In Vegas, Cain Attacked, Romney And Perry Spar

By Lisa Kellman

Businessman and GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain’s latest catchy description for his bold tax plan failed to extinguish the fire from his opponents during Tuesday night’s Republican debate.

Regarding Cain’s “9-9-9” tax reform plan, which would replace the current tax code with a nine percent national sales tax, a nine percent personal income tax and a nine percent business tax, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney said “I’m going to be getting a bushel basket that has apples and oranges in it because I’ve got to pay both taxes.”

“The people in Nevada don’t want to pay both taxes,” Romney added, playing to the Las Vegas audience.

Since his ascendance in the polls began over a month ago, Cain’s plan has come under fire and has been scrutinized by most on the right for imposing the national sales tax that some say would burden the poor and the middle class. Furthermore, Cain’s conservative opponents, like Rick Santorum and Michele Bachmann, have argued that the tax rate could grow larger over time under subsequent administrations.

Cain, however, accused his opponents last night of “mixing apples and oranges” and not reading his plan thoroughly.

Though Cain’s plan received a considerable amount of focus early on, the rest of the debate, held in Las Vegas’ Venetian Hotel, centered around Romney and Texas Governor Rick Perry attacking each another.

The heat arrived midway through the debate over immigration issues. Verbal blows were fired when Perry blamed Romney for knowingly employing illegal immigrants — an attack that was used against Romney during the 2008 campaign — and called his position on immigration “the height of hypocrisy”

Romney denied the accusations that he knowingly employed a lawn care service that used illegal immigrants, and hit back by pointing out a 60% increase in illegal immigration in Texas during Perry’s time as Governor.
“Governor Perry, you say you have got the experience. It’s a bit like saying that, you know, the college coach that has lost 40 games in a row has the experience to go to the NFL,” said Romney.

CNN’s Anderson Cooper, who moderated the debate, forced the candidates to address immigration, economic and healthcare issues, but also addressed recent controversies including the statements from Perry’s Pastor calling Mormonism a cult and Iran’s attack on the Saudi ambassador.

In response to his pastor Robert Jeffress’ statements, Perry apologized to Romney and said he did not agree with the pastor’s remarks yet conceded that Jeffress indeed had a right to make them. 

Cain defended his statement last week when he called out Occupy Wall Street Protestors saying “Don’t blame Wall Street, don’t blame the big banks. If you don’t have a job, and you’re not rich, blame yourself.” He asserted that the protestors should be directing their anger toward President Obama instead.

Throughout the evening, Romney faced direct attacks from Santorum and Perry over his alleged influence on Obama’s healthcare law. He defended his decision to pass a very similar law as Governor by saying that his Massachusetts plan was a state plan and was never intended to be a model for the federal government.

Geoff Holtzman contributed to this story.