No Holds Barred in South Carolina

January 20, 2012 By 29 Comments

Rick Santorum was on the offensive against all. He went after Romney hard for his health care plan in Massachusetts, saying that he couldn’t debate the President on health care when his own plan inspired ObamaCare. Santorum rattled off a series of claims, such as that 50% of doctors in Massachusetts are not seeing new patients, there are long waits, and that the state has the highest health insurance premium in the country. He also went after Newt Gingrich for his past support of the individual health care mandate and said he fought for health savings accounts “while these two guys were playing footsies with the left.” Romney explained that premiums were that high before his plan was implemented and that the people of Massachusetts favor it by 3-to-1.

The biggest clash of the night was between Santorum and Gingrich. Santorum mentioned that Gingrich experienced a revolt against him during his tenure and that he is undisciplined and accused him of grandiosity. He also alleged that Gingrich was aware of a scandal and chose not to expose it because it might threaten his political ambitions. Santorum said that he doesn’t want a nominee that makes him worry every day about what he’ll say next. Santorum said if he’s the Republican nominee, he’d make Obama the issue. Gingrich defended having grandiose and big ideas. Santorum responded that Gingrich has big ideas but is unable to execute them.

There were some notable exchanges between Gingrich and Romney. Gingrich stood by his criticisms of Romney’s time at Bain Capital, to which Romney indirectly accused him of criticizing capitalism. The two also clashed over Gingrich’s ads that say that RomneyCare provided for taxpayer-funded abortions, which Santorum agreed with. Romney said that a court was responsible for making that happen.

In his sharpest attack on Gingrich, Romney accused him of taking credit for Ronald Reagan’s success. He said that in Reagan’s diary, Gingrich was only mentioned once and it was for a bad idea he proposed. Gingrich claimed that part of the reason for Romney’s success was because of his time in Congress. Romney said that Gingrich shouldn’t take credit for his success because he was only speaker of the House for four years but he was a businessman for 25.

Ron Paul’s main target was Santorum. He criticized him for supporting the Bush Administration’s prescription drug program and for voting against a Right-to-Work bill. At one point, Santorum said that he deserved a response because Paul was referring to him. Paul said that Santorum is “overly sensitive” because he “wasn’t even thinking” about him. Santorum attacked Paul’s pro-life credentials, noting that his Right-to-Life voting record is at 50%, about the same as Harry Reid. Paul argued that this was because he opposed federal anti-abortion laws in favor of state ones because they are constitutional and more effective.

Although Ron Paul criticized overseas military deployments, he carefully avoided making the mistakes he did in previous debates by condemning the raid that killed Bin Laden and asserting that there is “no evidence” that Iran is trying to build a nuclear weapon.

There are only four candidates left. Mitt Romney hopes to lock up the nomination by winning Saturday’s primary. Newt Gingrich hopes to stop him and potentially vanquish Rick Santorum with a come-from-behind victory. Rick Santorum is unlikely to win but has given no indication that he will drop out if he loses the primary. Ron Paul has made it known that, even if he knows he can’t win, he’ll stay in the race until the very end.

The importance of Saturday’s primary is hard to overstate. It will decide whether the race will end early or if Romney has a long-term fight on his hands for the nomination.

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About

Ryan Mauro is a fellow with the Clarionproject.org, the founder of WorldThreats.com and a frequent national security analyst for Fox News Channel. He can be contacted at [email protected]

  • http://www.contextflexed.com Flipside

    Look at you, bitterly, begrudgingly trying to refer to Ron Paul without actually doing it. Such bias.

  • Steve

    Ron Paul is right on many issues but so wrong on others he would destroy America.

    • http://www.contextflexed.com Flipside

      America has already been destroyed. There’s nowhere to go but up.

      • mrbean

        Inspiring commentary from Flipside as usual. In order to go up the removal of the clandestine Muslim chimpout along with his sheboon sow and sowlets from the whitehouse in 2013 is a prerequisite.

        • Brain

          In order to go up one must remove the s#it he's been holding up for so long through reelection.

        • scum

          Careful with the language, Bean.

