence, Perry stated that we could build a fence, but it would take 15 years and $30 billion, but in the meantime we need boots on the ground.  A wiser expenditure would be to build fences in places where it makes sense, and use predator drones to monitor the entire border and give real time information to soldiers on the ground.

Bachmann’s take was a bit different, as she believes it already costs $118 billion per year for our government to take care of illegal immigrants, robbing each American household of about $1000 per year.  Therefore she would build a fence along the entire border, and remove taxpayer subsidies for illegal aliens.

Romney basically agreed with a fence and personnel to secure the border, and noted that 400 million are waiting to come here legally, and he would prefer they come in that way.  He also claimed that illegal immigration to Texas had increased 60% under Perry because of the “magnets” like in-state tuition for children of illegal immigrants.

Cooper then of course raised the question of how they will woo the Latino vote after the racist act of closing off the border.  Newt said that people that came here legally should have the same America as everyone else.

Paul wants to remove the incentives for illegal aliens to be here, and to stop the group mentality of giving to one group (race) of people and removing benefits from another, and also that we should worry more about securing our own border than the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

Cain said people of all color need a growing economy.  Perry said using our own energy resources would create jobs for them, but the current administration wants energy prices to go up instead. None of the candidates would repeal the 14^th amendment which protects “anchor babies.”

 

Opening a National Nuclear Depository at Yucca Mountain

Obviously a controversial topic in Nevada, there were some well thought out answers for this issue, which would require all nuclear waste in the nation to be hauled to Yucca mountain for storage.

Newt said we need to find a place to keep the waste geologically safe for however many thousands of years, and previous studies suggested Yucca was such a place.

Paul questioned the right of 49 other states to punish one state by dumping their garbage in it. The private companies should solve it, and energy shouldn’t be subsidized.

Romney said that Nevada should be able to say no if they don’t want the nuclear storage at Yucca, and the energy companies should give them a good deal to change their mind.  States could have competing bids if Nevada doesn’t want it.

Perry, in a rare moment, said “Mitt has hit this nail on the head,” and also agreed with Paul’s take.

 

Nevada Devastated by Real Estate Bubble

Santorum first claimed that everyone else on the stage supported the TARP bailout plan, except for himself, to which he was met immediately with shouts of “Wrong” by Perry and Cain.  The former senator insisted that Perry wrote a letter to congress to pass it on the day of the vote. He added that we need to let the markets work and not have managed failure.

Perry stated his letter was not to pass TARP, but to decrease regulations and taxes on business.

Romney disapproved of the idea that Washington DC can help the economy by intervening.

Cain said he supported the concept of TARP, but not how it was used by the administration.

Bachmann used this opportunity to appeal to women who are at the end of their rope and losing their homes where they raise children.

 

The “Occupy Wall Street” Idiots

Cooper quoted Cain as saying, “don’t blame banks or Wall Street; blame yourselves.”

Cain said that Wall St didn’t put in place failed economic policies or destroy the economy, and they’re taking out their frustration in the wrong place. They should be going to the White House.

Paul would blame Wall St, the White House, and the Federal Reserve. The bailouts from both parties went to big banks that were ripping people off. They should have given the money to people losing their houses, not the banks.  He added that the government is not capable of managing almost anything.

Romney pointed out that Obama has failed us on the economy, because he has no idea how the economy works or how to create jobs.  Median income has dropped 12% in the last three years.

 

Should a Candidate be Judged on Religion

Cooper brought up the controversy surrounding Pastor Robert Jeffress, who supports Rick Perry, saying publicly that Mormonism is a cult, and asked if the voters should pay attention to the religion.

Santorum said the voters should pay attention to the candidate’s values and what their faith teaches them about how to live their lives.  He said the road to salvation is not applicable to presidency, but the religion does have an impact on how the president will govern with respect to values.

Newt said none should judge others with their approach to faith, but because we are endowed by our creator with rights, who they pray to does matter.

