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AP Photo/Jim ColeSALT LAKE CITY — Republican presidential candidates tried to distinguish themselves among voters Monday night in a debate broadcasted on CNN from New Hampshire, but the majority of the night was focused on criticizing President Obama.
The seven official GOP candidates gathered for the first debate of the 2012 election. Romney is currently the frontrunner. The candidates had a challenge before them.
"For Republican voters, what they're looking for, I think, is something to distinguish these candidates, and sometimes that makes them feel like, ‘Yes, that's the candidate that I want to support,'" University of Utah political science professor Matthew Burbank said.
Minnesota's Representative Michelle Bachmann took a moment to make an announcement. "I filed my paperwork to seek the office of the presidency of the United States today."
The candidates stated their positions on everything from abortion, to ‘Don't Ask Don't Tell‘, then on to the economy and health care reform. Perhaps the most awkward moment of the night came when the commentator repeatedly asked Tim Pawlenty to explain the term he coined--"Obamney Care" on FOX News Sunday.
He answered, "President Obama is the president I quoted, saying he looked to Massachusetts for designing his program. He's the one who said that he merged the two programs. By using the term ‘Obamney Care' was a reflection of the President's comments."
Noticibly absent were Sarah Palin, Rudy Guliani and Jon Huntsman, Jr., who has announced he will announce he's running but not in time for this first debate. Burbank says that may not be a bad thing. After all, this won't be the last debate.
"There's some wisdom in waiting to make the formal announcement and then taking part in these kinds of activities," he said.
It will be interesting to see how the debate affects the candidates in the coming days.
E-mail: jstagg@ksl.com
