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Hours before Floridians cast their ballots in the 2012 Republican presidential primary, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney finds himself with a double-digit lead over former House speaker Newt Gingrich.

According to the RealClearPolitics average, Romney leads with 41.6 percent as Gingrich trails with 29.1 percent. Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum places third with 12.8 percent, with Texas Congressman Ron Paul in fourth with 10.1 percent.

Romney's turnaround comes on the heels of a very difficult week for Gingrich, who held the lead with 37.7 percent a week ago.

--Brandon De Hoyos, Guide to IM

Romney Leads in Florida originally appeared on About.com Conservative Politics: U.S. on Monday, January 30th, 2012 at 21:57:28.

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The search for a conservative alternative to Mitt Romney has former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum moving ahead to South Carolina just one day after his disappointing fifth-place finish in the first-in-the-nation New Hampshire primaries.

Santorum, who finished with a close second in the Iowa Caucuses Jan. 3, trailed former House Speaker Newt Gingrich by 49 votes Tuesday.

Polls show Santorum ahead of the pack in the Palmetto State, trailing Romney in second with Gingrich behind with a close third, according to the RealClearPolitics average, released prior to the N.H. primary results.

Whereas Santorum relied on a 99-county strategy to nearly take the Iowa Caucuses, television now becomes a huge part of his strategy with the average viewer expected to see a Santorum ad up to 10 times before the primary.

The Santorum campaign announced it had raised over $3 million since Iowa, and are nearing the completion of a $1 million money bomb to fund their South Carolina activities. Donors have contributed over $896,000 since Jan. 9, as of press time.

Meanwhile, Texas Gov. Rick Perry's South Carolina fundraising appears to have stalled, with just under $250,000 in contributions to report as of press time. But, that hasn't deterred Perry, who has counted the Palmetto State as part of a strategy to win the south, from modifying their website flag to mirror the South Carolina flag.

Perry took sixth place in N.H. Tuesday, with 1 percent of the vote.

--Brandon De Hoyos, Guide to IM

Can Santorum Regain Momentum in the Palmetto State? originally appeared on About.com Conservative Politics: U.S. on Wednesday, January 11th, 2012 at 17:56:10.

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New Hampshire primary voters delivered another first-place victory to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney tonight, as Texas Congressman Ron Paul holds on to defend his territory as the conservative alternative in the GOP presidential race.

With 65 percent of the votes counted as of press time, Romney took 38 percent of the vote to Paul's 24 percent.

Jon Huntsman, former Utah Gov. and Chinese ambassador to the Obama administration, came in third with 17 percent; former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, fresh from his Iowa second-place win, slides to fourth at 10 percent, with former House speaker Newt Gingrich trailing by a few hundred votes.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who did not contest N.H., polled sixth with a single percent.

Huntsman's gain on Santorum, clearly the benefit of both a strong ground campaign in the Granite State and the deflation of Gingrich's campaign, did not sidetrack the Pennsylvania conservative.

"We will go on to win South Carolina," a beaten Santorum said. "We have an opportunity to be the true conservative not just to win this race, and we can win this race, but to be the conservative who understands at the foundation of our country are institutions which are crucial for us to be a successful nation."

Family and a government which "creates a playing field" for all Americans to be successful, just two of the institutions Santorum said he'd champion as president.

All candidates vowed to continue to the South Carolina primary, set for Jan. 21.

--Brandon De Hoyos, Guide to IM

Romney, Paul Take N.H. originally appeared on About.com Conservative Politics: U.S. on Tuesday, January 10th, 2012 at 22:15:17.

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As voters in the Granite State are casting ballots in the first-in-the-nation New Hampshire primary, the stage is being set for a battle between former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Texas Congressman Ron Paul for the nomination.

As I've said before, Jon Huntsman won't win, but the media continues to spin yarn about a potential victory for the former Utah governor and Chinese ambassador in New Hampshire today. Even if he takes second, it does little to change the fact that Paul has positioned himself as the anti-Romney.

The RealClearPolitics average has Romney clearly in first at 37.5 percent, with Congressman Paul in the driver's seat for second at 17.5 percent.

But, the independent-streak which flows throughout the veins of Granite State voters is unpredictable, and Huntsman could very well take the day. But, then again, so can Paul, strengthened by a growing base of support much expanded and organized since the 2008 election.

If Huntsman takes New Hampshire's second place spot, the result of a good showing at the ABC News/Yahoo Republican Debate and an investment of more time than any other candidate in the state, expect it to be his fifteen minutes in the spotlight.

If Ron Paul takes New Hampshire, a real conversation should take place (but likely won't) about coalescing behind the Texan as the conservative choice in this election.

Unreported by most media outlets, Huntsman failed to make ballot in Arizona, Illinois, nor Virginia. A win tonight gives him a momentary bump in media coverage, but will result as it will for former Senator Rick Santorum: a few more dollars, but with fewer delegates, no chance of winning the nomination unless something catastrophic occurs with Romney's bid.

Speaking of Iowa's big surprise soon overshadowed, Santorum launched a New Hampshire Money Bomb Jan. 8, looking to grab $1 million as his campaign heads into South Carolina to battle with Texas Gov. Rick Perry. While pre-money bomb, Santorum quipped at a campaign stop that the campaign had raised 50 percent of its war chest within days of taking second in Iowa, he has seen less than $225,000 come in during the fundraising period, as of press time.

Paul, by comparison, is the founder and king of the money bomb, hitting $1 million in less than a day multiple times in his campaign. His latest money bomb raised $6 million in just under a week.

The congressman also enjoys the ballot access Huntsman and others do not, with he and Romney being the only candidates currently slated for the Virginia ballot, pending a court hearing on Gov. Perry's behalf.

It's abundantly clear to me this race comes down to Romney and Ron Paul. Thoughts?

--Brandon De Hoyos, Guide to IM

Media Spins Wheels for Huntsman, But It's Romney v. Ron Paul originally appeared on About.com Conservative Politics: U.S. on Tuesday, January 10th, 2012 at 12:16:25.

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For viewers hoping for fireworks at the ABC News/Yahoo Republican Debate in New Hampshire, there were none to be found. The status quo remains.

What started as a brisk race to take Romney and Santorum down at the knees ended exactly where it started: Romney and Paul showing their mettle as first and second place in the polls, with Santorum working to gain on the frontrunners in Manchester.

In perhaps his best debate in the race, former Gov. Jon Huntsman smacked Romney on how to deal with the fragile relationship between America and China, the most effective shot at the former Massachusetts governor of the evening. But, maybe, too little too late for Huntsman.

