Posted on 10/23/2011 4:39:23 PM PDT by drewh
DES MOINES, Iowa: Republicans Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann took veiled swipes at surging presidential rival Herman Cain Saturday as six of the party’s White House hopefuls courted social conservatives at an Iowa forum.
Appearing separately before about 1,000 conservative activists, the Republican candidates all pledged to protect the unborn, defend traditional marriage, limit government and bring an end to the presidency of Democrat Barack Obama.
But Cain, the former pizza executive, came under indirect fire for seeming to suggest earlier this week that while he opposed abortion, government should not be trying to tell a woman what to do about it.
“It is a liberal canard to say I am personally pro-life, but government should stay out of that decision,” Texas Governor Rick Perry told the Iowa forum, held in an exhibition hall at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.
“If that is your view, you are not pro-life,” he said, without mentioning Cain by name. “You are pro having your cake and eating it too.”
Bachmann also criticized Cain’s abortion comments without naming him, saying she believed government must intervene to protect the unborn and she would support a constitutional amendment on the issue.
Bachmann, a U.S. representative from Minnesota, also said she would never consider negotiating the release of detainees at Guantanamo Bay – a direct rebuttal of Cain’s recent comment that he would consider trading them for a U.S. hostage.
Cain, who has struggled in the past week as his views come under more scrutiny, has tried to backtrack on both of those comments. At the forum he was direct when asked about his stance on abortion. “No abortions, no exceptions,” he said.
The forum was heavy on social issues, and all of the candidates were asked by the forum sponsors what they would do to end abortion on demand. Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum questioned the commitment of the other candidates to fight on the issue.
The conservative activists at the forum, sponsored by the Faith and Freedom Coalition, gave all of the candidates similar polite but not wildly enthusiastic responses.
Former U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich drew some of the biggest cheers of the evening for a speech that forecast economic recovery after Obama’s defeat in November 2012.
“Late that night, the recovery will begin,” Gingrich said, predicting a groundswell of optimism and hiring after Obama’s defeat. “We can have a dramatically better Christmas in 2012 if it is the goodbye Obama Christmas.”
The social and religious conservatives who play a big role in the Iowa nominating contest Jan. 3 have spent much of the Republican campaign seeking a candidate to rally around.
Bachmann surged during the summer but faded shortly after her August straw poll win. Perry took the lead after entering the race in August but sunk after halting debate performances.
Cain is the latest candidate to surge in the race, with recent polls giving him leads in Iowa and in some cases, nationally. His supporters in the crowd said they thought he could have some staying power.
“Look how far he’s come with no budget. He’s charismatic, and when he says something you can believe it,” said Keith Lacy, who owns two Godfather’s Pizza restaurants in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Cain had been chief executive of the pizza chain.
Bachmann told the conservative crowd she was one of them and said they needed to rally around a candidate to kick Obama out of the White House.
“This is the year when social conservatives can have it all,” she said. “This is our year when we don’t compromise, this is our year when we don’t settle.”
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, the nominal front-runner in the Republican field who Thursday made just his third visit to Iowa this year, skipped the forum. He has had trouble winning over conservatives because of his past support for abortion rights and an individual health care mandate.
After plunging millions into the Iowa contest in 2008, Romney lost to former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, who won strong support from the state’s religious conservatives. Polls showed big majorities of caucus-goers in 2008 made up their mind in the last month before the contest.
Cain is more pro-life than you, Perry. I would be very careful about picking a fight on that particular hill, based entirely on a misrepresentation of Cain's comments.
ditto.
perry, bachmann, paul, and santorum are wearing on me.
stop attacking each other, and attack obama!
Cain is now truly a front runner if he is taking shots at the debates.
It is a liberal canard to say I am personally anti-illegal immigration, but the state government I run rewards illegals with in-state tuition, welfare, medical, food stamps and numerous other goodies and I’m against building a border fence, 2ndDivisionVet told the Perrywinkles.
Perry is embarrassing Texas more each and every day.
“It is a liberal canard to say I am personally pro-life, but government should stay out of that decision,” Texas Governor Rick Perry told the Iowa forum, held in an exhibition hall at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. “If that is your view, you are not pro-life,” he said, without mentioning Cain by name. “You are pro having your cake and eating it too.”
Perry is the most repulsive person ever in politics. He is such a traitor and LIAR. I can’t wait until he drops out. He is a big loser and worthless human being. How dare this TURD go after a patriotic conservative human being.
I think the people can see clearly why Perry and Bachmann are doing that, and it won’t bolster the popularity of either of them. These two, and any others who try the same shenanigans, will only bury themselves deeper in the polls.
Our country is at stake! Why are we not hearing what these cry babies would do to save it? That is what Herman Cain talks about. He doesn’t ding his competitors. He is a Statesman!
As I’ve said elsewhere the differences in calibre of character becomes more evident every day. Victory too Herman Cain!
P8ING
Petty infighting makes them all less attractive to me, even Michelle when she tries to spotlight something in another candidate to try to marginalize them, makes her look petty. Cain sizzles ‘cause he has originality and a fresh bold approach. To Cain I say, don’t sweat the small stuff, that is the only thing the others can hit you on, is small stuff...
Great points and wouldn’t you would think by now the other candidates would take a lesson from Cain in that regard. While other candidates cry, whine and criticize each other, Cain stands tall and offers real ideas in an effort to solve the nation’s problems.
She is about as boring as watching paint dry.
Talk about gaffes - she makes them on a regular basis. I think even her NH Staff realized she's not got what it takes to be POTUS.
JMHO.
OTOH, if you stay above the fray, you’re accused of running for someone’s VP slot. It’s truly a darned if you can do, darned if you can’t situation...
Cain is going to be walking into a lot more of those traps now that he’s within striking distance of Romney. He should be strong enough to prevail.
Cain is more conservative than La Raza Rick, period.
Rick Perry please......as a Texan I’m personally against forcing young girls to have innoculations decreed by state govt that you supported. And unless Roe v Wade gets overturned its still legal to have abortions however heinous that truly is. Cain is most assuredly pro-life so stop the sniping at him on this issue.
Anyone want to bet that these dishonest statements will stop the crash of these candidates in the polls?
All of the “other” candidates still don’t realize they should Be attacking Romney not Cain.........
What is the source for Cain spending a million of his own money? What did you do with it? Where did he give it?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.