Spartanburg, South Carolina
After a series of debates in which foreign policy and national security issues received little attention, Republicans spent Saturday evening here debating everything from the Arab Spring and Pakistan to foreign aid and China currency manipulation. The candidates largely agreed on the big issues – Obama is bad, terrorists are dangerous, Pakistan is a conundrum – but some interesting differences among the leading candidates surfaced over the course of the 90 minutes on stage and in the spin room afterwards.

Herman Cain had a difficult night, his halting and hesitant answers seemed to reflect a lack of depth on foreign policy issues. That might be understandable for someone who has spent his life in business, but it matters. In the first question of the night, Cain was asked about the recent IAEA report on Iran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program. The question conveyed a sense of urgency but Cain answered with policy prescriptions more appropriate for addressing a long-term problem – changing U.S. energy policy, aiding the Iranian opposition and tightening sanctions. Cain effectively ruled out military action. “The only way to stop them is through economic means,” he said.