Former Speaker Gingrich showed his prowess as a historian with the fire of a candidate trying to work his way back to the forefront, but largely failed tonight. His jabbing of moderator George Stephanopoulos over anti-Christian sentiment from the media in the midst of a line of lengthy questioning on gay rights and contraceptives was a real win among evangelicals, but likely won't propel him in independent-minded New Hampshire.

Gov. Perry's performance was lackluster, as with most of his debate showings in this race, and it certainly didn't help his chances in Tuesday's contest.

This leaves Romney and Paul, who both defended their territory the way they know how; Romney answered attacks with the gait of a polished candidate, while Paul brought experience as one of the most libertarian Republicans since Barry Goldwater. Both were effective and come away unscathed.

--Brandon De Hoyos, Guide to IM

Romney, Paul Win in ABC News/Yahoo Republican Debate originally appeared on About.com Conservative Politics: U.S. on Saturday, January 7th, 2012 at 22:58:53.

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For the final question in the ABC News/Yahoo New Hampshire Republican Debate, moderator Diane Sawyer asked the candidates if they weren't at the forum tonight, where would they rather spend their time on a Saturday night.

While Gov. Perry said he'd rather be taking shots on the gun range than having shots taken at him, is neighbor from Texas, Congressman Ron Paul, said he'd spend time with his family or "if they went to bed early, maybe read an economics textbook."

Sharing in the family time was former Chinese Ambassador and Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who said he'd be on the phone with his two sons currently serving in the U.S. Navy.

While Santorum, Romney and Gingrich agreed a championship football game would be good viewing, Gingrich flubbed calling it a "basketball" game before being quickly corrected by Gov. Romney.

--Brandon De Hoyos, Guide to IM

ABC News/Yahoo New Hampshire GOP Debate: On a Saturday Night... originally appeared on About.com Conservative Politics: U.S. on Saturday, January 7th, 2012 at 22:47:51.

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10:12 p.m.: "There are things government can do to encourage an economy, and that's invest in infrastructure," Romney said. "But, fundamentally, what creates jobs is not government. It taxes too much, it regulates too much...we have a president who has a very European view, and that would kill the rights of Americans to provide for their future."

10:14 p.m.: "You cannot compete with China in the long run if you do not have the infrastructure," Gingrich said. "I would have an energy program to take us off our dependency [on foreign oil]."

10:15 p.m.: Huntsman said we need to fix the tax code in order to stimulate confidence in the "creative class" in our country.

10:17 p.m.: "Thirty-five percent corporate tax, the highest in the world," hurts American productivity, Santorum said. "It is government taxation, eliminating the corporate tax. I would repeal every one of [Obama's new] regulations."

10:18 p.m.: "Government at all levels consumed 27 percent of our economy during the time of John Adams," Romney said. "Now it consumes almost all our economy. The people that have been hurt in the Obama economy is the middle class. Simplifying the code and broadening the base is the way to go on the tax code, and lets get some relief for middle Americans."

10:20 p.m.: "It's to restore America to our principles," Paul said, on his plan to turn America around. "This is the reason I call for cutting spending. You have to have real cuts. That is what the Republican Party used to stand for. We did it in the depression, and it is only going to end until we understand we have to cut spending."

10:22 p.m.: "We are sitting on 300 years of energy," Perry said, before advocating for opening natural resources open in the U.S. to help make America independent from foreign oil and help pay off the deficit.

--Brandon De Hoyos, Guide to IM

ABC News/Yahoo New Hampshire GOP Debate: On Infrastructure originally appeared on About.com Conservative Politics: U.S. on Saturday, January 7th, 2012 at 22:24:34.

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9:54 p.m.: "I don't want to be nation-building in southwest Asia when there is so much to do here," Huntsman said.

9:55 p.m.: "If I am president, I will inform myself based on the experiences of our people on the ground," Romney said. "But, I don't want to do anything to put into jeopardy our successes."

9:56 p.m.: "I think we are asking the wrong questions," Gingrich said. "You have a region-wide crisis which we've been mismanaging and misunderstanding as a military problem. I think we need a fundamentally new strategy for the region...but it is not a primarily military issue."

9:57 p.m.: Santorum said he would not send troops back into Iraq, and that the country needs a leader with vision for the region.

10:00 p.m.: "I would send troops back into Iraq," Perry said. "The idea we allow the Iranians to come back into Iraq...with all the blood and money we've spent there so the president can kowtow to his liberal friends..." is a poor idea.

10:01 p.m.: Romney said a trigger for sending troops back in would be "a very high hurdle," with significant American interests at stake, and would require greater communication between the president and the American people. "The president didn't do that with Libya, he didn't do that anywhere."

10:02 p.m.: "I don't want Iran to get a nuclear weapon. We would have saved ourselves a lot of grief if we went to war through the proper manner...but we went into Afghanistan, we went into Iraq, and now we went into Pakistan. Now they want to go into Syria," Paul, on his foreign policy views. "Sanctions always lead up to war, and this just pushed Iran into the Chinese hands. This will have a lot of consequences."

10:04 p.m.: "The Iranian people have taken to the streets repeatedly to overthrow their government...and [the president] tacitly supported the results of the election" of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Santorum said, adding, "Obviously, a Chicago politician."

--Brandon De Hoyos, Guide to IM

ABC News/Yahoo New Hampshire GOP Debate: On War originally appeared on About.com Conservative Politics: U.S. on Saturday, January 7th, 2012 at 22:07:32.

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9:37 p.m.: "I can't imagine a state banning contraception," Romney said, asking about Santorum's policy of giving states the right to ban contraceptives. "We could ask our constitutionalist. (looks at Ron Paul, to laughs) I believe the law of the land is as spoken by the Supreme Court, and if we disagree as I have before on a few issues...we have an amendment process. We should have a federal mandate that marriage is between a man and a woman."

9:40 p.m.: Ron Paul said the fourth amendment is very clear on the matter. "This is why the Patriot Act is wrong...as far as selling contraceptives, the Interstate Commerce clause has this."

9:42 p.m.: "I sort of agree with Gov. Romney's legal assessment," Santorum said, "I am for overturning Roe v. Wade. I don't think we have the right to take a human life."

9:43 p.m.: "It is a huge jump from being considerate and concerned" to allowing gay marriage, said Gingrich. "Simply deciding it applies everywhere and it's a civil right, it's not."

9:44 p.m.: Huntsman said he supports civil unions and equality under the law. "I believe it brings a level of dignity to relationships," he said, "and states should be able to have this conversation."

