June 13, 2011, 7:35 pm

Live Blogging the G.O.P. Debate in New Hampshire

By MICHAEL D. SHEAR and TRIP GABRIEL

 

Cheryl Senter for The New York TimesThe seven candidates at the debate in Manchester, N.H., on Monday.

Seven Republican candidates for president are set to take the stage in Manchester, N.H., for a debate Monday evening that will include questions asked by moderators, posed by live panels of voters, and submitted via Twitter and Facebook.
The two-hour debate, sponsored by CNN and The Union Leader newspaper and WMUR-TV in Manchester, N.H., begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time. The Caucus will be live blogging the full two hours, so come back to nytimes.com just before the debate starts and bring your comments and observations.
John King, a CNN anchor, will moderate the debate and field questions from New Hampshire journalists. But according to a CNN news release, the candidates will have to answer questions from ordinary New Hampshire voters, as well.
“The debate will feature questions from New Hampshire voters inside the debate hall and potentially from town hall locations in Hancock, Plymouth, and Rochester, N.H.,” the release reads.
In 2007, CNN and YouTube held a debate that included video questions submitted over the Internet. This year, questions can be posted to Twitter, the CNN Politics blog and Mr. King’s Facebook page.
On stage this evening will be: Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts; Tim Pawlenty, the former governor of Minnesota; Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House; Representative Michele Bachmann of Minnesota; Representative Ron Paul of Texas; Herman Cain, former chief executive of Godfather’s Pizza; and Rick Santorum, the former senator from Pennsylvania.
Michael D. Shear is reporting from Washington. Trip Gabriel is reporting from Manchester.

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10:13 P.M. That's a Wrap

Thanks for joining us tonight as we live blogged the New Hampshire Republican debate. Come back to The Caucus Tuesday morning for some analysis of how it went for all of the candidates. Take a look at our debate fact check. And look to the New York Times Web site for complete coverage from Jeff Zeleny and Trip Gabriel, who are both in New Hampshire for the event.
--Michael D. Shear

10:12 P.M. Wrapping Up on a Lighter Note

The debate has wrapped up on a bit of a lighter note. Mr. King asked the candidates which of their rivals on the stage they might pick for a running mate.
Mr. Romney said, "any one of the people on this stage would be a better president than President Obama."
Ms. Bachmann declined to say, offering, "maybe we will have to have an 'American Idol' contest."
Mr. Paul said: "I would have to do a bit more quizzing. They haven't even told me how they feel about the Federal Reserve yet."
Asked earlier whether Mr. Obama or Mr. McCain had made a better running-mate choice in 2008, Mr. Pawlenty did not hesitate.
"Senator Biden has been wrong about every major strategic decision," he said. "I think Governor Palin is a remarkable leader. I think she's qualified to be president of the United States."
Mr. King ended the debate by asking the candidates what they learned over the last two hours.
Mr. Santorum: "We've got a great field of candidates."
Ms. Bachmann: "I learned more about the goodness of the American people."
Mr. Gingrich: "Once again, New Hampshire is proving why it's first in the nation."
Mr. Romney: "New Hampshire is proving that the issue people care most about is getting this economy growing again."
Mr. Paul: "That we can talk about it and be civil to each other."
Mr. Pawlenty: Things will get better "if you trust the people."
Mr. Cain: "It's not about us, it's about the children and the grandchildren."
--Michael D. Shear

9:57 P.M. Foreign Policy Makes a Late-Game Appearance

The first questions about foreign policy and national security didn't come until more than an hour and a half into the debate.
When it did come, the father of soldiers asked whether it is time for the United States military to leave Afghanistan.
Mr. Romney said that it is "time for us to bring our troops home as soon as we possibly can," but said he would listen to his generals to determine when that withdrawal could start.
Mr. Paul -- a long-time antiwar critic -- disagreed.
"I wouldn't wait for my generals," Mr. Paul said. "I'm the commander in chief. I tell the generals what to do."
--Michael D. Shear

9:49 P.M. On Immigration, a Focus on Securing Borders

Immigration was a key issue in the Republican presidential primary in 2008, tripping up Senator John McCain, who supported a path to citizenship for those in the country illegally.
On Monday night, there was less disagreement over the issue as the candidates focused on the need for the federal government to secure the borders -- or let the states do it for them.
"If the federal government won't do its jobs, in this case securing and protecting the border, then let the states do it and they will," Mr. Pawlenty said.
But Mr. Gingrich rejected the idea that Republicans must choose between kicking immigrants out of the country or granting them citizenship.
"There are humane practical steps to solve this problem," he said.
--Michael D. Shear

9:47 P.M. Michele Bachmann on Gay Marriage and States' Rights

At one point Ms. Bachmann, who announced her entry to the race at the debate, seemed to be debating herself when she was asked if she would seek to overturn the law in states that have legalized gay marriage.
"I don't see that it's the role of a president to go into states and interfere with their state laws,'' said Ms. Bachmann, a favorite of Tea Party members who believe in states' rights.
But then, after some other candidates said that they supported a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman, she amended her answer.
"John, I do support a constitutional amendment on marriage between a man and a woman,'' she told the moderator, John King of CNN, "but I would not be going into the states to overturn their state law."
--Michael Cooper

