SIOUX CITY, Iowa — The candidates leading the Republican presidential field in Iowa were careful to mostly avoid throwing punches at Thursday’s debate, recognizing an Iowan disdain for the kind of slugfest that undercut past presidential hopefuls.
There were few stumbles in the Fox News debate, the 13th among the candidates, and front-runner Newt Gingrich walked away relatively unscathed, despite opponents’ accusations that he lobbied for mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, entities that most Republicans want dismantled.
Gingrich denied performing any kind of lobbying for Fannie or Freddie even as Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota said “there was plenty of evidence” because he cashed their checks.
“We can’t have someone as our nominee that continues to support Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae,” she said. “They need to be shut down and not built up.”
Bachmann, hoping to replace Gingrich as the anti-Mitt Romney candidate for whom Iowa conservatives are searching, also challenged the new front-runner on the issue of partial-birth abortion, accusing him of “tolerating infanticide.”
Gingrich retorted by accusing Bachmann of getting her facts wrong, saying, “What I said was I wouldn’t try to go out and purge Republicans” who backed the abortion proposal.
Gingrich, who is fending off charges that he’s too unpredictable and bombastic to be president, kept his cool throughout the debate. While upholding his pledge to conduct an attack-free campaign, he noted during the debate that he was editing his responses to avoid “appearing to be zany,” a reference to Romney’s characterization of him earlier this week.
The one candidate who drew the greatest contrast with the rest of the field was Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, whose isolationist views on foreign policy drew vitriolic attacks from others on the stage eager to steal some of his surging support.
Paul, who regularly places in the top three in Iowa polls, reiterated his view that the United States should avoid conflict with Iran, even if that the country obtains a nuclear weapon.
“There is no evidence that is happening,” Paul said. “You know what I hear? It’s another Iraq coming. There is war propaganda coming on. My fear is we will have a president who will overreact.”
Paul, who perhaps had the most to lose in the debate, drew sharp rebuke from Bachmann, who is struggling in the polls.
“I think I have never heard a more dangerous answer for American security than the one we just heard from Ron Paul,” Bachmann said, adding that Iran is on a mission to destroy America.
“We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Iran will take a nuclear weapon and they will use it to wipe out our ally Israel off the map and they will use it against the United States of America,” she said.
For the seven candidates on the stage, the stakes could not have been higher. The debate was the last to be held before the pivotal caucus votes Jan. 3.
Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, was forced again to explain his shifting views on conservative issues like abortion, same-sex marriage and gun control. He told the crowd he “changed his mind” about abortion after supporting some pro-choice initiatives in his past.
“Where I was wrong I have tried to correct myself,” Romney said, explaining why he came to oppose the procedure.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who has lost considerable ground in the race in part because of his poor debate performances, compared himself to NFL quarterback Tim Tebow, who often cites his faith.
“I hope I am the Tim Tebow of the Iowa caucuses,” Perry said.