9:45 p.m.: "This isn't a federal issue, but a state issue," said Santorum, on same-sex adoption. "I believe marriage itself is a federal issue...and we need to have a singular law on this issue. If we don't have a federal law, I am certainly not going to have a federal law on same-sex adoption if it isn't a federal issue." He went on to say if the constitution is between a man and a woman, gay couples "would not be married."

9:47 p.m.: "That's a wonderful thing to do," Romney said, about gay couples, "but they don't have to call it marriage. There can be domestic partnership benefits or contractual relationships. But to say marriage is anything different than between a man and a woman is a mistake. Not that we want to discriminate against anyone...the nation would be better off if children are raised in a place where there is a male and a female."

9:48 p.m.: "I just want to raise an issue about media bias," Gingrich interrupted. "There is a lot more anti-Christian bigotry going on in the news media today than there is about these issues."

9:50 p.m.: Romney said he agreed with Gingrich, having seen increased scrutiny on Catholic charities placing children for adoption in Massachusetts. "Three-thousand years of human history shouldn't be discarded," he said.

9:51 p.m.: "I essentially have, because I don't like absolutes," Paul said, about running as a third-party candidate. "But, I don't know why someone can't reserve a judgement and see how things turn out. I'd like to see changes where they talk a little different about foreign policy... we haven't talked even one minute about cutting spending." Paul said he wants to cut $1 trillion in his first year as president, should he win. "Catching up to Mitt every single day!"

9:52 p.m.: "I am for a constitutional amendment that marriage is between a man and a woman, but this administration's war on religion is a problem," Perry said.

--Brandon De Hoyos, Guide to IM

ABC News/Yahoo New Hampshire GOP Debate: On Gay Marriage, Contraception originally appeared on About.com Conservative Politics: U.S. on Saturday, January 7th, 2012 at 21:54:57.

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9:29 pm: When asked about the 20-year-old newsletters published under Ron Paul's name, which had allegedly racist and homophobic themes, the congressman said, "One of my heroes is Martin Luther King, because he practiced the libertarian policy of peaceful resistance. I am the only one up here and in the Democratic Party that understand...blacks are arrested way disproportionally...go on death row way disproportionally...if we truly want to be concerned about racism, we ought to be concerned about those issues."

--Brandon De Hoyos, Guide to IM

ABC News/Yahoo New Hampshire GOP Debate: Ron Paul and Racism originally appeared on About.com Conservative Politics: U.S. on Saturday, January 7th, 2012 at 21:33:01.

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9:22 p.m.: "We have a president who had no experience in leadership. He never led a business, never led a state...and he has made one error after another on foreign policy," Romney said. "Who has the capacity to lead? Who has integrity? Any one of these people would do a better job than Obama as president."

9:24 p.m.: Perry said his military service as a pilot brings a lot of knowledge about leadership. "Iran is a big problem, but this president with this military budget" is going to harm this country. "This will put American freedom in jeopardy."

9:25 p.m.: Gingrich said he grew up in a military family, and that he "feels for veterans." Advocated expanding health coverage for Manchester veterans.

9:26 p.m.: "I think people who don't serve when they could, getting three, four or five deferments, should not have the right to send our kids off to war. The veterans [coming home] is a big problem...because we have hundreds of thousands looking for care," Paul said. The congressman said if the country had not been fighting unconstitutional wars, the country would be financially fit to help the service men.

9:28 p.m.: "Dr. Paul has a long history of saying things that are inaccurate and false," Gingrich said. "I think I have a very good idea of what its like to worry whether your father will come home, and I resent that."

--Brandon De Hoyos, Guide to IM

ABC News/Yahoo New Hampshire GOP Debate: Foreign Policy originally appeared on About.com Conservative Politics: U.S. on Saturday, January 7th, 2012 at 21:30:11.

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9:02 p.m.: "I'm an optimist, and I certainly hope [job creation] turns around...but [recent positive job numbers] are not because of President Obama," former Massachusetts Gov. Romney said. "It's like the rooster trying to take credit for the sun rising."

9:03 p.m.: Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum says Iran is the most pressing issue America is facing today. "If they cross us, they should fear us." The former Pennsylvania senator then calls Romney out, labeling him a "manager" rather than a leader, with his record in the private sector.

9:04 p.m.: "I think people who spend all their life in Washington don't understand what really happens in the economy," Romney rebutted. "I wish people in Washington had the experience of working in the real economy first..."

9:05 p.m.: "I am not nearly as enamored of a Wall Street Model," former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said, in response to Romney's ambitious past at Bain Capitol. "The governor has every right to defend that."

9:08 p.m.: Romney said, in his defense, "this is a free enterprise system, and we don't need government to come and tell us how business is supposed to work."

9:09 p.m.: "I think it is fair to have a conversation in this country about someone's record," former Ambassador and Gov. Jon Huntsman said. "But, it goes beyond the private sector. I've been a governor. Mitt's been a governor." Huntsman said their gubernatorial records are a better indicator of how a candidate might perform as president.

9:11 p.m.: "I actually think it is helpful to have people who've had a job in the private sector," Romney said. "I think now, given what America is facing globally...you need to have someone who knows how that economy works at a close level. This is different than having a president who does not understand job creation."

9:11 p.m.: Texas Congressman Ron Paul says Santorum is a "big government spending individual," and that he voted against Right to Work. "He became a high-powered lobbyist in Washington D.C. We checked out on Newt on his income, we should check out how much he's made as well."

9:13 p.m.: Santorum says he believes government has a responsibility to represent the interest of their state. "I don't apologize for that, like you didn't when you earmarked things as you did for your constituents in Texas." Santorum also said he is a "cause guy," working at the Ethics and Policy Center writing about Iran, working on health care outside the Senate.

9:15 p.m.: "The big difference between how I voted and the senator voted is I always voted against the spending," Paul said. "You are a big spender, that is all there is to it, you are a big government Republican."

9:16 p.m.: "I think you've seen a good example of why I got in this race," Texas Gov. Rick Perry said. "We have to nominate someone who can beat Barack Obama, who can get the Tea Party behind them and stop the corrupt spending going on...they want someone who has a record of executive governing experience as I do. That is a record the American people are looking for, and an outsider not corrupted by the process." Perry then called Paul a hypocrite on earmark spending.

9:18 p.m.: Paul said he believes Congress should designate every penny, before returning focus to Santorum, who he said voted five times to raise the debt ceiling in the Senate.

9:19 p.m.: "Every time we tried to tie it to reduced spending," Santorum said.

