Republicans Face Off in Tea Party Debate

The GOP presidential candidates faced off last night before an audience of  1,000 Tea Party activists  in Tampa, Florida. Gov. Rick Perry, who has surged to the front of the race since entering last month,  faced heavy scrutiny  from his seven challengers over his record as governor of Texas, including a state order to vaccinate girls against HPV and college  tuition  for the children of illegal immigrants. Mitt Romney, the other front runner, criticized Perry over his past assertion that  Social Security is a “Ponzi scheme.” For highlights and analysis,  Kate Zernicke,  national correspondent for  The New York Times  and author of “Boiling Mad: Inside Tea Party America,” and  Doug Guetzloe,  radio talk show host and co-founder of the Florida Tea Party, join the program.