Video: Watch the full CNBC Republican debate from Michigan

Wednesday night, live from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, eight GOP candidates participated in a debate sponsored by CNBC focused solely on the economy. The questions were mostly substantive to the topic despite some sneering and snipping from moderators at times. The candidates largely avoided attacking each other in favor of sticking to the issues.

Original Air Time: Wednesday, November 9, 2011 on CNBC

Here is the entire debate in 3 parts from CNBC.

Part 1:

Continue reading for parts 2 and 3.

Part 2:

Part 3:

All candidates seemed to escape unscathed, except Texas Governor Rick Perry, who failed in answering the question of what government agencies he would cut should he assume the Presidency. Report from The Daily Caller:

Texas Gov. Rick Perry, the one-time Republican front-runner who saw his star fade after a series of shabby debate performances, made yet another unforced error during Wednesday’s Republican presidential debate.

While selling his tax plan and his record in Texas, Perry said three government agencies would be eliminated in a Perry presidency. “I will tell you, it’s three agencies of government, when I get there, that are gone,” he said. “Commerce, education, and the, um, what’s the third one there …”

Perry then trailed off, unable to remember the third agency he would eliminate. Amid audience laughter, another candidate volunteered the idea of axing the Environmental Protection Agency.

“Is the EPA the one you were talking about?” moderator John Harwood asked Perry. “No sir,” Perry replied. “We were talking about the agencies of government — the EPA needs to be rebuilt, there’s no doubt about that.”

“But you can’t name a third one?” Harwood asked again. Perry then stalled for a few moments before admitting that he could not, in fact, recall the name of the third agency he would eliminate as president.

“The third one I can’t,” Perry said, smiling. “Oops.”

The remaining candidates all came off fairly well, no glaring flubs or undesirable exchanges.


Nate Ashworth

The Founder and Editor-In-Chief of Election Central. He's been blogging elections and politics for over a decade. He started covering the 2008 Presidential Election which turned into a full-time political blog in 2012 and 2016 that continues today.

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