    • Asher

      Ron Paul is wrong on allowing Radical Islamic regimes to be Left alone as he calls it. We should just allow them to get Nukes simply because they want respect or Nuclear power…If anyone believes this they are extremely naieve. The second point is that Dr. Ron Paul should not be advocating making Crack Cocaine-Herroin legal…Work in an ER and see the destructive effects of this drug, paralysis, stroke, accidents from decreased Motor skills, destroyed lives of families and youths. Does anyone remember the deaths of Janis Joplin, Jimmy Hendricks, John Belushi, Heath Ledger, Michael Jackson, Brittany Murphy, Jeff Conway? Charlie Sheen and Gary Busey are still alive after abuse, What a miracle. This doesn't show character or common sense in Ron Paul and he wants to legalize to gain votes of Addicts and criminals who want to promote it!

  • Steve Chavez

    Newt reamed a big hole in the behind of John King of CNN and their decision to start off the debate with a GOTCHA question. Then King tried to blame it on ABC and Newt showed true anger and got a standing ovation. That's what's needed.

    Newt is a walking encyclopedia.

    Romney is being Presidential and staying calm including with smiles as he's being attacked. Obama's War on Success is going to backfire since it has been the goal of every American, including our Communists, to become successful, richer, and happier. Now the Class Warfare tactic is being used.

    OBAMA'S WAR ON OIL SHOULD BE THE MAIN CAMPAIGN TACTIC. He did NOT approve Keystone and is still blaming the Republicans. I, AND EVERYONE, SHOULD BLAME HIM WHEN WE SEE THE DOLLAR DIAL GOING FASTER THAN THE GALLON DIAL AT THE GAS PUMP! Analysts predict $4 a gallon by spring. WITH LUCK, the price will hit $5 by election time AND OBAMA WILL BE BLAMED! The price of gas makes many of us stay home, no vacations, shopping near home, not going out to eat, staying home, and all this leading to job layoffs at resorts/hotels, eateries, and any tourist spot including DISNEY WORLD WHERE OBAMA, THE TRUE MICKEY MOUSE, WAS A NEW TOURIST PROMOTION PLOY! HIS SPEECHES ARE NOW WRITTEN BY COMEDY WRITERS from Leno, Letterman, Stewart, and Colbert. He's got a line at every event and will try to joke his way to another term when the debates come. He'll be full of one-liners and hopefully the Republican contender is ready to counter with their own. THE REPUBLICAN MUST STAY OFF OF ANY OF THESE COMEDY SHOWS ESPECIALLY SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. STOP TRYING TO BE COOL!

    • Steve Chavez

      JUST HEARD OBAMA SINGING. "HE'S SO COOL." Joking his way through press conferences, speeches, and now singing?

      FIFTY BUCKS THAT NOW HE'S GOING TO GET A RECORDING CONTRACT AND CD COMING OUT IN OCTOBER. "GOES PLATINUM IN ONE DAY."

    • scum

      Yea, sure, blame it on the Dems, rather than the laws passed by Reagan in the 80s that allowed SUV's to be categorized as 'light trucks' as a loophole to avoid laws enacted to guarantee fuel efficiency and clean air. The result over a quarter century is the lossof billions of gallons of a basically non-renewable resource – squandering our children's future for the benefit of large, pompous vehicles that were promoted for their safety. Of course, it turns out that SUV's are killing machines, both for those suffering injury from them, and their notorious instability and predilection for turning over. Sure, blame it on the Dems, if it makes you feel good – never mind Halliburton being sued by BP for destroying the Gulf and the loss of billions more of crude.

      • Stealthen

        Yep, SUV's have brought this country to its knees. Been taken your meds?

      • Stephen_Brady

        I wish the pavement was dry, where I live. I would take the 1969 Superbee Sixpack out of the garage and burn some rubber, and some carbon, just for you! The engine is dyno'd out at 750 hp, and I get 3.5 mpg with it (as long as I don't open up the outer carburetors … and that's the fun of it).

        Unfortunately, the weather is terrible, and I had to drive my SUV to church, this morning. However, I might take a Sunday drive, and burn some more carbon. If it irritates scum … you chose the name … like you, it's worth it ..