9:20 p.m.: "It's about leading organizations, leading people and leading vision," Huntsman said, before pointing out Massachusetts was number 47 in budget deficits while he was governor in Utah. "We have got to find somebody who can reform Congress." Huntsman also championed term limits for Congressional representatives.

--Brandon De Hoyos, Guide to IM

ABC News/Yahoo New Hampshire GOP Debate: Target Romney, Santorum originally appeared on About.com Conservative Politics: U.S. on Saturday, January 7th, 2012 at 21:22:44.

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Just 48 hours before the first-in-the-nation New Hampshire Primary, the ABC News/Yahoo Republican Debate pit the likes of Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich, John Huntsman and Rick Perry against each other as they make their final nationally-televised appeal to voters in the Granite State.

The debate was held at the Dana Center at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, NH.

The Republican Candidates:

• Target Romney, Santorum (9:02 p.m. EST)
• Foreign Policy (9:22 p.m.)
• Ron Paul and Racist Newsletters (9:29 p.m.)
• Gay Rights and Contraception (9:37 p.m.)
• On War (9:54 p.m.)
• On Infrastructure (10:12 p.m.)
• On a Saturday Night...

Who Won the Debate? Find out why I think Romney, Paul won the debate.

--Brandon De Hoyos, Guide to IM

ABC News/Yahoo New Hampshire Republican Debate: Full Coverage originally appeared on About.com Conservative Politics: U.S. on Saturday, January 7th, 2012 at 23:00:38.

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With two days left on the clock before the first-in-the-nation New Hampshire primaries, Iowa victor and former Pennsylvania Rick Santorum has surged ahead of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich for a possible third-place finish.

In a primary which has been Mitt Romney's to lose for well over a year, the largely independent voters of the Granite State are split on rewarding the majority of its delegates to their neighbor, the former governor of Massachusetts, according to the RealClearPolitics average.

While Romney has seen a two-point post-Iowa Caucus boost in polls, Santorum has seen the greatest surge from 3.5 percent before the caucus to 10.8 percent hours before the ABC News-Yahoo Republican Debate to be held in Manchester tonight.

Texas Congressman Ron Paul, who defied all conventional Beltway wisdom to come out of Iowa with one of three proverbial tickets forward, is the second choice of those polled, leading Santorum by double-digits with 20.2 percent as the frontrunner for an anti-Romney candidacy.

Unlike Santorum, Paul has seen steady growth in the state for weeks, the beneficiary of both Gingrich's Iowa implosion and a general reluctance of Republican voters to immediately hand the nomination to the more moderate Romney.

A new campaign ad released by Paul in South Carolina seeks to position the congressman as the conservative standard-bearer against Santorum's Washington record, painting the Pennsylvanian as "a corporate lobbyist and Washington politician" with "a record of betrayal."

Santorum responds, however, Paul's foreign policy positions make him a dangerous choice for president.

--Brandon De Hoyos, Guide to IM

Romney, Paul Lead in NH as Santorum Surges to Third originally appeared on About.com Conservative Politics: U.S. on Saturday, January 7th, 2012 at 20:23:06.

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All seven remaining Republican candidates for president appeared together in Iowa for the FOX News Iowa Debate, from Sioux City, Iowa tonight.

The debate featured U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, of Minnesota; former House speaker Newt Gingrich; former ambassador and Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman; U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, of Texas; Texas Gov. Rick Perry; former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney; and former Sen. Rick Santorum, of Pennsylvania.

On Electability

9:02 p.m. - Gingrich says he is similar to Ronald Reagan, and challenges President Obama in seven, three-hour Lincoln-Douglas debates. "I balanced the budget for four straight years--pretty conservative," he said. "First tax cut in 16 years...pretty conservative."

9:06 p.m. - "Fortunately, for the Republican Party, anybody up here could probably beat Obama," Congressman Paul said. "I think the question is, what do we have to offer? I think the important thing is the philosophy I talk about, the Constitution... I see this philosophy as being very electable. It opens up the door for supporting my willingness to cut $1 trillion from the budget my first year."

9:07 p.m. - Santorum says despite being low in poll numbers, he is waiting for Iowans to "catch fire" for him by visiting all 99 counties in the state.

9:09 p.m. - "The American people care very deeply about having a president who can get things right again," Romney said. "I spent my life in the private sector... I can debate President Obama on that understanding."

9:10 p.m. - Bachmann said she's won election four times in a very liberal state, "because people wanted to know who they could trust. They respected that level out authenticity..."

9:12 p.m. - "I am getting where I kind of like these debates," Perry said, "I'll talk about what we've done in the state of Texas... I'll talk about having the type of part-time Congress I think Americans are ready for." Went on to compare himself to Tim Tebow, hoping he is the "Tim Tebow of the Iowa Caucuses."

9:13 p.m. - "I'm not going to contort myself into a pretzel, I'm not going to sign silly pledges," Huntsman said. "We have an economic deficit, and it's going to shipwreck the next generation unless we deal with it, and we have a trust deficit."

On D.C. Culture

9:26 p.m. - "I think the president...is going to go after me saying in businesses I invested in, some failed," Romney said. "In the real world the president hasn't lived in, not every entrepreneur succeeds. In the real world, some things don't make it. I believe I've learned from my mistakes." Romney went on to mention Obama had to close factories when the government took over General Motors.

9:29 p.m. - Ron Paul on Newt Gingrich: "We have a different idea of what private enterprise is."

9:31 p.m. - "We know he cashed paychecks from Freddie Mac, over $1.6 million," Bachmann said. "I am shocked listening to the former speaker of the House defend Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae," defending them. Bachmann says our nominee should be willing to shut programs like these down.

9:34 p.m. - "I only chose to work with people whose values I shared," Gingrich said, continuing that he agreed homeownership was important for Americans.

9:38 p.m. - Paul on Earmarks: "If the government takes money from you...we have every right to apply for them to come back [to our district.] The Congress has an obligation to earmark every penny. When you don't vote for the earmarks, the money goes into the slush fund and the executive branch uses it." Congressman Paul also says he has never voted for an earmark. "I would be a different kind of president--I wouldn't be looking for more power."

9:40 p.m. - "The issue we ought to be talking about is how you overhaul Washington D.C.," Perry said. "I call for a part-time Congress, cut their pay in half, cut their time in Washington in half. We do that and you pass a balanced budget amendment." Perry says Congress should work 140 days every two years, as done with the Texas Legislature.

9:43 p.m. - Huntsman says diplomacy is necessary in the United States-China relationship to build shared values. "As president of the United States, I would drive that home and make it a relationship that would work."