Perry stated clearly that he did not believe the pastor’s remark about Mormonism, and Romney said he had heard worse disparaging comments about his faith.

 

Proposed Defense Budget Cut of $500 Billion

Bachmann said we’re losing international respect, as evidenced by an assassination attempt from Iran on US soil, and the president starting a conflict in a 4^th foreign country was stretching our troops too thin.  Her number one issue would be dealing with Iran and their nuclear ambitions.

Newt had the rant of the night by far on this one, and it’s worth quoting, “…look at this entire model of a super-committee, they have some magic number for us to get to, and if we don’t, then we all have to shoot ourselves in the head.  Then they’ll come back with the idea that we merely cut off our right leg, and then we’ll be grateful that they’re only semi-stupid…The idea that we have a bunch of historically illiterate politicians, who have no sophistication about national security trying to make a numerical decision about the size of our defense budget, tells you everything you need to know about the bankruptcy of the current power to lead in this country, in both parties….  We need figure out what threatens us, and find strategies to defend them… I’m a hawk, but I’m a cheap hawk… to say I’m gonna put the security of the US against some arbitrary budget number, is suicidally stupid.” This rant was met with intermittent but thunderous applause after each point.

Paul said he doesn’t want to cut defense, but would like to retract many of our troops stationed in Korea, Germany, Japan, and other places where we have no business. “The financial calamity is going to be worse than someone trying to invade us.”

 

Foreign Aid: Should it Continue?

Perry would like to have a serious discussion about foreign aid and funding the UN.

Romney pointed out that we’re borrowing money from China and handing it over to other countries. 

Paul said, “Foreign aid is where you take money from poor people in this country and give it to rich people in other countries, where they use it to build weapons of war.”

Bachmann said we shouldn’t cut foreign military aid to Israel, and we should be reimbursed by these nations which we have “liberated.”

Cain would like peace through strength, and start giving money to our friends instead of our enemies.

 

Who Can Beat Obama in the Presidential Election?

Cooper said a poll stated that 40% think Romney has the best chance, and Santorum only 1%. He asked if voters should go with the person they think can win.

Santorum said that less than half the people in a recent Pew poll could even name one of the GOP candidates.  He stated his track record as winning twice in the swing-state of Pennsylvania, against Democrat incumbents, as an unabashed conservative.  He neglected to mention that he didn’t win his last election, which in fact was more of an indictment on Bush and the entire GOP.

Romney stated his credentials as not spending his entire life in politics, but also as someone that created jobs in the private sector, and lowered unemployment to 4.7% in Mass as governor. He also stated that Perry supported Al Gore and 40% of Texas job growth involved illegal aliens.

Perry defended that he had created more jobs in 2 months in Texas than Mass has during Romney’s tenure, and said Romney was 47^th in job growth.

Bachmann claimed Obama will definitely be a one-term president.  She desires bold colors rather than pastels.

Newt said, “Maximizing bickering is probably not the best road to the White House,” referring to the debate format of back and forth quarreling. The former House Speaker said he would be strongest on sheer substance, and would like seven 3-hour debates, with no moderator, just a timekeeper.  He would like to reestablish American values.

 

Conclusion

The closing remark by Newt, who seems to be the father of all the bickering children on stage, sums up the whole discussion.  Cain still refuses to attack other GOP candidates, but needs to do a better job of defending his tax and economic policies to have a chance.

The other candidates could learn from the wisdom of Newt and Ronald Reagan, but instead choose to attack each other, whether personally or on policy.  They should be disparaging Obama, and promoting their own records and policies, rather than assaulting their other candidate’s record.

Why they insist on viciously attacking each other makes no political sense at all, but they fall into the same trap every time.  It’s hard to believe but true.  All of the negativity they unleashed will be rehashed by their opponents next year, who will use the same tactics against them.

