GOP Debate in S.C. Gets Testy

By Newsroom America Staff at 17 Jan 2012

(Newsroom America) -- Republican rivals to GOP presidential frontrunner Mitt Romney took every opportunity in Monday night's debate in South Carolina to jab at him before voters head to the polls there in next week's primary.

It was perhaps the liveliest of the debates so far, with each of his opponents doing their best to hammer him on issue after issue, in an attempt to peel away enough of his support to move up in the polls.

Rick Perry and Newt Gingrich hammered Romney over his record at Bain Capital, a private equity firm, while Rick Santorum hit Romney for refusing to stand up a super PAC supporting him. Perry went on to demand that Romney release his tax records before week's end.

The spirited attacks could be in vain, however. Prior to the debate, which was sponsored by Fox News, some surveys had Romney leading by 21 points over his next closest rivals.

If he wins South Carolina, Romney will have captured all of the first three nominating contests, and his place as the eventual Republican nominee will be all but assured.

Only five candidates - Romney, Gingrich, Perry, Santorum and Texas Congressman Ron Paul - remain in the race.

Despite the assault, Romney made it clear he was the frontrunner, letting moderators know he would be taking more time than allowed to respond to an inquiry.

Perry was direct in pressing Romney to release his tax returns, something the former Massachusetts governor said he would likely do in April, when he files his 2011 tax return.

Later, Paul criticized U.S. foreign policy, and received some of the loudest boos of the night.

"Just because you spend a million dollars on an embassy bigger than the Vatican - You consider that defense spending. I consider that waste," Paul said, as one member of the raucous audience shouted, "Go home!"

"We constantly bomb these nations and we wonder why they get upset with us?” Paul continued. "It’s war mongering. They’re building us up for another war against Iran, and people can’t wait."

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