  • http://apollospaeks.blogtownhall.com/ ApolloSpeaks

    NEWT'S RONALD REAGAN MOMENT

    Last night Newt Gingrich had his rousing Ronald Reagan (Nashua) moment in one of the most eventual and exciting days in American campaign history where he won a two hour debate in its first five minutes by lashing out at CNN's John King and the despicable Obama lapdog media. And where was our immature, adolescent Mickey Mouse president yesterday? At Disney World's fantasyland wishing upon a star that the American people will give his failed presidency a second term to turn a disastrous, miserable four years into an utter national catastrophe.

  • ObamaYoMoma

    First, the Gingrich campaign coordinates with the Obama White House to launch anti-Capitalist and class warfare attacks against the free market system by going after Mitt Romney and Bain Capital. Next, the Gingrich campaign teams up with the Obama White House again to also collectively attack Romney on taxes and on class warfare again, even though Romney said that when he gets all his ducks in a row he will release his tax return. Yet, it's been nothing but a full court media attack all week long against Romney for what is really a non-issue.

    At the same time, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul both don't know when they are releasing their tax returns, but it isn't an issue for them. It is only an issue with Mitt Romney. Why? Something strange is going on here. Because he happens to be very rich, because Obama wants to face Gingrich with his excess baggage instead of Romney, because Obama can't beat Romney, because Romney needs to be attacked to slow down his momentum, because Romney is against amnesty, because Romney must be stopped at all cost, and even if it takes the media collectively attacking him simultaneously for not releasing his tax return in January as opposed to April? Yeah right…something weird is happening.

    In addition, why must Romney and Romney alone release multiple income tax returns and why is this happening all right before the South Carolina primary – the same primary that is known for picking the eventual winners – when the tax deadline isn't until April15th? Not to mention that the DNC is totally, totally transfixed and focused only on Romney and only Romney alone and is trying to brand him as being a corporate raider. I smell a rat!

    Meanwhile, it was reported on Fox News Sunday that there were some people that appeared in the Gingrich anti-Capitalist attack ad against Romney that have admitted to being paid, and then on Wednesday the 18th Fox's Megyn Kelly also interviews live two additional people that appeared in that Gingrich anti-Capitalist attack ad that said that they were deliberately taken out of context without their knowledge by the maker of the video. Indeed, both of them say they were talking about something else instead of Mitt Romney in the video. In fact, one of them said he was going to vote for Romney, while the other one said he hadn't made up his mind yet.

    Indeed, when I saw that interview live, I thought to myself that there goes Newt Gingrich's campaign down the drain. However, Fox News stuck the interview in a black hole somewhere and never aired it again, at the same time that they joined in the feeding frenzy blowing the Romney tax issue, which is really a non-issue, way out of proportion in order to try to hurt Romney.

    Hence, so much for fair and balanced. It's pretty obvious that Fox New is cooperating with Obama and Newt Gingrich to try to derail Romney's campaign. All may be fair in love and politics in their book, but not in mind. There is some strange shenanigans going on and it is not unnoticeable.

    • scum

      There's 'nothing strange going on,' just the usual baggage of the ultimate insider Mitt Romney's offshore accounts, forcing more of the tax burden on Obamayomama and others. Of course, Gingrich's fortune made from Freddie Mac means, again, more of a tax burden for Obamayomama and others. Have fun folks. One thing is clear, there was no winner in Iowa, only losers, if you get what I mean.

      • ObamaYoMoma

        I see you are also easily manipulated by the lamestream press. You see Mitt Romney's offshore accounts or actually his Cayman Island accounts aren't under his control, because everything he has is in a blind trust. Which is why the lamestream press deliberately mentions it all the time without mentioning the blind trust.

        In any event, I see you are an Obama leftwing supporting loon, because you are trashing Gingrich as well.

        • scum

          I see you're using the term 'lamestream' press in earnest, which speaks volumes. After what Gingrich did in the 90s, it's hard not to trash him. In terms of 'Obama supporting loon,' it seems to me that a hefty percentage of Americans voted for him in the last election. Or did you prefer Bush, who ignored all the 9/11 dots, had us suffer through Katrina, pursued torture in black boxes and elsewhere, set in motion the NSA spying scandal (conservatives, where are you on this stunning govt overreach??), and left us in the largest economic malaise since the Great Depression? Surely a well-meaning conservative like you can see the problem here. You should love Obama – he bailed out all the Republican CEO's, no? Class warfare rhetoric behind which was the biggest bailout for the capitalist class in history. Get your head screwed on right, dude.

