Western Republican Presidential Debate in Las Vegas, Nevada — October 18, 2011 (01:42:00)
January 30th, 2012
October 18, 2011 — Seven Republican presidential candidates clashed sharply over issues such as illegal immigration, taxes and health care Tuesday night at the Western Republican Presidential Debate co-hosted and co-sponsored by CNN and the Western Republican Leadership Conference (WRLC) and broadcast live by CNN from the Sands Expo and Convention Center at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. GOP contenders participating in the event included Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, businessman and former Godfather’s Pizza CEO Herman Cain, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Texas Rep. Ron Paul, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum. Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman was invited to participate in the debate, but boycotted due to a dispute between New Hampshire and Nevada election officials over the date of Nevada’s Republican presidential primary. He is staking his campaign on a win in New Hampshire, and held a town hall there Tuesday night. Moderated by CNN’s Anderson Cooper, the debate took place on the first night of the Western Republican Leadership Conference, an event aimed at “educating, empowering and mobilizing” Western Republicans. Voters from the 16 states and territories that make up the Western region of the United States were in the audience with the opportunity to pose questions directly to the candidates. Longstanding tensions between Romney and Perry boiled over in the debate’s first …
Video Rating: 4 / 5