9:39 P.M. Republican Candidates: Conservative on Social Issues

One takeaway from the New Hampshire debate? The Republican candidates for president are solidly conservative when it comes to social issues.
As a group, all said they would support a constitutional amendment to require that marriage be between a man and a woman. And all but Mr. Cain and Mr. Paul said they would work to reimpose the "don't ask, don't tell" policy that bars gays from serving openly in the military.
On the marriage question, Ms. Bachmann said she supported a constitutional amendment -- something that would invalidate state laws allowing gay marriage -- but then later said that she "would not be going into the states to overturn their state law."
--Michael D. Shear

9:22 P.M. Religion Makes Its Way Into the Debate

Should Muslims be asked special questions to determine their loyalty to the United States?
That was the controversial question put to Mr. Cain Monday night after he indicated that he would do so if he was elected president.
He did not back away, saying, "when you interview a person you are able to get a feeling for how committed that person is to the Constitution." He added: "I would ask certain questions."
Pressed on the issue, Mr. Cain explained that "you have peaceful Muslims and you have militant ones, the ones who are trying to kill us."
"Those are the ones I was thinking of," he said, explaining his original comments.
He added: "I do not believe in Shariah law in American courts."
Mr. Romney agreed about Shariah, but offered a different view on the issue of special questions for Muslims.
"No, I think we recognize that people of all faiths are welcome in this country," said Mr. Romney, who is a Mormon. "We treat people with respect regardless of their religious persuasion."
Mr. Gingrich jumped into the debate, recalling the terrorist who attempted to blow up a bomb in Times Square. He said the terrorist had admitted to lying when he became a citizen.
"If you are not prepared to be loyal to the United States, you will not serve in my administration, period," he said. "We did this in dealing with the Nazis and we did this in dealing with the Communists."
--Michael D. Shear

9:16 P.M. The Medicare Minefield

Perhaps the biggest political minefield for Republicans is what to do about Medicare. Mr. Gingrich found out how difficult the issue can be several weeks ago, when he criticized the plan put forward by Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin.
So, Mr. King asked Monday night, what would the candidates do about Medicare?
Mr. Santorum and Mr. Cain both embraced Mr. Ryan's plan. Mr. Pawlenty danced around the question, saying "I am going to have my own plan, John, that will feature some differences from Paul Ryan's plan."
Mr. Pawlenty said that his plan would allow those on Medicare to stay on it, but would give others another option. And he used the question to criticize the president.
"You can't find him on these issues, he's missing," Mr. Pawlenty said.
Mr. Gingrich was given another chance to revise and extend his remarks on Mr. Ryan's budget. He said his words were "taken totally out of context," but added that Republicans should not force a solution on Americans.
"We all got mad at Obama when he ran over us" with the health care plan, he said. Mr. Gingrich then added that Republicans should not do the same with a Medicare plan.
--Michael D. Shear

8:57 P.M. This or That?

Sure, viewers are learning what Tim Pawlenty thinks about right-to-work laws and Mitt Romney's position on the auto industry bailout.
But how many know that Michele Bachmann has the "Christmas with Elvis" album on her iPod?
To loosen things up a bit, John King, CNN's moderator, has been popping either/or questions to individual candidates leading into and out of commercials.
So now we know that New Gingrich would rather watch "American Idol'' than "Dancing with the Stars.'' And Ron Paul has a BlackBerry on his hip instead of an iPhone.
One quesiton not likely to come up: boxers vs. briefs.
Here are the questions and answers collected in one place for your convenience:
Mr. Santorum: Leno or Conan? "Probably Leno, but I don't watch either, sorry."
Ms. Bachmann: Elvis or Johnny Cash? "That's really tough. Both. I've got "Christmas with Elvis" on my iPod."
Mr. Gingrich: "Dancing with the Stars" or "American Idol"? "American Idol."
Mr. Paul: BlackBerry or iPhone? "BlackBerry."
Mr. Cain: Deep dish or thin crust. "Deep dish!" Mr. Cain, a former pizza magnate, said emphatically.
Mr. Romney: Spicy or mild wings? "Spicy, absolutely."
Mr. Pawlenty Coke or Pepsi? "Coke."
--Michael D. Shear and Trip Gabriel

8:51 P.M. Romney Questioned on Auto Bailout

 

Emmanuel Dunand/Agence France-Presse - Getty ImagesFormer Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, center, spoke as former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, left, and Texas congressman Ron Paul listened.