          • ObamaYoMoma

            Moonbat….I can't read that crap. You are retarded. You aren't worth a response.

  • mrbean

    It was refreshing to see someone from the leftist media get a bew one ripped and the audience give a sstanding ovation to the Newt The Ripper!

    • scum

      If the media is in the private sector – why can't they be 'liberal,' if that's even the case? One wonders.

  • BLJ

    Loved seeing Newt put that pinhead King in his place. The Communist News Network is a bad as the rest.

    Personally I could care less about any of these guys of even Comrade O's tax returns. It is a non-issue. I care more about there beliefs, associations and educational backgrounds. Funny how the only politician in the history of America that these things don't matter about or can be found in public records is the fraud in the White House.

    • scum

      Oh, sure, the Communist News Network. Held up next to the gloriously objective, fair and balanced Fox, it sounds like you're reporting from the grave of McCarthy.

  • Asher

    Newt Ripped John king and CNN a new one. The public are tired of these setups, especially 2 days before a primary and vengeful wives!

  • scum

    Newt wins. Time for Mitt to take the mitts off, so to speak.

    • Stephen_Brady

      That's what ticked Newt off, in the first place.

  • WilliamJamesWard

    Yes there was a debate or two and a vote and movement changes in the_candidate forum and next Florida and then more change and a continuous_flow until a candidate is chosen. I see nothing new or startling, same old ho_hum professional politicians being what they are. It is hard to take knowing_that what is best in Government is not found in Republicans and Democrats_who are cons and snake oil salesmen on the heels of history's greatest_traveling salesman. Will luck help America out, other than and act of God_directly intervening in our affairs it is hard to see anyone getting us back to_some form of every day normalcy and the continuing work of making life_better for ourselves and children……………………………William

    • Stephen_Brady

      Wiliam, the best thing that we can do is get rid of the commie in "The People's House". That's my goal, for this year …

      • WilliamJamesWard

        Yes Stephen that is the first and most important step, after which the thousands
        of people he has set in motion destroying our free market system and building
        socialist insolvency as the new American foundation. There is a chance to
        right the wrongs but it is thin and will be slow going,the left has done extreme
        damage to the National character and if corrected it will be past my time on
        this world to see………………………………………………..Regards, Williaim

  • https://politicsandgovernmentnewsrealtime.us Leea

    Geez Louise, I’m going to win the bet! People I know refuse to entertain the idea that there are this many stupid, racist, far right extremists that haven’t a clue about truth, the Bill of Rights, exept Amendment.II and their misinterpretation of the Framers intent.

    Much “Comrades, The Communist Times” or what ever it was you were inferring, you all do realize there are two remaing Communist countries, right? Perhaps Mr./Ms. Chavez can fill the entirety remaing in on which two? Mr. Chavez you are at minimum 50% Hispanic, I’d like to comprehend Self-Hate, do you demean Cubanos, Puerto Ricanos, in order to hide your proud hertitage, I’ll bet you 10 to 1 your grandparents are rolling over in their resting places, I feel a bit of empathy even though your a racist, self-hater, uses talking points from Frank Luntz, putting sackcloth over mirrors so you mustn’t view your skin, hair or eye color, boy oh boy!

