WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican presidential candidates are meeting for their 11th debate, ready to discuss foreign policy and criticize President Barack Obama’s handling of it.
Tuesday night’s debate in Washington comes a day after a special congressional committee couldn’t agree on a plan to cut more than $1 trillion in federal spending.
Failure to reach a deal triggered roughly $1 trillion in automatic spending cuts in domestic programs and defense. Those cuts would take effect beginning in January 2013, just as one of the GOP contenders could be taking office.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, businessman Herman Cain, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Reps. Ron Paul of Texas and Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman and former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania were to participate.