One of the toughest questions so far went to Mr. Romney, who was asked to explain his opposition to the auto bailout that has successfully turned the American car industry around.
Mr. Romney repeated his explanation from several weeks ago, when he said that he opposed the money given by President George W. Bush and President Obama to the auto industry, but agreed with the bankruptcy process that the industry was forced into.
"The bailout program was not a success because the bailout program wasted a lot of money," Mr. Romney said, focusing on the $17 billion that Mr. Bush provided to the car companies.
Mr. King followed up by quoting from an opinion article that Mr. Romney wrote several years ago. "If General Motors, Ford and Chrysler get the bailout that their chief executives asked for yesterday, you can kiss the American automotive industry goodbye," Mr. Romney wrote.
Was he wrong? Mr. King asked.
"No I wasn't wrong," Mr. Romney asserted. "What they need to do is go through a bankruptcy process. It turned out that's finally what they did."
--Michael D. Shear

8:37 P.M. Bachmann Announces

Ms. Bachmann, who has been exploring a presidential bid, used her first question during the debate to announce that on Monday she formally filed her paperwork to run for the presidency.
-- Michael D. Shear

8:36 P.M. Tim Pawlenty, Crowd Pleaser

The strongest applause line yet? From Mr. Pawlenty when he said that he would support right-to-work legislation that would make unionization voluntary.
"We don't have a government tell us what organizations and association we should be in," he said after a loud round of applause for his comments.
--Michael D. Shear

8:28 P.M. Romney and Pawlenty Hold Back

For those looking for a dramatic clash between Mr. Pawlenty and Mr. Romney, give the debate's moderator, John King, credit for trying.
He asked Mr. Romney directly about the term -- "Obamneycare" -- that Mr. Pawlenty used to describe the health care plans passed in Massachusetts and at the national level.
Mr. Romney largely ignored Mr. Pawlenty's comments, instead repeating his pledge to repeal Mr. Obama's health care plan and emphasizing the difference between that law and the one he signed in Massachusetts.
When Mr. King turned to Mr. Pawlenty for a response, sparks could have flown. Mr. King asked several times why he used the term "Obamneycare." But Mr. Pawlenty refused to take the bait, saying the term was meant to be a criticism of Mr. Obama, not Mr. Romney.
"President Obama is the person I quoted," he said, noting that Mr. Obama had once said Mr. Romney's health care plan was the inspiration for his own.
When Mr. King came back to Mr. Romney, he said that "my guess is the president is going to eat those words."
He added: "I can't wait to debate him."
--Michael D. Shear

8:26 P.M. An Early Start to the Obama Bashing

In the first few minutes, all of the candidates are trying to prove they can be critical of the president.
Mr. Romney said flatly that "this president has failed" and said that when it comes to the economy, "President Obama has done it wrong."
Mr. Gingrich offered that "the Obama administration is an anti-jobs, anti-business, anti-America's energy industry."
Asked whether he could think of one thing that Mr. Obama has done right when it comes to the economy, Mr. Paul laughed and said, "That's a tough question."
He then added: "No, I can't think of anything."
--Michael D. Shear

8:16 P.M. Candidate Introductions

The candidates started off with brief introductions. Here they are, summed up:
Rick Santorum: A senator for 12 years, and, with his wife, "parents of seven children."
Michele Bachmann: "I am a former federal tax litigation attorney," and "we are the proud foster parents of 23 great children."
Newt Gingrich: "When 14 million people are out of work, we need a new president to end the Obama depression."
Mitt Romney: Wants to make sure that "America is always known as the hope of the Earth."
Ron Paul: Wants to be known as the "champion of liberty and I defend the Constitution."
Tim Pawlenty: "I love America, but like you, I am concerned about its future."
Herman Cain: "I am not a politician. I am a problem solver."
-- Michael D. Shear

8:02 P.M. Candidates on Their Marks

The candidates have been introduced and the debate is about to get underway. Mr. Romney will be in the middle of the pack -- sandwiched between Mr. Paul and Mr. Gingrich -- but will he be the target of all six of his rivals? We will know soon.
Look for the economy to be the opening topic in the wake of the poor jobs numbers from a few weeks ago. All of the Republican candidates have seized on the rising unemployment rate as a key part of the case they would make against President Obama.
-- Michael D. Shear

7:44 P.M. The Scene in New Hampshire

MANCHESTER, N.H. -- With about an hour to go before the start of the debate, the air in and around the hall where the action will unfold had an electric buzz -- for hard-core political fans -- of the moments prior to the home opener of a big college basketball team.
In the sports arena where CNN had spent five days building an elaborate set, folding chairs with the names of the seven candidates awaited their invited cheering sections. A lone worker vacuumed newly laid red carpeting before the horseshoe-shaped stage.
Peripheral players took their positions outside the hall. Candidates' supporters waved their signs: "Mitt Means Business," "Ron Paul was a Teapartier Before It Was Cool.''
In the press center across the campus of Saint Anselm College, hundreds of bloggers and print reporters, who would get no closer to the action than a television screen, were perched at folding tables in a gymnasium.
And then there were the V.I.P.'s who were also playing peripheral roles. George E. Pataki, the former governor of  New York, checked in to the downtown Radisson Hotel in Manchester, where he planned to watch the candidates' showdown with invited friends.
Mr. Pataki, who has been on few radar screens this year, hinted late last month that he might decide to run. "I'm going to look at the candidates and see if there's one who I believe has a serious plan to deal with the deficit and can win the election,'' Mr. Pataki said in a brief interview as he stepped out of the hotel. Asked if he is genuinely thinking of jumping in, he referred back to his previous statement.
--Trip Gabriel