Eight Republican presidential candidates took the stage in C.Y. Stephens Auditorium at Iowa State University to debate everything from the economy and foreign policy to the freedom to use the light bulb of your choice. But looming over the proceedings was the prospect of the Texas governor’s entry into the race for the GOP nomination.
The performances of the candidates varied, with a few of them helping their campaigns and a few others probably hurting their chances. But none of them seemed to race far ahead of the pack. Thus, the keen interest among Republican voters in Perry’s candidacy.
Although the debate was not always enlightening, GOP voters certainly got a clear look at the announced field of candidates. The two-hour event offered useful glimpses of their personalities and their perspectives on prominent issues.
From an entertainment standpoint, the highlights of the talkfest were a couple of feisty exchanges between fellow Minnesotans Tim Pawlenty and Michele Bachmann. Pawlenty attacked Bachmann’s slight record as a member of Congress. Bachmann countered by accusing Pawlenty of having a record of less-than-conservative views.
But neither Minnesotan emerged as the debate’s winner. While they traded insults, others displayed more serious-minded rhetoric. Mitt Romney was the most presidential — “the adult” in the room, as more than one observer put it. Ron Paul was the most passionate and straightforward, while Newt Gingrich exhibited the best grasp of history and conservative philosophy.
Paul stood out with his feisty libertarian and anti-war views. He returned several times to the theme that the United States should stay out of the business of other countries. He also drew a contrast with his more socially conservative competitors by suggesting that government has no business regulating marriage. “Why do we have to have a license to get married?” he asked.
Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) repeatedly tore into former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty last night for his past support of a cap-and-trade program during an Iowa debate featuring eight Republicans seeking their party's nomination.
A surging tea party adherent, Bachmann accused the flagging Pawlenty, once considered a leading climate advocate, of pursuing policies identical to those of President Obama.
"When you were governor of Minnesota, you implemented cap and trade in our state, and you praised the unconstitutional individual [health] mandate, and ... you said the era of small government was over. That sounds a lot more like Barack Obama if you ask me."
Pawlenty, who helped lead a multi-state consortium toward a regional cap-and-trade program, accused Bachmann of misrepresenting his record on health care, taxes and climate policies.
"She has a record of misstatements," said Pawlenty, whose candidacy is perceived to be struggling from a "Minnesota nice" passivity.
Pawlenty is one of several Republican candidates who have retreated from previous positions acknowledging the science of climate change, and a need to address it. Others include former Rep. Newt Gingrich (R- Ga.) and former Govs. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts and Jon Huntsman of Utah.
Two weeks ago, Huntsman told the moderate group Republicans for Environmental Protection that science should lead the discussion on climate change, though he no longer supports a cap-and-trade program. He was asked last night about his previous pursuit of a multi-state emission reduction accord.
Huntsman sidestepped a direct response, but said, "I am running on my record, and I'm proud to run on my record."
The sin of being "too reasonable"
That effort to avoid flip-flopping could save him from the criticism that plagued candidates in the past, including Romney in 2008. But his refusal to put distance between his moderate record and his primary campaign is raising questions about the resiliency of his candidacy.
Thomas Mann, a congressional scholar with the Brookings Institute, is skeptical about the effectiveness of Huntsman's position on climate change during the Republican primary.
"It makes him appear entirely too reasonable and mainstream for the contemporary GOP," Thomas Mann, a congressional scholar with the Brookings Institution, said of Huntsman position on climate change.
Frontrunner Romney was largely spared from attacks by his trailing opponents in the debate last night. He wasn't asked about his past support for a 10-state cap-and-trade program, which as governor he accepted. Romney later opposed the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative before it was implemented.
He suffered in his last presidential campaign for changing his position on several issues. This year, Romney is staying focused on his established principles, including his belief that climate change is occurring. But he had questions about the extent.
"We've been very focused and very disciplined on message about what Americans care about right now," said Ron Kaufman, a Republican strategist affiliated with Romney's campaign. "And what they care about most is the big picture -- jobs and the economy. Obviously environment and energy and innovations are important. But they're only important as they play into the bigger picture."
Environmentalists targeted the candidates before the debate as pandering to conservative voters who denounce government regulations, at the expense of public health and reduced pollution.
The liberal Center for American Progress accused each Republican of demonizing U.S. EPA policies designed to reduce toxic air pollution. The criticism aligns the candidates with energy corporations, while rebutting long-held Republican attacks describing EPA regulations as a job-killing byproduct of big government.
"Every family has the right to expect clean air, free of the elevated heart and lung disease risks that air pollution poses," Noreen Nielson, the energy communications director for CAP's action fund, wrote in a blog asserting that Iowans would feel "devastating" impacts if Republicans block the EPA from enforcing the Clean Air Act.
President Obama was also in the Midwest yesterday. His appearance at Johnson Controls in Holland, Mich., emphasized the same theme as those of his Republican challengers: jobs.
Wind and corn both play in Iowa
After a week of dizzying market fluctuations, the nation's first credit downgrade and ominous signs from Europe's economy, Obama tried to reassure the nation that a bright spot in the storm is in the clean energy sector.
Higher fuel economy standards -- which he noted were imposed without congressional action -- will help new markets emerge, like the advanced battery plant he was visiting in Michigan, Obama said to the company's workers (see related story).
Obama's Republican challengers will also have an opportunity to promote clean energy. Iowa has more wind power capacity than every state but Texas, and it provides about 20 percent of the state's electricity, according to the American Wind Energy Association.
All of the candidates are expected to sign a wind blade measuring 130 feet long that was built in Iowa by TPI Composites, Inc., says AWEA. The group credits the state's renewable energy portfolio and other pro-wind policies for generating clean energy investments amounting to about $5 billion in Iowa.