9:44 p.m. - Santorum, on Tax Holidays: "If money has been made overseas, it can come back at a 5.5 percent rate... we need to cut the corporate tax. Why? There is a 20 percent tax deferential between us and [other nations]."

9:47 p.m. - Romney says manufacturing, high-tech and energy jobs will increase over the next 10 years. "This is going to be an American century," he said.

The Judiciary

9:48 p.m. - Gingrich, on subpoenaing judges: "We do not have a judicial dictatorship in this country," he said. "Jefferson himself was asked, 'Is the Supreme Court Supreme?' and he said it would be absurd, that would be an oligarchy."

9:50 p.m. - Bachmann, on if the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals should be abolished: "Are the courts following the Constitution or are they following the Constitution? I would agree with Newt Gingrich that the Congress and the President have failed to take their authority. The intention of the founding fathers was for the courts to be the least powerful branch."

9:52 p.m. - "The proper procedure is impeachment, but to subpoena judges before Congress, I really question that," Paul said. "If you just say, well, there are 10 courts, let's get rid of three, I think it opens a can of worms and could lead to trouble. But to subpoena judges, that's not very constitutional."

9:54 p.m. - "As many as half of the justices in our courts will be appointed by the next president," Romney said. "The only people with less credibility than some of these judges is Congress...they shouldn't be overseeing this process."

9:55 p.m. - Santorum said he is the only one who has actually changed the courts, fighting in Iowa.

9:56 p.m. - Lifetime terms for judges should be changed, Perry said.

9:56 p.m. - "They are all good and all bad," Paul said, on favorite Supreme Court justices.

Foreign Policy

10:02 p.m. - "For you to say there is scientific evidence that maybe in a year, Iran would have a weapon, the U.N. says...it isn't going to happen," Paul said. "I would say the greatest danger is overreacting. There is no evidence they have them. We should not sit and think we need to jump the gun...we don't need another war."

10:06 p.m. - Santorum: "The IEDs which have killed so many soldiers, they came from Iran...they are a radical theocracy." Challenged Congressman Paul that the objective of Iran is to create calamity and to take on the west. "They hate us because of who we are."

10:08 p.m. - "A strong America is the best ally peace has ever known," Romney said. "We had a spy drone go down in Iran, and this president says, 'Pretty please'? Thinking some how we appease...the tyrants of the world, he's wrong. We need to rebuild our Navy, and go from 9 ships to 15...a strong military does not create war."

10:10 p.m. - Bachmann, on end of Iraq War: "Clearly, the biggest mistake President Obama has made is the decision he made on the Iraq. He is choosing, intentionally, to lose the peace." She then went on to say, "With all due respect to Ron Paul, I don't think I've heard a more dangerous foreign policy than what we just heard."

10:12 p.m. - "Obviously, I would like to see a lot less nuclear weapons, but to declare war on 1.2 billion Muslims and to say all Muslims are the same is dangerous," Paul said. "That is absurd. They come here and they want to do us harm because we're bombing them. Why were we flying the drone over Iran? Why do we have to have 900 bases in 130 countries? I think this wild goal to have another war in the name of defense is the dangerous thing, the danger is us over-reacting."

10:13 p.m. - "The problem would be the greatest underreaction in history," Bachmann said. "...Iran is within months of getting a weapon..."

10:14 p.m. - "There is no evidence," Paul shot back. "If she thinks we live in a dangerous world...she better think about Cuba. You are trying to dramatize this...you cannot solve these problems with war!"

10:15 p.m. - Gingrich, on the United Nations: "You think if we had 11 missiles fired at the U.S., this president would just say, 'Gee, maybe we could talk to them.' As Congresswoman Bachmann pointed out, she was over there and found textbooks...which promoted terrorism...we ought to radically fix or cut what we're paying."

10:16 p.m. - Huntsman said he hates the anti-Americanism and anti-semitism in the U.N. "We need a foreign policy which recognizes our need to strength the core at home. Our country is weak, our economy" is terrible. "Second of all, I want a foreign policy driven by economics first."

10:18 p.m. - Perry: "I have already called for a no-fly zone over Syria. They are Iran's partner, they are attached at the hip. We need to stand firm with our ally, Israel, in the region, and this president has bungled our response. This is the most muddled form of foreign policy I have ever seen."

Energy Issues

10:23 p.m. - "I want to get rid of the heroin-like addiction on important oil," Huntsman said. "In order to get where  we need to be, we need a better relationship with Canada...it is completely within our grasp."

10:24 p.m. - Bachmann, on BP shutdown: "What we needed to do was find out the true cause of the problem," and the president put his re-election ahead of this issue. "We would have put Keystone on line immediately [if I was president]."

10:26 p.m. - Perry, on a 2003 bill which favored oil industry: "Today is the 220th anniversary of the signing of the Bill of Rights, and one of those, the 10th Amendment, I like a lot. It should be in the purview and decision making process of a state to make tax policies which make them competitive."

The Border and Immigration

10:32 p.m. - Perry, on calls for Attorney General Holder's resignation over 'Fast and Furious': "If I am president of the United States, and I find out there is an operation like 'Fast and Furious' and my attorney general didn't know about it, I'd have him resign immediately," he said. "We had the president come to Texas and say our border with Mexico is safer than it has ever been. I have dealt with this issue for 11 years... it is not safe there, our country is at jeopardy. If we are going to protect our country [from terrorists]...it is time for this country to have a conversation about having a new Monroe Doctrine."

10:34 p.m. - "This president has ignored this threat," Santorum said.

10:35 p.m. - Romney, on immigrants needing to leave country before becoming legal: "We are going to have an identification, with bio-information on it, and when they show that card, the employers will have to determine if the card is valid or not. We need to tell them they aren't going to be able to work here or live here...[unless they] get in the back of line" of those who tried to come here legally.

10:37 p.m. - Gingrich says he has disagreed some with Romney, and that some exceptions should be necessary, such as persons here illegally 25 years or longer.

10:38 p.m. - Huntsman says the Republican candidate must speak to Hispanics about their values, not pander. "The number [of illegal immigrants coming to America] is the lowest in four decades," he said.

Abortion, Gay Rights, Guns

10:40 p.m. - "I am firmly in support of people not being discriminated against because of their sexuality," Romney said, adding he believes marriage is between one man and one woman. Romney also said he has changed his past position on abortion. "I am firmly pro-life."