Perhaps the voters should elect someone who they think has the best chance of beating Obama, not only in a debate, but because of their electability, including appearance, available funds, and commercial ability.  Newt and Romney are the only candidates that seem capable of all of that.

How the contenders weighed in on each position in the TEA Party debate moderated by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer.

Social Security

Bachmann:         They keep raiding the funds. Obama stole $ millions from Medicare to use for Obamacare.

Romney:              Without stating views of his own, went on attack on Perry for his calling it a Ponzi, that it was unconstitutional and should be dismantled.  Clarified after Perry’s counterattack that he believed Congress raiding the SS fund was criminal.

Perry:    The system is broken and we need courage to transform it for those in mid career that don’t know whether it will be there or not.  Retaliated that Mitt stated in his book that SS was criminal.

Paul:      Said we should spend the money on SS instead of wars and other stuff we’re doing around the world. Young people should get out of SS and go it on their own.

Cain:      We need optional personal retirement accounts.  Instead of fed govt giving money to states, give it back to the workers.

Hunstman:          Americans don’t want to be frightened, they want solutions.  “We have the answers, we just don’t have the leadership.” Gave no specifics whatsoever.

Newt:   “I’m not worried about Romney and Perry frightening the American people, when Obama scares them every day.” (surprised by large amount of applause drawn.)  Obama has threatened to withhold SS checks, and politicians shouldn’t have the power to do that.  People should have control over their own accounts.

Santorum:           Wolf tried to get him to side with Perry or Romney, as if there hadn’t been several different views offered, to which he replied, “The question is, who’s with me?”  He said SS is in trouble and they need somebody with the courage to address it.

 

Balancing the Budget, Erasing Debt, without Compromising Senior Benefits

Newt:   We balanced the budget before starting in 1994, it’s not a theory.  If you modernize govt (strongamericanow.org) you can save $500 million a year.  “Check and see if the supercommittee of 12 in their august power, is willing sit down with that group and actually learn how to be smart rather than cheap.” $70-120 billion per year in Medicaid is being paid to crooks.

(Wolf then changed the subject to prescription drug benefits)

Santorum:           We can keep a RX program but we have to pay for it.  One size fits all system run by the govt is not the answer.  Obama thinks he knows how to purchase your medical care better than you.

Wolf then tried to get Perry to commit to voting to repeal the RX benefit for seniors that Bush passed.  Wolf: president’s don’t vote; they sign into law, or veto.

Perry:    No (on repeal). But it’s a big hole in the budget, and you have to find the savings while still delivering the service. They combined 10 agencies into 5 in Texas, and saved $5.3 billion by finding waste.  Then Wolf asked again would he repeal it, and Perry said that’s how I started the conversation.

Romney:              Would reform RX, Medicare, Medicaid, and SS.  We can’t just cut waste, we need to cut spending, which he would cap at 20% of GDP.  “We need to stop the growth of the fed govt, and start the growth of the private sector.”

Paul:      $1.5 trillion overseas on wars we don’t need to be in, we need to take that money and put it into here.  Need to cut dept’s of energy and education.

Bachmann:         The principal needs to change that fed govt is going to pay for everything for everyone.  We need to return to a society of personal responsibility.  (best answer)

 

What is the plan to get the economy moving forward again?

(Wolf rephrased:  What’s the first thing you would do, knowing Obama formally gave legislation to Congress today with his jobs plan?  That wasn’t the question, Wolf. We’re going post-Obama here.)

Huntsman:          “What we’re seeing play out in America is a human tragedy.”  People are dispirited, can’t find jobs, etc.  WSJ has endorsed his tax code reform plan.  We need regulatory reform and can’t go forward with Obamacare or Dodd/Frank.  We need to wean off “heroin-like” dependence on foreign oil and have energy independence.

Wolf then rephrased again for Perry:  Obama has offered all those tax credits, do you support that?