"Today wind turbines are almost as much a part of Iowa's fabric as corn," Denise Bode, AWEA's CEO, said in a statement.
The performances of the candidates varied, with a few of them helping their campaigns and a few others probably hurting their chances. But none of them seemed to race far ahead of the pack. Thus, the keen interest among Republican voters in Perry’s candidacy.
Although the debate was not always enlightening, GOP voters certainly got a clear look at the announced field of candidates. The two-hour event offered useful glimpses of their personalities and their perspectives on prominent issues.
From an entertainment standpoint, the highlights of the talkfest were a couple of feisty exchanges between fellow Minnesotans Tim Pawlenty and Michele Bachmann. Pawlenty attacked Bachmann’s slight record as a member of Congress. Bachmann countered by accusing Pawlenty of having a record of less-than-conservative views.
But neither Minnesotan emerged as the debate’s winner. While they traded insults, others displayed more serious-minded rhetoric. Mitt Romney was the most presidential — “the adult” in the room, as more than one observer put it. Ron Paul was the most passionate and straightforward, while Newt Gingrich exhibited the best grasp of history and conservative philosophy.
Paul stood out with his feisty libertarian and anti-war views. He returned several times to the theme that the United States should stay out of the business of other countries. He also drew a contrast with his more socially conservative competitors by suggesting that government has no business regulating marriage. “Why do we have to have a license to get married?” he asked.
Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) repeatedly tore into former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty last night for his past support of a cap-and-trade program during an Iowa debate featuring eight Republicans seeking their party's nomination.
A surging tea party adherent, Bachmann accused the flagging Pawlenty, once considered a leading climate advocate, of pursuing policies identical to those of President Obama.
"When you were governor of Minnesota, you implemented cap and trade in our state, and you praised the unconstitutional individual [health] mandate, and ... you said the era of small government was over. That sounds a lot more like Barack Obama if you ask me."
Pawlenty, who helped lead a multi-state consortium toward a regional cap-and-trade program, accused Bachmann of misrepresenting his record on health care, taxes and climate policies.
"She has a record of misstatements," said Pawlenty, whose candidacy is perceived to be struggling from a "Minnesota nice" passivity.
Pawlenty is one of several Republican candidates who have retreated from previous positions acknowledging the science of climate change, and a need to address it. Others include former Rep. Newt Gingrich (R- Ga.) and former Govs. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts and Jon Huntsman of Utah.
Two weeks ago, Huntsman told the moderate group Republicans for Environmental Protection that science should lead the discussion on climate change, though he no longer supports a cap-and-trade program. He was asked last night about his previous pursuit of a multi-state emission reduction accord.
Huntsman sidestepped a direct response, but said, "I am running on my record, and I'm proud to run on my record."
The sin of being "too reasonable"
That effort to avoid flip-flopping could save him from the criticism that plagued candidates in the past, including Romney in 2008. But his refusal to put distance between his moderate record and his primary campaign is raising questions about the resiliency of his candidacy.
Thomas Mann, a congressional scholar with the Brookings Institute, is skeptical about the effectiveness of Huntsman's position on climate change during the Republican primary.
"It makes him appear entirely too reasonable and mainstream for the contemporary GOP," Thomas Mann, a congressional scholar with the Brookings Institution, said of Huntsman position on climate change.
Frontrunner Romney was largely spared from attacks by his trailing opponents in the debate last night. He wasn't asked about his past support for a 10-state cap-and-trade program, which as governor he accepted. Romney later opposed the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative before it was implemented.
He suffered in his last presidential campaign for changing his position on several issues. This year, Romney is staying focused on his established principles, including his belief that climate change is occurring. But he had questions about the extent.
"We've been very focused and very disciplined on message about what Americans care about right now," said Ron Kaufman, a Republican strategist affiliated with Romney's campaign. "And what they care about most is the big picture -- jobs and the economy. Obviously environment and energy and innovations are important. But they're only important as they play into the bigger picture."
Environmentalists targeted the candidates before the debate as pandering to conservative voters who denounce government regulations, at the expense of public health and reduced pollution.
The liberal Center for American Progress accused each Republican of demonizing U.S. EPA policies designed to reduce toxic air pollution. The criticism aligns the candidates with energy corporations, while rebutting long-held Republican attacks describing EPA regulations as a job-killing byproduct of big government.
"Every family has the right to expect clean air, free of the elevated heart and lung disease risks that air pollution poses," Noreen Nielson, the energy communications director for CAP's action fund, wrote in a blog asserting that Iowans would feel "devastating" impacts if Republicans block the EPA from enforcing the Clean Air Act.
President Obama was also in the Midwest yesterday. His appearance at Johnson Controls in Holland, Mich., emphasized the same theme as those of his Republican challengers: jobs.
Wind and corn both play in Iowa
After a week of dizzying market fluctuations, the nation's first credit downgrade and ominous signs from Europe's economy, Obama tried to reassure the nation that a bright spot in the storm is in the clean energy sector.
Higher fuel economy standards -- which he noted were imposed without congressional action -- will help new markets emerge, like the advanced battery plant he was visiting in Michigan, Obama said to the company's workers (see related story).
Obama's Republican challengers will also have an opportunity to promote clean energy. Iowa has more wind power capacity than every state but Texas, and it provides about 20 percent of the state's electricity, according to the American Wind Energy Association.
All of the candidates are expected to sign a wind blade measuring 130 feet long that was built in Iowa by TPI Composites, Inc., says AWEA. The group credits the state's renewable energy portfolio and other pro-wind policies for generating clean energy investments amounting to about $5 billion in Iowa.
"Today wind turbines are almost as much a part of Iowa's fabric as corn," Denise Bode, AWEA's CEO, said in a statement.
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