10:43 p.m. - Santorum, on Gov. Romney's change of heart: "Gov. Romney was faced with a Supreme Court decision which said traditional marriage was unconstitutional. In the Massachusetts constitution, it says only the governor and legislature can change the law." Romney ordered the courts to offer marriage certificates, Santorum said, and that he wouldn't have.

10:45 p.m. - Romney says he led an effort to overturn the court's decision. "I fought it every way I could, fighting for a federal amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman. That has always been my position."

10:46 p.m. - Bachmann, on Gingrich's position on when life begins: "When Speaker Gingrich was in the House, he had a choice to defund Planned Parenthood, and he wouldn't take it... he would campaign for Republicans for partial birth abortion. This is something we can't get wrong."

10:48 p.m. - "I think my position on life has been very clear, and very consistent," Gingrich said.

10:48 p.m. - "I think it is outrageous to say in every debate I don't have my facts right," Bachmann said, "because I do. What virtue is there in tolerating infanticide?"

10:49 p.m - "What I said was I wasn't going to purge Republicans," Gingrich said. "I have consistently been against partial-birth abortion."

On Talking Against Republicans

10:50 p.m. - Santorum says we have a need to vet the Republican nominee, because "let me assure you, the other side is going to kick very hard..."

10:51 p.m. - Perry: "If you don't get your tail kicked every now and then, it means you aren't playing at a high enough level."

10:51 p.m. - "We can handle it," Romney said. "It's President Obama we need to be talking about. He is not the right person to lead this country."

10:52 p.m. - Gingrich said he's talked about big solutions and consistently said all these candidates are his friends. "Our only opponent is Barack Obama, and beating him is collectively what we need to do."

10:52 p.m. - Paul: "I don't like the demagouging and taking things out of context."

--Brandon De Hoyos, Guide to IM

FOX News Iowa Debate: Moments & Mishaps originally appeared on About.com Conservative Politics: U.S. on Thursday, December 15th, 2011 at 21:02:22.

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All seven remaining Republican candidates for president will appear together in Iowa tonight for the FOX News Iowa Debate, from Sioux City, Iowa. The debate will air on FNC at 9 p.m. EST, and will feature U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, of Minnesota; former House speaker Newt Gingrich; former ambassador and Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman; U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, of Texas; Texas Gov. Rick Perry; former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney; and former Sen. Rick Santorum, of Pennsylvania.

The U.S. Conservative Politics blog at About.com will be live-blogging the night's top moments and spills. Stay tuned.

--Brandon De Hoyos, Guide to IM

FOX News Iowa Debate Tonight originally appeared on About.com Conservative Politics: U.S. on Thursday, December 15th, 2011 at 00:24:51.

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I wish to apologize to the supporters of Ron Paul for the media's wholesale disregard of the congressman from Texas. I know this is happening, because I used to be one of them doing it.

Despite being taught objectivity and fairness, two journalistic doctrines which are more often than not left behind these days, I made a conscious choice to let 2008 pass without ever giving a passing glance at the representative who lives just up the road from me here in Houston.

As a conservative, I let 2008 pass without considering just what that word--conservatism--actually means.

In 2011, I won't make the same mistakes again.

The documentation of Ron Paul's rise to this time and occasion and the media's rampant bias against this public servant is already well known. Even when the media is forced to examine this gross negligence, no apologies, just more Beltway spin. From the Guardian, in August:

"The Texan libertarian won't win the GOP nomination, but we lose by treating him as a pariah..."

From the Journal Star, on the Illinois Straw Poll last month:

"...it seems much ado about nothing."

And today, from Reuters, in an article about the media's dismissal of his candidacy, despite eclipsing frontrunner Newt Gingrich in Iowa and gaining in New Hampshire:

"Paul, who is making his third bid for the White House, is unlikely to take the nomination."

Even before a single vote has been cast, the media is ready to hand the Republican nomination for president to the likes of proud liberals, one who wanted House Republicans to act like Democrats and another who might as well have had a "D" trailing his proud Massachusetts name.

But, as I am learning, and so many of Paul's grassroots supporters already know, 2011 is different.

After three years of Barack Obama's out of control spending and trillion-dollar deficits (almost three times larger than W. Bush-era deficits), unconstitutional health care mandates and military intervention in Libya, and a House full of Republicans caving on promises made in a banner Tea Party election year, conservatives like you and I--and much of America--grow weary.

And they're responding to Ron Paul, whose integrity as a libertarian Republican is intact, and who even his own competitors are now acknowledging as being right at every turn. This single man, who is so often laughed at and shunned from the spotlight, has predicted so many of our present issues:

• Ron Paul predicted the housing bubble in 2003, five years prior to its collapse.
• Predicted 9/11 when President Bill Clinton bombed Iraq in 1998.
• Predicted Iraq War would be difficult to win, lose focus on al Qaeda.
• Predicted Republicans and Democrats would undermine Constitution for "security" in 2002, and lobbyists would become more powerful than the People.

One of the most essential traits of a leader is vision, the ability to foresee a problem and offer a solution before it has arrived. Congressman Paul is the only Republican candidate who has demonstrated this ability to deliver.

His record is the most conservative in the Republican Party. Ron Paul was a one-person Party of No before it was cool. He voted against the Iraq War Resolution, TARP, raising the deficit ceiling, the Patriot Act, earning him disdain from Republicans. He's the real maverick we could have voted for.

In 2008, I was afraid to pick such an outlier, but it was only because I was too blinded to see the solution rather than acting as part of the problem. I realize my folly now--don't make the same mistake, media and voter alike.

If you are considering adding more Ron Paul coverage, do it--and do it without editorializing. Not only is that responsible and fair journalism, you might actually sell a few more newspapers as a result. Ron Paul voters are some of the most vocal, active, well-researched and thankful bunch you will ever meet, and they consume an awful lot of media.

If you are a undecided voter or unimpressed with the slate of status quo Republicans, consider Congressman Paul. Don't let media coverage or lack thereof sway your decision like I did back then. That's a good way to pick a terrible nominee.

When you vote your conscience rather than the so-called conventional wisdom of the media, America wins.

--Brandon De Hoyos, Guide to IM

Yes, Ron Paul, the Media Has Dismissed You Prematurely originally appeared on About.com Conservative Politics: U.S. on Thursday, December 15th, 2011 at 00:01:02.

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In a night largely expected to be a Gingrich-centered night, the Texas two-some of Rep. Ron Paul and Gov. Rick Perry take home the prize for having the best night in the ABC Yahoo Republican Debate from Des Moines, Iowa.

Paul, who is closing in on second-place former Gov. Mitt Romney in Iowa, was on the offensive tonight as the conservative line attacked Gingrich and Romney for past liberal positions.

