GOP Candidates Face Off in Iowa

Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton struck back at the GOP debate. "The fact that the same Republican candidates who want to keep 160,000 American troops in the middle of a civil war couldn't agree that we should take out Osama bin Laden if we had him in our sights proves why Americans want to turn the page on the last seven years of Bush-Cheney foreign policy."

Redefining the Role of Vice President

Vice President Dick Cheney's role during the Bush presidency came into question during a viewer-submitted question that asked the candidates what authority they would delegate to the office of vice president.

Arizona Sen. John McCain quipped that he'd given a lot of thought to the powers of the vice president, as he'd been considered for the job on more than one occasion but went on to clarify that he'd "be very careful to make everyone understand that there was only one president."

Giuliani said he was comfortable with a vice president who could take over "at a moment's notice."

Tipping his hat to the current administration, Romney agreed: "People like to criticize the president and vice president, and they have made mistakes, but they've kept us safe."

Brownback argued that the vice president should be able to provide experience and wisdom but subtly criticized the president for relying too heavily on Cheney.

"You need somebody coming in with foreign policy experience so they don't have to depend on the vice president as much," Brownback said.

Texas Rep. Ron Paul had harsher words for the administration, saying that Cheney is more powerful than Bush and that he would support an amendment to define the Vice President's duties.

Strategies for Iraq

All but two of Republcan presidential candidates oppose a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq.

Responding to a video question asking the candidates to clarify their strategies for ending the war in Iraq, Rep. Ron Paul came out swinging in support of immediate withdrawal.

"We went in illegally, and we ought to just come home," Paul charged from the podium to scattered audience cheers.

Paul is co-author, alongside Democratic presidential candidate Rep. Dennis Kucinich, of a House resolution to begin immediate withdrawal.