GOP Debate: Mitt Romney under joint attack from opponents

Mitt Romney came out with a somewhat weak, but simple performance in the sixteenth GOP presidential debate in South Carolina Monday night. The former Massachusetts governor attempted to skillfully fence off the criticisms directed at him from all of his rival candidates, but failed at times to satisfy the audience.

Romney, however, displayed little signs of unevenness while being attacked for his corporate profession, for his rejection to reveal private tax records, for TV assault ads launched by his followers in addition to several other issues.

Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry blasted Mitt Romney and alleged that the former Massachusetts governor has a record as a corporate turnaround artist.

“There was a pattern in some companies, a handful of them, of leaving them with enormous debt and then within a year or two or three having them go broke,” Gingrich said. “I think that is something he ought to answer.”

Rick Perry said that he visited Georgetown, South Carolina, where Romney’s firm, Bain Capital, acquired a steel mill and as a result, several people lost their jobs.

“I visited Georgetown, South Carolina. It was one of those towns where there was a steel mill that [Romney’s firm Bain Capital] swept in, they picked that company over and a lot of people lost jobs there,” Perry said.

Romney responded by recasting his employment creation endeavors at Bain, centering on the firm’s major achievements rather than the counting of its transactions. Romney earlier said he assisted generating more than 100,000 new employments; however, on Monday he underlined 4 businesses that his corporation rallied round to kick start. These businesses, he said, had since created 120,000 new jobs.

Rick Santorum attacked Mitt Romney over the subject of whether criminals should be permitted to cast their vote in US elections after they have served their prison term completely.

“I don’t think people who committed violent crimes should be allowed to vote again,” said Mr. Romney.

Rick Perry garnered yells of endorsement from the throng when he blasted Leon Panetta, the US defence secretary, for declaring the urination on dead Taliban fighters by US marines as a “despicable act”.

“Let me tell you what’s despicable: cutting Danny Pearl’s head off and posting a video of it online,” said Mr. Perry.

An unruly throng of around three thousand people were present at the Republican debate at a convention center in Myrtle Beach, to the north of South Carolina.