In light of the congressman's gains in the Hawkeye State and New Hampshire, the candidates seemed now more willing to accept Paul as a real candidate--and given his pretty unwavering record of libertarian-conservatism--were unable to even question his integrity.

The praise of Perry and Romney for schooling them on the Federal Reserve and how to engage and excite voters will likely resonate for days to come, and could serve very well in both of the first-in-the-nation states as a potential advertisement.

Perry, who has been something of a failure in the debate circuit, had his best evening in the campaign tonight. Without the glare of the front-runner spotlight on him, he was able to launch his own offensive at Romney and Gingrich unlike that seen before.

His jabs on Romney's support for an individual mandate were a direct-hit, and the squabble and rebuttal which followed between the two governors might be the moment of the night. Perry clearly got under Romney's skin, and the audience couldn't help but embrace the embattled Texas governor in those moments.

At the end of the debate, moderator and Good Morning America co-host George Stephanopoulos peppered the team of Newt-Romney, as coined by Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, with additional questions about their support for an individual mandate, illustrating most Americans cannot trust these two, as Perry said.

Despite the Lone Star State's formidable showing tonight, Waterloo's Bachmann may have gotten off with the best line of the night, however, reminiscent of Bill Clinton's best 1992 debate moment in which he connected with economically-challenged Americans:

"We still clip coupons, we still shop at consignment shops," Bachmann said, recalling her childhood growing up with a single mother following her parent's divorce. "I know what it is like to be a single mother."

--Brandon De Hoyos, Guide to IM

Ron Paul, Perry Win ABC/Yahoo Debate in Des Moines originally appeared on About.com Conservative Politics: U.S. on Saturday, December 10th, 2011 at 23:46:59.

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Tonight, ABC News and Yahoo hosted six remaining Republican candidates for president at Drake University, in Des Moines, Iowa. Front-runner and former House speaker Newt Gingrich will face former Gov. Mitt Romney, Texas Congressman Ron Paul, Gov. Rick Perry, Rep. Michelle Bachmann, and former Sen. Rick Santorum.

Here is a transcript of some of the night's best (and worst) moments:

Where is Jon Huntsman?

Former Chinese ambassador and governor of Utah Jon Huntsman, who is polling last according to the RealClearPolitics average, is holding a New Hampshire town hall meeting, according to Salt Lake City's ABC4.

On Jobs

9:04 p.m. - Gingrich says lowering taxes and less regulation will create jobs, and invokes his experience with Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton in his ability to grow jobs in America.

9:06 p.m. - "Their not created in government, they are not created in Washington," Romney said.

9:07 p.m. - Ron Paul emphasizes the need to recognize why we really have an impression--excessive credit and dealing in the Federal Reserve system. "The debt is dumped on the people, and what did we do? We bailed out the people who" caused the issues to begin with. "I would like to cut, in the first year, $1 trillion."

9:08 p.m. - Perry: "Get rid of the regulatory burden that's killing people." Fingers corruption on Wall Street and regulation as the reason for the loss of jobs.

9:10 p.m. - Bachmann says she wants to embrace a pro-growth policy by creating a fairer tax code, making sure "everyone pays something." Legalizing American energy will create 1.5 million jobs, she said, while Obamacare would kill 1.5 million jobs over five years.

9:11 p.m. - "Barack Obama has given us a bevy of regulations that need to be repealed, including many which are driving up our energy costs," Santorum said. Puts emphasis on rural and small-town America in his jobs plan.

Payroll Tax Cut

9:14 p.m. - "We have to pay the Social Security checks that are going out. I am completely different from Barack Obama on this issue. We have candidates on this state who stand with Barack Obama on this issue," Bachmann said, without identifying which candidates side with the president.

9:16 p.m. - "People aren't investing in America because this president has made this country a less attractive place" to invest, Romney said.

9:17 p.m. - "The president of the United States runs around saying the Republicans" are going to harm Social Security, while he hasn't said how he will pay for it, Santorum quips. "You either care about Social Security and you want to pay for it, or you don't."

9:18 p.m. - Paul says he wants to cut hundreds of billions overseas. "American needs to stop being the policeman of the world," he said, adding, "We don't have to raise taxes to pay for Social Security."

Most Consistent Conservative

9:19 p.m. - Romney says he would not support Speaker Gingrich's view of lunar colony development, kids cleaning cafeterias, and siding with Nancy Pelosi on global warming. States he is from the private sector, not a career politician.

9:21 p.m. - "The only reason you didn't become a career politician is because you lost to Teddy Kennedy in 1994," Gingrich shot back.

9:25 p.m. - "We don't need people are lifetime Washington people," Mitt said.

9:26 p.m. - "[Gingrich] has so many issues," Paul said. "He received a lot of money from Freddie Mac... I think this is something that the people need to know about." Paul adds, "I think there would be a little trouble for people to challenge me on consistency."

9:28 p.m. - Bachmann attacks "Newt-Romney" on liberal positions.

9:30 p.m. - "I did no lobbying," Gingrich responds.

9:30 p.m. - "You would have to go back to 1993 to find that Newt advocated for the individual mandate," Bachmann said. "Our nominee is someone who is a stark, distinct difference from Obama who can go toe-to-toe."

9:33 p.m. - "I am stunned, because Michele pretty much hit the nail on the head with the individual mandate and Newt and Mitt Romney," Perry said. "I wish you could have had the conversation with the people of Massachusetts a long time before you would with President Obama, because you are for individual mandates."

9:34 p.m. - Romney says Gingrich was for a federal individual mandate, while his health care plan was created by Massachusetts for Massachusetts. "It is wrong for health care, it is wrong for America and it is unconstitutional," Romney said. "You had a mandate, too," he said, reminding Perry of the HPV mandate he made in Texas.

9:35 p.m. - "In 1993, while I was fighting Hillarycare, the individual mandate" was less polarizing as it is now, Gingrich said.

9:38 p.m. - "Back in 1994, when I was running, Newt, I was a conservative and I did not support the individual mandate... you have since changed your position," Santorum said. The former Pennsylvania congressman said he is able to win more fights than Bachmann has.

On Marital Fidelity

9:49 p.m. - "I have always been of the opinion that if you cheat on your wife, you'd be willing to cheat on your business partners," Perry said. "Individuals who have been in infidelity with their spouse... sends a very powerful message."

9:49 p.m. - Santorum says a person's entire record is important. "I don't think [marital infidelity] is necessary" a campaign-killer, he said.

