So far all shots aimed at Obama. Reagan’s 11th commandment lives (for now).
Rick Santorum wants to drill, drill, drill.
Mitt Romney is doggedly moderate — keeps reminding us Obama did not create the recession, but says he made it worse.
Romney is the first to say "Obamacare!" An opening for someone to bring up Romneycare? (8:10 PM EDT)
Michele Bachmann announces she’s going to make a formal announcement.
Mitt Romney is looking at Ron Paul like he’s the guy in front of you yelling about the Egg McMuffin, without the egg. (8:15 PM)
Michele Bachmann is the first (here) to say she will kill "Obamacare" first thing. (I believe others have said it elsewhere.)
Here comes "Obamneycare"!
But Romney answers by saying he will also repeal Obamacare.
Finally, John King elicits a little Romneedling from Pawlenty. (8:19 PM)
Michele Bachmann says Tea party has lots of disaffected Democrats.
She invokes the "One Term President" line. Big cheers. (8:23 PM)
I think Michele Bachmann just said she would "repeal" the Environmental Protection Agency.
I wonder if John King realizes how patronizing "Elvis or Johnny Cash" questions seem to middle Americans. (8:42 PM)
Newt: I supported the Ryan budget before I opposed it (8:25 PM)
Church v. state question: Pawlenty says protections are for people of faith from government, not vice versa. Applause.
Santorum: If your faith is pure and your reason is right, you’ll end up in the same place. Allows for "people of no faith" in the public square. (Romney did not in 20008 — and Santorum is supposed to be to Romney’s right.)
Paul: Don’t prohibit faith in the public space. (Applause.)
Cain gets his Muslim statements (not totally committed to this country) thrown at him. Says he said he would "not be comfortable" with Muslims because at the time he was thinking about the ones" trying to kill us." (But why wasn’t he thinking of the peaceful ones?) Gets an applause line for not wanting sharia law.
Cain clarifies — no loyalty test, would ask interviewees about commitment to the constitution. Emerges less clear.
Romney: We’re not going to have sharia law applied in courts — we have a constitution. People of all faiths are welcome in this country.
Gingrich: References Pakistani who planned Times Square bomb. "If you are not prepared to be loyal to the united States you will not serve in my administration." Is he worried about car bombers at the Cabinet level? Likens Muslims — I think — to Nazis and Communists.
Hey — I tweeted John King’s pizza question to Herman Cain! Ten minutes before he asked! (9:15 PM)
Michele Bachmann says she believes in states deciding when it comes to gay marriage. (9:19 PM)
John King starts running the gay marriage question by the candidates:
Cain- Leave it to the states
Pawlenty — constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.
Paul — leave it to the church.
Romney — constitutional amendment.
Gingrich — constitutional amendment.
Santorum — constitutional amendment.
Bachmann clarifies she supports a constitutional amendment, but would not go to states to change laws.
Don’t ask don’t tell — would they bring it back?:
Cain — now that it’s changed, why create a distraction.
Pawlenty: pay deference to commanders, some combatant commanders experessed concerns.
Paul — I would not overthrow it.
Romney — keep DADT "until conflict was over" (when is it over? What happens if conflict starts again — you boot out the gays?)
Gingrich — listen to the commanders.
Bachmann — I would go back (to DADT) after conferring with Joints chief of staff plus commander in chief (but she would be the commander in chief?)
Santorum — repeal it and punish bad behavior. (What bad behavior?) (9:24 PM)
Abortion:
Santorum: Pro-life would be my top priority.
Romney — believe in the sanctity of life. (9:25 PM)
Lots of who’s more pro-life back and forth.
Not a single foreign policy question yet and the damn thing is nearly over (9:35 PM)
Foreign policy questions (finally!): Bring the troops home?
Ron Paul tells Mitt Romney: "I wouldn’t wait for my generals, I’m the commander in chief."
Michele Bachmann opposes Libya action.
Gingrich says intel is inadequate (re: Libya.) What about Osama bin Laden?
Herman Cain quotes his grandmother on Libya: it’s a mess.
Santorum has first Israel mention: Obama has "turned his back" on our allies (also includes Czechs, Poles, Colombians). And someone, through Twitter, asks "Would you support Israel at any cost?" (9:52 PM)
Romney says capturing Osama bin Laden was good luck — "hit or miss". And says Obama "throws friends under the bus." A reference to Israel.
