Dec. 12 Republican debate transcript

Washburn: Governor Huckabee?

Huckabee: Well, I like the laundry list that everybody's had. And I would agree that every one of those things is important. Reality is none of that's going to happen till we bring this country back together.

I think the first priority of the next president is to be a president of all the United States. We are right now a very polarized country, and that polarized country has led to a paralyzed government.

We've got Democrats who fight Republicans, liberals fighting conservatives, the left fights the right. Who's fighting for this country again?

And somehow, we've got to quit even fighting among ourselves as conservatives and as Republicans and start putting the better interests of this nation.

If that doesn't happen, we will get none of these things done. We've got to be the united people of the United States. And a president has got to somehow remind us that we are a great, resilient nation that has to stick together to solve all of these problems.

Washburn: Senator McCain?

McCain: Our first obligation -- and my qualifications lend to making America safe. We must make America safe. This is a military, diplomatic, intelligence, and cyberspace challenge.

And I have the credentials and the knowledge and the background and the judgment to do that.

The second most important thing, if we're going to complete that laundry list, is restore trust and confidence in government. There is none today.

We have to fix Medicare. We have to stop this wasteful pork barrel spending that has led to corruption in Washington. Of course we have to fix our borders. We have to sit down together and fix Medicare and Social Security.

But I can lead. I can inspire confidence and restore trust and confidence in their government again.

That's the key to any success we want to achieve.

Washburn: Ambassador?

Keyes: What I would concentrate on is restoring the sovereignty of the people of this country. I would restore their moral sovereignty -- it's something I think I can do very simply as president by declaring that no action taken by the executive branch would support, aid, or abet anyone who is destroying the constitutional rights of those who are in the womb.

I would sign an executive order to that effect day one and we would reestablish this government's commitment to the constitutional rights of our posterity.

Folks talk about our posterity, but you can't really respect them if you're killing them in the womb. It doesn't make any sense.

And I would also work to abolish the income tax. And you say, "Well, it can't be done in a day." We need to start talking about it and talking about actually implementing the Fair Tax proposal that will end the wasteful spending by putting them under the discipline of a people who can actually withhold their taxes by changing their patterns of spending.

Washburn: Thank you...

Keyes: And, finally, I would establish a national border guard. I would seal the borders of the United States so that only those who cross our borders are subject to our laws and the terms of those laws. And I would encourage, through...

Washburn: Thank you.

Keyes: ... this national border guard, a real respect for the security that must be maintained along this border if we're serious about the war on terror.

Washburn: We're going to move to the last three candidate statements. Governor Romney has 30 seconds, followed by Mr. Keyes, and finally Mayor Giuliani.

Romney: I want to begin by saying thank you to the people of Iowa. Over the last year, my wife and I visited many, many homes, many places, over 70 town meetings, 67 counties. Josh, my son, has visited all 99 counties.

People here have warm hearts. They've welcomed us, and it's something that's made me feel very good about America. Anybody who's worried about the future of this great land just needs to come to Iowa, meet the people with the kind of heartland values that you have here.

People here also recognize we face real challenges. And they want somebody who will strengthen America. I know how to keep America strong. I know a lot about the economy. I'll make sure we keep good jobs.

I learned a lot about education and health care.

I'll improve our schools, get our health care system working for all Americans.

And I'll make sure that we have the kind of values that we can be proud of, that are so essential to the great strength of this nation.

And, finally, I want to say to the people of Iowa: I need your help. I'd like your vote. I want you to get out and participate in that caucus.

Thank you.