    The Bean commenter whom pretends it’s human, I’d say you’re a retired, white, lower middle class man, I’d like to think you were raised with a modicum of decency, yet if you had an iota of intelligence 1 thing you’d do is have respect for the office OUR President holds, you use racist, as well as demeaning, deranged Hate Speak about Michelle, Sasha, and Malia, children aged 11 and 13, takes a great big pig, oops I meant male to attack young children just because you’ve never been properly educated, you believe FAUX Noise is a real truthful NEWS SHOW, Bwahahaha. Ask Rupert Murdoch, owner of FAUX, oh he’s in Great Britain along with his son charged with tapping the phones of young 9/11 survivors [WOW great guy, huh? ], actually they’re in Great Britain, and concentrating on Murdochs tapping the family of a young, murdered, girl, the Royals, terrorism victims, high ranking UK Pol.’s and more, the US is waiting its the “9/11 Parents and Familes of Firefighters & World Trade Center Victims” are waiting to find out their personal home phones, and those of the US citizenry had their Fourth Amendment egregiously violated, too. Roger Ailes is the FIXED NEWS Chairman, lifetime member of the Grand Obstructionist Party, ties to Tricky Dick, Raygun( who you whatever party aside from “The Party of Hate, Bookburners, Racists,Misogynists,Miltia Members or as its now known as, “Homegrown Terrorists” , he’s also a pal of Daddy bush, and while serving as Head of Fixed Noise, he gave advice to baby bush, the FCC can yank their license you realize? Mr. Bean do you reside in a trailer park below the Mason-Dixon Line?

    Mr. Stephen Brady I hope you realize the Peoples House is NOT LOCATED AT 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the “People’s House” is the Halls of Congress!!! The Pew Research Institute love your silly Polls, they’ve come to find avid watchers of FIXED NOISE are are, this isn’t my word, “dumber than those that get their news elsewhere.”

    The woman or man whose ignorant username is our President then YoMomma, do you comprehend there are millions of families with children that have learning disabilities, or are mentally challenged, Palin is not the only wife to give birth to a Downes Syndrome child, “Retarded was cruel!”

    Chavez says,”Newts a walking Encyclopedia”, indeed? I do know these group of nonsensical ne’er do wells are already down for the count, ahhh Newt such a great guy, had to resign as Speaker, cheating on his wife as she lay dying of Cancer, he splits and leaves her when he’s needed by her the most, coward. Insofar as Newt being letter ‘C’ for cad or coward in the Encyclopedia, these Repubs don’t even know they’re being uploaded on YouTube every time they’re out and about, that there is this new fangled notion called “The Google”, that there isn’t a conspiracy involving President Obama, Newt and whatever, you all are Psychologically imbalanced, and the racist username dolt, “Oh you mean the ‘Cayman Accounts?, well now now everyone who’s anyone knows Mitts Multi Millions Makes Mitt still Morman and look at the hate in this wee pod of supposed humans hating a President because of skin color, darn right Barack could belt the tunes out!!! Shame he decided to become a Constitutional Scholar, his wife a lawyer, Barack Harvard Law Review, both ditched Corporocracys for Nonprofit work because this is what we as true parts of humanity are meant to do, to help those that cannot, to point someone in the direction that will allow them to learn in order to help themselves, in order for them to repeat the lessons learned. Asher too hysterical do any of you have Dictionaries or a Thesaurus? You misspelled heroin “herroin”, you equated all criminals together then equated criminals to addicts! Yowsa you all are lunatics. IBM Asher serve time you do not have the privilege to vote any longer. Remember they’re called Books, books,.

    Them you all use what’s your term for MSM, oh yes, “lamestream media”, seriously? FAUX News is mainstream honestly. And Cauman Isles money for Mitt, dudes like 61 and she thinks his money’s in trust, what is he 19? SomeOne is all about “I don’t care about tax returns, I only care about their associates, education and Beliefs.” please, you all lied about Obama, you are a gaggle of Christians. You don’t even abide by the First Amendment! “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people to peaceably assemble; and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

    Okay don’t care about vetting so completely the person who will be the leader of this Nation once called America, dude doesn’t want his Fed returns gone over by a Forensic Accountant. Reason most Repubs don’t is because they have MN’s and BN’s of $$$$, and pay less in taxes than a family making $50K.

    Obama will win in 2012, you can whine for four more years, we had to endure bush two : Torture, Extraordinary Renditions, Innocent POWs in GITMO, phones tapped, email trapped. He had no right to declare war that’s Congress’ duty. Article.I.Section.8, clauses 12-18, War Powers Act, bush and Cheney are War Criminals, they’ve warrants in Geneva, cannot wait. You all need to stop calling yourself Christians, you aren’t, you’re hateful racists, WWJD nothing you idiots do. Fools!