Obama Blasts Climate Denier Whose 'State Is on Fire'

Texas governor goes on media blitz after debate 'oops'

(NEWSER) - Rick Perry freely admitted that he “stepped in it” last night when he forgot the name of the third federal agency he would eliminate. But will his debate gaffe lead to the end of his campaign? "Oh, shoot, no," the Texan told the AP this morning. "This ain't a day for quitting nothing." He added that “everybody makes mistakes,” and that his will just make him appear more human. “The president of the United States said there were 57 states one time,” he pointed out. More»

Cain needs more substance; Perry just needs a better performance: Politico

(NEWSER) - Tonight’s GOP debate—the last one for three weeks—is one of the few remaining chances for the Republican presidential candidates to change the opinions (for better or worse) of millions of TV viewers before Iowa’s Jan. 3 caucuses . With that in mind, Maggie Haberman offers some advice to the candidates, via Politico :

• Hermain Cain: He’s sitting pretty right now, but he needs to prove he deserves to be on top. Cain doesn't exactly hit the ball out of the park when discussing his 9-9-9 plan , but "given his foreign policy weaknesses and his inability to correctly identify a 'neocon' to [David] Gregory, he may want to avoid talking about anything other than '9-9-9.'"
• Rick Perry: He needs to stop giving canned answers, and keep Mitt Romney from turning all of his attacks back on him. But mostly, “he needs to avoid seeming like the Rick Perry of the last four debates, and more like the confident version who took the stage for the first half-hour at the Reagan Presidential Library face-off.”

What to watch for in tonight's GOP debate

(NEWSER) - The Republican presidential candidates head back to New Hampshire tonight for the Granite State's second debate of the year. What to watch for, courtesy of Politico , the Washington Post , and Reuters :

• It's now or never for Rick Perry: Following a series of disappointing debate performances, time is running short for the Texas governor to prove himself to donors and voters. He's pumped up his practice routine and is getting more sleep, but some are still worried he's not doing enough to prepare.
• Herman Cain steps into the spotlight: Now that he's second place in the polls, Cain finds himself on center stage—literally. He'll stand next to Mitt Romney, bumping Perry one space to the left, and he'll be expected to turn in a top-tier debate performance to match his standing. Expect to see more attacks from the others on stage, particularly Rick Santorum and possibly Perry.

Social security and Tea Party topics likely to be big issues

(NEWSER) - Yes, it’s debate time again. Here’s what to watch for when the 2012 GOP presidential candidates face off tonight in Florida, at an event sponsored by CNN and the Tea Party Express:

• Social Security will likely continue to be a flash point. At the last debate, Rick Perry attacked Mitt Romney’s record on jobs; this time around, he could take a swipe at his inconsistent social issues record, Politico notes. All of the candidates will be walking a “fine line” when it comes to Social Security, one strategist predicts.
• Rick Perry “did OK” at the last debate, one insider tells the Texas Tribune . “Not good, not poor.” The paper took a survey of insiders and found that 65% felt the governor’s performance was “good,” while 15% called it “great” and 8% said it was “poor.” But some note that he started out strong then began to fade—at this debate, he’ll have to prove he has stamina.

Will Perry make a good impression? Can Bachmann survive?

(NEWSER) - Sure, some of them have faced off before—but tonight’s Politico/NBC News debate marks the first time new frontrunner Rick Perry will join the fray, making it what Politico calls the “first Fall Classic” for 2012 GOP presidential hopefuls. And it’s the start of a busy month as the race kicks into high gear: Two more debates are scheduled over the next three weeks, the AP notes. In light of the stagnant unemployment rate and President Obama’s jobs speech tomorrow, the economy will likely dominate the discussion. Beyond that, Politico has five things to watch: More»