Perry:    Obama will pay for it by raising taxes.  “President spent $800 billion on the first stimulus package that created zero jobs. This one is $400B.  I can do that math on that one: half of zero jobs, is gonna be zero jobs.” President doesn’t understand how to free up business men and women and Wall Street by lowering their taxes and regulations.  “People are tired of spending money we don’t have on programs we don’t want.”

Bachmann:         With $1 trillion in new spending that you don’t pay for, the deficit can only go up.  They should have never raised the debt ceiling, giving Obama another blank check to spend.  It’s easy enough to turn around the economy, you just need the backbone to do it.

Cain:      “This economy is on life support.”  We don’t need govt picking winners and losers. “We need bold plans, like my 999 plan: 9% corp. tax, 9% income tax, and 9% natl. sales tax.  People say ‘you can’t do that, you don’t know how Wash works.’ I say, yes I do: it doesn’t.”

Wolf then tried to get Romney to give Perry credit for job creation in Texas. It was weird.

Romney:              Rattled off half a dozen things like balancing the budget.  Said Perry was dealt 4 aces in Texas and would have been a fool to fold them:  0 income tax, low regulation, right to work, oil in the ground, and GOP legislature.  That’s actually 5 aces but who’s counting.

Perry:    Obama has overseen loss of $2.5 million jobs.  Texas has created $1 million during the same time, which were rough times.  “You want to talk about some powerful job creation, tell the trial lawyers to get out of your state and stop costing business men and women.”  We cut taxes by $14 billion.

Paul:      Taxes and debt have doubled while Perry has been governor of Texas.  “You don’t have to pay for a tax cut, if you think about it that way, then the govt owns all the money.”

Newt:   In 4 years as speaker, America created more jobs than any state did during any of the governors did in their states during their tenure.

 

Federal Reserve:  Should it be audited and held accountable?

Santorum:           Yes, we need sound money.  “Obama’s economy would have to make a drastic improvement to become a disaster.”

Cain:      Yes. It’s scope should be narrowed and focused only on sound money.

Bachman:            The Fed can’t have this kind of power, making loans to foreigners, etc, and would not reappoint Bernanke, and would never have had the bailout.

Perry:    If you’re using the Fed for political purposes, that is treasonous.  Not a fan of using the Fed to cover up bad fiscal policy.

Romney:              People won’t invest in this country if they don’t have faith in our currency.

 

Taxes

Next, a young man from Napa asked: “Out of every dollar that I earn, how much do you think I deserve to keep?” to great applause from both audiences.

Huntsman:          Has a tax program that lowers the flat rate and phases out corp. subsidies.  Need a fair tax code, we could leave it at 8%, 14% and 24% for the 3 rates.  Need to address debt and growth.

Wolf to Newt: Some of largest companies, like oil co’s, get govt breaks in form of tax breaks, exemptions, tax loopholes and so forth while making billions.  Is that fair?

Newt:  “I thought for a moment you were gonna refer to GE, which is paying no taxes.” To applause from audience.  “We have a problem with overspending, not with undertaxing.”

 

Wolf then went to a new question from Virginia, but at least it was somewhat on topic.  The question:  “Would any of you be willing to support the Fair Tax?”  Wolf clarifies that it means a national sales tax.

Romney:              It has a lot going for it, and reduces the burden on lower income and upper income, but not the middle income Americans.  His plan calls for no dividend tax or cap gains for middle income.

 

At this point, most people must have been confused that not everybody got to answer either of these tax questions, since they were the most popular, and most important to TEA partiers. But that’s the risk you run with a liberal like Wolf moderating.

 

Executive Orders:  When should they be used?

Paul:      It is often abused, and should never be used to legislate.

Perry:    Would use an exec order to get rid of as much of Obamacare as possible.  Had to clarify several times that he would have gone through legislature instead of exec order to do it again, but there was an opt-out that parents could sign.  He raised $30 million and couldn’t be bought for $5000.

Bachmann:         Attacked Romney’s exec order for cancer vaccine, and Obama’s exec order that insurance companies must offer morning after pills to everyone because he said so.  Claimed the drug company benefiting from Perry’s order had given campaign donations.

