Perry fades in latest GOP debate

Nine candidates took part in Thursday night’s GOP debate in Orlando, Florida, but clashes between the two frontrunners, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Texas Gov. Rick Perry, took up much of the evening.

Google co-sponsored the debate with Fox News and many of the questions came from YouTube videos, CBS News reports.

Perry continued his attempt to question Romney’s conservative beliefs and brand him as “Obama-lite,” the Los Angeles Times reports.

Romney, along with former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Min., slammed Perry's support for in-state college tuition for the children of illegal immigrants, National Journal reports. Romney described the in-state tuition rate Perry signed into law for illegal immigrants in Texas as an “almost $100,000 discount” that out-of-state American students couldn’t get.

The audience booed him, but Perry defended his in-state tuition decision and his opposition to a border fence with Mexico.

As in past debates, Perry seemed to lose steam as the evening wore on, the L.A. Times reports.

According to the L.A.Times:

Perry’s disinterest in debating has been well chronicled—and it’s possible that it’s just not the right kind of forum for his laid-back personality. He didn't have the same easy command of the facts or of policy that Romney, or Jon Huntsman or Newt Gingrich, demonstrated with ease.

CBS News called Mitt Romney “the clear winner.”

According to CBS News:

He's run a presidential campaign before and it shows. His answers were polished and on message. When he didn't have an answer, he quickly went on to the main talking point of his campaign – attacking President Obama.

One notable aspect of the debate was how eager the candidates were to tout their hardline, conservative credentials, the Atlantic magazine reports.

According to the Atlantic:

In the debate's first hour alone, Rick Santorum proposed to ban public employee unions; Michele Bachmann proposed to eliminate the Education Department and build a fence along every foot of the Mexican border; Herman Cain would he would shutter the Environmental Protection Agency; Newt Gingrich described President Obama's agenda as "socialist"; and Ron Paul said he would end birthright citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants born in the U.S.