BRENDAN TREMBATH: The latest debate between leading Republicans who want to be the next US president focused on the economy.
It's one of the most pressing problems for the United States.
This debate was seen as the last chance for the Texas governor Rick Perry to redeem himself after a series of missteps.
North America correspondent Jane Cowan reports.
JANE COWAN: If it was Rick Perry's "now or never" moment, the Texas governor's candidacy could officially be in trouble.
The governor was all but invisible, not speaking for half an hour after his first answer. When he did it was to give meandering responses that deferred a detailed economic plan in a debate focused solely on the economy.
RICK PERRY: I'm not going to lay it out all for you tonight. Mitt's had six years to be working on a plan; I've been in this for about eight weeks. But clearly, we're going to be focused on initially the energy industry in this country and making America again independent and clearly the place where domestic energy needs to be produced from.
JANE COWAN: The Republican frontrunner, the former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney went into the debate on a high, having won the endorsement of the New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who only ruled himself out of contention last week.
An influential voice in the Republican Party, Christie flew into New Hampshire to make the announcement standing by Romney's side.
CHRIS CHRISIE: I'm here in New Hampshire today for one simple reason, American cannot survive another four years of Barack Obama and Mitt Romney is the man we need to lead America and we need him now; so that's why I'm here.
(cheers and applause)
JANE COWAN: And on the debate stage, Mitt Romney successfully hammered his economic credentials.
MITT ROMNEY: I'd be prepared to be a leader. You can't get the country to go in the right direction and get Washington to work if you don't have a president that's a leader. I'm not going to have to call up Timothy Geitner and say how does the economy work? Because I spent my life in the economy. I spent my entire career working in the private sector starting businesses, helping turn around businesses, sometimes successfully and sometimes not.
JANE COWAN: But perhaps most notably, the former Godfather's pizza executive Herman Cain, who initially was seen as a second tier candidate but who's since surged in the polls, managed to commandeer a significant amount of air time explaining his economic vision.
HERMAN CAIN: The difference between the 999 plan and the other plans that are being proposed is that they pivot off of the existing Tax Code. We've had an outside firm, independent firm dynamically score it, and so our numbers will make it revenue neutral.
JANE COWAN: Cain, who's combining campaigning with a tour to promote his book, called "This is Herman Cain: My Journey to the White House" communicated well, laughing off the pizza jokes thrown at him by his rivals and catching the attention of observers, including the Republican strategist Joe Watkins.
HERMAN CAIN: Herman Cain won the straw poll in Florida, maybe the most important state in any presidential election, so he's not to be taken lightly here.
JANE COWAN: But Rick Perry is a strong fundraiser, collecting more than $17 million in his first seven weeks on the campaign trail. Political commentator Jonathan Alter says you shouldn't assume it's over for the Texan.
JONATHAN ALTER: Perry seemed kind of low energy again. He didn't completely stink up the joint the way he did the last time and fall on his face, but he also didn't do himself any good. I think people who write him off at this point though are being premature because … Ed you know this, the process does not allow a static campaign; there will have to be some kind of rival to Romney who will emerge. So Perry will get another look.
JANE COWAN: And there's always another debate around the corner. The next contest is scheduled for next week.
News By:
abc.net.au
It's one of the most pressing problems for the United States.
This debate was seen as the last chance for the Texas governor Rick Perry to redeem himself after a series of missteps.
North America correspondent Jane Cowan reports.
JANE COWAN: If it was Rick Perry's "now or never" moment, the Texas governor's candidacy could officially be in trouble.
The governor was all but invisible, not speaking for half an hour after his first answer. When he did it was to give meandering responses that deferred a detailed economic plan in a debate focused solely on the economy.
RICK PERRY: I'm not going to lay it out all for you tonight. Mitt's had six years to be working on a plan; I've been in this for about eight weeks. But clearly, we're going to be focused on initially the energy industry in this country and making America again independent and clearly the place where domestic energy needs to be produced from.
JANE COWAN: The Republican frontrunner, the former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney went into the debate on a high, having won the endorsement of the New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who only ruled himself out of contention last week.
An influential voice in the Republican Party, Christie flew into New Hampshire to make the announcement standing by Romney's side.
CHRIS CHRISIE: I'm here in New Hampshire today for one simple reason, American cannot survive another four years of Barack Obama and Mitt Romney is the man we need to lead America and we need him now; so that's why I'm here.
(cheers and applause)
JANE COWAN: And on the debate stage, Mitt Romney successfully hammered his economic credentials.
MITT ROMNEY: I'd be prepared to be a leader. You can't get the country to go in the right direction and get Washington to work if you don't have a president that's a leader. I'm not going to have to call up Timothy Geitner and say how does the economy work? Because I spent my life in the economy. I spent my entire career working in the private sector starting businesses, helping turn around businesses, sometimes successfully and sometimes not.
JANE COWAN: But perhaps most notably, the former Godfather's pizza executive Herman Cain, who initially was seen as a second tier candidate but who's since surged in the polls, managed to commandeer a significant amount of air time explaining his economic vision.
HERMAN CAIN: The difference between the 999 plan and the other plans that are being proposed is that they pivot off of the existing Tax Code. We've had an outside firm, independent firm dynamically score it, and so our numbers will make it revenue neutral.
JANE COWAN: Cain, who's combining campaigning with a tour to promote his book, called "This is Herman Cain: My Journey to the White House" communicated well, laughing off the pizza jokes thrown at him by his rivals and catching the attention of observers, including the Republican strategist Joe Watkins.
HERMAN CAIN: Herman Cain won the straw poll in Florida, maybe the most important state in any presidential election, so he's not to be taken lightly here.
JANE COWAN: But Rick Perry is a strong fundraiser, collecting more than $17 million in his first seven weeks on the campaign trail. Political commentator Jonathan Alter says you shouldn't assume it's over for the Texan.
JONATHAN ALTER: Perry seemed kind of low energy again. He didn't completely stink up the joint the way he did the last time and fall on his face, but he also didn't do himself any good. I think people who write him off at this point though are being premature because … Ed you know this, the process does not allow a static campaign; there will have to be some kind of rival to Romney who will emerge. So Perry will get another look.
JANE COWAN: And there's always another debate around the corner. The next contest is scheduled for next week.
News By:
abc.net.au
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