GOP debaters turn fire on Perry

The contenders for the Republican presidential nomination aimed their fire last night at front-runner Rick Perry while several second-tier candidates tried to gain traction in the GOP field as they faced off at a debate in Orlando, Fla.

The initial moments were congenial, with the candidates skewering President Barack Obama's economic policies. But they soon turned on one another. As in previous meetings, Perry and Mitt Romney jousted repeatedly, with Perry at one point comparing their exchanges to a game of badminton as he gestured as though he were swinging a racket.

Romney criticized Perry for having said Social Security was unconstitutional as a federal matter and ought to be handled by the states, a claim the Texas governor denied. Throughout the evening, Perry repeatedly accused the former Massachusetts governor of flip-flopping.

The debate, sponsored by Fox News and Google, was the third for the candidates in 15 days. It was the second in 10 days in Florida, a state that could be critical in deciding who from the GOP will take on Obama.

Nine candidates participated, including former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, the first time he was allowed into a debate since May. The libertarian-leaning Johnson has been a nonentity in the race and was a minimal presence last night.

The debate not only included questions from moderators, but also from people who submitted them online, including a gay soldier serving in Iraq who asked whether the candidates would reinstate the "don't ask, don't tell" policy that had banned gay service members from serving openly.

Perry has increasingly become viewed as the front-runner, but was facing increasing attacks on his record. One came from former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum on Perry's support for in-state college tuition for the children of illegal immigrants and his opposition to a border fence. Perry stood by his positions.

Santorum also took former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman to task for his calls to bring the troops home from Afghanistan and Iraq. Santorum said America needs to be committed to winning its wars.

Huntsman received a bump Wednesday when a survey found him at double digits in New Hampshire.

Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann struggled to get attention yesterday, at one point interrupting the moderators to answer a question asked of another candidate.