9:50 p.m. - "I think character is very important," Paul said, "but I don't think we should have to talk about. What is every bit important is our oath-of-office, and I think that is where quite a few people come up real short. If we kept that oath-of-office serious," Paul said we would be in a free and prosperous society.

9:53 p.m. - Bachmann says whether a man or woman will operate with integrity is the most important characteristic of a president, invoking The Federalist Papers. Says she became a Christian at 16 years old.

9:54 p.m. - "I've made mistakes, and I've had to go to God at some times," Gingrich said.

Immigration

9:55 p.m. - Diane Sawyer stipulates they all support securing the U.S. border with Mexico.

9:56 p.m. - Gingrich on Review Board: "I started with cases that are hard to argue about. People who have been her for 25 years, who may belong to your church... I do not believe the people of the United States are going to send the police to rip those people out. We should make deportation dramatically easier," make English the official language, and have a good guest worker program.

9:58 p.m. - "I believe anytime we start talking about a form of amnesty... that they are going to be able to stay here permanently," Romney said, "creating another magnet which will draw them illegally." Romney said we must secure the border first.

10 p.m. - Perry says everything is an intellectual discussion until we secure the border. "If this country would simply enforce the laws on the book," the Texas governor said, "we will have a substantially smaller number of people to make a decision about at that point of time."

On Newt Gingrich's Palestine Comments

10:02 p.m. - Paul said he believes in a non-interventionist foreign policy.

10:05 p.m. - "I happen to agree with much of what the Speaker [Newt Gingrich] says, except that the Palestinians are an invented people," Romney said. "We stand with the Israeli people, we link arms with them."

10:07 p.m. - "I didn't speak for the people of Israel, I spoke as a historian," Gingrich said. "It would be nice for an American to tell the truth about the war there..."

10:11 p.m. - "We have an ally, and the policy of this country should be to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our ally," Santorum said. "Mitt's point was the correct one. We need to be working with our ally."

10:12 p.m. "We have a president with a muddled foreign policy," Perry said. The governor said Newt's comments were becoming an issue exaggerated by the media. Instead, he said Obama's loss of the drone in Iran was more important.

On Personal Financial Strain

10:20 p.m. - Perry talks about the poverty he grew up with, and that luxury "was not in my lexicon."

10:22 p.m. - "I grew up with a dad who was poor," Romney said. "They made sure we had jobs when we were growing up, that we weren't spending foolishly... I am in this race, not because I didn't grow up with means, but because I...understand what it takes to create jobs again."

10:23 p.m. - Paul said he was in a "fairly poor" family during WWII, but did better in medical school because his wife worked for the both of them, to laughs from the audience. "The elimination of the middle class is going to get a lot worse if we continue to overspend, print more money," he said.

10:24 p.m. - Santorum said he grew up in a modest home, and blessed to have a mother and a father. With family breakdown, he said, poverty increases. 40 percent of single-parent homes are in poverty, he said.

10:26 p.m. - "We still clip coupons, we still shop at consignment shops," Bachmann said, remembering how the divorce of her parents and living with a single mother affected the family finances. "I know what it is like to be a single mother."

Individual Mandate Returns

10:30 p.m. - "For the federal government to do it, it is unconstitutional," Gingrich said. "I have been working on health issues since 1974, and I tried to find a way to break out of where we are because the third-party payment program wasn't working. We need to fundamentally re-think" how people are engaged in their own health care.

10:32 p.m. - Ron Paul: "Why should we have a candidate who should have to explain themselves? If you talk about Obamacare using force, but that is all government is is force. Do you have a choice on paying Medicare taxes? You have to stop the force. They have violated our whole concept of... the Constitution."

10:33 p.m. - "I happen to think it's the state's call," Perry said. "Congressman Paul and I disagree from time to time, but Americans are sick of Washington D.C. and the corruption. Washington D.C. is out of touch with the country." Perry said we should move to a part-time Congress, as Texas has with the state legislature, along with a balanced budget amendment.

One Thing You've Learned...

10:40 p.m. - Santorum said he's listened to Newt Gingrich's vision for conservative governance in a tough Pittsburgh congressional district. His conservative roots have distinguished him, he said.

10:42 p.m. - Perry: "Congressman Paul has got me very interested in the Federal Reserve," a subject the governor finds quite interesting. "The people of this country really want to get this country back on track."

10:43 p.m. - "One of the things about Ron Paul I find amazing is all the people holding up Ron Paul signs out there," Romney said. "This is a time America must return to principles and I will help restore it."

10:44 p.m. - Gingrich said Gov. Bransted (R-Iowa) influences him. "Rick Perry got me engaged three years ago about the 10th Amendment in a very big way, and Rick Santorum's consistency on Iran."

10:45 p.m. - "I work from the assumption that freedom brings people together," Paul said. "We shouldn't be fighting among ourselves, or fighting in Washington. If we all take the same oath-of-office, someone is messing up somewhere."

10:46 p.m. - Bachmann says Herman Cain's 9-9-9 plan shows the power of being very plain-spoken. "People were very excited about that plan," she said. "I am going with 'win-win-win' rather than 9-9-9."

--Brandon De Hoyos, Guide to IM

ABC News/Yahoo Iowa Republican Debate: The Candidates, Issues originally appeared on About.com Conservative Politics: U.S. on Saturday, December 10th, 2011 at 21:02:26.

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Donald Trump says he isn't running for president as an independent. But, then again, he said he still might.

Despite dropping a bid for the Republican nomination in May amid equal-time rules which would have prevented The Donald from continuing with his television show, The Apprentice, Trump can't seem to stay out of the spotlight.

But, his reasons likely have little to do with serving our country.

While the business mogul has been tapped to moderate the Newsmax Republican presidential debate in Iowa Dec. 27, Trump's new book, Time to Get Tough: Making America #1 Again, hit bookshelves this morning.

In an email from the "Should Trump Run?" advocacy site, Trump thanked supporters for "continued interest in my potential Presidential Run (sic)," before hawking his new book on Amazon:

"The book is a straight forward and common sense approach to governing...something our current President is lacking. I hope you will enjoy it!"

Whether Trump will enjoy a sales bounce onto the bestsellers lists remains to be seen, but the opportunity is there.

Trump's Celebrity Apprentice garnered a larger-than-expected ratings share as he teased his Republican bid earlier this year.

--Brandon De Hoyos, Guide to IM

Donald Trump Teasing Presidential Run, Media Bites Again originally appeared on About.com Conservative Politics: U.S. on Monday, December 5th, 2011 at 15:46:32.

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