December 11, 2011

The Des Moines ABC/Yahoo GOP Presidential Debate, Part 1

Carroll Andrew Morse

The first question from last night's ABC News/Yahoo News debate co-sponsored by WOI-TV, The Des Moines Register and Drake University. (Most of this I was able to upload to Twitter, up until the last two lines, when I succumbed to my technical difficulties).



Diane Sawyer salutes all of the candidates' commitment to Presidential race and to democracy.

First question is on jobs. At the same time, my Tweet button vanishes from my screen...

Romney had a 7-point plan to create jobs. Gingrich had about 5. Ron Paul says the problem is debt...

Perry positions himself as an outsider who will handle the problem of corruption. Kudos, to whoever's managing his focus groups.

Bachmann goes for the Cain voters -- says she'd have a win-win-win program, like his 9-9-9 program. Says she'd repeal Obamacare.

Diane Sawyer demands a specific number of new jobs that will be created.

Santorum says gov't can't dictate the number of new jobs that will be created. He's right.

Sawyer has a question about the payroll tax-cut, expiring on Dec. 31

Santorum and Bachmann are taking the concept of a Social Security trust fund way too seriously

George Stephanopolus is running down a list of everybody who's in favor of a tax cut, without letting them speak. In a format like this, if you already know the answer to the questions you are asking, they're probably bad questions.

Paul would pay for a Social Security tax cut by cutting spending overseas.