Santorum:           Students should be vaccinated at schools, but Perry’s policy was wrong. Give the opt-in rather than opt-out.

 

How to reduce the cost of health care and health insurance

Cain:      Repeal Obamacare.  Pass market driven, patient centered reform.  Pass loser-pay laws.  Medical liability is big expense because of tort suits.

Romney:              The cost of care is expensive because the patient co-pays and doesn’t know how much it really costs.  Obamacare raises taxes by $500 billion and cuts Medicare by $500B.  Obamacare panels dictate what kind of care you get.

Perry:    Obama said that Romney care was the model for Obamacare. They had the right to do it as a state (Mass) but they wouldn’t do it in Texas.

Paul:      They never turn people away from hospitals.  The churches would take care of those people that didn’t have insurance and needed emergency treatment.  Legalize alternative healthcare, let people practice what they want.

Bachmann:         No state or fed govt should be able to force a person to buy a product or service against their will.  (Best answer)

 

Plan to remove illegal immigrants from our country

Santorum:           Build the fence and secure the border with personnel, then address who’s already here.  Said Perry allowed in-state tuition for illegals.

Perry:    Govt has been massive failure defending 1200 mile Texas border.  $400M of Texas taxpayer money was spent for Texas rangers on recon missions to get some of these.   Great wall is not reality. Need boots on ground, aviation support, technology.  Fed govt needs to step up and do their constitutional duty of securing the border with Mexico. The choice in his state was giving them in-state tuition or letting them live off taxpayer money.  Only 4 dissenting legislature votes on giving them in-state tuition as long as they were working on citizenship.

Huntsman:          Fix homeland security, fix the root problems.  They gave in UT a separate driving privilege card to illegals so economy could continue to function.

Romney:              Build a fence, don’t give them drivers license or in state tuition.

 

Energy Independence

Cain:      Need to remove fed govt barriers to independence.  EPA has gone wild.  Need a Regulatory Reduction Commission, with appointees consisting of those that have been abused by the EPA.

 

Again, we’re not sure why only one person was allowed to answer one of the most important questions.

 

National Security

Newt:   Congress should be holding hearings now on threats from Iran, Turkey, and Mexico.

Paul:      Quoted Al-Qaeda on why they attacked us, to much displeasure from the crowd.  We have no authority to be policemen of the world, or to conduct nation building.

Santorum:           We were attacked because our civilization is antithetical to theirs.

(Subject changed to protecting women of Afghanistan by implanted Afghan woman)

Huntsman:          Time has come to get out of Afghanistan.  We don’t need nation-builders there when this nation needs to be built.  We can’t help other countries when our core is crumbling.  Need afghan people to take care of their own security.

Perry:    Agreed with Huntsman to bring our soldiers home.  Need conversation on how to deliver aid to those countries, and it’s not with soldiers with targets on back. We need some people there while their military takes control.

 

What would you bring to the White House as next President?

Examples:

Bush added a horseshoe pit.

Clinton added a jogging track.

Obama added a vegetable garden.

 

Santorum:           It’s obvious, we have 7 kids; we would add a bedroom and some beds.

Newt:   Reduce the size of it by getting rid of all the czars, creating a lot more space. We’d have music and ballet.

Perry:    Would bring the most beautiful, thoughtful, and incredible first lady this country has ever seen. (Awwww from crowd)

Paul:      Bushel basket of common sense, a course on something about the Austrian economics and business cycle to teach people why fed creates inflation and deflation.

Romney:              “You can count on Americans to get things right, after they exhausted all the alternatives,” by his hero Winston Churchill, whose bust Mitt would return to the Oval Office.

Bachman:            A copy of the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and Bill of Rights. That’s it.

Cain:      “I would bring a sense of humor because America’s too uptight.”

Huntsman:          Would bring his Harley Davidson and motocross bike.